Відео

To your question why to getbthe hardware Minifreak instead of just the VST, it has an analog filter per voice, so it is a hybrid synth, which is probably worth mentioning. Love your videos👍

I don’t know, Yamaha’s early 80s CS analogue synths were killer machines?

Why do synths need to have piano-style keys at all? A very large number of us are NON-PIANO PLAYERS. A synth isn't a piano. Ignoring everything that has no piano keys, is a terrible idea.

Not a bad list. I would include the Reface DX to my list.

I chose and bought the Minilogue xd and Wavestate for the Black paint job but it's user friendly control's!

Even before getting to the end of the list, I have something to say. The pink 707 would be easily part and parcel on many people’s stages with the revived Hello Kitty models coming from Fender and Squier. Those Strats have found an unexpected niche with the metal set.

I don't think more synths need to be 61 keys but I'm not a big fan of mini keys. That being said, I told myself I wasn't going to buy any more mini key synths yet I keep messing around with the Minifreak at my local music shop. It's gotta be one of the most fun synths that I've ever played, so I might make an exception for that one. Great list!

You suggest “playing with a friend’s unit”….and suddenly my middle school brain kicked in.

There _should_ be a Korg Prophecy on its way to me. But because the seller said 'UK shipping only', I used a freight forwarder. It was delivered there a week ago, and that's the last I heard from it. Which sucks. Let's hope that the holiday season is to blame.

nice topic and video!. I would lumped all of the korg raspberry pi synths together as ALL of them are awesome (i know as I have them all). That would of made room for the hydrasynth explorer and the roland jdxi.

I don’t do mini keys. I’ve disliked those since those reissues started showing up at guitar center. What is this? A toy? I use a lot of vst. I originally used a couple Ensoniq 61 notes for controllers. It wasn’t practical to run between my keyboard rack and the computer desk, back and forth using vst. It wasn’t practical to sit a 61 note keyboard on my desk along with everything else. Too big. I bought a 49 note Korg Taktile and built a sliding plateform which pulls the keyboard out from underneath my desk. When I’m done, I just slide it back underneath. I’m ok with 49 keys. Out of everything on this list, that Korg multipoly is just Nuts. I wouldn’t pay 899 for it but it’s a BEAST synthesizer. Watch a demo. If you are right and they end up lowering the price, I don’t know, I may have to live with 37 keys. I was looking at a deepmind 12 but that multipoly blows it out of the water.

Akai mpc key 37 is more of a production machine than synth. Its more for sampling, recording, and has more overall capabilities than the others… but not quite as a synth. Also you can get akai’s vsts and you can sample other synths to make keygroups (sampled presets). Where is the hydrasynth explorer?

Enjoyed this 👍🏻

I'm waiting for the Korg Multi-Poly Rack. It is one of the best sounding synths with very versatile capabilities and it doesn't sound like everyone else.

That key37 from akai is incredible. Im gonna have to get one.

A lot of these synths are cut down versions of 61 key synths from the same manufacturer, so you can have your cake and eat it if you wish. See MicroKorg -> KingKorg. MiniNova -> Super Nova. Minilogue -> Korg Prologue, etc. The market for a lot of these under $1000 synths is primarily hobbyist/bedroom producers with limited budgets AND space. I am NOT saying these synths are toys, BTW - many of them sound amazing in a mix or with an effect thrown on. But the small keys are part of the nights and weekends, liveset/gig once a month workflow, IMO. Product/Market fit and all that.

Despite my large hands, I would actually love a compact 61-key synth using good quality mini-keys,

Please man, dont show us your "little kogy"... Sorry, couldnt resist. I think most of these will be mainly purchased by producers/beatmakers, not ppl focussing on keyboard playing. And usually if a real keyboard player will get one of these, chances are he has a kbd controler of some sort for playing with confort.

I agree about the keys. I wish the GAIA2 had at least 49 keys. 37 is very crowded for two handed playing. This is mostly oriented for synthesists I guess. Everyone who is actually a keyboard/piano player will feel the limitation immediately. I use the GAIA2 with external controller keyboard quite often.

Glad to see the Poly800 on the list. My reverse keys MkII was my first synth, bought used around 1990 and still have it. Used to prance round the room at uni using it as a keytar, so much fun.

There are many nice 37 key synths on this list. I have the GAIA2 (amazing instrument). I had wavestate and opsix MkI versions (sold them because of the awful keybed) but still have the VSTs. I've played the Minifreak quite a few times. Multipoly and Microkorg 2 would be on my list for sure (But at the moment this is just G.A.S.)

