RABid

Just remember, if you go with 256 you really have to be conservative with installs. You need enough free memory for memory swaps in a variety of locations so you don't overly wear down your storage media.

Well, I finally just did it. After being so close on the Prophet 10 module I decided that mono and no effects was not the way I want to go. I went with the Trigon 6 module, an odd to the MemoryMoog I played in the 80's. But, with built in effects, better MIDI, and I will not have to open it up every Sunday and spend 3 hours adjusting tune, range and curve for 18 different oscillators. I think I am going to enjoy the Hydrasynth Deluxe/Trigon 6 combo. I'm done buying for a few years.

I’d love to see an update to the Boutique series with more polyphony and better interface. Especially the Jupiter 8 version. Currently if you use dual voice mode on the Jupiter you only get to play 2 notes. I’d like to see the same interface as the Aira Compact series.

Well, I returned the NI S49 (see other thread on this fiasco) and replaced it with a Hydrasynth Deluxe. That takes care of the poly aftertouch. I still plan to get one more unit. Summit and PolyBrute are in the lead if I go the keyboard route. But I am also considering module versions of the Prophet 10, Trigon 6 or Rev 2 16 voice. I had not considered the Waldorf. Sweetwater carries the core but it is backordered. I’ll have to check it out.

Of the expansion packs that I have purchased, Far North is my favorite. It has a very specific sound, but I would like to have access to those sound on my computer.

Hmmm. I googled it. Looks like it is no longer on the market.

Just for fun - iBone XL, a trombone simulator Serious music - Koala sampler

That is hard sync, syncing one oscillator to another and then having an envelop generator bend the secondary oscillator to create that phased growl while the primary oscillator plays the desired notes. Modern synths may offer both hard and soft sync. I remember trying to play this song on a MiniMoog that did not have the sync feature. Finally had to go out and buy a second synth, mostly to cover this song.

I have a Jupiter X and while I love the sound, the interface is not very intuitive. The problem is there is so much shoved inside. If it was just a Jupiter 8 clone it would be easy to manage. But with all of those engines and thousands of patches, well, my MODX+ has a much simpler system for searching patches and creating a favorites list that is quick and efficient to use. I have absolutely no intention of selling my Jupiter X, but I do want another synth or two that is more immediate. My chosen price range is $1500-$2700. There are some quality choices in this range. So, I have been looking at ... Hydrasynth Deluxe - A year ago I really did not like what I was hearing from this synth when browsing YouTube. But it seems that people are getting better at programming this beast, and being able to layer two sounds really helps. I think the interface is very intuitive, and the Deluxe may be the best deal in synths. This is probably the leader, for now. Novation Summit - I always wanted a Peak but never felt it was a good value. When the Summit came out I was very interested, but wow, it took a long time to fix the issues and finally release revision 2. I'm sure the passing of the original developer had a lot to do with the slow pace of bug fixes. Now, it seems to be a prime instrument. I like what I hear from it. I've heard comments that it has a dark sound, but what I am hearing on YouTube does not seem dark at all. Right now this is a very close second in my choices. Sequential - I always wanted a Prophet 5 in the 80's but never got around to it. When DSI started releasing polyphonics I think I bought four different models. None really felt like a Prophet to me and all ended up being sold. I'be been researching the Prophet 5/10 and the Rev 2. The Prophet 5/10 seems to finally have that sound but with no modern features. The Rev 2 has plenty of modern features, but relies on DCO's. I'm not going there again. The wild card is the Trigon-6. I've heard people say it sounds like the MemoryMoog. Others compare it to an Oberheim. No one that I have seen refers to it as a modern Prophet, but it does have my attention. Right now this is the Sequential synth that I would choose, though a Prophet 10 module is very tempting. Arturia - The PolyBrute has a lot of dedicated users but I have to be honest. Just looking at it, it does not speak to me. Everything is packed so close to make room for that big matrix area. I'll just move on. As for the others, Korg Prologue looks interesting but is already out of production. The poly Moogs and the new Oberheim is too expensive. Model Electronics, I worry about future support. 3rd Wave, interesting, expensive. Any opinions? Anyone else going through this journey?

My advice, in the beginning, stick with just using presets on your main keyboard. For learning how to program patches pick up something like the Roland Botique SE-02, a MiniMoog clone with extras. It was designed in partnership with Studio Electronics and is basically a revision of the early MiniMoog mod. The SE Mini Mod involved moving the guts of a MiniMoog into a rack case, adding oscillator sync and a separate LFO. It is a perfect synth to explore sound creation. If the small knobs on the compact unit really bother you, the next step up is probably the Arturia 2 or 2S. I learned patch creation on a MiniMoog, just spending hours experimenting. French horn, flute, a helicopter passing through the hills before suddenly appearing overhead (you really learn the filter creating this sound), the Lucky Man lead sound, it is all there. And you will learn a lot more programming on something like this than trying to program a modern K2700. In the beginning you need to learn how the various basic waveforms sound, filter basics, control of the ADSR, what happens when you crank an LFO into audible range, and the difference it makes when switching between square and saw waves at audio rate modulation.

