Fret bored?

Flink_Poyd

Recently Ive found that Im playing guitar a bit less than I used to, this is due to getting a midi keyboard to tinker around with. I used to dabble (make noise) with electronic music but never really put any effort into it. Lately Ive discovered a few VST synths that have re-ignited the electronic fire in my fingers. Its a lot easier to make something that doesnt sound like pentatonic widdling over a backing track and quicker to get ideas down on keyboard than it is on guitar (not saying its an easy instrument though)
 I can understand why keyboard is so attractive to bedroom "producers" , its affordable for a midi keyboard, loads of software is free for sounds and theres not so much whinging about the looks of keyboards like we do with guitars, its more about the sound they make rather than it having period correct knobs or a blingy paint job.

I'll always play guitar and will consider myself a guitarist rather than a keyboardist.

Has anyone else switched instruments after starting on guitar? 

flying_pie

*Shameless electronic music name drop time *
I recall Marcus from Boards Of Canada as being a very capable guitarist at school before moving across to synths. It would appear that move didn't do him any harm. 


BTW on the subject of synth vsts have you tried Dexed? It's a free emulation of the Yamaha DX7 and is brilliant for 80s sounds 

Flink_Poyd

flying_pie said:

*Shameless electronic music name drop time *
I recall Marcus from Boards Of Canada as being a very capable guitarist at school before moving across to synths. It would appear that move didn't do him any harm. 


BTW on the subject of synth vsts have you tried Dexed? It's a free emulation of the Yamaha DX7 and is brilliant for 80s sounds 

BoC are one of my favourites, Tomorrow's Harvest not so much though. I never knew that about Marcus tbh and it's nice that you think of me in the same vein
 the one problem is the amount of good free stuff out there, I downloaded Synth 1 yesterday and had a good old noodle without even scratching the surface, amazing for free with them amount of presets you can add. I'll have a look at Dexed while I'm at it, there goes all this weekends plans

DulcetJones

I started doing that about 8 years ago after a 10 year odyssey of playing classical guitar.  It has since morphed into my "Dulcet Jones" persona to distinguish this music from my solo guitar material.  I like editing tracks in MIDI, I 'm not a keyboard player but I can record an idea and then tinker with it bit by bit until it's something I can use in a song.  I mix real time guitar/bass in a lot of this music .    On a completely other level, I've recently taken up the banjo and dobro slide guitar.  Got to keep the mind active.