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Nord Lead 2X, Virus, or should I get a hardware synth at all?
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PoM
IsraTrance Full Member
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Posted : Apr 13, 2013 16:25
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all the synths you have spend hours on it and know like your pocket..no way mate... i would say save up for modular but dont sell , you wll probably regrett it. |
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Nectarios
Martian Arts
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Posted : Apr 13, 2013 16:37
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Yeah I know. Far too flexible right now...just reading in this thread reminded me of my old modular days.
But all things I have now are carefully selected for psy-trance.
Minitaur: VCO phase re-trigger basslines (phatest raw synth sound ever as well).
Slim Phatty: Leads, FX, drums and basslines.
x0xb0x: acid. nuff said.
Virus C: Wavetables, FM, cold digital plastic sounds.
Nord Lead 1: Bold digital sound with bags of character. Best FM ripping leads and old school sounds (the nord lead 1 was all over some of my favorite tunes of all time).
Moogerfoogers: Best FX ever, its like there's lsd on the knobs that makes the sound coming out from them, heaven.
If I got a modular again, I would most probably make a track a year, lose all connection with the outside world. My missus would leave me for sure since I would save every last penny for more modules 
I was single when I had the modular, or soon after I got it, as I was not willing to leave the studio to spend time with my girlfriend at the time  
http://soundcloud.com/martianarts |
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PoM
IsraTrance Full Member
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Posted : Apr 13, 2013 16:40
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LOL but damn modular is tempting.. a small doepfer system is already dope.. and with all the cool stuff..so much happening in eurocrack.
was listening some dpo samples on muff (thanks woodsters) and damn it can sound so good.. |
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Nectarios
Martian Arts
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Posted : Apr 13, 2013 16:42
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PoM
IsraTrance Full Member
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Posted : Apr 13, 2013 16:44
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that the problem..in a way i m glad i didn t jumping into it yet and still not sure i will.. |
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Nectarios
Martian Arts
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Posted : Apr 13, 2013 16:47
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Well, if you take two steps back and look at the whole picture and put things into an objective perspective, you need two things to really put modulars to good use.
1. Money.
2. Time.
Both of which I barely enjoy right now in my life.
Maybe when I get older and have a nice job...
http://soundcloud.com/martianarts |
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frisbeehead
IsraTrance Junior Member
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Posted : Apr 13, 2013 16:49
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Yep, used to be the deal... I like a bit of both: I lately don't chop up everything I do, I like the feeling of a sequence or phrase running, more open sound, donno... also like the twisted/glitch effects and cut, reverse, transpose and what not, martian arts sound design to oblivion. a nice combo of the two usually makes the deal |
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PoM
IsraTrance Full Member
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Posted : Apr 13, 2013 16:50
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for now i love my Xs and in months i have it..still far to use the potential so not really in a hurry.. still dont rule out the possilbiy of just pick a second one..
i fucking love this synth, here a pulse into the filter overdriven.. made almost random midi.. and dididn t teak well the accent thingy.. was playing with the fxs.. zero processing. at the end i fm it
https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/5107801/XS%20PULSE%20DRIVE.mp3
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PoM
IsraTrance Full Member
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Posted : Apr 13, 2013 17:08
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Quote:
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On 2013-04-13 16:47, Nectarios wrote:
Well, if you take two steps back and look at the whole picture and put things into an objective perspective, you need two things to really put modulars to good use.
1. Money.
2. Time.
Both of which I barely enjoy right now in my life.
Maybe when I get older and have a nice job...
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same here..
i think i should try find someone here to team up with and mix our setups, maybe share some expense, that would motivate me more at same time.. |
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frisbeehead
IsraTrance Junior Member
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Posted : Apr 13, 2013 17:21
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Quote:
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On 2013-04-13 16:47, Nectarios wrote:
Well, if you take two steps back and look at the whole picture and put things into an objective perspective, you need two things to really put modulars to good use.
1. Money.
2. Time.
Both of which I barely enjoy right now in my life.
Maybe when I get older and have a nice job...
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wise words. but overall, the music hobby had me spending much more then my advisers would ever recommend. and the bug keeps growing and taking hold of the system. there's nothing rational about it, it's just what it is. but like some old man develop this thing about hi-fi or something, this could be my own private crazy hobby one day. |
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PoM
IsraTrance Full Member
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Posted : Apr 13, 2013 17:51
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Nectarios
Martian Arts
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Posted : Apr 13, 2013 18:06
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There is a fine line between becoming a chin-stroking-till-it-bleeds-everlasting-modular-noodler and someone who just wants to focus on production and make finished tracks.