I keep getting tempted by the WaveState to sit alongside my Minilogue XD, but I already have an original WaveStation so not sure I can justify it :)

Nice video Jeffrey! I was expecting the lovely moog subsequent 25 in this list 😅

Great video Jeffrey! Really appreciate your channel, keep it up. Asked Santa for the Akai MPC key 37. Think it will work great with my Korg Karma and my JVC 2080. Checking out the wavestate now :)

Great video

Most mini keyboards I think are marketed to beginner keyboardists, Non keyboardists ,beat creators who need synth sounds and their success used to dupe professional keyboard players that they need these instruments for portability and instantaneous creative capture. Again wonderful episode. Another use would be the portability for airline travel. A 49 note weighted keyboard controller would be more useful. Add to that small box synthesizer sampler and preset units (about the size of guitar foot pedals) with looper options those would probably sell like hot cakes. We are divergent in thought on wood ends though(lol)

So, it was just the pricing that prevented the Jupiter Xm to make it to the list. Because otherwise, it's better than any and all the others included, except maybe the DeepMind..

Dude, where was the Hydrasynth Explorer? Poly aftertouch and can basically do anything. Also I don't need more keys. I have a big keyboard and I can control the synths using midi.

I have the Korg Collection of VST's and honestly there is no way you can get the same touch and feel as a real hardware keyboard. I am waiting for the Korg Multi/Poly to come in stock at Sweetwater. I personally don't mind the 37 key versions of these units as most can be played by a larger 61, 73, 88 key master keyboards. The form factor allows me to have more power on my rack than just a couple of keyboards. As Tim Allen would say "More Power, Argh". My Kronos SE can control my VST's and my WaveState MkII so I can't wait to get the Multi/Poly in the rack.

Hey, a good video again. I have to say that Wavestate is the most unique sounding synth you could spend your cask on. There’s no synth on the market to my knowledge that can actually do what the Wavestate can do. If you don’t like 37 keys there are great deals just now on the Wavestate SE. I picked up a brand new Wavestate SE for £999 and have recently added it to my live setup.

Sound is King!! So long as it has MIDI In (FS/DIN, please!!), the keys don’t matter so much … especially not on an intentionally ‘small synth’ … jmo! Just look at the success of the og MicroKorg, and the even crappier-keyed JD-Xi … ! 🙂

It's a crowded market and an excellent list, but I'm sad to not see the Modal Argon8 or Cobalt8 on it.

I think your preference for plain black and white, and your aversion to wooden cheeks, colours etc, put you in the minority?! 🤷🏻‍♂️☺️

Chapters please for rewatching?! 🙏🏼

where did you get your top from?

I just acquired a MIDIMate interface but need the original 48k software (MIDITrack). Hoping to find it soon - this video will be a big help!

When i was learning about synths in the 90s a mate got hold of a Prophet 5 synth and brought it round to play it, to us, at that moment, it just sounded like a farting helicopter. And even for a few hundred pounds asking price none of us wanted it. Haha i would take it now.

I was really unlucky with the Korg Poly800II, it was so unreliable. Had it 86-88 and had to have it fixed half a dozen times, all the sound went distorted usually but once it totally crashed and had to have a major repair. Great sounds though. Did a part-ex for a DX21, which I still have and has never gone wrong in 36 years.

This was the best break down for this synth engine. Most of it applies to the MC-707. Thank a lot!

The most convincing nylon/spanish guitar playing on synth for me has always been on "Spanish harbor" by Vangelis and he did that in 1996..

Wow! Great playing, great tips!

Wonderful presentation of one of the most difficult performance items of the eighties and nineties where the sounds were not as realistic. It would have been great to have had a guitarist mirror the examples to show the accuracy and the immense difficulty in achieving these. One of things about keyboard guitar especially some nylon string samples is the absence of string noise. Although this is something which guitarists detest in a recording the absence tells you that this is a keyboard sample. Again wonderful work.Best wishes from the Caribbean

Thank you Jeff, I have been playing guitar on keys for a long time and everything you covered is on point. Also agree that although it is more challenging, the more you can do naturally with your fingers than with samples the better.

Thank you, this is GOLD! I wish I’d known these tricks back in the 90’s, however not knowing them just made me get mad at samples and actually learn guitar 😂. So much easier to achieve realism.

Nicely played, but I don't know what to think of the sound, sounds almost like FM, except for the switch/mute/flageolette gimmicks. Perhaps it sounds that undynamic because the piano kb but pianists have to play nuanced & expressive as well. I'm surprised that this came from a computer. I imagine your Kronos perhaps has more expressive ones.

Those feedback harmonics really help to sell it! Great tips!!

Beautiful arrangement! Wonderful playing❤ These are actually some pretty great tips, thank you

Wasn’t something I had a particular interest in, but you really jammed it. Nice. Yeah, there was only A Little Sax in 80’s pop music. Reminds me, even though I’m not a huge fan of Ice House, their song Electric Blue is like the quintessential generic 80’s pop song. It has everything, correct lead vocal, diminished guitar, oriental sounding key rift and no surprise in the middle break. The only thing it’s missing is upfront fretless bass. Jeff did you play Electric Blue in your band?

I'm amazed at how cheap you can still pick up an ESQ-1 for. It's such an incredible synth. 8 part multi-timbral, analog filters, a huge display and it's the easiest and most fun to program digital, menu based synth I've ever encountered. I got one used about 15 years ago for $80, sold it a few years back and picked up another one recently for $350.. still a crazy value to me.

Pleasure and pain to watch this but I do agree with the majority of your views ❤