Designing your personal Synth!

[1Empress_Scorpio]

Hello experts and active synth heads a like,

 

Today I am pondering the idea of having a chance to enter into a contest sort of thing to see who can design the best synth! For two catagories to enter in:

 

1- a) ideal personal design (just the look of the synth and minor details to features) potentially marketable!

b) design PLUS details of improvements on exsisting features, or totally new features and inventive uses...

 

2- a realistic design including all the possible features and functions

 

 

The grand prize:

 

A chance for a top manufacture to pick the winner and offer a payment reward to the best design (idea) and concept. Be credited on their new model by the winner and the biggest prize yet -- to have one made especially for you that you designed! Wow, how exciting a thought is that huh??? Do you think any of the big-wigs would be enthusiastic and "forward minded" enough? Or will they be big sissies and fear it?

 

I wanna put them up to the challenge and opportunity, but I'm just one little me -- so I'll just keep on dreaming and making it a reality for myself if only that!

 

Enjoy what you do and treasure what you think,

 

Vi

 

www.mp3.com/just_vi_an

brightest blessings for the new year!!!

[coyote]

This is almost too easy.

 

A user interface based on the Roland JP8000. Add another octave of keys, with an additional full-length ribbon controller across the top of the keyboard. And additional controls for what's to follow....

 

The analog guts of the Andromeda. Or something quite like it.

 

A price tag well under $2000.

[Dave Bryce]

Originally posted by 1Empress_Scorpio:

The grand prize:

 

A chance for a top manufacture to pick the winner and offer a payment reward to the best design (idea) and concept. Be credited on their new model by the winner and the biggest prize yet -- to have one made especially for you that you designed! Wow, how exciting a thought is that huh??? Do you think any of the big-wigs would be enthusiastic and "forward minded" enough?

 

No chance.

 

This sort of thread can be fun for pure sport, but I'm afraid that'll be about all it'll be good for...

 

Design teams do nothing but sit around all day brainstorming about new products, new technologies, new interfaces. Their product planning schedules have to be in place literally years in advance of a product's release in order to schedule engineering man-hours, parts acquisition, manufacturing schedules, etc.

 

If they were to admit that they've even looked at this stuff means that they leave themselves open to the possibility of being sued by you for something that they may have already been thinking of doing.

 

Also, while you may come up with some forward and progressive ideas, there is an outstanding possibility that whatever you come up with has probably been thought of by at least one manufacturer.

 

Additionally, keep in mind that while a certain set of features and functions may be ideal for you, that A) it may be impractical from a cost standpoint to realize them, and B) it may not be potentially popular enough to invest the R&D/manufacturing/marketing $$ into it.

 

Remember - the majority of these people are in business to make money - they wanna see return on their investment. Sadly, building cool stuff takes a pretty major back seat to that.

 

dB

[1Empress_Scorpio]

Yikes,

 

I was hoping for more of a response along the lines of re-directing my enthusiasm towards maybe a design school or studies which one would take upon becoming a synth designer, engineer etc... Or, how they would have got there -- or something. But the previous reply was very uncreative and really oppressive to the funess of having wild ideas.

 

I know the whole spew about business and corporate corruptions I don't need to be reminded of it each time i share an idea. Atleast my idea was constructive and suggestive as opposed to out-right "pot-smoked". When people thow a fun idea out for the grabs the last thing they need is to be stomped on and discouraged. A simple "cool, I think the people who now work in the business of making synths -- have once shared your ambition", would be just a little more encouraging and motivating huh?

 

Anyways, I'm just really inspired after picking up the Roland Fantom and it lead me to this forum -- which i thought would be a good idea to share such wild thoughts. As well as pick up some facts and insights along the way. Offering too, the knowledge I may have gained with others on here.

 

Personally, i wouldn't sue -- why use the corrupt law to justify what i can't already justify as being a fun way to spread an idea; if it gets used -- i simply say: "wow". Because everyone has ideas and what i realized is that sometimes it's really freaky that people from totally different backgrounds and from totally different eras, can come up with similar and sometimes identical ideas... The main point is having shared that idea as it came.

 

I am going to set up a site sometime down the road to post sketches people draw on their own time and wanna share of their "ideal" synth. Im working on my very own right now in PHOTOSHOP 6, the look of the keyboard (heehee, it's pretty cool). And it's called "Empress Scorpio... ES-vi100" LOL

I'll post an image on my mp3 site soon.

