When it comes to new gear..

[Bachus]

 

Actually there is two kinds of musicians.

 

The first group is only interested in making music... And is easy to sattisfy with new products

 

The seccond groups is "also" interested in having as good as possible instruments that offer them new ways to be creative.

 

When you observe some of the brand forums then there is quite some clashes between these both groups. And when you compare forums, its even more remarkable that these groups are not evenly distributed over the brands. Korgies for example are much more progressive thinking then many Yamaha players.

 

 

Group 2 seems much more vocal on the internet then group 1.. I am just wondering how many people would comsider to be more part of group 1 then group 2?

[BbAltered]

There are two kinds of people in the world: those who think the world's population can be easily categorized into two groups, and those who don't.

 

What about us piano and organ players? We are interested in making music, and we want the best possible instrument, AND it has to be portable and affordable, AND it has to be true to the original while at the same time offering all the latest technologies including wi-fi communication with an iphone (just like Bach had!).

 

And this group is not exactly shy or retiring on the intertubez.

[GovernorSilver]

Between this forum and MuffWiggler forums I see a lot of diversity - synth users from just about every walk of life, different skillsets, tastes in music, etc.

 

 

[synthizen2]

Well, the thread title and the ensuing conversation didn't quite match up in my mind... but here's my $0.02 regarding acquiring new gear.

 

If I have a keyboard rig that is working for me, has good build-quality boards with good quality sounds, and I have put the time and effort into programming those beasts according to my set lists and desired tones... Then, I am happy with my rig and see no reason to swap in new gear just because "it's new". The only people who would be impressed are other keyboard players... and I see so few of those types in our audiences.

 

It is much easier to take this position "these days" than it was, say, in the 1980s, when tons of new keyboard technology was making the rounds (FM, sampling, workstations, etc.). If SOUND was your top priority (and I imagine for most keyboard players, IT IS)... then you needed to buy the new gear to get the new sounds back in the day.

 

These days, nearly every ROMpler has a whole library of sounds in them (without even mentioning the massive software libraries available nowadays), the available sound palette has been standardized, and no real new technology for sound generation has been invented. It's all continuation and consolidation at this point.

 

The brand spanking new keyboard may have some cool features, maybe better action, maybe better interface... (or WORSE!)... but for actual sounds, you aren't missing much if you haven't bought a new synth over the past 10 or so years.

 

 

[allan_evett]

Well, the thread title and the ensuing conversation didn't quite match up in my mind... but here's my $0.02 regarding acquiring new gear.

 

If I have a keyboard rig that is working for me, has good build-quality boards with good quality sounds, and I have put the time and effort into programming those beasts according to my set lists and desired tones... Then, I am happy with my rig and see no reason to swap in new gear just because "it's new". The only people who would be impressed are other keyboard players... and I see so few of those types in our audiences.

 

It is much easier to take this position "these days" than it was, say, in the 1980s, when tons of new keyboard technology was making the rounds (FM, sampling, workstations, etc.). If SOUND was your top priority (and I imagine for most keyboard players, IT IS)... then you needed to buy the new gear to get the new sounds back in the day.

 

These days, nearly every ROMpler has a whole library of sounds in them (without even mentioning the massive software libraries available nowadays), the available sound palette has been standardized, and no real new technology for sound generation has been invented. It's all continuation and consolidation at this point.

 

The brand spanking new keyboard may have some cool features, maybe better action, maybe better interface... (or WORSE!)... but for actual sounds, you aren't missing much if you haven't bought a new synth over the past 10 or so years.

 

 

Valid observation. In many ways, we are fine-tuning ROMpler / modeling engine hybrids that have been in function since the first decade of this century. But on the flip-side there has been a surge of changes in the past five years that may warrant rig tweaking for some. The memory available within hardware instruments is starting to allow for a degree of detail and nuance previously found only in software instruments; and the Korg Kronos, Kurzweil Forte, and Yamaha Montage point to that. The Montage offers an extreme depth of ROMpler memory, and thus the capability for almost-insane sound detailing. Then there's its' new FM engine, a useful and very detailed sound source to have under the same roof.

Some user interfaces are becoming very finely tuned, making the playing experience more expressive and intuitive. On the extreme end of that the ROLI Seabord and Rise reside. Also, the resurgence of analog gear with digitally up-to-date controls and interfacing is intriguing; Prophet 12 or Korg Minilogue anyone ?

 

It's a good time to be involved with electronic keyboards and digital music production. You can get great results with slightly older gear, but also fine tune your preferences with some new, incredible stuff if you wish.

[nadroj]

You have the people who want gear because its the most expensive and therefore must be the best...

 

You have the people who want gear because Jordan Rudess has it.

 

You get the people who want gear because of what people on an online forum said.

