If I could only keep ONE SYNTH
Вставка
- Опубліковано 25 лип 2024
- This video explores the different synths that I have, and asks what I would keep if I could only keep one. I also go over some good questions to ask when looking at new synthesizers. All of the synths have audio examples.
Links to things I discussed
Starsky Carr Poly D v Mini Mogg
• Behringer Poly D vs Mi...
Jorb Deepmind 12 video (just one of many)
• The Deepmind 12 // Int...
Jorb Pittsburg Modular Taiga
• The New King of Semi-M...
Latchwork MicroKorg demo
• Microkorg / Ambient Se...
Chapters
Intro 00:00
THANK YOU 00:32
V Collection 02:07
MicroKorg 02:36
Deepmind 03:19
Moog Grandmother 04:37
Poly D 05:17
Subharmonicon 06:06
Taiga 06:29
Winner 07:25
Winner take 2 08:03
Moog rhymes with rogue, which is why they once made the Moog Rogue.
or the moogerfooger - but you can mess up that one in an instant :)
Thanks! I think I’m doomed to see it like Moo-G forever. But here’s to trying!
The family that used to own the company are Italian, and their name is pronounced Moo-g, but they embraced the fact people lent towards puonouncing the company Mouge and decided this is how they wanted it to be known.
Congrats on 1k! Really inspiring stuff here can’t wait to see more following your work!
Thanks! I really appreciate the comment!
Of the hardware synths I’ve owned, I think I’d have to say the Hydrasynth is the one I’d keep if I could only keep one. And I feel a bit about that answer like you do about choosing the V Collection. My heart wants to pick something analog, something with a distinct character - but I can’t. The Hydra is a great jack of all trades - it really feels like it can do it all. Which makes it perfect for the “if I could only have one” test. I also think it would make a pretty good beginner synth for a person who is pretty sure they want to learn deeply about synthesis. It’s deep enough to last you a decade but has a super-friendly UI that should be easy to get going with.
I’m hoping I feel the same way about it when I get mine (hopefully soon). Do you have the explorer or the regular version? I’ve been excited about Hydrasynth since I learned about it like 6 months ago. Thanks for watching and adding your top choice into the mix!
Another great video. So happy that you broke through that 1,000 sub mark. It took me forever to break that. Now it's time to sit back and rake in that monetization money. haha, j/k.
I think if I had to chose only one I would go for my Grandmother. Although before Moog updated the firmware a few years ago it was one of my most frustrating synths due to it constantly locking up or not syncing correctly. I almost got rid of it. But those issues have all been fixed and now its one of my favorite.
ALSO...I love that you addressed your pronunciation of Moog. Yes, I also heard that Bob said it different ways. And I think the true german pronunciation is said a thrid way. But according to the people I know that worked there in Asheville, they all say "Moog" like "Rouge." I had the hardest time changing how I said it too. Once someone there told me "Moog like Rouge" it finally stuck.
Moog/Rouge is a pretty good trick. Thanks. And thanks for watching. So close to monetization just gotta get those Watch hours!!!! Haha. Lucky for me I’d still be doing this without a camera pointer at my face.
Grandmother is my favorite one that I own. It’s so fun. Only way I’d get rid of it would be for a matriarch but I don’t see that happening for a while.
Great video! Congrats on 1k! It should be 50x times that - your content is on par with the Jorbs and BoBeats of the world! Keep at it and the followers will come for sure! 😁
Thanks! That is pretty high praise. I appreciate it a lot.
I agree about the Deepmind! I love mine and the only reason it wouldn't be my #1 is because I have a PolyBrute. Before I picked up the PolyBrute my number one would easily be the Deepmind 12. I have several others including a System 8 (which is cool), a Sequential Pro 3, Korg MS20 mini and various PCM/Rompler types from Roland and Yamaha ect and I love the Deepmind more than all of them except for the PolyBrute. The Deepmind is a seriously underrated synthesizer!
Good, reasonable down-to-earth overview. Thanks for that. I feel Logic's synth suite is quite exhaustive (particularly considering the depth of Alchemy alone) and I am working ITB only, but the allure is there. Fiddly knobs! Hydrasynth does look very good. I'd probably go for that one and nothing else (since one can do so much with plugins these days).
Thanks for the comment! Logic does have a crazy number of synths but but there’s something about physically turning knobs for me. It’s not even about it sounding better or not, it’s about how I arrive at sounds. The workflow is more inspiring to me. I guess I could just get a good midi controller and use everything ITB. Anyways…thanks for watching.
@@amberelmmusic Yes, knobs are what makes the difference. Moular synths have seen a massive revival for a reason. It rally depends on how big of a role synths and the tweaky part of them play in your music. To me, soft synths work fine.
the production value of this is so high i was aghast when you said you had just gotten to 1k. this is 2m sub material imo
Thank you so much. I really appreciate you saying that. Thanks for watching.
