Keyboard guy vs Synth guy. I'm definitely a synth guy. So no workstation. And it's a pleasure to have multiple instruments. When I started my musical journey, i chose an all in one synth JV 880 (8 parts). But using the same instrument was frustrating. I started to get other synths like a Bass Station 1 and discovered that it was what i like. Now i probably own more than 50 synths (most of them are small desktop modules). It's the pleasure of the instrument, their sounds, their shapes, their specificities. But I'm not into the DAWless thing. I started with an Alesis MMT8 as sequencer in early 90s, and I'm happy that DAWs exist since then.
@xp50player28 минут бұрын
I’m a workstation guy, but I can appreciate having guaranteed polyphony dedicated to each of your desktop devices, instead of hoping you have enough in a workstation between all your tracks.
@RobertFisher1969Сағат бұрын
When asking these kind of questions, the answer is almost always: Workflow. Finding a workflow that works for you for any specific task is the most important factor. For myself, I have four groups of instruments for different purposes: Guitars and acoustic instruments for non-electronic music. Yamaha Refaces for self-contained, turn-on-and-play keyboard playing anywhere. A few analog synths just to have the experience of analog. MIDI controllers and my iPad for recording. It occurs to me that one universal problem with most electronic music hardware is that MIDI settings are always buried. That really inhibits workflow unless you're just using a single bit of kit all by itself. (And even my Refaces can be more fun together when wired up and configured, but the "power on while holding a key you'll have to look up in the manual" configuration for all but the DX, the silly Reface-only dongle for MIDI, and the lack of MIDI Thru hampers doing that without pre-planning.) Someone should make a line of gear where all the MIDI settings are considered first class features with clear, front-panel controls and with the full trinity of MIDI ports. I think a company like-for example-Donner-could do some disruption that way.
@dj-cyr3nt40 минут бұрын
Really insightful - I think there's a difference between a performance and a producer that will make your setup look very different. My workflow is multi-track recording and writing flow, but you may start with performance as a musician and build around that. You may enjoy the flow of building in real time and recording as you go, or maybe you start with a reference track and figure out an arrangement. You might begin with just a vocal track, or melody, or something like that. Perhaps playing a riff or chord progression inspires something.
@joonglegamer98984 сағат бұрын
I've had my Montage for about 5 years now, it's a beast, and there's no sound in the world you can't make with it, bought it second hand as it was FAR too expensive. However, 2 years ago I got the Akai MPC key 61, I wasn't a part of that whole MPC groove, chopping, cooking, looping, sample-reusing kind of culture that follows MPC, but the Key 61 was a workstation game-changer for me. You just turn it on, you can have a lot of VSTs in it, it updates from the internet directly, and they've even released a FREE MPC 3 complete composer (built right in) for it now. And I have to admit, I've hardly used any of my other gear. You swith it on, in 5 minutes you've produced a basic beat, in 30 minutes you have a completely new song ready to upload for the world to enjoy with you. It's the best workstation I've ever had. I'm the same age as you bud, and I'll say this - I totally feel you for all those dinky lil minisynths and gadgets the industry is releasing for nostalgics and GAS folks everywhere, but they never end up satisfying you like a good workstation does. It's just sit down and produce, and I like it that way.
