$599 price point heating up.

[Stokely]

My variety of softsynths offer a lot more creativity options than my hardware keyboards, simply because there is every type of synthesis represented.  Subtractive, additive, wavetable, fm, granular etc etc.  The arps and motion capabilities are endless.  Even just with samples there are plugins like Iris2 and tons of mangling fx that can render samples unrecognizable.  So many options that it can be overwhelming of course

My first "real" keyboard was a Moog Rogue way back when, I spent hours at a time with that simple thing making every sound I could think of and some I couldn't   Later on I'd say my Virus B was really good for creativity, as was my E-mu Morpheus (being a "morphing" unit by design).

These days I keep the creative stuff mostly in the box, while my hardware keyboards are used to build live "normal" patches   Once in a while I'll decide I can throw a crazy patch into a song but we do the regular classic rock cover stuff (partly because we sometimes need subs, and they tend to know the same list of songs).   A song like "Gold Dust Woman" I'll play around with atmospheric pads as the mood hits, for example.

[ProfD]

On 1/7/2023 at 9:02 AM, 16251 said:

Just wondering if anyone owns a synth just to have fun creating sounds?

IMO, creating sounds for fun seems to be the main reason most folks own synths. 

 

Most product demos and Youtube videos showcase synths being used to make non-musical sounds.

 

Nowadays, rarely do I see/hear synth sounds being created for and/or used in a musical context.😎

[ProfD]

On 1/7/2023 at 9:02 AM, 16251 said:

Without a DAW and no real interest in creating original music, I'm trying to gage if I am considering a purchase in this price range just for the GAS. I mean, I have Garage Band on my iPad but never really use it except when I first got it. My memories of laying down tracks, etc. consumed countless hours that I could of used to practice and listen to jazz.

IMO, as a musician, you will always be most fulfilled musically in being able to sit down and listen to and/or play Jazz. 

 

OTOH, a synth will satisfy the other side of your musical creativity.  Not necessarily to lay down tracks.  But, to have fun exploring alternative sounds.

 

The benefit to a musician messing around with a synth is coming up with sound(s) that are musically useful.

 

IMO, a tactile synth (knobs and faders) is better than one that does not offer the most flexibility in terms of real-time sound design. 

 

I like to play the synth both in terms of sound design and actually playing music.

 

Program an inspiring sound on a synth.  Then, plop that synth over top of your main KB or piano and and get busy playing Jazzy tunes with those synth sounds thrown in to mix it up.

 

The process of combining synthesis and musicianship could be the genesis of original musical ideas and/or rearrangement of tunes/songs. If nothing else, you will have a helluva time jamming musically.

 

Grab thee a simple synth and twist knobs and push faders to make a joyful noise musically. 😎

[GovernorSilver]

On 1/7/2023 at 9:02 AM, 16251 said:

Just wondering if anyone owns a synth just to have fun creating sounds?

 

Without a DAW and no real interest in creating original music, I'm trying to gage if I am considering a purchase in this price range just for the GAS. I mean, I have Garage Band on my iPad but never really use it except when I first got it. My memories of laying down tracks, etc. consumed countless hours that I could of used to practice and listen to jazz.

 

Yeah, pretty much everybody on the modular thread in this forum.  😁

 

One of my better purchases for improving musicianship is actually my Yamaha PSR-SX600 arranger keyboard.   YMMV of course.

[CyberGene]

31 minutes ago, GovernorSilver said:

Yeah, pretty much everybody on the modular thread in this forum.  

Aren’t modular guys mainly into making pictures of their modules and using software to design future setups? 😀

[RABid]

On 1/7/2023 at 9:02 AM, 16251 said:

Just wondering if anyone owns a synth just to have fun creating sounds?

This was my main reason for buying a MiniMoog as my first synth back around 1980. I would sit for hours with headphones and the Moog just creating sounds. Not just lead sounds that I heard on the radio. I was able to create an extremely realistic helicopter wondering through the hills, occasionally popping into view with the full on unmuffled sound of the rotors, then have it drift back over the hills and fade away. I also liked to make things growl using audio rate modulation and changing from sine, to square to triangle wave modulation. You loose a lot of that on digital, and on synths that are not one knob per function. That is why I now on both the Behringer and Roland Boutique versions of the MiniMoog, plus the Behringer Arp 2600 clone.

[GovernorSilver]

19 minutes ago, CyberGene said:

Aren’t modular guys mainly into making pictures of their modules and using software to design future setups? 😀

 

and putting up videos of bloopy noises on Insta/Tiktok

 

To paraphrase the wise and great Homer Simpson:  Though they may seem strange to us, we must respect the ways of the Modular Men

[brenner13]

On 1/7/2023 at 8:02 AM, 16251 said:

Just wondering if anyone owns a synth just to have fun creating sounds?

I must admit that the last three purchases were G.A.S. 
OPSix was a nearly half price close out. 
Hydrasynth Explorer was an impatient impulse demo price buy while waiting for a pre-booked order.

Pre-booked MiniFreak…total 100% G.A.S.

 

OPSix and MiniFreak are a total blast to create new sounds with and modifying factory ones more to my liking.

Hydrasynth requires a specific idea and direction of what you want and requires much more investment of time, knowledge, and effort. 

 

Thinking of flipping the ASM.

[AnotherScott]

11 hours ago, brenner13 said:

OPSix and MiniFreak are a total blast to create new sounds with and modifying factory ones more to my liking.

Hydrasynth requires a specific idea and direction of what you want and requires much more investment of time, knowledge, and effort. 

 

Thinking of flipping the ASM.

 

To me, the ASM has appeal simply as a low-cost portable MIDI controller with polyphonic aftertouch... If you would have a use for that, its sounds are almost a bonus.