@@amberelmmusic of course! good luck
I would love to see a video showcasing your three semi Modulars. I have the grandmother and the subharmonicon and would love to see how they play with taiga!
That’s a good idea. Once I have a better handle on Taiga you will most likely get that video.
Thanks for watching!
Another candidate for single synth would be Sequential Take 5 if people don't mind the reduced polyphony. It sounds awesome and combines amazing power with super simple interface.
Moog- rhymes with vogue ;) ! I've owned so many synths and currently have two- a Doepfer Dark Energy Mk1 and a Roland SH-09 (my second one!), and if I had to choose the 09 will always win.
Thanks! I’ve got a lot of comments with similar rhymes. For some reason though, whenever I see it I see Moog my brain reads it like Moo-G. I’m gonna need some rewiring.
Great video! How about a Roland JDXi or a novation circuit tracks? If you could only have one synth and couldn't use a DAW: You would wanna try these. The JDXi is two digital synths, an analog synth and a drum machine and it all has step sequencing - in a single package.
JDXi is pretty cool. It reminds me of my microKorg, but one I might actually use haha. I haven’t played on a circuit tracks. Next time I’m in the shop, I’ll try and get my hands on one. Thanks for watching!
Love.my Moog. But I would have to choose my Roland FA06 work station.
Nice.
I'd keep my Dominion 1. The main reason is that I got a lot of options for creating sounds. 3 VCOs, 12 Filtertypes, 3 LFOs, FM, Ringmod, ARP, Sequencer, lots of modulation posibilities, paraphony, a good keybed and lots of other stuff. It may not be the best sounding of all synths, but it's quite flexible and the sound is still good enough.
I was unfamiliar with the dominion 1 until you commented and then I looked it up. That thing looks pretty awesome.
@@amberelmmusic I was lucky back then to get one (I think they had a big backorder). Sadly, Manfred Fricke (owner of MFB) died 2 years ago and I don't know if somebody else will resurrect the company again. There's also a Poly Version of the Dominion 1 around which is called "MFB Synth Pro Poly".
My desert island synth is the 3rd Wave Keyboard. You can do really everything with it, from 1st class VA thanks to the filters to extremely digital sounds. The only problem: I don’t have it (yet).
I haven’t played on a 3rd wave but have seen a bunch of videos on it. That things pretty awesome. I don’t even know where I’d start picking my desert island synth if I expand it to things I don’t have yet. That’s a way harder question but I’m thinking Moog one is a good place to start.
Poly D - I have one and I love it. 5:50 Not sure what you mean by 'you can save sounds in the sound bank' though, as there is no patch memory. Enjoyed your video - thanks.
Haha. I caught that too. I think my wires got crossed when I was filming. I was thinking of saving sequences. Good catch! Thanks for watching!
Haha my first synth was a Kawai 100F. Had to use many tracks to make it poly. I gave it away when it started to get detune. When I opened it to realize all the notes were struck on a one wire and to be able to tube it I would have to push or pull to bend the touching notes up or down physically. That is when I sold it for almost nothing. I had also sawed the wooden sides to match the synth face plate ant the keys. Ho It also came with cardboard presets that you stuck on to make the presets modification.
If i would only have one synth it would be 100% a Moog Matriarch. Great sound, pretty straightforward, but also have some depth to it. I wouldn't choose a digital 'do-it-all' kinda synth, i would rather prefer to build complex timbres by layering simple sounds on top of each other. Also, i don't really like "unlimited possibilities", i much prefer to have a framework of chosen limitations to operate within. I just find this approach more inspiring and i'm generally tend to be more creative and productive while facing limitations.
I think if I had a matriarch it would be my choice too. And I totally agree with you about limitations. I don’t know if I find it more inspiring but it definitely forces me to be more creative.
Thanks for watching!
@@amberelmmusic thanks for cool content! I don't have matriarch myself, i only have a Mother32 from Moog, but i can sell my other synths and get a Matriarch, so i decided that it's gonna be a valid point
Having bought the entire set of, ahem, Behringer 2500 modules, which I love, you'll probably be able to guess my feelings on them. The Deepmind 12 is definitely on my shopping list for some time in the future.
I'm not much good at parting with synths and still have my very first, a Casio CZ 3000 bought in 1986...blimey, that's a long time ago 😳 Finding places to put it all is becoming an issue though 😂
Haha. Ya. Getting rid of old gear is not something I do well either. I still have some gear that I keep around for no reason other than when I was like 9 my brother told me to never get rid of gear.
@@amberelmmusic you never know when it might come in useful 😁
Not fair to choose the v collection, that’s a collection of synths. I’d choose my Roland SE-02. 😊
Haha. I know I know. That’s why I ended up choosing the deepmind 12 at the end of the video. SE 02 is a cool choice.