@rogerioamorim805718 минут бұрын
I guess it also depends a lot on the style of music that you’re making. 😉 I own workstations, more specifics synths, and the DAW + VST instruments on a laptop. I don don’t own any MPC, and I looked recently at the MPC keys (61 and 37), and I was not convinced that it would be right for me (I may be wrong). All the videos that I watched seem to focus a lot on getting so,e results quickly (starting of with the beats), but we’re very underwhelming as whole source of sounds for creating other music genres. Maybe this is due to several years of using Cubase, but if I only want to make beats and add bass and other more “generic” instruments, I can do it very quickly. I can’t say if it’s faster or slower than in the MPC Keys, but that’s certainly not a long task. I rarely use samples (I mean, I use a lot of sampled/rom synths, but that’s different), and if I’d had to guess where I spend my time the most, it may be on the articulation of certain VST instruments (like strings, guitars, etc), which I don’t know if the MPC is able to do. (?) So I would like to ask you what’s the music genre that you do the most, and you end up using the sounds of the MPC as the final result (like something that you would publish on a “record” / Spotify, etc), or more like something to carve the foundation for your songs. I guess that this might be somehow specific depending on the music genre, but my question comes from not finding any finished song done entirely (or mostly) on the MPC Keys, with vocals added later, etc? Thank you. 🙂
@samprockСағат бұрын
Or finally admit DAW is not a problem 😂 Invest into good flagship synthesizer Moog, Prophet, Oberheim you will enjoy or maybe love to play. You think you can’t afford it only before you do the math. Still have money add Push3, not even standalone. Setup and turn off computer screen anytime you want to go DAWless ❤ Workstation is still junk in the box. Software junk to be precise. Not liberating. Collection of junk in the computer is much more flexible, no dongles, no wires. Great subject you brought up Woody! ….. Did I mention you can turn off DAW screen to go DAWless 😊
@6581punk5 сағат бұрын
I've been on this journey. Settled for an Akai MPC Live 2. I want something I can just switch on and use in the living room. Battery and built in speakers (which are decent enough sounding) mean no faffing about with wires. With the latest MPC 3 Beta it's improved quite a lot over the v2 with a linear arranger. However, the Akai Force is better (I have one of these too), the clip workflow suits me better as do all the buttons. It's just that requires plugging in and wearing headphones.
@dj-cyr3nt38 минут бұрын
I think this is a great approach - you can sample or record from other hardware as you go, reduces the need to have everything hooked up all at once with audio/midi cables and patch bays and mixers. At some point I want to do LoFi tracks and use a sampler and field recorder for inspiration.
@nemnoton2 сағат бұрын
If you have just one machine and make all the music with that, the music will sound like that particular set of sounds from one source. But if you pick several machines of your interest and explore them, it will be part of the creative process to combine sounds from your own selecttion of sound sources, so it will potentially be more diverse and unique combination of sounds. And I think it's also good to explore different stuff to unlock creative ideas..
@thetruemrstallings49 минут бұрын
I agree 100 percent!
@jtrace-44424 минут бұрын
Exactly!!.... Well said.🍺
@marresjepie18875 сағат бұрын
All totally valid points! However, for me it’s just about the ‘fun’ of having tons of gear with each their own characteristics and sound qualities and just ‘have at it’. It’s what I do with several years of classical piano training, being bored out of my mind with that (or just not good enough) and dreaming of making the ethereal soundscapes of a Jarre, Kitaro, Schulze, Tomita and more, all the ‘grandfathers of Synth’ -for myself while I tenaciously, but bored, hammered away for hours on end to get the classical pieces my tutors deemed ‘necessary’ into my little brain and fingers. (Don’t get me wrong. Now I’m older, I appreciate those years. They made “playing keys” second nature, helped by a musical ear and solfeggio burnt in my brain.) I’m not a professional musician. Absolutely not. My siblings went that way. I didn’t. I got into ICT by accident.. :P I play purely for my own enjoyment. Having said all of that, I dó have the luxury of a space where I can leave everything where it is, connected and all. Having to dust it all every now and then is the only drawback. :P Added to that, I’... Ehmm.. ‘can afford it’ so to speak. Though, ‘GAS’ ìs my weakness, admittedly :D. Then again, I’m none too bothered if I have to sell stuff if I need the space, or am just bored with a certain machine. On the other hand, I do my ‘practicing’ and deconstructing of music that I want to play ‘because’, on.. yup…. A simple DGX670 that’s just standing there in the sitting room. In the end it’s just a ‘hobby’ for me. Other people have tons of LEGO, or eye-wateringly expensive 1/6 scale action figures, or dolls, if You will, or die-cast cars that cost as much as a real one. Is it useful? Not to ‘the greater world, no. It’s all about the enjoyment one gets, I guess. A ‘professional’ looks at stuff as ‘investment’, a hobbyist like me looks at it as ‘enjoyment’ and if family and friends ask for a little music, they can get it, but that’s as far as it goes for me.
@djtommykeys34 минут бұрын
This might be the wrong channel for my story but my house was badly damaged by a hurricane. I lived in a hotel room for ten months while repairs were being done. Out of necessity I moved my music workflow from hardware to software. Now it's all on my MacBook Pro and my iPad. I enjoy the freedom. I'm OG and started my career in the 1970's with a Hammond M3 and a Rhodes stage piano. Times have changed and I've tried to stay current.