 

Who knows, maybe in the future i become filthy rich enough to hire people to make it just for me -- and if they like to use it, right on! Cos, if certain musicians like madonna (for ex.) can have her own wardrobe designers -- than anyone can have their own synth designer, and enjoy it too.

 

hmmm, time to go on with my business now of Producing and Recording in my home studio for my upcoming CD (to be released).

 

all the bestest in fun ideas --

vi

 

PS: thanks... coyote ...for your ideas -- i bet someone is "already making it as you have just thought and shared it to be", how does that make u feel? ...would it excite you that maybe sometime in the near future you'll actually get what you desire in a keyboard or it comes close enough to your ideas that you just shared today? And allow it to surprise you and fill you with glee that you had thought of it too at some point? Divine intervention...

 

peace out!

[Dave Bryce]

I was hoping for more of a response along the lines of re-directing my enthusiasm towards maybe a design school or studies which one would take upon becoming a synth designer, engineer etc... Or, how they would have got there -- or something. But the previous reply was very uncreative and really oppressive to the funess of having wild ideas.

 

I respectfully disagree with you, Vi-an. You asked (and I quote) "Do you think any of the big-wigs would be enthusiastic and "forward minded" enough?"...I simply answered you. That's all.

 

I know the whole spew about business and corporate corruptions I don't need to be reminded of it each time i share an idea.

 

Now you're going off. As far as I can tell, nothing like this has happened "each time you share an idea",...you asked a question, I assumed you did so because you were interested in an answer. As someone who has worked for a few manufacturers, I happen to have that answer.

 

Atleast my idea was constructive and suggestive as opposed to out-right "pot-smoked".

 

What does this mean?

 

When people thow a fun idea out for the grabs the last thing they need is to be stomped on and discouraged. A simple "cool, I think the people who now work in the business of making synths -- have once shared your ambition", would be just a little more encouraging and motivating huh?

 

Oh. I'm sorry. I didn't get a copy of the script. I didn't realize that only a certain type of response was acceptable.

 

If you'll look again, you'll see that I didn't respond to any other portion of your post. I didn't say that you shouldn't think of new ideas. I didn't say that you shouldn't share them. I didn't say that this sort of a thing is a dopey idea for a thread - I simply answered a question you asked regarding how "big-wigs" would respond.

 

I think that there is a possibility that you may be over-reacting a touch...

 

Anyways, I'm just really inspired after picking up the Roland Fantom and it lead me to this forum -- which i thought would be a good idea to share such wild thoughts. As well as pick up some facts and insights along the way.

 

Really? As someone who has experience in many different aspects of this business, I am in possession of some of the facts and insights about the manufacturing side of this industry. If you are interested in picking some of them up, why then when I share them do you get so upset?

 

Personally, i wouldn't sue -- why use the corrupt law to justify what i can't already justify as being a fun way to spread an idea; if it gets used -- i simply say: "wow".

 

Good for you! That puts you ahead of the game. As previously noted, I have worked for synth manufacturers and helped design synths. I have seen people threaten to sue because an idea that they posted on a forum, or submitted to a company in a letter was similar to a feature that ended up on a synth. I know that this is a reality. All I was trying to do was to share my experience with you.. I apologize if that interfered with your fantasy.

 

Because everyone has ideas and what i realized is that sometimes it's really freaky that people from totally different backgrounds and from totally different eras, can come up with similar and sometimes identical ideas... The main point is having shared that idea as it came.

 

Understood, and agreed.

 

I am going to set up a site sometime down the road to post sketches people draw on their own time and wanna share of their "ideal" synth. Im working on my very own right now in PHOTOSHOP 6, the look of the keyboard (heehee, it's pretty cool). And it's called "Empress Scorpio... ES-vi100" LOL

I'll post an image on my mp3 site soon.

 

I encourage you to do this.

 

Who knows, maybe in the future i become filthy rich enough to hire people to make it just for me -- and if they like to use it, right on! Cos, if certain musicians like madonna (for ex.) can have her own wardrobe designers -- than anyone can have their own synth designer, and enjoy it too.

 

I wish you all of the luck in the world in this hope.

 

dB

[Bucktunes]

Hi, Empress!

 

First of all, don't ever try to confront or match wits with Dave in his area of expertise. You're gonna lose! Dave's experience comes from the battlegrounds of synth development, and he's exactly the kind of knowledgeable person that makes this forum interesting to read. I don't believe he's trying to rain on your parade or be oppressive or anything like that. He's just being realistic. Unless you plan on becoming a commanding member of Korg's R&D team sometime soon, I wouldn't take this thread too seriously.