If I were strictly picking a hardware synth to keep based on actually getting work done and being versatile, the Roland Integra 7. If the question of which of my synths I would choose over all the others, I don't want to make the call. Like picking a favorite child.
Ya. It’s tough. Thats why I ended up choosing the deepmind. It just does a bunch. But favorite is a whole other question. Thanks for watching and adding to the conversation!
As a long member of VST's, from just when the first synths was enabled, I used it alot, maybe every top VST synth, I choose Analog synths, but if to save only one? Novation Peak/Summit, it's like Analog and Digital in one instrument. Maybe Deepmind - I still don't have it but I will get it for sure. But not VST) I'm just bored of it, and I hear clearly the difference between software synths and hardware, and of course VST just can't sounds like Analog, it's just impossible forever) If VST synth will sounds like analog - it will have analog heart ahah :D
Moog like Rogue is a good way to memorize it
Good tip! Thanks.
The Deepmind is the straightforward choice if you can only have one. Especially if you compose and produce for a whole bunch of eletronica styles. I do UK garage, speed garage, techno, house etc and I use the Matriarch primarily. I would say that's the backbone. The main synth in all my productions. But it doesn't do pads and things like that since it has no polyphony so, again if I had to pick just one to do what I do it would have to be the Deepmind. If I didn't need the keyboard I would go with the GS Music E7. I think it sounds great and it could probably do it all as well. These kind of decision definitely comes down to versatility and the math is pretty straightforward. If you want to be able to do more you need a synth that can do more. But I don't think I'd recommend the one synth approach. I would probably do one mono and one poly. Grandmother as the backbone and then pick another for polyphony. Maybe the Blofeld. If I was on a budget that's what I'd do.
Isnt the Deepmind pretty limited in terms of its oscillators and filter?
I’m glad I don’t have to pick one synth because I agree with you it’s nice to be able to have some solid mono synths as well as a poly. They just excel at such different things.
I don’t feel like it’s too limited…everyone has different needs though for their synths so I could see some wanting more from them.
Love your approach.
I am not a Behringer fan, however I bought their ARP Odyssey clone for reasons of nostalgia and will probably never use it. Mostly I am a student of Ableton and Maschine/ Maschine plus these days but have Waldorf and Modal hardware synthesizers to. I come from eons deep in the last ice age so I am generally opposed to retro, distortion, lo fi, tape noise effects and cables everywhere having lived with these limitations long ago. "Hypocrite!" I hear you cry, "What about the Odyssey?" At least they resolved the unstable tuning🤣🤣🤣
Haha. There’s definitely something to be said about loving gear for nostalgia sake. I’ve been really curious about the Waldorf iridium.
Thanks for watching!
DEEP MIND For me too. V9 a great choice
Thanks! Deepmind is pretty versatile. And seriously if you have one go check out and download the sound banks Jorb made. The Juno 106 patches are great and they are free! Thanks for watching.
Glad I found your channel, thanks for the video!
(since you asked, I'm not personally interested in B-word content, but it's not, like, my religion or anything)
Thanks for watching. And for your B-word feedback. It seems like so many channels are making videos about it (which I don’t really plan to do) but it always makes me wonder what people in general think.
This is hard. I would keep my Moog One 16 voice. But the Waldorf Iridium is so good too.
I think if I had a Moog One 16 voice it would be my choice too :) thanks for watching!
Although the winner makes sense, it’s a collection of synths that has won in the end :-P
I thought that was a cop out too…I ended up picking deepmind 12 in the end. Thanks for watching!
Yeah saw you did haha. I think my formulation was a bit wrong. I more meant, it makes sense the deepmind wins with its in depth versatility. But price/package ratio of arturia still makes it more of a winner for me :)
love behringer
Thanks for watching and leaving your feedback!
I would keep my first synth, a Korg Electribe A-mk2 and my actual Wavestate, no idea about Behringer 😅
Those are cool synths. All the Behringer talk is just something that a few of the channels I watch are addressing. Some of their business practices. Thanks for watching.
If good food is something like noodles is a clue how I say moog, and I won't change. One synth? Mc707, safe swiss army knife, have you seen the rear panel? guitar pedals, recording samples, audio usb, and the interface is as deep as your intelligence allows. As close to perfect as this reality allows(minus the lack of fave presets).
As to owned hardware wise, I suppose Korg Wavestate. I think it will take forever to explore everything it may be able to put out.
😁🎶🎹🎶Play On
That’s a nice choice. Seems like it has endless possibilities. Thanks for your take!