 

You get the people who want gear because they've carefully researched and read reviews.

 

You get the people who get gear because they've physically tried it and decided it's for them.

 

You get the people who get gear because its new and they want it.

 

You get people who get gear because their trusty workhorse that they've had for 20 years has finally packed in.

 

Then you get the people who mock other peoples gear because it isn't expensive. Or because Jordan Rudess doesn't play it.

 

The kind of people who get a £3000 keyboard and use about £500 of it's functionality.

 

As opposed to the people who can make a £500 keyboard sound like a £3000 one. They'll usually be the least opinionated, but the better player with the most work.

 

...Wait, what were we talking about again?

 

 

[vanderSchoot]

The comments are a bit harsh on Bachus, because i do think i know what he means.

As a professional piano tuner for 25 years i have come across many keyboard set ups during theatre shows, festivals, concerts and more.

There is absolutely one thing that stood out for me all those years......I would personally rarely want to use the mediocre synth set up of 75% of all the bands i came accross.

 

And i am not talking about many of you weekend warriors in small venues/bars who happen to have A-B category up to date equipment.

 

No i am talking about theatre tours were they still use a RD600, Yamaha P250, Roland Fantom S, Hammond XK3, Yamaha ANx-1 etc., etc.

And don't talk about jazz festivals it is more of the same.

Unless the local music store is in charge of the keyboard supplies (like the big acts on Nord Sea Jazz) it is even more bizare what some appearently poor musicians still use in 2016.

Those musicians (i talked to many of them) don't care about the latest and greatest,....they replace it when it stops functioning. Sometimes they don't have the money for an update, sometimes they just don't care for slightly better stuff.

 

I think i played a Numa and HX3 for a couple of years and nobody i knew or spoke to, was interrested when i wanted to give them an update about the amazing products in ''clone world''.

This is why i think we are a minority, the majority plays on a certain instrument and doesn't really care if there is something better around....!

 

[The Real MC]

If I have a keyboard rig that is working for me, has good build-quality boards with good quality sounds, and I have put the time and effort into programming those beasts according to my set lists and desired tones... Then, I am happy with my rig and see no reason to swap in new gear just because "it's new".

 

Same here... I'm happy with my rig and have no compelling reason to replace anything. Not a fan of the upgrade treadmill.

 

I made gear choices carefully when I started out back in the dawn of MIDI. If it doesn't prove useful for at least ten years, I don't buy it. I haven't sold much gear over the years, but the ones I did sell either no longer had a purpose or it was too cumbersome to use.

 

A lot of new gear turns me off because of the learning curve or interface. I'm no idiot but my time and energy are limited. I already know the subtractive synthesis system so I can walk up to a board with knobs and quickly find my way around. I refuse to deal with the LCD and +/-button or encoder editor in a synth anymore.

 

I never owned a "workstation" and I never will. Those all-in-one packages are asking for obsolescence, and I was never happy with on-board effects. They are a good solution for some musicians. Not for me.

 

My first rompler was the Kurzweil 1000PX. I learned of the other models and quickly decided to acquire them as it meant minimal learning curve - once I learned my way around the 1000PX, I could operate the others right away. These were the rare exception to my "no LCD with +/- buttons" rule because the interface is so well thought out and I use the romplers for their sample sets and not as a synthesizer, so there isn't much tweaking. I developed my libraries on them back in the 1990s and haven't touched them since.

 

I put a lot of time into configuring my sounds in my rig. I'm not anxious to do it all again. Put as much planning as possible when you are starting out, and don't acquire everything in one lump. Plan for expansion if you are really serious.

 

I'm not the "instant gratification" musician who works purely with factory presets. I like to tweak sounds to my taste. Factory presets are rarely useable and often are designed for quick first impressions (SALE!), and often don't fit in an ensemble context. Not a fan of excessively overused trite sounds either.

 

I've written off some major OEMs because they seem utterly incapable of designing a user friendly interface and/or a comprehensive coherent user manual.

[David Emm]

A) ... I rack my brain for ways to raise the money without coming too close to the edge of criminality. There are a few people whom I would knock in the head if they had such cash on them, but they have real ruffians for guards and your bird bath can outrun me now.

 

B) ...I look for meaningful software solutions because my days of sweating over 5 keyboards like a mini-boss are SO over. I have a few things that actually resemble ideas and can spend an hour just dabbling in Alchemy to build the bones of a new piece. I'm a polar opposite of modular mavens, B3/EP-centric players and those who crave a table full of Volcas, Kaoss pads and Brutes. I'm the Phantom of the iMac now. My guitars have become inadequate, so I'm eyeing Strum, but if I give more plasma and acquire Omnisphere, I may be covered unto death there and beyond. You know the drill.