If you can make endless drones and mad modulation percussive sequences AND focus on making and finishing tracks, then by all means, go for it.
Its just that there is such a vast universe of sounds to be achieved with modulars that I ended up getting lost into it and barely sat down to arrange all the sounds that I did.
Whereas now there is a thought process and the synths I have now... I know them inside out and have reached their "ceiling", so I can rest assured (its an ego tripping thing really) that I have mastered the synth I use and I can finally start making some music with it.
I want a phat phase re-triggered bassline? Reach for the Minitaur.
I want a classic S&H, VCO sync goa riff? Reach for the Slim Phatty.
I want a classic ripping FM high pass filtered riff? Reach for the Nord Lead 1.
I want a cold stabby FM riff to contrast the conventional NL1 riff? Reach for the Virus C and dial in a couple of Spectral Waveforms in the oscillators.
Acid line? Well, there is no substitute for my x0xb0x (unless I had the luxury to blow silly vintage market/collector, asking prices for a mint TB-303), running through the ProCo RAT2/Big Muff pi Bass.
I want a weird drone, or a psychedelic dissonant percussive line? Put the Slim Phatty through the MF-102...then put them through another fooger for liquid modulation effects...
...You get the idea...
I still surprise my self with some great sounding patches, mostly from chaining audio into the Foogers, but I need to know a synth inside out before I start making music with it.
So when I think about what kind of sound I want for a certain part of the track, I instantly know which synth to go for.
Its kinda silly really, but it is also the reason I am sticking to a few synths I own and use them all the time...as soon I start getting new stuff, the music output stops, as I delve into the synth to understand and control every aspect of it.
Another reason I have lost interest into the "next big synth" mentality. I don't need it as I have enough as I am.
As soon as I came to terms with that, I was able to finish tracks, release tunes and get bookings, travel and slowly make some cash to get the stuff I have today, as I make enough to live from my day job. All the money I make from music, go back to the studio in terms of gear. It gives me more time to really think what my next piece is going to be, how it will actually benefit my music and think that it has actually something different to offer, instead of another fancy box doing the same stuff as another fancy box, I already own.
...sort of thing...
http://soundcloud.com/martianarts |
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Nectarios
Martian Arts
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Posted : Apr 13, 2013 18:11
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And having said all that...I could sure use them crazy Make Noise DPO sounds in trance tunes
Anyone who can make them and wants to collab, hit me up!
http://soundcloud.com/martianarts |
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frisbeehead
IsraTrance Junior Member
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Posted : Apr 13, 2013 18:25
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I'd be more then happy to through some wild fx from a modular system into the mix any given day, to. but coming to grips with a modular, with all that's possible is very time consuming, like you say: I imagine myself spending way to much time delving into the modular instead of producing. would be nice times to, but every time I get something new - not nearly as complex as a modular system - I go through the phase you talk about, experimenting with every parameter on the new device until I feel that I know it well and learned where it really shines out compared to other gear.
About this topic: I do feel there's a different character between the Lead and the Virus that can compliment each other. I like the grit of the Virus, and there's something about the clear highs on the Nord that's very pure, while Waldorf seems to me (a little experience with it, only) more suitable for ear piercing sounds, metal tones and nice wavetable modulated madness. Takes a while to know any of those, specially Virus and Blofeld - but once you do, they become rapid ways of getting the sounds on your head that easily find their way into the mix. And that's why this things are famous and highly regarded. It's not just the sound, it's like having many options in an easy enough interface that's easy to learn and deal with. Easy to get inspired. |
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Nectarios
Martian Arts
Started Topics :
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Posted : Apr 13, 2013 18:33
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I have a friend who lives close by and we are making tunes together, these days. I recommended a Doepfer basic modular. He was intimidated at first by the interface and not being able to get the sound out at first.
So I went over and did him a crash course (and over skype).
I use that again, but I never thought the day would come where I would replace a bread and butter BPF single saw lead from an analog modular, from a digital synth, namely the Lead 1.
For me, its not worth spending cash on modulars for bread n butter sounds, especially when the Minitaur and even Slim Phatty, sound better than the budget analog modulars...then again for psy-trance the Lead 1 has tons of digital character and is an instant reminder of classic tunes I loved from the 90s.
IF you can splash out on an Livewire AFG oscillator, then fair enough.
If I was starting out a modular again, I would definitely go Eurorack again and get all the weird modules. The budget Moogs, DSIs, Boomstars, MS-20 Mini...etc...on offer today, cover bread n butter sounds very well.
http://soundcloud.com/martianarts |
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