 

However, I'll play just because it's fun. Here's my ideal synth;

Comes in 61, 76 (A to C, but that's another argument!), or 88 weighted versions.

You program sounds by choosing two sounds from ROM, and the engine computes a sound that is a cross between the two of them. Instead of just switching or cross-fading samples, the processor literally creates a waveform or loop that blends elements of each source. Then you could take that sound and "average" it with a third ROM sound source, and so on. Of course, you would have blend controls that would enable you to move closer to one or the other source, change the envelope, filter, etc. And you could do that in real time. Imagine being able to hold a chord on a flute patch, and make it blossom into an orchestra sound just by turning one knob, and you get the idea.

 

For left hand controllers, you could plug in a "tile" with your preferred controllers. Joysticks, wheels, pitch stick, etc. Just plug it into the empty socket and go!

 

For user interface, I'd have a laptop-sized touch screen, in color. There'd be no need for an owner's manual because it would be included in the instrument's ROM. Kind of like a help menu you could pull up at any time.

 

That's enough for now. Like I said, this is all in fun! Of course, if Empress decides to build me a synth like this, I'll buy it!

 

Peace all,

Steve

[Dave Bryce]

Originally posted by SWBuck1074@aol.com:

For left hand controllers, you could plug in a "tile" with your preferred controllers. Joysticks, wheels, pitch stick, etc. Just plug it into the empty socket and go!

 

I love this idea - we talked about something like this at Alesis, not only for the left hand controllers, but knob packs vs. slider packs, 76 semi-weighted keys vs. 76 weighted keys...you get the idea...kind of a U-build-it controller assembly.

 

Sound-wise, the idea of add-in expansion boards/sample RAM obviously touches on this concept, as does Yamaha's PLG boards...

 

We even talked about how cool it would be if we could standardize it so all of the synth manufacturers could take advantage of it, and maybe even mix and match...wouldn't THAT be cool...to be able to lose the Korg joystick in favor of, say, a Yamaha wheel set...or, to be able to upgrade plain ol' rotary encoders to the light-up V-pots like the Nord 3 has...

 

Now, if you combine that with a powerful microprocessor (read: onboard programmable computer) that could load soft synths AND keep them in non-volatile memory, you could REALLY roll your own board...we've talked about this here before...imagine being able to load B4, the EVP88, Reaktor, GigaSampler and the Waldorf Wave 2.x. Then, if you could specify what keybed, what controllers, etc??? That would rock. Who WOULDN'T buy that???

 

Sigh...now I'm frustrated...I want one...

 

dB

[1Empress_Scorpio]

uh oh,

 

I've bursted again with winding words and unclear minded yabber! I don't mean to confront at all and don't mean any disrespect... Simply stating a feeling which arises when you feel a little discouraged is all.

 

I look up to those who have the experience and are sharing it openly as you do here -- this is the only reason i have logged on.

 

The statement about "pot-head..." is to say that my idea came from an inspired conscious state as opposed to out of no where and contexts...

 

Thank you for your realistic response and knowledge. I really appreciate it.

 

It's not a fantasy, any of the ideas i may come up with -- they are motivated by events and things around me; there fore they can be real if i just throw it out there to the vast...

 

Next time if you would mind not using an opening like:

 

"No chance." I wouldn't get the first impression that everything that i said in my post was a joke.

 

I wouldn't over react, but i am a sensitive person and i've always been sensitive towards others in how i respond. Because i know how it feels.

 

But atleast the body of your response was more informative.

 

I take this seriously, life is serious in person or on a forum -- that is how i respect the world around me. Feelings can be hurt there or here and thats that...

 

But no feelings are hurt here, just a little mis-communication because words are not exactly my gift. Music making is.

 

Thanks again for your time and effort, thanks for entertaining my idea...

 

vi an

[Dave Bryce]

Next time if you would mind not using an opening like:

 

"No chance." I wouldn't get the first impression that everything that i said in my post was a joke.

 

Duly noted. That's fair...

 

no feelings are hurt here, just a little mis-communication because words are not exactly my gift. Music making is.

 

No problem, Empress. We're cool. http://www.contrabandent.com/pez//otn/wink/thumb.gif

 

dB

[Tusker]

Empress:

 

Nice thread.

 

I don't know if you knew this. Dave's too humble to mention his achievements, so I will.

 

As the marketing manager at Alesis, Dave was a key leader among the people who dreamed up and wrestled Andromeda into the marketplace. For many of us, Andromeda is THE analog dream synth. This synth brought together the ideals of many analog synth fans. A labour of love.