@dj-cyr3nt27 минут бұрын
Yeah, there must be millions of patches at this point with all the plugins I have available. If I learned just a little more sound design I could probably recreate any sound on the mac or find a sample library for it, or just record it. There should be a competition for this in the Olympics or something, to recreate a sound on the fly you haven't heard before within a time limit LOL
@Fjarskiptagervitungl3 сағат бұрын
There is lots of creativity in connecting different pieces of gears up. I usually feel my setup gets 'stale' after a while so I love having lots of different pieces of gear I can connect together in a new way.
@MartinMartin-xm8xs33 минут бұрын
I love the workstation set-ups I've had several over the years (Triton , Karma, Emax2 etc) accompanied by multiple stand alone devices. That was when I had a dedicated area for my studio. Since getting married and having kids I don't have the space for all that. My biggest factor to my music set up now is portability. I love using my sp404mk2 as the brains and being able to sample in any sounds I want to use. It has good enough effects to tweak things how I want. I can take it anywhere. Thanks for the video!
@ScottsSynthStuff2 сағат бұрын
I have a studio full of synths. 90% of the time I'm using my Montage M and my Hydrasynth Deluxe.
@cloudseer4 сағат бұрын
I like the physical interfaces, that we have lost using modern touchscreen devices and mouse.
@krakulandia3 сағат бұрын
Instead of always having to haul all the gear when you want to use them, try what happens when you dedicate a small free space right next to your workstation synth. You can put a single piece of extra gear there quickly and easily without hassle. Hook it up and use it with your workstation. You could have a lot of fun that way, changing the gear quickly and easily whenever the inspiration strikes.
@lordleaf45344 сағат бұрын
You did a great job hitting every pro and con. To hell with hardware haters 😎 my hoarding and lil repetitive loops never hurt anyone
@Kofla200048 минут бұрын
I would love to see videos of you playings those machines, one today, other tomorrow, etc… and with your allways fun chit chat.
@nonchai3 минут бұрын
I'm soo with you Woody!
@synthfluencer2 сағат бұрын
You can also have this discussion for many other topics. Should I use an classical bike or an e-bike? Should I buy a car or rather use a car sharing service? And, when I buy a car, rather a modern car or a classic car? For me, the answer is, it depends on what do you want to achieve. If you want to use a bike to simply get from point A to point B , an e-bike should be the better choice. If you're enjoy screwing and tinkering on mechanics, you'd rather buy a classic car. If you want to produce electronic music, you get on very well with a Arturia Keylab 88 MKII and Analog Lab. Or any other DAW/ production suite. Developing a synth setup containing single components is about exploring electronics, to enjoy working with limits, to experiment with effect chains, routings, sequencers and all the guff. I've learned over the years that this kind of things really bring me joy and fun and I don't regret a single purchase (OK there were some fails but I've sold everything that didn't work for me ).
@MrSlipstreem4 сағат бұрын
I went the route of buying a Korg NTS-1 for £100, filling it with custom oscillators (including two drum machines) and custom effects then plugging it into an IQaudio Codec Zero ADC/DAC on a Raspberry Pi5 and running the free Ardour7 DAW. I control the NTS-1 from the Pi desktop with Oscar RC's NTS-1 Web Editor app that includes an excellent sequencer. The beauty of the NTS-1 is that it also has an analogue input allowing you to use the effects section as a stereo effects pedal if you have line level signals available. I use that to add effects to a PO-32 Tonic that's synced up to the NTS-1. My setup is sod all use for live performances, but great for putting together multitrack noodlings at home.
@MrSlipstreem2 сағат бұрын
I forgot to say, Oscar RC's app allows you to save out and load an infinite number of patches as well as storing an instantly accessible bank of up to 16 patches. Each patch can be any possible combination of oscillator and effects settings, so that's potentially billions of different sounds at your fingertips. There's also a "Randomize" feature that randomises all NTS-1 oscillator and effects selection and parameters at the click of a button. You can then manually tweak whatever pops up to tailor it into something more to your liking and save that out as a patch. It's the kind of flexibility I wished the NTS-1 had out-of-the-box, and now it has it via Oscar RC's NTS-1 Web Editor.
