Technological Advances in Synth Technology

[DoubleBlade]

i was wondering , with all these technological advances going about in the Synth world from time after time , does one need to be a pro keyboardist to able play the synth....

for instance if a Guitarist were to take up the keyboard but has no keyboard musical background whatsoever , is it possible for musicians with no keyboard experience or have never even touched a keyboard in their entire life before be able to play the keyboard efficiently or should i say make full use of the entire keyboard with all these technological advances happening in the synth world....

considering the fact that with appaeggioator functions in keyboards of today , one can easily pass off as a pro keyboardist....

 

[soft]

hi DoubleBlade

actually, i feel that the synth is going backwards.

in the earlier stage of synth, companies were trying to get their synth sound like the real instrument.

after samplering technology came along, companies try to make their synth sound analog again.

synth of today are built with so much features but the sound are not improved.

anyone can play with a synth, a guitar or drum. it is just what comes out of it. :wink:

 

[Cheez]

i was wondering , with all these technological advances going about in the Synth world from time after time , does one need to be a pro keyboardist to able play the synth........

I see what you are getting at. Yes, with all those new fancy things like appeggiators, it does seem to make non-keyboardists able to "play" keyboard by just hitting one key. But, as you are a pianist/ keyboardist yourself, you probably know that no matter how much of these "tools" advances, you can still tell between real playing and skills and those who rely on "tools". To make full use of a keyboard (to its full potential), you'll still need real keyboard skills. So don't for a second think a person can have it easy with these new technology. Still need to practise and achieve "real skills".

 

[DoubleBlade]

after samplering technology came along, companies try to make their synth sound analog again.

in what way does samplering technology spoil everything those vintage synths have to offer?

 

[DoubleBlade]

Yes, with all those new fancy things like appeggiators, it does seem to make non-keyboardists able to "play" keyboard by just hitting one key..

I fully agree with you Cheez but sometimes i really cannot tell the different between a keyboard on appaeggioator function and a keyboard with a keyboardist playing appaeggios unless of course , the appaeggioator tempo is set too fast for a human hand to play...

If a keyboardist plays with an appaeggioator function with piano/organ/harpischord sounds etc , i might not be able to tell the difference...
But if a keyboardist plays other sounds especially for guitar and drum sounds with the appaeggioator function , it's like playing God for a day :roll:

 

[Cheez]

I think what James is saying that in the early days, synths are trying to emulate real instruments. But when sampling started to advance, they realise there is no way they can compete - sampling is the ONLY way to achieve realism. So, they start to emulate something else.

There's only so much you can do with a synth in terms of getting sound. Now with softsynths, the competition is getting worse - tipping in favour of softsynths of course. It is difficult for a synth to compete with the power of a PC with large amount of RAM and CPU power. I believe the only thing that synths still hold strong is in analog. There is something in the circuitry that just makes it different and difficult to emulate using software. Even with Arturia's Modular Moog V, many people still thinks it is not the real thing although it is quite close.

With FM, granular synthesis, PCM etc, software is now getting more and more ground. Take Ultra Focus for example - you get almost everything in one software package.

So what do synth makers do now? They try to incorporate PC into their synth with LCD screens, hard-disk etc etc. But the price tag that comes with it cannot compete with the PC either. So, I really think keyboardists today don't need anymore new synths (short of analog ones) - just one good midi controller and eveything else in software.

 

[bongman]

techie rewind

- i feel that the synth is going backwards.

oh? really ? someone told me the Korg Trinity sounds better than the Korg Triton because in Triton, the manufacturer Korg trys to squeeze so many features in one synth to make it the ultimate workstation forgoing the basic
usage - sound !!!???

right now in the synth workstation market, looks like it's features and features - multiple synthesis, sampling, sequencer, board expansion,
big colour display, CDRW writer, etc etc etc ... what have you not ?

i wonder will they add on a notation software for reading scores or maybe
add-on a handphone, DVD video or radio receiver in the future ???

obvious release - Korg Oasys, Alesis Fusion, Roland Fantom X series,
wonder what Yamaha will come out next ?

wat say you? comments from anyone?

 

[Cheez]

Re: techie rewind

That seems to be the trend eh? All into one. But synth manufacturers are sort of pressured in a corner. They need to outdo one another - only way is to have the "ultimate" keyboard - defined by "the one and only keyboard you will ever need". Don't know if such a thing exist.

Actually, I think the one who wins is the one who first come out with a keyboard with a PC in it at a low cost. Open Labs got the right idea with their Neko, but the pricing is crazy. I will love to see a keyboard that's not too heavy with PC incorporated with lots of knobs and faders to control VSTis loaded in it. Make it customisable and expandable.