 

Bringing an ideal to reality in the synth industry can extremely difficult. Dave shares from real passion, real scars and real accomplishments in the synth industry. In many ways he has lived this thread.

 

As to my ideas:

 

I too would love that windows (or mac) synth which allows me to play goodies like B4, Reaktor, etc.

 

I'd like a virtual analog (they are light) strap on synth, with two (2 octave) keyboards sitting vertically (accordian fashion) with their backs to each other (for left hand and right hand). Octave switches would be provided on a ridge between the keyboards. A long neck would rise (like a cello) from this double keyboard to the player's shoulder, and a bunch of left hand controllers would be on the neck. One of those controllers should be a long ribbon running the lenght of the neck. The double keyboards could be configured in a number of modes, but one mode would be for them to trigger the same events so as to allow alternate (identical) notes... kinda like the chapman stick does for guitars. Ideally the synth would have a built in (wireless) transmitter.

 

I'd love a bunch more controllers with any synth:

 

1) a pressure and location sensitive midi carpet pad with so you can trigger notes or controller information

 

2) An in-mouth microphone with a module which converts speech formants into midi data. (Provide a new tool for speech percussion as well as synth control.)

 

3)More knobs, pads, ribbons and beams

 

Cheers,

 

Jerry

 

[ 12-19-2001: Message edited by: Tusker ]

[coren]

how interested are you in this field? interested enough to want to actually do it? if you think designing a real life synth would be like extasy in a bottle why dont you try to get into the buisness? everyones passions run in differnt ways, and you only have one life. if this area seems like a job thats to cool to be real why dont you try to get into it. we only have a certain amount of time on this planet and if we spend it all saying "i wish i could do that" it will be a waste.. what we need to do is try our hardest to accomplish what ever we want to do. who's gonna stop you? how can they? aside from death you have nothing to lose... its not worth it to sit back and wish/dream about doing it, when you could be on your way to doing it.

this is if this is what you want to do, of course. this applies to any goal...

passion makes everything. to me, curling is hucking rocks down ice but to a curler who loves the game its one of the best feelings around...

 

anyways my ideal synth... i like the component idea. get a wieghted keyboard.. alesis knobs.. roland sliders etc....

 

id like a 5 octave keyboard... with either a ribbon that controls which octave the center is focused on (for 10 octaves i guess it would go from C3 to C7) or 10 buttons above each octave that lets you choose the octave for that... octave.

 

all the knobs of the andromdea, but interchangible with sliders (so if id perfer sliders for ADSR instead..)

the analog power of the andromeda coupled with the addtional sounds/power/ossilators of vintage models... like the roland juno 60 (that thing is fun..)

as well as the most crystal clear sampling youve evr heard.. maybe 96K? perfect natural sounds & electronic sounds.. with fulkl adjustability via filters/ 31 band 1/3 octave graphic eq/ 40 simulatous effects ( maybe modeld real ones by line 6. maybe the could do racks to like the lexicon reverb..) it should weigh 20lbs.... fit in the passanger seat... have 12 stereo outs all with 5.1 panning (i know audio cant take advantage of it just yet but itll be nice to have... imagine playing a show and sending string sounds from the back of the venue... evr seen pink floyd live? )

and its sequencing and sampling should be top of the line.

and of course, it should sell for $1000 canadian

[1Empress_Scorpio]

Big Warm Smiles To All!

 

-have a great day and happy holidays!

 

i'm off yet again to persue my dream and inner most passion, going to go busk at the local market, spread the goodness and all that jazz!!!

 

-be well.

[The Rockdog]

This is my first post...ever. YOU HAVE BEEN WARNED!

 

I am an Artist for a living, so I tend to be fairly anal when it comes to design.

 

Form and Function

 

I play guitar and have recently become very interested in synthesizers and their design. So now instead of designing the perfect guitars, amps, and effects, I have turned my attention towards the keyboard.

 

It seems to me the same problems exist in both areas. People want many options and an easy way of controlling them. As far as an amplifier or effects go I would say Egnater is heading down the right track. MODULAR Couple modular tube pramps with a tube power section that can digest any tube available and you are halfway there. Now if put this all under midi control with Motorized kobs or rotory encoders, NIRVANA!

