Cheap Synth solution for home recording

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I'm after something that will give me usable strings, brass & piano (plus a bit of rhodes, hammond, farfisa type stuff would be great) the sounds don't have to pristine - just serviceable in a full mix. Acceptable-in-the-nineties is the quality level I'd be aiming for.

I'm no pianist and it needs to be cheap as it will be rarely used and I prefer spending money on guitars.

Ideally it will be:
- £100ish
- second hand
- off-the-boil, out-of-date, unfashionable or bulky is fine.

I have a midi keyboard and I don't mind if the solution is software, hardware, rackmount or an actual keyboard.

(I already have an EMU rackmount synth for atmospheric and syn-wavey stuff)

Any ideas? Thanks in advance.
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Comments

  • goldtopgoldtop Frets: 6101
    Korg Taktile Triton (25/49 key versions)?
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  • DannyPDannyP Frets: 1667
    That looks alright, thanks #goldtop !

    I'm guessing if I got the 25 key version, I could plug my midi controller keyboard in to it if I was feeling the need for more than a couple of octaves performance range?
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  • revsorgrevsorg Frets: 874
    How are you planning to record your music?  I ask because I'm currently tinkering with Reason and Ableton Live and both have synths included in the bundle, with their primary purpose being to record music.  People talk about Reaper which is well within budget, but I don't know if it includes synths.

    If you're going for a software solution you'd want an appropriately powerful computer and an audio interface.  The advantage of a software approach would be that the sky's the limit.  Downside is it's kind of endless, and maybe requires some learning.
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  • DannyPDannyP Frets: 1667
    @revsorg ;Basically, I bought a Carillion computer and Cubase SL from Turnkey about 15 yrs ago - always kept the whole thing offline and solely devoted to recording, and I still use that. 

    Woefully out of date, but it serves my needs. My demands have never exceeded it's capabilities, so I've never bothered upgrading.
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  • revsorgrevsorg Frets: 874
    So the risk is that the moment you start installing new software solutions everything needs to be upgraded...
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  • DannyPDannyP Frets: 1667
    Yes, I'm stubbornly off-grid at the moment. I record in dungarees with a shotgun across my lap.
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  • goldtopgoldtop Frets: 6101
    DannyP said:
    That looks alright, thanks #goldtop !

    I'm guessing if I got the 25 key version, I could plug my midi controller keyboard in to it if I was feeling the need for more than a couple of octaves performance range?
    Ah ... a careful read of the PDF is needed, as I think it's only got one MIDI port, and that's probably an Out.
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  • thecolourboxthecolourbox Frets: 9654
    I've got a Yamaha MX49 which is pretty good and also has DAW inputting capabilities I believe (I'm too thick to attempt that yet)
    Please note my communication is not very good, so please be patient with me
    soundcloud.com/thecolourbox-1
    youtube.com/@TheColourboxMusic
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  • DannyPDannyP Frets: 1667
    I've got a Yamaha MX49 which is pretty good and also has DAW inputting capabilities I believe (I'm too thick to attempt that yet)
    Looks good, but they're still going for quite a bit of money...
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  • FunkfingersFunkfingers Frets: 14321
    edited March 2018
    DannyP said:
    I already have an EMU rackmount synth for atmospheric and syn-wavey stuff. Any ideas?
    Yes. Which model, which firmware revision and which sound ROM(s) are inside it? 

    DannyP said:
    something that will give me usable strings, brass & piano (plus a bit of rhodes, hammond, farfisa type stuff would be great) the sounds don't have to pristine - just serviceable in a full mix. Acceptable-in-the-nineties is the quality level I'd be aiming for.
    You just described the E-Mu Composer, Protozoa123 and Ensoniq Halo (AKA Sounds Of The ZR76) ROM expansions. These can often be found on eBay for £100ish.
    Be seeing you.
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  • DannyPDannyP Frets: 1667
    It's an Audity 2000.
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  • thecolourboxthecolourbox Frets: 9654
    DannyP said:
    I've got a Yamaha MX49 which is pretty good and also has DAW inputting capabilities I believe (I'm too thick to attempt that yet)
    Looks good, but they're still going for quite a bit of money...
    Blimey I just Google and eBay searched it and can see what you mean! I got mine for about £100 from Cash Converter so seems I was wire lucky there then...
    Please note my communication is not very good, so please be patient with me
    soundcloud.com/thecolourbox-1
    youtube.com/@TheColourboxMusic
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  • FunkfingersFunkfingers Frets: 14321
    DannyP said:
    It's an Audity 2000.
    Uh-oh. Those run their ROM slots on a higher voltage than the Proteus 2000 family. There were just two ROM expansion boards issued.
    1. The stock sound set that you already have.
    2. a smaller collection of additional synthetic waveforms and patch presets.
    The entire Audity 2000 sound set became the basis of the Xtreme Lead sound collection.


    Be seeing you.
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  • impmannimpmann Frets: 12641
    Akai Miniak - cheap as chips and some good sounds on board
    Never Ever Bloody Anything Ever.

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  • DannyPDannyP Frets: 1667
    DannyP said:
    It's an Audity 2000.
    Uh-oh. Those run their ROM slots on a higher voltage than the Proteus 2000 family. There were just two ROM expansion boards issued.
    1. The stock sound set that you already have.
    2. a smaller collection of additional synthetic waveforms and patch presets.
    The entire Audity 2000 sound set became the basis of the Xtreme Lead sound collection.


    Disappointing - but great information, thanks! @funkfingers
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  • DannyPDannyP Frets: 1667
    impmann said:
    Akai Miniak - cheap as chips and some good sounds on board
    Another contender thanks. Looks like it's mainly keyboards then.
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  • goldtopgoldtop Frets: 6101
    You might scare up a Roland JV-1010 module at that price, but I don't know how many of the bread-and-butter sounds you're looking for would be included.
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  • LuminousLuminous Frets: 210
    agree with the emu module...proteus 2000 etc.

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  • FunkfingersFunkfingers Frets: 14321
    By the most amazing coincidence, I own one too many E-Mu Proteus MIDI modules. 
    Be seeing you.
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  • DannyPDannyP Frets: 1667
    By the most amazing coincidence, I own one too many E-Mu Proteus MIDI modules. 
    Well, fancy that!

    With expansion pack? How much you looking for @Funkfingers ;?
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