help! Really basic questions

[cynn]

Hey guys, it would be great anyone could help me out alil, i'm pretty interested in picking the synth up as a one mand band/ full band with all those 'electronica' sounds during jamming or even solo, not much on pianos.

• What is a synthesizer and how does it differ from a keyboard?
• Is keyboard knowldge necessary?
• How to go about starting and learning it? (i intend to self-experiment/learn)
• How much would the basic gear and what are the basic gears required?
• Softwares?
  Uhm, anything else important that i should know before i start??

So on and so forth, it's a new thing altogether for me so i'd gladly do with some advice. Cheers!

 

[pianomankris]

Keyboard knowledge isn't necessary, but it does help, as you will know what chord progressions work etc etc (this, of course, depends purely on the style of music you are writing).

But sometimes the best fun (especially with a synth) can be had by purely enjoying the sounds! This is, after all, what they are designed for.

Sometimes young kids do really interesting things with synths - i'll explain why below.


When an adult with knoelwdge of the piano/keyboard etc approaches a synth, they approach it as a pianist would approach it, and try to make the sounds replicate actual acoustic sounds, rather than enjoying the sounds for what they are. They also write music like a pianist writing for a synth - chord shapes/cliches etc can be heard when pianists/keyboardists etc write for a synth.


So it's up to you - but - keyboard knowledge/technique will certainly help you.

It all depends what you hope to do with it.

If it is for, as you say, doing a 'one man band', then definitely get some piano/keyboard lessons.

However, if it is purely for adding textures to your own music, then learning keyboard isn't really necessary.



I used to teach in schools, and when the kids would come into class for the first time, they would desperately want to push all the buttons on the keyboards. Many teachers would shout at their pupils for this, but the kids are just curious about possibilities - so I would give them the challlenge of making up a piece of music for the end of the lesson using any sound they like (e.g. use a sound to create a scene from a movie - what would the scene be? - that kind of thing).

The first thing that a musician should have is a love and curiosity about sound - everything else should follow.



RE synths - a good synth for starting is the Alesis Micron - I don't know how much it is in Singapore, but in the UK it is about £300 - which is a good price for what you get, as what you get is a lot.

 

[Cheez]

Hi Cynn, a keyboard is a generic term for basically anything with black and white keys (hence "key"-board). (Of course, it also means what you use to type on a computer...). So a synthesizer is a type of keyboard - so is an organ, a piano, and a whole lot of other variations named after their functions (workstations, arranger keyboards, digital pianos, stage pianos, midi controllers etc). A synth lets you "tweak" and program the sounds deeper than other keyboards - ie going to the raw waveform and synthesis engines. So you get to create more sounds with a synth - although it does require a little experimenting.

As for other aspects, I totally agree with what pianomankris said above. If you are experimenting, then just go ahead and experiment.

However, you need to know that doing a "one-man-band" thing is slightly different. Not all synths lets you do that - only those with a built-in sequencer. If it comes with a sequencer, most will fall into the "workstation" category and the cost significant increases. If it doesn't have a built-in sequencer, then you have to go software. Otherwise, you will be looking into arranger keyboards if you're interested in auto-accompaniment function (eg Yamaha PSR series)- although most arranger keyboards do not have synth function (ie you can't create different sounds other than those already existed in the memory).

Remember to check out the stickies in this section of the forum for more info re: your question.

 

[cynn]

Thanks man, thats interesting.. cus i've seen many performances with this instrument and i'd like to incorporate it as soon as i pick it up. But where should i start? and say, what would be a good substantial gadget/gear for a total noob like me? (cus i know nuts about all the variations, but hopefully i'll find out more about it.) Hmm, below 900 perhaps?

 

[SoNiCbRaT]

I think you need to do some research first on "synthesis"... to get an idea on what a synthesizer can do. Cheez gave a very good introduction to it but you'll need to go deeper. As suggested above, and with a budget such as yours, the Alesis Micron would be a good choice and it does have a built in sequencer. In any case, you can always go software. For workstations, you can't get anything much out of what your budget allows but you can look into second hand though on older models.

I would just like to note that arranger keyboards sounds, in my opinion, is inferior compared to synth unless you go for a really expensive arranger keyboards. To do arrangements, you'll need at least a basic knowledge of music in terms of orchestration (be it band, electronic, orchestral or even ambient and experimental) for anything decent to be realized. Experimenting is one thing, but understanding synthesis will unleash much more power and usage to a synthesizer (in your case I am guessing on ambient synth textures and perhaps some lead melodies, bass lines, etc). No harm knowing more right?

Here's a lead to know more about synthesizers and the world it exist in:
http://www.matrixsynth.com

I agree with Cheez on that you're probably looking for a workstation. If your budget doesn't allow, then you'll have to settle for an arranger keyboard.

Here's a youtube video of a guy playing a Micron with sequences pre-programmed. Abit tacky music but a convenient find on youtube for now that has the sequencer going:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xDU2MHL_5Bg

Here's a little demo on synthesis on a Micron, what he's doing is direct synthesis with no routing and patchworks:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LlZJcu_IRbs&feature=related
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f4vItkoMv2Y&feature=related (wait a while and the sounds get pretty interesting)

What it all means is that for a "synthesizer" you "design" your own unique sounds that perhaps we'd never heard before. A "arranger keyboard" let's you play all the sounds that other people are playing. You can achieve a similar synthesizer/workstation environment with a midi keyboard controller + softwares (synths and sequencing softwares)... but that's another school entire though on the same basics. Based on your budget, getting a midi controller + free softwares + basic paid softwares is possible.


have fun...

 

[SilverBeast]

cynn, welcome to the keyboarding world

When I started out on keyboarding donkey years ago, I also had in mind to be a one-man-band. As arranger keyboards were not as appealing as they are today, I got myself a synth keyboard. With nuts knowledge about musical, playing and programming skills, the journey was very hard and not to mention, a mistake. Today, I am re-living that journey with an arranger keyboard which I find so much accomplishment with and really, I am fulfiling my initial wish to be a one-man-band.

Well, having told such a grandfather's story, the bottomline is to get something that can help you succeed better so that it can drive you to learn further. Remember, if you are really into this musical journey, whichever keyboard you own today will not be your last. Enjoy your keyboarding journey!

 

[cynn]

Thanks you guys! i'll do some research soon

 

[Eleora]

Hi there, that is an interesting and enriching discussion and information. I have check out the demo on Alesis Micron, look and sound pretty fun to play with. Can some please advise if I already have a Korg PA 50, should I still invest on an Alesis Micron ? What value can it add to the playing ? Thanks

 

[Jazzfish]

Nope. make full use of what you have already. and ask yourself what exactly do you wanna achieve

 

[lexxmexx]

Just curious, when you mentioned arranger keyboards, were you referring to those Yamaha PSRs at the most basic level and their equivalents?

 

[Cheez]

Arranger keyboards refer to keyboards with auto-accompaniment function. They range from the cheap versions (lower end Yamaha PSR and Roland E series) to the super-high end (Yahama Tyros and Roland GW series). Tyros 2 is about the cost of a workstation. Not sure how much the new upcoming Tyros 3 cost, but definitely not going to be cheap.

 

[lexxmexx]

Thanks for enlightening