 

I have used the same line of thinking in my keyboard designs. I think a board for this century should be chameleonic. It should have rotory encorders like the Nord lead three or any good digital mixer. It should also have a display(s) that shows the functions of the knobs. Perhaps some touch sensitive long throw automated faders. Alternate types of control, i.e. full length Tactex pad as well as the old stanbyes. A widescreen monitor would be huge. The built in upgradable computer goes without saying, as well as slots for plugin analog or digital boards. While we're at it we might as well incorporate a cupholder and an ashtray.

 

I have actually taken the time to do up a few designs in Paint Shop Pro.

 

The first has two manuals (the second one slides out)and a third drawer that slides out as well and houses the qwerty keyboard mousepad etc.etc.etc. perfect for the Hammond B3 player. I almost forgot, the lid when removed can be placed on the floor as a base and houses all the foot controllers.

 

The second unit is scaled down dramatically one 4 octave manual no faders.

 

Both are based on the MiniMoogs Hinged control panel design. If I figure out how to add pictures I will.

 

In the meantime..."Live and let live it up to each his bone, Que sera sera, All power to the flesh egg, don't be caught with a fresh flesh floozy stuck between your teeth!"...Terrible Ted from The Amboy Dukes

[1Empress_Scorpio]

My "dream synth" is finally uploaded proper on my web-site:

 

 

http://artists.mp3s.com/artist_images/146/vi_an-_-is-_-vi_an.html

 

 

take a close look and tell me what you all think hmm?

 

its my ba'bee *hisssss*

 

vi an

[Dave Bryce]

Originally posted by 1Empress_Scorpio:

take a close look and tell me what you all think hmm?

 

Nice looking, Vi!

 

Looks to me like a Triton-type display with 8 soft buttons and two more nav buttons, one alpha wheel, one volume slider and 88 keys.

 

The 12 knobs look intriguing - they appear to have dedicated functionality, but I can't make out what's written over them. What do they do?

 

Tell us more about it...

 

Is the silver strip below the keys a ribbon?

 

What's on the back panel? How many outputs? What kind of footswitches? Digital out? USB jack?

 

What kind of engine lives in there? Sample playback? Modelling? A combination? Something else?

 

Sexy looking instrument... very sleek and simple. I like it.

 

dB

[Pim]

Originally posted by 1Empress_Scorpio:

take a close look and tell me what you all think hmm?

 

Not bad! Not bad at all...

Give me some wheels and I'll even say your design is great!

Is the white strip a ribbon?

[surfjazz]

whoa! i like! howzabout a jp-8000 with a molded in mac laptop that is pre loaded with motu's digital performer 3.0 and acid and has an mc303 alongside. this megakeyboard would come packaged with a boss br532 studio! ahhhhhhh... id take that baby home!

[The Rockdog]

I finally put some pictures on the net. Some of my Artwork, and some of my gear designs. Now if I could just find someone with the technical chops...

 

P.S. Sorry about the quality of the Liv photograph, I Could not get a good shot due to location...glass enclosed lobby.

[Felix_dup1]

Rockdog, lemme see if I can help you out with this... those are some pretty damn cool looking synths!

 

http://www.geocities.com/if6was9inc/MACHINE1.jpg

 

http://www.geocities.com/if6was9inc/M2.jpg[\img]

 

MACHINE1 & MACHINE2

The Machines are designed to control all your MIDI gear. Featuring endless rotaries with LED collars, 2 large GUI's as well as a widescreen monitor. Both machines include a large Tactex control surface.

 

[ 01-17-2002: Message edited by: felix ]

[Felix_dup1]

hmmmm... guess I'm not as clever as I thought I was. Sorry!

[The Rockdog]

Thanks Felix.

 

How did you get the picture on there?

 

If you check out the Synths, please note the resolution has skewered some of the details, i.e. the keys and sliders on the 2 manual synth have become quite distorted. Almost forgot, the 2 manual synth also has a hinged control panel as well as a cupholder and ashtray.

[Felix_dup1]

How did you get the picture on there?

 

funny, it's still not showing up on my computer.

 

I went to the faq's (top of the page, under the Post a Reply button) and eventually found my way to this page, which is amazingly helpful:

 

http://www.musicplayer.com/ubb/ultimatebb.php?ubb=ubb_code_page

[Bobro]

http://www.kosmolith.com/Nemotron.jpg

 

A quick sketch to show the stylistic direction I prefer- if you've seen the GT Vipre rackmount unit, it's obvious I'm not the only one with tastes along these lines. Manufacturers, rent 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea, check out some old Tom Swift illustrations, and get busy!

 

As far as synthesis, it's all tube osc. and filters with analog delays set up for some waveguide/"phy-mod" action.

 

The throw switch is for OFF and ON, dammit.

