Official : Show your keyboards & racks thread

[Cheez]

OK people. My suggestion to stop this. Unless it's related to the main topic, please stop posting anymore be it attacks of defence. Add fuel, and the fire will never go out. Stop responding and it will go away. We don't want this thread to be blocked, and we don't want it to take up uncessary space.

Sonicbrat, if digihub continues to post, don't post anymore with re: to this matter. Digihub, you know what to do. The rest of us, we better just stay out as well.

Those who makes the most noise is usually the one at fault. The more mature one will let it go. So whoever is the more childish one, carry on. Because the more mature one will not answer anymore.

Hope this post ends the episode. If not, James may have to step in.

 

[lowjk]

>> Here's is my OFFICIAL gear list just to keep this thread going

Now that the dust has settled, how do you find the Korg Radias?
Does it live up to its expectation as the spiritual successor to the Z1?
The demos do sounds very nice but I would like to hear from some one who uses it in "real" music.

Thanks,
jk

 

[SoNiCbRaT]

I didn't know it was a sucessor of Z1 and I've never used the Z1 before so I don't know how well it took on as the successor. But the Radias is quite a powerful VA modelling synths. I like it because it gives you the raw palettes to build your own sounds. With basic two oscillators providing standard wave forms, formant, noise, PCM and audio in. I've used the vocoder to interact with live acoustic instruments (instead of vocals as I cannot sing) using a contact mic into the audio in. Again KORG delivers a good programming interface (I could be bias) that make's the Radias a good live performance synth. Honestly though, the deisgn may look good, but it's not very ergonomical to carry it around. And prolly have to custom make a gig bag or case due to it's odd shape even after lowering down the module. The two filters have great ranges but sounded more round and digital. I like analogue harsh filters that sounded imperfect. The Radias fails me here, sounded too "perfect". But overall, it adds some very nice layers in the perspective of a mix...

I make music out of interest like everyone else.

 

[bongman]

wow! we have a solid high profile music geek.

the gear is fantastic, looks like SonicBrat is a Korg user.

some Roland but no Yamaha equipment at all !


do you find that Yamaha instrument a pain to use or sound wise doesn't suit you ?

 

[SoNiCbRaT]

Ahhh... disclaimer... I am not solid high profile for records ok... but I am a geek yes. Like everyone else here who go pok becoz of gear lust. I am a willing victim too.

I like Roland stuffs for some reasons but somehow I prefer the old analogue synths like the system 100 series, TB, TR and SH-series, their current synths are great; V-synths for example but it's just user preference... Yamaha synths... hmmm I don't prefer it because it does not concentrate on synthesis but more for music production... I do find the sounds a bit too thin sounding for my likings. But I could be wrong. Perhaps I will consider the old CS analogue series. I am no synth expert so don't take me too seriously...

I think Waldolf, Virus and Nord are great stuffs. But I do not own any too many things on list. Check out MFB though, they just launched modular series...

 

[lowjk]

>> I think Waldolf, Virus and Nord are great stuffs. But I do not own any too many things on list. Check out MFB though, they just launched modular series...

Thanks for your comments.

Waldorf (Terratec Komplexer emulates Micro-Q), Clavia Nord (Discovery emulates the Nord Lead) and Virus (Cakewalk z3ta+ emulates the C series). Can give them a try.

Pity MFB has no local dealer.

 

[SoNiCbRaT]

MFB is not low profile... it's just that in Singapore it's rarely heard... There were arguments amongst purists that MFB are not 100% analogue, using microchips being digital, or cetain components of the filters are digital. However, it has won many hearts overseas because of it's old school approach in design and interface. Now that they are going into modular synthesis, it's getting the synth community excited. One of the modules even allow you to hook to a TV and convert the analogue signals into video signals, hence turning the TV into an oscilloscope

 

[bongman]

MFB is not low profile... it's just that in Singapore it's rarely heard...

maybe I should say low profile in Singapore??? if they are good then will take sometime for a company to bring them in.

 

[SoNiCbRaT]

Bong, they are good... MFB is a well known German synth brand... but demands here are low... no company will bring it in if demands are low... not many people in Singapore will know brands like MFB, Wiard, Macbeth, Doepfer, MOTM, Serge, Buchla, Cyndustries, PAIA, EAR, Plan B, synthesizer.com, etc... unless they are really into synthesis... they are more niche and more serious synthesis compared to just buying a synthesizer and playing around with samples and presets (or tweaking one per se)... People here likes synthesizers but only a few are really into synthesis, so companies here will not carry items like these in because it's not going to make profits... not because they are not good enough to bring in. There are synth gatherings overseas every year and people gather to talk about synth technology and methods (not which synthesizer to use or which one is good... they talk oscillators, capacitor models, chips. filter chips, etc... ) so we are really far behind and always lagging because we are always just "using" products...

That's why I find the synthesizer scene here boring and at times stifling... because it's driven by the market or what was marketted. I was happy to see when I came to SOFT that there are people who buys things overseas because of passion... But it will please me more to find people who are into modular synthesis or DIY synthesis... Anyone? PM me please.

