Synthesizer Gear Porn ;-)

[battema]

researching... thanks guys

You're welcome, but also....apparently I'm at least partly a filthy liar: the Spitfire free symphony VST has brass and trumpets, but no sax. Boo hiss on me!

From the "not quite so cheap" side of things, I have these and think they are terrific: https://www.uvi.net/ircam-solo-instruments-2

That said, they aren't cheap and I have to also admit they're not the easiest to master. The potential is there for some amazingly realistic and accurate performances, but it's definitely a "roll up the sleeves and dive into the instructions" kind of deal. Not trying to deter you or anyone else, but....honesty is still the best policy

I'll also say that UVI does sales pretty often so I wouldn't pay full price...check back every few months and it'll likely be 50% off.

[Rarebird]

You're welcome, but also....apparently I'm at least partly a filthy liar: the Spitfire free symphony VST has brass and trumpets, but no sax. Boo hiss on me!

From the "not quite so cheap" side of things, I have these and think they are terrific: https://www.uvi.net/ircam-solo-instruments-2

That said, they aren't cheap and I have to also admit they're not the easiest to master. The potential is there for some amazingly realistic and accurate performances, but it's definitely a "roll up the sleeves and dive into the instructions" kind of deal. Not trying to deter you or anyone else, but....honesty is still the best policy

I'll also say that UVI does sales pretty often so I wouldn't pay full price...check back every few months and it'll likely be 50% off.

Looks interesting. Wonder how they work with different playing styles. What I like about Ionica, I have Ionica Sketch, which came with Cubase Pro 13, is that you can chose different playing styles with keys on your keyboard. Alas it doesn't have solo-strings.

Alas the UBI only has alto-saxophone and no contra-bassoon.

Ionica Sketch has:
Bass clarinet
Basses
Bassoon (2 different ones)
Celesta
Celli
Clarinet (2 different ones)
Contra bassoon
English horn
Euphonium
Flute (2 different ones)
Glockenspiel
Harp
Horn
Horns
Marimba
Oboe (2 different ones)
Percussion map
Piccolo
Timpani
Trombone
Trombones
Trumpet
Trumpets
Tuba
Tubular bellls
Vibraphone
Violas
Violins (2 different ones)
Xylophone

[battema]

The Ircam instruments can handle an amazing range of articulations, from the most "typical" to some very out-there experimental stuff.

You can use various methods to switch, like velocity or MPE. Most frequently though, it uses key switches where a range of MIDI keys are assigned to switch articulations. This isn't as easy for playing but rather for programming; you either play or program an instrument track and then go back and insert the "switches" whenever the instrument should change styles.

It works and can yield incredible results... but it requires patience for sure.

[Rarebird]

The Ircam instruments can handle an amazing range of articulations, from the most "typical" to some very out-there experimental stuff.

You can use various methods to switch, like velocity or MPE. Most frequently though, it uses key switches where a range of MIDI keys are assigned to switch articulations. This isn't as easy for playing but rather for programming; you either play or program an instrument track and then go back and insert the "switches" whenever the instrument should change styles.

It works and can yield incredible results... but it requires patience for sure.

I used that last method with Ionica Sketch in 'Point-zero revisted' for the bassoon parts.

I have to admit that the Ircam instruments look attractive. You only seem to get 3 activations, so it's probably better to wait till I buy a new computer.

[dropforge]

[Gizmotron]

Very cool. Thank you.

it is a shame the presenter is so meek and shy. I kid, of course. Why are there so many of these manic, kooky presenters in the synth world?? To be honest, I do come across similar out-sized personality presenters in other musical areas, but the keyboardists seem to do this most common.

[BobM]

So many synths - so little money!

[dropforge]

Very cool. Thank you.

it is a shame the presenter is so meek and shy. I kid, of course. Why are there so many of these manic, kooky presenters in the synth world?? To be honest, I do come across similar out-sized personality presenters in other musical areas, but the keyboardists seem to do this most common.

That Mix-ly enthusiasm careens like a car with its brake lines cut. I almost opted for a different clip, but...Tom Oberheim.

Heavenly sounds, but 5-note polyphony.

[Rarebird]

Very cool. Thank you.

it is a shame the presenter is so meek and shy. I kid, of course. Why are there so many of these manic, kooky presenters in the synth world?? To be honest, I do come across similar out-sized personality presenters in other musical areas, but the keyboardists seem to do this most common.

That's my problem as well. They often seem to be so loud and hyper. But well, I suppose that atracts most viewers.

So many synths - so little money!

And so little room. That's why I stick with VST instruments, exept perhaps the Behringer MS-5.

[battema]

it is a shame the presenter is so meek and shy. I kid, of course. Why are there so many of these manic, kooky presenters in the synth world?? To be honest, I do come across similar out-sized personality presenters in other musical areas, but the keyboardists seem to do this most common.

They're just hyperbolic extensions of the old stereotype that synth geeks are weird, socially-maladjusted nerds

I'm try to avoid acting at or above my age as much as possible these days, but influencer culture is not my bag. The presenter and their style pretty much determine if I'll make it to the 1:00 mark in any video or simply dismiss everything they do/say permanently. In this particular case...yeah, I tried watching a few of his other videos and he's not my thing.

