What synth?

TeleMaster

Hi. 

I play piano to a decent level. Classically trained yadda yadda. Also play guitar (main instrument) and love messing around with effects, DAWs and mixing/producing. 

I bought something from a guitar store but I don’t want it. I’ve been offered a swap but not a refund due to the time I’ve had it, which is fine. So, I was wondering what to get and I figured why not try a synth? I love alternative and electro so it seems like the perfect progression for me to get a good synth and start making some cool synthy sounds!

my budget is £1000. I’d like a sequencer, usb connectivity, drum type sounds, arpeggiator would be cool too. I’d like some weird and wonderful sounds, but also some generic type stuff too. 

The Moog Grandmother looks cool, but I’m a complete beginner with these so I’m not 100% sure as of yet. 

Any help with a cool product around this price range would be great. 

Thanks!!!

Funkfingers

TeleMaster said:

The Moog Grandmother looks cool, but I’m a complete beginner with these so I’m not 100% sure as of yet. 

Reid, Gordon. https://www.soundonsound.com/reviews/moog-grandmother

TeleMaster said:

synth ... budget is £1000 ... sequencer, usb connectivity, drum type sounds, arpeggiator would be cool too. I’d like some weird and wonderful sounds, but also some generic type stuff too. 

Arturia, Behringer, Casio, KORG, Novation, Roland, Yamaha and others all have interesting products in your price bracket.

Everybody who replies to this thread will suggest something different. For my tastes, the £1k would go on a pre-owned Roland Juno 106 that has undergone the chip renewal service. I would leave sequencing to a computer DAW. There is probably a Behringer 106 clone that does far more for far less money.

If the shop where you have "credit" only stocks Yamaha synths, that is what you will be getting. (Not knocking Yamaha, BTW.) 

paulmapp8306

I suggest a Peak - but no keyboard, so no good if you dont have a midi capable keyboard already - and it doesnt have the sequencer.  Its a fab synth though.

Alternatively, and my personal choice in that price bracket if you need keys  - the Behringer Deep mind 12.  Analogue, loads of FX - basically a cloned 106 with some extra bits.  Gets top reviews.  Only thing it doesn't  have is a sequencer - but it does have a STEP sequencer (which is different and maybe what you meant).

https://www.andertons.co.uk/keyboards-pianos/synths-workstations/behringer-deepmind-12-synthesiser







Theres lots of choices though.  The Sledge 2 is a good option as well, but again no sequencer and more limited FX - its a more old school 80s synth though.

Fretwired

Native Instruments Komplete and a Komplete Kontrol S model keyboard (depending on the number of keys). The keyboards are superb - pro level weighted keys. You'd get a lot for your money.

TeleMaster

Thanks for the replies guys. 

My friend recommended me the Dave Smith Prophet Rev2 this morning and it looks amazing so I’ve decided to go with that. Already ordered!

Any experience with that?

paulmapp8306

Great synth - another one I considered next to the Peak.   Peak is better in some ways the Rev 2 in others.   The rev 2 is a warmer, more organic, old school synth tone.  The Peak is a little more modern in its generic tone - though both can cover a lot of similar ground.

The Peak does FM, and has more oscillators -  The DSi  more options in the Mod matrix (though Peaks is no slouch).  The only thing that made my mind up (bearing I in mind I was looking at a desktop not a keyboard) was that I got a new Peak just under £1k and the Rev 2 was a couple of hundred more.  If they had been the same price, Id probably have gone Rev 2 as well.

TeleMaster

paulmapp8306 said:

Great synth - another one I considered next to the Peak.   Peak is better in some ways the Rev 2 in others.   The rev 2 is a warmer, more organic, old school synth tone.  The Peak is a little more modern in its generic tone - though both can cover a lot of similar ground.

The Peak does FM, and has more oscillators -  The DSi  more options in the Mod matrix (though Peaks is no slouch).  The only thing that made my mind up (bearing I in mind I was looking at a desktop not a keyboard) was that I got a new Peak just under £1k and the Rev 2 was a couple of hundred more.  If they had been the same price, Id probably have gone Rev 2 as well.

Excuse my ignorance on the issue as I’m learning, but the Rev2 does oscillate and modulate the waveform, how is this different to what the Peak does with FM?

wave100

Let us know how you get on with the Rev 2 - I'm gassing for one big time ATM. I think what @paulmapp8306 is referring to is the ability to modulate an oscillator with another audio rate oscillator for a severely gnarly tone - as far as I know the Rev 2 can modulate the filter cutoff with an audio rate oscillator but that, while still awesome, is a different thing. However, I may be wrong as I have next to zero actual experience of it, you might be able to do something with the Mod Matrix.
Are you getting the 8 or 16 voice? 

TeleMaster

wave100 said:

Let us know how you get on with the Rev 2 - I'm gassing for one big time ATM. I think what @paulmapp8306 is referring to is the ability to modulate an oscillator with another audio rate oscillator for a severely gnarly tone - as far as I know the Rev 2 can modulate the filter cutoff with an audio rate oscillator but that, while still awesome, is a different thing. However, I may be wrong as I have next to zero actual experience of it, you might be able to do something with the Mod Matrix.
Are you getting the 8 or 16 voice? 

That’s what I thought. That I’d be able to do a similar type of thing in a different way. I’m getting the 16. I think that it is a lot to take on right away as I’ve never used a synth, but I play piano and am obsessed with pedals so I’m hoping those factors will translate well. 

Plus, I’m excited by the thought of diving into the world of synths and creating new songs with it. 

paulmapp8306

Rev 2 is a subtractive synth.  The audio rate oscillators generate the waveforms.  You can modulate the filter by one of those, but NOT the other oscillator.    FM is where you modulate one audio rate oscillator by another - its a different kind of synthesis. 

The DX7 was the first to offer this.  PEAK does do this - you can modulate Oscillator 1 from 2, 3 from 2, and 2 from 1 (which is then a loop and get wild).  Its what creates the more bell like tones typical of the DX7.

Peak is by no means a full blown FM synth - but it can do it on a basic level - which the Rev 2 cant do.

Peak also has 47 sweepable wavetables, which Rev 2 doesnt have.  It has 3 Oscillators not 2 - though it has no dedicated sub oscillator.  Peak has 3 envelopes rather than Rev 2s 2 - and the same 4 LFOs. 

Rev 2 has a better Mod matrix - same amount of slots (I think they both have 16) but rev 2 offered more sources and destinations (I believe).

  Rev 2 is also an analogue synth - The Waveforms are DIGITALLY CONTROLLED, but created by ANALOGUE ,means (DCO Synth - rather than the more traditional Voltage controlled - VCO).  The PEAKs waveforms are DIGITALLY created.  So Peaks offer more options (and are field programmable for future expansion) BUT Rev 2s are proper analogue created waveforms.  Some much prefer that - personally its about what it sounds like to me not how its created - and I couldnt tell a lot of difference (its the analogue filter thats important and both have that).

I did obsesses a little about polyphony before I got the Peak.  Peak is 8 voice, and the comparable Rev 2 module was ls 8 voice BUT is expandable to 16 (If I couldnt afford the 16 straight off).  Peak isnt.  n practice though - for what Im using it for, Ive found 8 perfectly fine.