@minimal3734Сағат бұрын
I get a lot of inspiration from different gear I own. Every piece is unique and adds something that cannot be replaced by anything else. Good if you are be happy with a generic workstation. But that is not for me.
@PastTime7774 сағат бұрын
Work station guy. Gig in two tribute bands. Korg 01W and Hammond XK-2, Mackie mixer, JBL Eon speaker. Yamaha ModX7+ is my backup. Sometimes I’ll set it up and have all 3 on stage because I like the Rhodes sounds it has. I practice on a Rhodes 88 soft shell that’s in perfect condition.
@nonchai2 минут бұрын
"Not many people know this"- as Sir M. Caine would say - On storing and restoring performance "scenes" across multiple physical units: thats actually something that - EVENTUALLY - MIDI 2.0 will make possible. And with no changes to the MIDI 2.0 spec needed.
@mCKENIC3 сағат бұрын
For me - its easier to pick up something used, small and interesting every 3 or 4 months and start with it immediately instead of saving for 2 or 3 years to be able to afford something like a Modx+ or Montage.
@hvhvgitaar5 сағат бұрын
I get your point. I just sold my beloved hydrasynth and microfreak and used the money to pay for most of my new MPC Key 37, which is effectively a mini workstation. Life is just a lot simpler and I can focus on writing music instead of combining different bits of kit and I can even plug in a mike or guitar. My Behringer model D and Roland MC-101 are probably going soon as well…
@dj-cyr3nt50 минут бұрын
A lot of great points here. You know back in the day I was a guitarist just getting started with sequencing/sampling/synthesis - I thought I wanted a Roland (was it JP8000?) - a digial workstation that does it all. It didn't do sampling, but it seemed like you virtually create anything with it. I ended up a used sequencer/sound bank type of device - which was great for learning. Once you learned it it was really fast to create music with despite the menu diving, you eventually got muscle memory on it, rather like playing chords on guitar, so I guess it's its own instrument in its own right. You couldn't actually play on it though as it didn't have a keyboard, so the workstation you're talking about would be far superior in that regard. You could of course make your music on the computer by then, but computers were expensive and the sound of the soft synths didn't sound as good yet as the workstations or hardware synthesizers, so I started collecting them. I had the problems you discussed in your video - setting it up, having audio and midi cables that would fill three or four crates. I had outboard effects and patch bays, which some of these I never actually used because of the daunting task of actually learning it all and making it work together. I mostly just use my laptop today - an M4 with lots of disk space and RAM and ableton with some great plugins is a really fast workflow, and with limited time I find I can knock out a new track in a few hours. I would still by then be looking for the power supplies and cables for my DAWless units by then. You could also use a sampler like Akai MPC and that way you could capture your hardware synth performances with or without midi and build a track that way. Having a computer, being able to listen and use a reference track as a template, saving your instrument state with effects chanins and everything as templates, it leads to a fast workflow I find. With the workstation you would still have to record, mix, master on a computer later on, which I think is less fun if you don't mix as you go. I still want to use all my hardware, but I think I would probably attach to the laptop and use it - in some cases you can do it with USB directly, which I think is great. I may never live long enough to figure out how to do all the production techniques dawless, but I get it if you're wanting to use a variety of instruments and perform live.
@en39704 сағат бұрын
Most people don't buy so much small stuff in such a short time like you did. There lies the problem.
@AD-qe7jv25 минут бұрын
I think each item you has have there unique sounds you can update to the latest everything a year later back to square one ,I’d personally keep with what u have and play each part in and record I started producing with a Toshiba satellite with glue holding it together you are blessed with a lot of equipment it’s part of the fun connecting them finding work rounds if it’s too easy …..
@willmcelroy63767 минут бұрын
I’ve agreed with you my entire life….until now! Yes, thru-out history, workstations have mostly been generic. But today’s workstation, the most recent generations, have break thru technology. They really are quite special. The sheer capabilities in them now, make them far more than the generic middle-of-the-road boards the use too be, and compensate for any area, one might find lacking.. Include latest models of MPC and NI Machine , in there as well.
@rhill1094 сағат бұрын
The problem with having lots of synths isn’t necessarily the cost of the units, it’s having them all hooked up at the same time. The cabling, stands, desks, mixer inputs and actual space is where the real cost is.
@aloharay3 сағат бұрын
agreed, a high cost in money, space and TIME.
