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Sound of a Brand?


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Do you guys feel that each manufacturer has, in essence, it own sound character?

Is it possible to find the same 'feel' between workstations separated for years (e.g: Tritons vs. Kronos; Motif vs. Montage; Rolands..)

I"m thinking also on how the patch programmers works for many companies inserting its personal flavors to each synth in the market.

In other words: We should have all branding gears to really feel each one spirit?

Be safe!

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Rolands definitely have retained many of the same samples and effects to this day going back even to the JV and XV series. There is even an identically sounding XV Collection soundset available for some of the older Fantoms and JUNOs.

Life is subtractive.
Genres: Jazz, funk, pop, Christian worship, BebHop
Wishlist: 80s-ish (synth)pop, symph pop, prog rock, fusion, musical theatre
Gear: NS2 + JUNO-G. KingKORG. SP6 at church.

 

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ROMplers? I do hear some distinctions between brands, though that likely has to do with each one's particular spin on sample processing and DSP. But the character differences are not as distinct as what I hear between 1970's and 80's synths. Each manufacturer had a particular sound, especially with analog instruments from that era. While core, oscillator tones were more of a challenge to distinguish, the filter/envelope/mod differences were very clear to my ears. To me, Moogs had a particular warmth and girth. Oberheim instruments had a certain punch and almost a royal presence. Roland gear had a smooth, polished sheen, and could mimic other brands fairly well. Sequential stuff was similarly a good mimic, but had a less polished/more organic sound than Roland. I recall borrowing a friend's Korg Trident when my Memorymoog was in the shop (a regular occurrence in 1983/84), and my first thought was, " Well this is different, and pretty cool ".

 

I'm encouraged by how well some modeled software VAs nail the vintage sound. I just picked up Syntronik OXa, and it's inspiring. Close enough to the OB-Xa I had at one time.

'Someday, we'll look back on these days and laugh; likely a maniacal laugh from our padded cells, but a laugh nonetheless' - Mr. Boffo.

 

We need a barfing cat emoticon!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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Yes.... maybe not as much as 1991. A Roland piece always worked well with a DX piece. The comparative strengths and weaknesses offset each other well. And .... Eric Persing is a genius.

 

I never was a guy who"s rig was always one brand. That always limited you sound pallet.

"It doesn't have to be difficult to be cool" - Mitch Towne

 

"A great musician can bring tears to your eyes!!!

So can a auto Mechanic." - Stokes Hunt

 

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...But the character differences are not as distinct as what I hear between 1970's and 80's synths. Each manufacturer had a particular sound, especially with analog instruments from that era. While core, oscillator tones were more of a challenge to distinguish, the filter/envelope/mod differences were very clear to my ears. To me, Moogs had a particular warmth and girth. Oberheim instruments had a certain punch and almost a royal presence. Roland gear had a smooth, polished sheen, and could mimic other brands fairly well. Sequential stuff was similarly a good mimic, but had a less polished/more organic sound than Roland...

Excellent synopsis. Well done, Allan! :2thu:

"We don't stop playing because we grow old; we grow old because we stop playing."

- George Bernard Shaw

 

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Omnisphere. It"s Eric Pershing.

 

Yep Spectronics is his current gig. He was the chief sound designer at Roland from 1984 to 2004. ... D-50, JD800, XVs, JVs, etc... all of it.

"It doesn't have to be difficult to be cool" - Mitch Towne

 

"A great musician can bring tears to your eyes!!!

So can a auto Mechanic." - Stokes Hunt

 

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Yes, definitely. I was actually thinking about this recently. I own several Yamaha keyboards, a newer Korg, a newer Kurzweil, and an old Roland, and have played all the previous-generation flagships (minus the Forte), several-generation-old mid-rangers, a few 3/4-generation old Korg and Yamaha flagships (Triton, Triton Studio, Motif Classic & ES), a number of vintage models, and all the current and previous-generation stage piano options (with the exception of Kurzweil"s SP and PC4 ones and anything by Dexibell). No clone wheels. I"m also limiting this to sample-based keyboards.

 

To my ears, there are two different aspects. One is the actual relative strengths and weaknesses in different sound areas.

 

To my ears, Yamaha does acoustic pianos, DX electric pianos (of course), clavinets, acoustic and electric guitars, basses of all kinds, solo brass and orchestra brass, ethnic instruments, bells, and pads very well.

 

Korg is best at most electric pianos (Rhodes and Wurlitzer), solo strings, synth basses, evolving pads, and synth bells.

 

Roland is usually the best at most non-pad/bass synths and electronic sounds in general.