 

[bongman]

MFB, Wiard, Macbeth, Doepfer, MOTM, Serge, Buchla, Cyndustries, PAIA, EAR, Plan B, synthesizer.com, etc...

I heard of Doepfer and PAIA. I remember I ever came across an article in Electonic Musician mag where PAIA publish a DIY project with PCB boards layout and the required componets followed by the step by step DIY procedure.

maybe westerners more into experimental music ?
Singapore is like instant noodle, everything fast fast fast... everyone wants to make big $money$.

 

[SoNiCbRaT]

There's an underground scene here that does experimental. But that's a lose term... there's many sub genres... aleatorical, sound art, circuit benders, laptop musicians, etc... just terms. And most of us fly around the world to perform in art festivals... Singapore people are still stuck with pop music in general. But there's a small niche group of followers here and that's heart warming.

hahaha the instant noodle bit cracks me... good one bong...

 

[bongman]

hahaha the instant noodle bit cracks me

haha... good to hear from you, looks like we got another active keyboardist/pianist posting here.

 

[bongman]

See if I can take another pics and upload again.

Bongman, I'm still waiting for ya pics.

As promised much earlier, as well as an attempt to keep this thread alive, here's more pics of the of my home studio.

I unearthed the Yamaha SY77 and started playing with it lately. The DX7 e.piano and fulltines patches sound expressive and cool. Even the Brass and Synth patches are good, which bear certain analogue characteristic.

I guess sounds that are more than 10 years old may be good again since they are unheard for a while ??? Fresh vintage.

 

[Cheez]

Bongman, I created a patch in the SY77 when I had it years ago - an epiano. I used the ice piano and e-piano patches and combined/edited them (under FM, not AWM). It was a piano I used for a very long time. When I'm back in Singapore, and if I can find it, I'll send that patch to you. It's no use to me now that I'm not using the SY synths, and the patch was my favorite and sweetest epiano. Couldn't quite get the same sound again with other synths I owned.

 

[bongman]

Hi, thank you and greatly appreciate it.

If you missed the SY77, I think someone
is selling it for about $350 in Luther ads.

Currently I own a SY77 and the rack TG77,
both used items. When I was in Yamaha
contempo school, I play on the SY77 frequently.
The keyboard action is very good, you can play
fast runs and not slip away from it.

The common problems of the synth are the LCD display
getting dim and of course the unreliable floppy drive.

I'm glad nowadays USB is here to replace the floppy
format as external storage.

 

[dreamist]

Here's mine:

Hardware:
Casio Privia PX110
Alesis Micron
Oberheim Matrix-6R

Controller:
Behringer BCR2000 (no controller keyboard yet)

Software:
STL VAZ 2010
GForce impOSCar
GForce Oddity
Arturia CS-80V
Image-Line Sytrus

Pics will follow later.

As I never have a chance to play with real VCO-based analog gears, I've been trying to track down some. Missed an opportunity to buy a Yamaha CS-20 last year. And with my current budget, the more expensive stuff like the Jupiters are out of question. Maybe I'll order MFB-Synth II overseas sometime, or DIY stuff like PAiA Fatman.

 

[SilverBeast]

Bongman,

Are you going to "bury" your Trinity in that bag for a long time? If so, maybe you'd like to place a dehumidifier in it and seal it with tape. Electronic gear's greatest "enemy" is moist. One thing to note is that the Trinity's disk drive is belt driven and often when it fails, it's due to the broken belt. Just sharing my experience...Anyway, a nice setup you have there!

 

[bongman]

Are you going to "bury" your Trinity in that bag for a long time? If so, maybe you'd like to place a dehumidifier in it and seal it with tape. Electronic gear's greatest "enemy" is moist

thank you for the advice, wrap up for the time being; will shift everything to bed room.
the floppy drive just replace not too long ago.

the reason for the plastic wrapping is I went out of cloth cover,
this is to prevent the kitchen cooking smoke at 5-6pm from
damaging them. anyway, as said hv to shift to bed room to
prevent worse to happen.

As I never have a chance to play with real VCO-based analog gears, I've been trying to track down some. Missed an opportunity to buy a Yamaha CS-20 last year. And with my current budget, the more expensive stuff like the Jupiters are out of question. Maybe I'll order MFB-Synth II overseas sometime, or DIY stuff like PAiA Fatman.

Yo! welcome! oh yes, someone was selling a Yamaha CS-20 last year. The software version of Jupiter is out, go get it !!!
I remember the PAiA Fatman DIY project from Electronic Musician mag
but too afraid to built - wat if it dun work ???!!! Final year project ??? hehe !

 

[digihub00]

 

[zenguan88]

hardware is indeed taking out alot of space, hmmms i wonder if he plays all them actually, its hard even for him to choose which to play with lols.

well my ideal setup would be either a waldorf or access virus sythn coup up with maybe a workstation filled in with lotsta realistic VST plug ins. save space and money and of cos origianals! : )

this guy surely a collector hhas