Beginner synthesizer?

[Goldberg]

If you want to read about my current set up and stuff, for a boring read, read my topic posted below stating 'advice on gear..'. Have fun. Anyway, I might be in the market for a decent priced synth (we're talking 17 hundred-ish). But don't get me wrong, I'm not exactly a beginner either, and I know a few of the basic ups and downs.

Anyway, the Triton really caught my eye at the store (of course, to many people buying their first synth, it does). And I was impressed. I own a Roland Digital KR-series piano, and 1080, and love them..but hate their synthesizers. Reading many other notes here, it seems I'm not alone. Now, what I'm curious about is the Trinity, something that runs a little cheaper, but you say that the Triton is not very much improved over it? Also, would you even recommend the Trinity in the first place? I'm looking for something to use to create dance/electronica type music. Of course, the CS6X caught my eye by Yamaha..Can someone please tell me the pros, cons, and opinions on these two synthesizers?

[Rod S]

Well, I'm familiar with the CS6x, so this is my opinion

 

Pros:

- Excellent sounds. Eventhough it's a rompler it can do some decent analog type sounds.

- Sounds a very much 'in your face' - this is subjective, and personal preference. It's a pretty ballsy synth http://www.musicplayer.com/ubb/smile.gif

- NO GM Compability. Enough of useless gun shot, helicopter, and phone noises http://www.musicplayer.com/ubb/biggrin.gif

- Good programmability. A lot more filter options than your typical rompler. Programming is pretty straight forward, except for the quick edit parameters. One of the few synths that I can actually tweak on the spot without getting annoyed. People claim the filters sound too 'digital'... who cares? You either like them or not. I do.

- 2 slots for the modular synthesis plug in cards.

- Knobs - not exactly a lot, but more than you're typical Rompler (got some gripes about this, see below). Sufficient for quick adjustments to the sound. Passable zipper noise in the knobs in most circustances. Knobs only control one parameter (lesson learned from the An1x, I guess)

- Effects bypass switch - pretty useful if you want to kill some of the effects for a live setting, or kill the effects completely for tracking (you can specify what effects you want to bypass when you press the button)

- Ribbon Controller

- Pitch bend and mod wheels (not the stupid things Korg and Roland uses; personal taste I guess) http://www.musicplayer.com/ubb/smile.gif

- some effects which sync to mid clock

- cool arpeggiator (I don't really use it for compositing, but it's fun to jam with) - Dan, don't get me started.

- smartmedia card - good solution I think. You can get them these days with as much as 64MB, I think.

- global eq setting. Nice for gigs, I think.

- alternate tunings (I'm starting to explore that)

- Well built. I thought the cs1x and cs2x looked 'cheap'. this one doesn't.

- since the motif uses the same cards, there's a good chance yamaha will release more.

 

Cons

- shitty keybed

- knobs control quick edit parameters, which kind of 'fight' the actual patch settings. Can get confusing.

- Can't set ranges for the knobs. For instance - it would be nice to adjust the range on the decay knob so there's only a slight variation, instead the sound changes so much it's a difficult adjustment.

- Can't change the cc's the knobs transmit (not that big of deal actually)

- Some knobs have a center detent position - annoying if you're trying to do a filter sweep. Ok for a PAN knob, but not for the other ones.

- Limited controller routing

- crappy acoustic piano sound (doesn't matter to me, but I would like to at least have something that is passable if I was ever going to take it to a gig; they might as well not have wasted the patch location and the ROM). Ep's are good though.

- Limited patch locations

 

Stuff I don't really care about, but people seem to love

- phrase sampler

 

At the end, it's all about the sound. And that's why I have it, and intend to keep it.

[Goldberg]

Thank you for the help. I did the logical thing and went to the store and messed around with the CS6X a lot, and decided if I could find another solution I'd go with it, but it would do fine for what I'm sort of looking for (a portable controller with built in sounds and real time knobs/benders, etc.), not to mention the add on with the 1080 I've got. I was, however intrigued by the Triton, of course...just a little above price range.