But if there's ever such a thing as the "ultimate keyboard" the manufacturer will also die an ironic death - since he cannot outdo himself!!! :lol:

 

[soft]

see, we are going backwards.

http://ghservices.com/gregh/fairligh/

 

[iansoh]

i still find myself more comfortable playing with a synth sometimes. especially when i need to change sounds repeatedly within the song.

when using software i find myself struggling to change patches on the fly. it's either i have everything pre-planned and laid out, or i end up using software for only one particular sound. e.g, i can't suddenly switch from the B4 to a rhodes sound when i feel like it; i must have it pre-programmed, then click around with the mouse(precious dead time lost there), then i get rhodes. when it comes to jamming, i'll be wasting a good amount of time in the studio opening up a new DXi and stuff, and where time and spontaneity are important, the software just doesn't keep up with u. compare this to having everything on a simpler, more direct interface such as the triton menu. just select by category and choose sound. or on the motif/s30, it's even faster - only need to press 2 buttons.

at the end of the day, i find software more useful in the recording studio, and synths better for live performances. i'd love to use more software live, but i guess my circumstances still limit me: i'm running only sonar and some DXi, and limited knowledge in this new field.

 

[bongman]

techie rewind

see, we are going backwards.
http://ghservices.com/gregh/fairligh/

backwards maybe with idea, not backwards with technology;
look at the monochrome video display, just like an anicent
Unix box. I don't think I want a monochrome computer display
but the colour-TV set found in Roland Fantom series or Korg Oasys
maybe a waste of resources as musicians only need a good display
to view the mulitple digital pages, not a colour-TV ? will they be dazzled
and blinded ?

wondering when is Citymusic and Sinamex brining in the latest Oasys
and Fusion ???

Nowadays keyboard players must learn to drive a spaceship command post
to run a synth workstation !!!

 

[DoubleBlade]

i was fascinated by the newest arrival to the Korg family which is the Korg Oasys but when i saw the price tag of it in USD , i realised it's too costly to own one....

You mean Sinemax is also a sole distributor of Korg products????

 

[Cheez]

at the end of the day, i find software more useful in the recording studio, and synths better for live performances.

Actually, with the midi controllers nowadays, it is not too bad controlling the softsynths. Everything is programmable - and there are lots of knobs and faders. Once you programmed your midi controller, everything should work easily. Load one softsynth into each midi channel. For example, you load FM7 into channel 1, B4 into channel 2 etc etc. Midi controller selects channel 1 - FM7 loaded. Controls becomes FM7 - sound banks can be selected easily. You also have a large screen to see what's happening instead of the usual LEDs on keyboards. Change to channel 2 and B4 is loaded. Soundbanks can be selected easily again. Don't need to press too many buttons.

Actually in live playing, we only use that many sounds on a keyboard. I really don't think guitar sounds are useful since we have guitarists. It is the usual FM, piano, electric pianos, pads, strings, some FX maybe. How often do we use the Banjo or Koto sounds live?

Even in the old days when I had my JV1080 etc etc modules, I still program my midi controller keyboard for live performances so I don't mess things up accidentally.

 

[bongman]

price ?

i was fascinated by the newest arrival to the Korg family which is the Korg Oasys but when i saw the price tag of it in USD , i realised it's too costly to own one....
You mean Sinemax is also a sole distributor of Korg products????

halo Blader,

I meant Sinamex for Alesis Fusion
and Citymusic for Korg Oasys.

Anyway, how much is the price for Korg Oasys in USD ???

 

[DoubleBlade]

it's 8K USD and so u can expect it to be around 1k converted to SGD

 

[soft]

the next stage of synth could be the performance interface.

*james in dream mode*

keyboard player will be able to play in any space. the physical keyboard no longer matters because it is all virtual. visual will be supplied by a goggle with 1.5 inch hi-def lcd. selection of sound can be done via eye + mind control.

real time authoring of sound with unlimited possibilities. no, actually limited by imagination. but there's a over-ride mode to allow machine to boost human's capability.

performance will be naturally surround due to the inherent software. but there's a backward compatibly button to allow non-vr audience to listen in simulated mode.

it will be available in 2 model.

$499 for the standard

$699 for the pro (can connect to SOFT for virtual jam)

:smt015

 

[iansoh]

it's 8K USD and so u can expect it to be around 1k converted to SGD

i would think $14-15k with shipping. but they don't ship from US to singapore right.

 

[bongman]

more than an arm and a leg

buying the motif, fantom and triton is bad enough,
these gear cost you an arm and a leg !!!

now with Korg Oasys, it costs your arm, leg and ass !!!