My first synth was a brand new MiniMoog Model D. I moved from drums to keyboards and joined a band with a future Nashville guitarist. To keep from being blown off of the stage I turned into a speed daemon on the Moog, but it was not without issues. Oscillator 2 loved to drop out of tune at the worst time, and the pitch bend would come to rest at a different position depending on if you bent a note up or down. For tuning consistency I had to always bend up, never down. This did nothing for my stage fright. When I decided to be a full time keyboardist I bought a MemoryMoog and a Rhodes Chroma. While the MemoryMoog fixed the issues of the Mini, it was the Chroma that was a revelation for my playing. The Rhodes keybed forced me to slow down. The amazing pair of levers along with velocity and release velocity taught me to "play the note" rather than see how many notes I could shove into a measure. Whomever programmed the original patches was a genius. I attached sustain, CV and momentary contact switches. I could pull of tricks like using the switch pedals to progress through program changes, or on really busy songs, I could play a chord in advance, then use both hands on other keyboards. When it was time for that chord to come in I would press a switch with my foot and it would play. It was a time when I was not confident in my talents, feeling that I was on stage because keyboardists were hard to find. But we were playing the biggest clubs in the city, and during breaks it seemed there was always someone coming up on stage to ask me how I got a certain sound, or how I pulled off convincing screaming guitar leads with an analog synth. Thanks to the Chroma I evolved into a valuable commodity, and eventually came to realize it.

I have very little contact with past band members. I think one reason is when ever I changed bands, I also changed locations and stepped up in venue size. Some band members encouraged me to take those bigger opportunities, and some talked behind my back, saying I thought I was too good to play with them any more. As for family, I never saw my dad as happy as he was the day I called and said "I'm ready for a job with insurance, retirement and vacation. I want to go back to school and get a degree." His response was "If you will go back to school I will pay for it." 3 1/2 years later I had a BS in computer science and a minor in mathematics.

I once asked a Roland rep why the 7 in the various lines were always a lot more than the 6, with a step up to the 8 being only a bit more. He said it is because the 6 and 8 are big sellers, and the 7 does not sell nearly as many units. Thus, there is a bigger up charge to recover the RnD and small runs.

So what is worse? ... The increasing number of AI VST's that generate chord patterns, leads, bass, rhythms, etc... Sample/sound packs that advertise "make your song with our packs which include chord progressions, leads and drum patterns designed to blend into production ready songs." When I hit the random button on a generator, at least I listen, see if it is something I like or not, and decide when to hit the button again. With a sound pack I am limited to two or three chord progressions and a lead line that 1000 other people are working into a song. I could pull that lead into a sampler, chop it up, and make something new but a lot of people don't bother. There has already been multiple instances of people copywriting songs made with these packs and causing confusion in the courts.

I remember upgrading from the JV to the XP. I thought it was a great upgrade and could hear the sound improvement. They sit in the mix really well. Great stage keyboards. I would think the Fantom 0 is the modern replacement for the 30.

I don’t see any advantage of having all those synths shoved into one keyboard when you don’t have the controls to make good use of them. ASM Hydrosynth Deluxe and Novation Summit are at the top of my buy list. Nothing here makes me want it more than those, or makes me consider replacing my Jupiter X or System 8. I really like my Auturia software collection. I would not enjoy it with such a simple interface as this keyboard.

What I didn't expect is this price. Not bad at all.

Been giving this a lot of thought. I've come up with 5 possibilities: Live, Maschine, FL, Akai MPC and Zenbeats. I could consider Live and Garage Band, but the iPad versions seem more "beatbox" than the computer versions. Two that I will knock out in the beginning... Ableton Live - Would work well, especially with push, but Live is limited to two installs. I already have a desktop and MacBookPro install, so the spare Air is out. Akai MPC - This would seem like a good choice but Akai limits installs of any virtual instruments or effects that you buy to three installs. This includes both hardware and computer installs. I already have a MPC Live 2, MPC One+ and MPC X. No installs left for software. Akai really needs to rethink this policy. That leaves... Machine FL Studio Zenbeats NI seems pretty relaxed about allowing a third install so I could put Machine on my spare Air. FL Studio has a very beatbox like approach. This is a real contender. Zenbeats seems very simple, but if you have Zenbeats you likely have a Roland Cloud subscription. The collection of TR drum machines plus TB-303, SH-01 and others is beatbox heaven. But, you could just as well load them into a dark horse in this race, Bitwig. Both Bitwig and Ableton Live make it easy to create patterns in some VST's and then drag either the MIDI information or an audio clip into the host. So now I am back to either Bitwig or Live as my primary choices. Edit: The Nektar Aruba (used to be Aura) works great with Bitwig. Bigwig is very good at providing scripts to make controllers work with their software.

And with some Photoshop adjustments. Much closer to how it actually looked.

Yes, a iPhone is not great for eclipse pictures.

Exactly how I felt. (Sorry about the finger shading the lens. I was excited.)

Years and years ago I looked at the Sam Ash advertisement in the back of Keyboard Magazine, called the 800 number, and ordered a Rhodes Chroma from them, site unseen. No free shipping back then. It had to go on a truck and shipping cost me over $300. Payment was by bank transfer. It was a different time back then. Years ago (just one "years") I drove 4 hours to the Sam Ash in Nashville with plans to buy a Kurzweil K2500. They had one on the floor. I spent a hour trying to get someone to wait on me. Finally gave up and left. Waisted trip. Never dealt with Sam Ash again.

I’ve learned that a phone is no where near as good for pictures as the Sony A series mirrorless camera that I used last time.

1/3 coverage now. Not enough for a picture to turn out.