Behringer: I too, have a Poly D (and a Pro-800). They’ve both been great as what they are. It’s hard to argue that they make pretty solid synths for a very good value. All that said, I do cringe a little when I give them money. You’re absolutely right that we all use products from companies that have some kind of shady practice and we look the other way. But it just feels like Behringer does ALL the shady practices. ALL the time. It feels like they have a weird flex strategy of being “bad boys,” and it comes off to me as childish and (ahem) somewhat typical of modern billionaires. But, I dig the synths. So: feelings very mixed. 🤷♂️
I totally get the mixed feelings sentiment. I also feel weird about giving them money, but that’s sort of where it stops for me.
Btw, how do you like the Pro-800? Ive been curious about it for a while.
@@amberelmmusic I have really liked it, so far. I’ve never had a Prophet Proper so I can’t really compare, but it sounds great to my ears and works well and reliably for me after a few firmware updates (was a bit unreliable early on). 8 voices of analog polyphony with polyphonic aftertouch support was about all I needed to hear to pull the trigger. I can’t really speak to whether or not it’s a great Prophet - but I can say it’s a pretty great 8-voice analog poly for the (extremely reasonable) price. 😁
Well.. I know it'll create a ruckus, as its a sampler, with powerful editing and synth capabilities, huge modulation matrix, bitch'n studio level effects ... And a sequencer...
Yep, its the ASR10. (To add, as for menu diving, If you know it, and its its 3 button pushes to get to any level of the menu's.. First edit... Then the next 2 are labeled, its after that you memorise, and its quick az....Brilliant!)
Disclaimer: Ive been collecting since the 80's. but got full on in the 90's... Have many a classic, but even since the EPS then 16+, the ASR dont need no standard waveforms... Transwaves also FTW !
As for my First Synth? JX3P with PG200 on release..... Still got the JX.. Swapped the PG200 for a 40Mb Scsi drive in the early 90's.... LOL
The menu diving sounds horrible LOL. but it really is what you get used to. I have some gear with menus that I didn’t like until it became second nature. At that point you just appreciate the depth. So I get it. Nice choice.
Thanks for watching.
I'd keep my beloved Moog Matriarch.
I think you need a lot more
There’s always an argument that that’s true.
POLY D- by save sounds you mean, save sequences yes? you cant recall patch sounds
Ya. I misspoke. Good catch!
[What is RTC?]
A while back…I started a recording studio…it was on a cul-de-sac. I’m also pretty bald under that hat. My brother would make fun of my balding and say I was “rocking the cul-de-sac” I thought it was a good name for my studio, so….RTC rockin the cul de sac. was born.
Thanks for watching!
@@amberelmmusic Thank you, sir. Looks like a very ‘fashion-y’ brand. Like APC was back in the day…. Very snazzy cap, too. Well done. I was seriously going to ask where I could buy one…. Oh, and the Deepmind-yeah, I bought the 6 a few years ago, when I wanted to get back to hardware synths after years of being unmoved by software emulations. I need to use it more, though. Wish Roland would just make a new Juno 106. Analog. In the meantime, the Arturia collection does get the job done.
My one synth would have to be Surge XT. I don't have an argument for it being best, but I think it's important that you click with your tools, and Surge works pretty much the same way my brain does for music design.
As for Behringer. It's not a great look for the company or owners anytime something like that happens, and people should do what they feel is right regarding it. I don't think it's worth lambasting others for doing what they think is right, though. Go far enough down that rabbit hole and you'll never be able to buy anything made by anybody ever again.
I agree with you. The best synth is really the one that works best for you. And your totally right about going far enough down the rabbit hole.
Great video man. Check out some prophets!
Virus ti2
Virus seems like a great choice. Thanks for watching and leaving your choice!
I'm generally pretty anti-Behringer for the many reasons that are well understood out there, BUT the Deepmind is part of a small set of Behringer originals that I actually wish they would lean more into. Deepmind came from some acquisition or partnership and while it's loosely based on a Juno 106, it really brings a LOT of innovation to the table. Similarly there's the B-Control, the Neutron, I'd maybe throw the MS-1 in there, and even though they are mimicking the Moog mother studio, the Crave/Edge/Spice trio.
These clone but enhance and add features, and they wear their own trade dress (look and UX). I wish Behringer would do that sort of work all the time. (Laying the F off of attacks on music journalists and reviewers would be nice too.)
Thanks for adding your thoughts. I totally agree with you about the deepmind. And I feel like it would be somewhat easy for them as a company to lean into more things like that (and other clones + improvements on discontinued gear) and avoid all the hate….oh well. At least it gives the internet something to talk about.
really? a collection as 1 synth thats me choosing a library for 1 book on a deserted island lol
True. I thought it was a bit of a cop-out too. That’s why I chose Deepmind 12 in the end. Thanks for watching.
I don't really care for running wires on my Matriarch.
I think if I had one, that thing would look like it was throwing spaghetti everywhere.
It's pronounced "Moog". Oops, did I say it wrong? That's just how you say it with my accent 🤪
Lol. I think I’ll just say it both ways forever.