There are exceptions, of course: I really appreciate Tim Shoebridge's videos (he's done many of the Cherry Audio overviews but has covered other gear and subjects) and I also enjoy the stuff that Venus Theory does.

[dropforge]

So many synths - so little money!

The story of my life!

[Nijinsky Hind]

The story of my life!

Yep ... Same here. Money is pretty tight right now. Maybe the Government can buy me some stuff.

That Oberheim TEO5 is $1499.00 on ebay... free shipping. My MPK Mini will have to suffice for now.

[Rarebird]

Money is to tight to mention and I need more space.

[dropforge]

Yep ... Same here. Money is pretty tight right now. Maybe the Government can buy me some stuff.

That Oberheim TEO5 is $1499.00 on ebay... free shipping. My MPK Mini will have to suffice for now.

Bring on that gubmint cheez!

[battema]

Nifty! I don't see myself owning one, but I love the idea of the Soma Labs Flux. Kind of like a Theremin Mk II.

[Rarebird]

Nifty! I don't see myself owning one, but I love the idea of the Soma Labs Flux. Kind of like a Theremin Mk II.

It looks pretty interesting, but I wonder how it will work. You need to keep those 2 balls (or whatever they are) between your fingers all the time.

[battema]

It looks pretty interesting, but I wonder how it will work. You need to keep those 2 balls (or whatever they are) between your fingers all the time.

Not to be an armchair designer or anything...I'd have made them into rings that would have the same effect but without the risk of dropping them during a performance. Strangely enough, no one from Soma Labs thought to call and ask my opinion ahead of time though!

[Rarebird]

Not to be an armchair designer or anything...I'd have made them into rings that would have the same effect but without the risk of dropping them during a performance. Strangely enough, no one from Soma Labs thought to call and ask my opinion ahead of time though!

I think that would be a solution. Some glovelike thing could also be a possibility.

[Gizmotron]

They're just hyperbolic extensions of the old stereotype that synth geeks are weird, socially-maladjusted nerds

I'm try to avoid acting at or above my age as much as possible these days, but influencer culture is not my bag. The presenter and their style pretty much determine if I'll make it to the 1:00 mark in any video or simply dismiss everything they do/say permanently. In this particular case...yeah, I tried watching a few of his other videos and he's not my thing.

There are exceptions, of course: I really appreciate Tim Shoebridge's videos (he's done many of the Cherry Audio overviews but has covered other gear and subjects) and I also enjoy the stuff that Venus Theory does.

Exactly. “Well spoke, Puck!”

But at least he did cover some ground and show some functionality.

I too try not to act 65. When I crawl through my studio filled with thirty or more synths that makes me feel young. Well, perhaps when I need to contort myself underneath a three-tier stand to find an errant plug THAT does make me feel older—let’s say 50. Hah!

This hobby does keep the child-like wonder in oneself alive, no??

[Rarebird]

Exactly. “Well spoke, Puck!”

But at least he did cover some ground and show some functionality.

I too try not to act 65. When I crawl through my studio filled with thirty or more synths that makes me feel young. Well, perhaps when I need to contort myself underneath a three-tier stand to find an errant plug THAT does make me feel older—let’s say 50. Hah!

This hobby does keep the child-like wonder in oneself alive, no??

LOL.
I don't have thirty synths, unless I would count all VST instruments. But transfering my old Roland to a place where I can connect it with my Keystep and my computer, makes me feel my age. Otherwise I feel much younger and if I'm surrounded with synthesizers, I feel like a kid in a candystore.

[Gizmotron]

LOL.
I don't have thirty synths, unless I would count all VST instruments. But transfering my old Roland to a place where I can connect it with my Keystep and my computer, makes me feel my age. Otherwise I feel much younger and if I'm surrounded with synthesizers, I feel like a kid in a candystore.

…I was wrong…it is not thirty synths. It is actually thirty-seven, if you count my Moog Taurus III’s (and if I don’t count my weirdly malfunctioning KORG EX-800 that plays in a different key). There are two additional controllers and several of the Q-Nexus mini-boards too.

But yes, “Kid in a Candy Store” nails my vibe completely.

[battema]

Exactly. “Well spoke, Puck!”

But at least he did cover some ground and show some functionality.

I too try not to act 65. When I crawl through my studio filled with thirty or more synths that makes me feel young. Well, perhaps when I need to contort myself underneath a three-tier stand to find an errant plug THAT does make me feel older—let’s say 50. Hah!

This hobby does keep the child-like wonder in oneself alive, no??

My OCD lust for new gear is constantly in a life-and-death struggle with my OCD lust for neatness and minimalism

[Rarebird]

My OCD lust for new gear is constantly in a life-and-death struggle with my OCD lust for neatness and minimalism

Mine is more in a struggle with my OCD for saving money.

[battema]

Mine is more in a struggle with my OCD for saving money.

Believe it or not, that's true for me too! Admittedly, that lust often loses out to the other two, but I do try

[Rarebird]

Believe it or not, that's true for me too! Admittedly, that lust often loses out to the other two, but I do try

Well, that lust mostly seem to win with me, otherwise I would perhaps have even more Cherry Audio VSTs. On the other hand I recently ordered 12 CDs.