SilverDragonSoun Posted September 19, 2008 Share Posted September 19, 2008 This is kind of a long personal experience I had over the past year with my gear. Sometimes things take us by surprise. I was in a rut for awhile. I guess I need to go back in time to give you some perspective. Back in the end of September of last year, my Korg Oasys took a dump on me. Sweetwater paid for me to return it to them to repair. I received a call in October of last year telling me they received it but it was damaged pretty bad during shipping. They had to order parts from Japan for it. In early January, I get a call from Sweetwater telling me they cant repair it cosmetically to the way It was and that they are concerned since it hasnt worked properly during the testing they did. After explaining this to me, I had a decision to make. Sweetwater offered to refund my money or apply my money to a new Oasys. Heres the issue, I got an incredible deal on this Oasys used and it would have cost me about three grand more to get into a new Oasys. I couldnt afford a new Oasys so I had to get the refund. I need to stop here for a second and explain that when I sent my Oasys in for repairs, a sense of musical depression hit me and I played very, very little through yesterday. Id say for almost a year, Ive played for a total of 4 hours. In February, I decided my depressive state of non-music playing was due to my not having a keyboard I wanted to play. I went and demoed everything that was out at the time. I started with the Fantom X which I was very familiar with. Something was missing soundwise for me so I passed. I tried almost everything out at the time. I ruled out The upcoming Fantom G and avoided the marketing hype. (looking back this may have been one of the better decisions Ive ever made) Besides the sound demos on the Fantom G were very depressing. The only thing I heard that got my attention perking was spectrasonics omnisphere but that wasnt coming out for awhile and my dear was that my computer wouldnt meet the system requirements. (turns out I was right about this) After several weeks of debate, I settled on the Yamaha Motif XS. I liked the sounds and I got a great deal on a unit used in a clinic. I was also able to have money left over to save for a rainy day and boy did it rain hard over the next few months. The Motif XS is a great sounding synth and its got everything anyone could want in a synth/workstation. So many people are happy with the acoustic sounds and sound quality of this synth. Being familiar with the Yamaha interface, I had very little issues getting around on the XS. The problem was I wasnt playing. I had no desire and inspiration to play, and I couldnt figure out what was going on. I looked at everything about my setup. I liked my softsynth setup and the sounds I had there were fine. However I use softsynths for studio recordings primarily and my keyboards to play and compose on a usual basis. I sat down and tried to play a few times over the year but I would quickly power down as I wasnt feeling anything. To be like this for almost a year was starting to bother me. I wondered if anything was wrong with me. Has anything like this happened to you? My wife was going into to work and I told her I would drop her off and head over to the music store. I walked in and they finally got a Kurzweil PC3 in and I played it. Nice sounds, good keyboard but nothing. I played the Roland RD700 GX, the Yamaha CP300, The Tyros 2, The Roland Fantom G. I was waiting to play the Yamaha S90ES but there was someone else playing it. I was thinking maybe I could capture the old glory that I once had with the S90ES. I waited and waited and this guy kept playing. Finally I decided to play something else. I started on the Yamaha MO 8 and that was ok but I got bored quickly and the decided to play something else. I walked into the other side on the room and decided to play the Korg M3. I hadnt really played one , I only heard some demos and didnt think much of them. Ironically friend was actually getting one and sold his Motif XS to finance his M3. To make a long story my wife had me paged inside the store 3 ½ hours later. I totally lost track of time. I was absolutely in love. I was playing, inspired like I hadnt been in years. Heres the scary thing I only went through about 50 sounds in that time. I felt alive and when my wife talked to me she noticed an immediate difference in my voice. The bottom line is the M3 inspired me and got me excited to play again. I had ideas coming to me in so many different directions. It took me almost a year to recognize what most people may have figured out fairly quickly. I should have looked at the M3 sooner as it was the closest thing to my Oasys. In many ways, some of the things on the M3 sound a bit crisper. I really connected to it and I knew what I had to do. So I put my XS up for sale and will get an M3 in its place. This may not be what most others would do, but its what works for me. Theres really something to be said for that feeling when you truly connect with a piece of gear. Begin the day with a friendly voice A companion, unobtrusive - Rush Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Synthoid Posted September 19, 2008 Share Posted September 19, 2008 The bottom line is the M3 inspired me and got me excited to play again. I had ideas coming to me in so many different directions. It took me almost a year to recognize what most people may have figured out fairly quickly. I should have looked at the M3 sooner as it was the closest thing to my Oasys. I can testify to what you said regarding the M3. I bought one last Fall and have been writing more music with it than any other keyboard I own. Granted....it's nice to have the ability to set up so many different rhythm and drum track patterns to jam with, (although it's gonna take a long time to master KARMA). Also though--what you said about having such a long dry spell--I've been there many times. Right now, even with all the new material I've created (as well as refreshing some older songs), I'm still dragging my feet when it comes to finishing and sending out a CD demo (to get solo gigs). Something keeps holding me back! When an eel hits your eye like a big pizza pie, that's a Moray. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mate stubb Posted September 19, 2008 Share Posted September 19, 2008 Aw, heck. I read all the way through this after glancing at it and thought you had rediscovered a HAMMOND M-3. Moe --- Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ProfD Posted September 19, 2008 Share Posted September 19, 2008 I need to stop here for a second and explain that when I sent my Oasys in for repairs, a sense of musical depression hit... After several weeks of debate, I settled on the Yamaha Motif XS. The bottom line is the M3 inspired me and got me excited to play again. Theres really something to be said for that feeling when you truly connect with a piece of gear. Musical depression happens quite a bit to varying degrees. Could be equipment, songwriting/composition block, change in artistic direction, etc. Sure, shortly after sending the OASYS in for repair, you could have checked out and bought the M3 and been in KB heaven for the past year but hindsight is 20/10. However, there is no better time than the present to cop that M3; regain your inspiration to play and create. That is great. Enjoy it mayne. PD "The greatest thing you'll ever learn, is just to love and be loved in return."--E. Ahbez "Nature Boy" Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GovernorSilver Posted September 19, 2008 Share Posted September 19, 2008 SDS, was this report before or after downloading the M3 Xpanded upgrade? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Outkaster Posted September 19, 2008 Share Posted September 19, 2008 A piece of gear was never what got me motivated to play. They are just tools anway? "Danny, ci manchi a tutti. La E-Street Band non e' la stessa senza di te. Riposa in pace, fratello" noblevibes.com Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ProfD Posted September 19, 2008 Share Posted September 19, 2008 A piece of gear was never what got me motivated to play. They are just tools anway? Merely tools however there musicians, artists and producers who swear by certain gear from pianos to KBs, drum machines, etc. The sound and/or feel of an instrument can affect motivation. PD "The greatest thing you'll ever learn, is just to love and be loved in return."--E. Ahbez "Nature Boy" Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
delirium Posted September 19, 2008 Share Posted September 19, 2008 I wonder what should say Bach, Mozart and others when they had only one or two sounds in their instrument... Oh, I know they sought motivation and inspiration in bottle of wine p.s. SDS, get a M3 module like I'm getting... ♫♫♫ motif XS6, RD700GX Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SilverDragonSoun Posted September 19, 2008 Author Share Posted September 19, 2008 Musical depression happens quite a bit to varying degrees. Could be equipment, songwriting/composition block, change in artistic direction, etc. Sure, shortly after sending the OASYS in for repair, you could have checked out and bought the M3 and been in KB heaven for the past year but hindsight is 20/10. However, there is no better time than the present to cop that M3; regain your inspiration to play and create. That is great. Enjoy it mayne. Prof D you are so correct about the musical depression. I never had it hit me for so long. I've had it hit ofr a weeks or a month tops but never for this long. Thanks for your words. Begin the day with a friendly voice A companion, unobtrusive - Rush Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SilverDragonSoun Posted September 19, 2008 Author Share Posted September 19, 2008 SDS, was this report before or after downloading the M3 Xpanded upgrade? This model didn't have the new sounds in it but I did hear the new sounds briefly yesterday and they certainly are much better for the acoustic instruments, that much was very obvious immediately. Other than that I haven't had enough exposure to them to give any true review. The amazing thing was that I only listened to about 50 sounds tops(from the old M3 sounds) and they were the combi sounds which is totally the opposite of what I normally do. I generally go right for the direct sound samples themselves. What I didn't express was how much fun it was to play the M3. In some ways its very reminiscent of the Oasys but in in others its not. (remembering the Oasys has seven DIFFERENT synthesis engines, effectively making it 7 synths in one!! (Ok, nine if you count wave sequencing and vector synthesis.) But my point is that the M3 certainly is a great synth in owns right and has gotten excited again in playing and did I mention how much fun it was? Begin the day with a friendly voice A companion, unobtrusive - Rush Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SilverDragonSoun Posted September 19, 2008 Author Share Posted September 19, 2008 p.s. SDS, get a M3 module like I'm getting... Would like to consider this as an option ideally as I can totally see how the XS and M3 would be a great tandem. Unfortunately money is a huge issue so I need to sell one to get the other. To be honest, with the money I have left over I want to buy a V-Synth. I made a huge mistake when I sold mine and regretted it ever since. Begin the day with a friendly voice A companion, unobtrusive - Rush Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SilverDragonSoun Posted September 19, 2008 Author Share Posted September 19, 2008 A piece of gear was never what got me motivated to play. They are just tools anway? I really had to give this some thought. Up until last year I probably would have agreed with this but after this experience I have to consider that there is something about connecting with the gear you have. Begin the day with a friendly voice A companion, unobtrusive - Rush Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
delirium Posted September 20, 2008 Share Posted September 20, 2008 A piece of gear was never what got me motivated to play. They are just tools anway? I really had to give this some thought. Up until last year I probably would have agreed with this but after this experience I have to consider that there is something about connecting with the gear you have. I agree, doesn't matter if it is acoustic instrument or digital it has to be something that makes you want to play. Music alone you can compose in your head without any tool, but playing it - it's a different story. ♫♫♫ motif XS6, RD700GX Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
C.J. Lewis Posted September 23, 2008 Share Posted September 23, 2008 SDS, I have to completely agree with you here - the M3 is one of the most musically inspiring pieces of gear I have played in a long time - even more so than 'Frankensynth' , which I am dreaming about finding in a pawn shop for $1500 ivorycj Main stuff: Yamaha CP88 | Korg Kronos 2 73 | Kurzweil Forte 7 | 1898 Steinway I Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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