Times change...

[ers]

I managed to get hold of a copy of Keyboard the other day (I am in the UK) and was taken by the difference in the mag since I had last read it some 9 years earlier (when I lived in the US).

 

Whereas at that time the magazine was dominated by pictures of keyboards and rack units - its now got more than a fair share of screen captures of VSTi's etc...

 

I wonder what it will be like in 9 years time - you may even have to change the name of the mag!

[Pim]

Hmmm... I agree with you. In the store where I work we have about seven synthesizers in stock.

2 Years ago, we had about 20 of them.

 

Sales in software increased a lot. Propellerhead Reason is the biggest hit of all.

 

As a coming old timer, (41) I already long for the good old days, when synthesizers were real...

 

But as always, I am optimistic for the future: due to the overkill in music software, musicians certainly will rediscover the benefits of a real synth.

[ers]

I think the problem is that there is too much software out there and it takes so long lo learn each new package that inevitably you get no real work done.

 

Sometimes less is more

[Stephen Fortner]

These days, the advantage to hardware synths (modern ones... vintage analog and electro-mechanical stuff undeniably has a sound you can only get from the original source) is, IMHO, 99% ergonomic and psychological.

 

Computers are a PITA, in many ways, but the popularity of soft instruments is partially due to the fact that a lot of people have caught on that a hardware synth really is just a computer. It's got a CPU, memory, an OS which usually lives in ROM, many have storage media, and a display. Sure, they run smoother because they're trying to do fewer things at the same time, but I guess its a cost-benefit equation. Much of the soft stuff sounds amazing, and does work properly once you get through the configuration pains. And it tends to be two or three hundred bucks a pop instead of two thousand.

 

For studio use, with what I can do with Reason, Sampletank, the Logic instruments, and the NI stuff running in concert with Logic and Digital Performer, I can't see popping $3K for a Triton. Hell, I can't even see $1.5K for an XV module!

 

For live use, I am still comfortable working within the limitations of hardware... haven't gone the notebook-computer route yet. But I think the change in the magazine's focus is because they realize people are really interested in these things.

 

A few years ago, the logo of a keyboard octave next to the "K" on the cover was actually half musical keyboard, and half computer keyboard! That pretty much made the statement about their take on the future to me!

[Synthguy]

My interest was peaked by several suggestions from some very bright members discussing this sort of thing. We may be headed in the direction of synths becoming like Fairlights, in that there may be instruments that are like computers with a universal OS like Linux, BeOS or EOS, a load of ram, flat panel display, controllers, I/O, and DSP. Then you load in the softsynths and sounds of choice. In fact they may be like the Fairlight or Synclavier in that they have a rack mount brain, and optional controllers from Keyboards, guitar and bass, or drumkit.

 

Musicians will always be loathe to take their PCs on stage unless they're loaded and can afford several, or you can toss your computer down a flight of stairs with only a mild concern. Plus they'll want to get their hands on some sort of expression controllers, and some will insist on a piano response or a light synth feel, wheels or joysticks. The manufacturers will probably remain territorial and make it so the synths come with the usual built in stuff, as there is an appeal to having a synth with a Roland sound, a Korg sound, a Kurzweil sound and so on, but this open ended idea is quite intriguing...

 

When do you think we'll see the first instruments with this capacity, or am I behind the curve already with synths like Halion? Did someone mention it would load VSTi software?