@rhill109Сағат бұрын
@@aloharay Time isn't so much an issue because I like to do it.
@trstack2 сағат бұрын
Yup…I sold a bunch of stuff and bought the Montage M8x. Could not be happier. Incredible key action, sound engines and poly aftertouch. Less time screwing around and more time actually playing.
@HeinzMandala2 сағат бұрын
Nice video! Also shows how the industry is unable to come up with a single, modern and most simple technical standard for modern times. For example: usb-c or Lan connector only, audio and midi transfer are a requirement, and simple hub devices for that. Power over usb-c as a bonus.
@niallmacdonald27105 сағат бұрын
The trainset mentality is real. When people ask why I like digital control of analog gear (not just sound sources), I say it's because I like needless complication and expense. ;-)
@mirkomontaldo5 сағат бұрын
Do not fully agree, altough this is a valuable consideration. I have Circuit Tracks connected with a couple of HW Gears and it works fine. Full dawless. You cannot do everything of course but live jams are ok.
@funnzieСағат бұрын
Your arguments for a workstation had me doubting myself with your elegant reasoning. But first we must divide studio recording and live play, I would NEVER have my synth studio for live play. The only instrument I play live is solo acoustic piano, and I don't bring it with me, whatever is on stage that is what I have to make sound good. So lets just talk about studio recording. I have 17 musical electronic instruments for orchestrating songs. Each one hand picked and researched for years before buying. Each one has their job to do. Next, I only record Vangelis style; the entire song in one take using as many as 17 instruments. I have a floor full or pedals to control them all, plus very precise MIDI connections too. Then when both my hands and feet are busy playing music, I use powerful pattern sequencers (not stupid step sequencers) to add in what all my limbs cannot do. So why not in the box or a workstation? All the songs I compose have custom sounds I design on the synths, custom rhythms too, just for that song. Sound design on a workstation is a pain, menus take 10x longer or more to design a new sound than a knob per function (NPF) synth. Plus, I enjoy sound designing but hate it on menus. The other reason is my studio is far more versatile than one or a bunch or workstations; with monaural and poly analog, digital polys, the perfect sampler, a high-end digital piano, and a sequencer no workstation has. I have 20 floor pedals to control my studio, you're lucky to have 3 pedals on a workstation. And as you said, each instrument is absolutely perfect for its job. I don't run out of polyphony either, the last workstation I bought when I took it out of the box and played the first patch like a piano it ran out of notes even with 256. Know your equipment, I am getting old, 67 years now, and to keep my brain sharp I continue to challenge myself with a deep understanding of every one of my 17 instruments. This year I took on Kurzweil VAST, and a new arranger which I use to write my own custom styles for each song, very challenging indeed, but I never give up even when there seems to be no hope. So, I spend years getting to know my synths and already know which synth I am going to use to make the sound in my head. I can design the sound in my head too, before sitting down to actually make it. That can only be done with deep understanding. Half my time is education and learning and the other half making music, so instead of watching movies or playing games, I watch instructional videos and read manuals. The studio never changes, once fine-tuned for position of instruments and routing, it doesn't change. This way I know without marking anything which mixer channel each synth is, which effects is routed, which keyboard is remotely MIDI controlling another. Each instrument is position perfectly (ergonomically) for both programming and performance, so no body contortions and pain. The joy of recording an entire orchestration live in one take, without multi-tracking, is difficult to explain, this Vangelis style of recording is all I do now, and all I want to do! Can you imagine the power of being in the middle of a complex orchestration and controlling it all, every note is in the moment and fully emerced. I am in Heaven during the recording/performance and I hope it shows in the songs.
@dj-cyr3nt33 минут бұрын
I've been to electronic type of concerts for years, and I don't think I've seen one that didn't use DAT or some other way of performing, but some sytnhs on stage for manual use, or maybe in some cases, just for show.
@Guitar6ty14 минут бұрын
For multi capable musicians a workstation is ideal because it has so many really excellent on board sounds. You can still play other instruments along with it and it makes working up a song really quick and easy. If I was starting out again I would have a Yamaha PSR X920 a small mixer a guitar effects unit all into a Zoom X20 recorder. Not much else would be needed to craft up a decent recording
@zoomosis3 сағат бұрын
Gear Acquisition Syndrome is definitely a thing, but at our age I feel a $6,000 collection of instruments isn't a big deal. Not if you consider it's only roughly $200 per year for each year of our adult lives. I spend far more each year just keeping my car running, and I don't drive a lot. Plus a lot of music gear tends to hold its value, to a degree. Decent guitar pedals, classic synths, etc. So it's not money down the drain. It can feel like a waste if it ends up sitting on the shelf but sometimes it's just nice to know it's there when you feel like using it.