 

-CB

[surfjunkie]

this is a great thread.

 

Bucktunes:

For left hand controllers, you could plug in a "tile" with your preferred controllers. Joysticks, wheels, pitch stick, etc. Just plug it into the empty socket and go!

 

Dave Bryce:

I love this idea - we talked about something like this at Alesis, not only for the left hand controllers, but knob packs vs. slider packs...

 

only at mp, folks.

the "tile" idea is very good.

 

i like the photos, i may have to get into photoshop later...

 

Bobro: i like that on/off switch- it reminds me of Alien, where Ripley has to set the ship to self-destruct and she has to put all her weight into a series of huge levers & switches. Star Trek got it down to voice commands and handprint recognition.

 

i don't know 0.10 of what some of you know about synthesis, but i've never been satisfied with controllers. i'm okay with 4 octaves (i like E to C, actually), but i need controller stuff at my left hand. the new moog looks cool, but i'd be playing it with my arms crossed most of the time.

 

ribbons and trackpads and lights!

[1Empress_Scorpio]

Wow, neat sketch! ^

 

Thank you everyone for you fine and dandy response to my design on my site. It is a "all up to the viewer" design now, I just decided. What ever you feel you see and what ever it is you would like it to contain -- is all up to you! For me it's really fun just to look at!

 

It's got *whispers -- shhhh* 100 keys!!! Each of the nobs are for real time manipulations and you can set them to what ever the heck you wanna. The strip below the keys was a graphical error *heheheheheheeee*. I didn't know how to get rid of it, crop it yet. But I'll keep it now. What is a touch strip? Is that like a D-Beam (you can real time manipulate sounds further?) with a touch beam?

 

It's a terrible image, I had to size it to 700x700 pixels for use on mp3.com. Love the responses I am getting from it indeed!

 

My dream synth to please all your imaginations and desires...

 

Vi

 

www.mp3.com/just_vi_an

 

~ hows about the music, do you dig my creations? *heeheehee... shy shrug**

 

peace out and all the best!

[The Rockdog]

One Badass Goovebox...2 parts Sid Station, 1 part Machinedrum, 64 track sequencer, Insanely flexible Tactex Keyboard. Now if Elektron would make this beast, (And supply me with one one for the deign, hint, hint)it would make for some inane fun!

 

Oh yeah, A noise suppressor (for the Sid Stationssss), no wall wart, and possibly a 512k sampler...hmmmm.

 

http://www.geocities.com/if6was9inc/siddrum64.html?1011422211500

 

I am crossing my fingers...

[The Rockdog]

Hopefully...you can see my design?http://www.geocities.com/if6was9inc/SIDDRUMb.jpg

[surfjunkie]

http://www.geocities.com/if6was9inc/SIDDRUMb.jpg

 

cool.

 

the tactex pad- there's something about the size of the "keys"...

 

i assume you propose the smart fabric for the pressure sensitivity, but also the sidways & vertical movement on each note. to do a smooth linear chromatic slide, you'd have to slow down your finger on the black keys (the white keys on yours)

 

on a "normal" keyboard, the black keys are the same width as the top parts of the white keys. maybe your box could use normal key spacing on the tactex.

 

if the price was right, i'd be all over one of these.

[Byrdman]

Originally posted by Tusker:

Empress:

 

Nice thread.

 

 

Bringing an ideal to reality in the synth industry can extremely difficult. Dave shares from real passion, real scars and real accomplishments in the synth industry. In many ways he has lived this thread.

 

 

[ 12-19-2001: Message edited by: Tusker ]

 

Hear hear Tusker.

 

As I have said elsewhere, I think Andomeda was a bad mistake for Alesis, but I totally respect Dave for his enthusiasm and leadership in the synth business. Anybody who got to go to one of his QS clinics many years ago could hardly do otherwise.

 

(I did not realize Dave was involved with Andromeda - I had been imagining he was uninvolved. HEY DAVE - how did you let them ship it with that sucky selection of presets? I expect there is a great synth under there, but the presets simply don't show it off to advantage)

 

(and I still want a version of the QS8 that takes advantage of the advances in DSP technology since then - pretty please, Numark?)

[Synthguy]

A 128 voice Korg Oasys with a programmable Karma section, and a full set of edit controls with knobs and buttons, a la the Andromeda. SCSI and PC/Mac interface. As many modulation sources as they can include, from long ribbons, sliders, pedals, three wheels, breath controller and infrared lasers. Includes a course on DVD to learn the system, from basic to college level.