 

Kurzweil is best at ensemble strings, electric organs, vintage electromechanical instruments other than Wurlitzer and Rhodes electric pianos, woodwinds, and almost anything else orchestral except solo brass (Yamaha), French horns (definitely Yamaha), and solo strings (Korg).

 

Kawai is a different kind of piano, but not inferior in any way to Yamaha. Definitely better than the others listed (though again I"ve not played the Forte).

 

I"m not a Nord fan but they sound fine I"m recordings. Maybe an edge for upright pianos.

 

 

 

Aspect two is actual processing and the result. For sound character, Korg has a 'glossy' sort of stylized sound to everything. That can be great for dense band work. However it detracts from most acoustic instruments if you"re looking for natural sounds.

 

Roland is kind of bland, sort of a pinched mid-range IMO, and a lot of their sound is kind of aged.

 

Kurzweil is kind of flat, almost bright, not necessarily the most detailed for everything, and sterile except for orchestral stuff (where flat is great).

 

Yamaha has sort of a 'warm' sound to everything, which isn"t always what you want, but I believe it sounds the best out front during performances. Some refer to it as a light saturation effect. I"m not sure, but I"ve never had one complaint about realism; even the weaker areas can be tweaked to an acceptable result, if not better than that.

 

Kawai has a bit of a 'glossy' sheen to all the sounds, and almost a 'chorused' effect to non-piano sounds, but it"s only a little.

 

Nord has a sort of mid-rangy bump and compressed sound to me (other than their synth section).

 

 

 

 

The above is how I tend to view the different manufacturers listed. I don"t have much of a feel for Casio, as I feel they"re just starting to get good.

Yamaha: Motif XF8, MODX7, YS200, CVP-305, CLP-130, YPG-235, PSR-295, PSS-470 | Roland: Fantom 7, JV-1000

Kurzweil: PC3-76, PC4 (88) | Hammond: SK Pro 73 | Korg: Triton LE 76, N1R, X5DR | Emu: Proteus/1 | Casio: CT-370 | Novation: Launchkey 37 MK3 | Technics: WSA1R

Former: Emu Proformance Plus & Mo'Phatt, Korg Krome 61, Roland Fantom XR & JV-1010, Yamaha MX61, Behringer CAT

Assorted electric & acoustic guitars and electric basses | Roland TD-17 KVX | Alesis SamplePad Pro | Assorted organs, accordions, other instruments

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I think that Busch's Purgatory Creek library and various sample sets from various vendors that can load into Kronos, Kurzweil Forte and Montage, for example, really level the playing field a lot more.

Yamaha U1 Upright, Roland Fantom 8, Nord Stage 4 HA73, Nord Wave 2, Korg Nautilus 73, Viscount Legend Live, Lots of Mainstage/VST Libraries

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Yes.... maybe not as much as 1991. A Roland piece always worked well with a DX piece. The comparative strengths and weaknesses offset each other well. And .... Eric Persing is a genius.

 

Spot on... In the nineties there was a definite character to brands. I'm not sure that's as evident today.

Sundown

 

Working on: The Jupiter Bluff; Driven Away

Main axes: Kawai MP11 and Kurz PC361

DAW Platform: Cubase

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Very, very generally speaking and only based on keyboards I've owned and/or tried in the shops:

 

 

Roland:

Pretty "flat" and neutral sound, tends to sound a bit "boxed in" (especially the old JV/XP/XV-stuff).

Generally versatile but typically weak organs and orchestral sounds.

Excels at EDM and 80's pop/rock. Easy to mix in a recording but can be a bit difficult to cut through in a loud band setting.

 

Korg::

Quite bright and "shimmery". Typically weak mid-range. Amazing for huge sounding pads, great for leads.

Has some of the best sample-based organs, but the acoustic piano sounds always seems to be lagging behind the competition.

Great for 90's pop, eurodance and modern hard rock and metal.

 

Yamaha:

I won't say too much about Yamaha as I haven't played one for a very long time.

Warm and "natural" sounding, less hi-end than Korg but not as flat as Roland.

 

Kurzweil:

Often sounds a bit dull and nasal in headphones compared to other brands, but excels at high volume where it cuts through loud guitars brilliantly with a strong and punchy mid-range.

Really good for classic rock/pop and especially prog rock. Not well suited for EDM.

Currently: Kurzweil PC4, PC3X & K2000.

Novation Mininova. Roland FA-06.

IK Multimedia SampleTank 4 & Syntronik.

 

Previously: Korg Trinity Plus. Roland XP-80. Yamaha EX-5.

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