@dj-cyr3nt35 минут бұрын
Yeah I mean, how much do you spend if you're into golf or a hunter? I bet you could get up there on that as well lol
@synthsoniqСағат бұрын
Everything you said makes sense. All good points. Personally, I prefer a "hybrid" approach which combines the best features of a lot of the various options. Most of my sounds and playing are done on individual hardware synths (both full-size and the smaller modules) in a small studio in the corner of my house. I do basic song creation, sequencing and arranging on a Novation Circuit Tracks which has a couple of internal synth engines and a drum machine, but can also drive four external synths via MIDI. I can quickly and easily sketch out ideas on the Circuit Tracks anywhere in the house, and then bring it over to the synths for a more custom sound that only the synths can produce. I use a small Zoom R4 multitrack digital audio recorder to record the various parts of the song, and I bring those digital audio files into Ableton on the PC to complete the arrangement and finish the track. At any point, I can use the individual parts of this setup just for fun, or I can combine them as described above. It's the perfect setup for how I like to create music.
@dj-cyr3nt37 минут бұрын
Agree with this - also if you love to do sound design I think it's great to have a synth right there to work on patches whenever you get a chance - it's always just there to power up and try something.
@synthsoniq22 минут бұрын
@@dj-cyr3nt Exactly. We might turn on a synth and just do a little sound design for 45 minutes, and sometimes that patch might inspire a whole track to work on later.
@synthsoniq11 минут бұрын
@@dj-cyr3nt By the way, the DJ mixes on your KZbin channel are incredible. The two recent ones from the last couple of days are exactly my favorite type of music. Thanks for sharing those!
@arcanics19715 сағат бұрын
Gear. Gear is good. More gear is more betterer. In the wise words of Geyarbaiyeur the Cosmic Whelk and god of stuff: *Thou shalt buy it all!*
@arcanics19715 сағат бұрын
Despite that, I am a workstation type person. I like to use one tool to do it all, as much as possible. I tend to program drums separately, but I try to do everything I can on one machine before adding any guitar and vocals.
@caleidoscopioliterario98513 сағат бұрын
Thinking on what did you say , maybe would be interesting to make a choice to Casio XWP1!
@aloharay3 сағат бұрын
Agreed, for a studio setup I gave up on all the small stuff and now just use one higher priced hardware keyboard and everything else I use my Maschine and various VSTs on a laptop.
@cl1xor2 сағат бұрын
Same, and sure you have to relearn certain gear, but for me that focus gets me in the vibe
@tperelli42713 сағат бұрын
I start with the PSR-SX920 arranger as the foundation, then add Montage to build upon, put it all into Cubase which equals no stress. I went the Native Instruments and Arturia route and too many software control issues for me.
@OPTIONALWATCH2 сағат бұрын
Now I don't feel bad about NOT understanding what's going on with all my gear in terms of why I bought them if WPS is having problems😂 Greetings, from Downtown Chicago!
@deca50022 сағат бұрын
I have a steady setup, where I have a Roland MC707 control a system8, system1, Hydrasynth and a behringer TD-3. And I do have the Luxury that they can stay where it is in the room, so it's available when needed to work on any project. Most crucial is the synths connected to the MC707, they all have the option to do program changes via MIDI, so it is possible to to jump from one project to another with all synths setup with the correct patch. I will not acquire any synths without that option, just to make sure i have to reprogram a synth every time I want to play another project. So it can be done,but it does require some synths that do speak MIDI Control fluently .
@vampolascott362 сағат бұрын
I've had a Montage for about 8 years now and I feel you should know that it's more of a performance synthesizer than a workstation. It doesn't have a PC editor, and the sequencer was only added in an update after Yamaha got so many complaints from users. I'd hate to see you buy a Montage and then realize it's not the workstation you wanted.
@abominablemusic4 сағат бұрын
I had a pretty deep-dive demo of the montage at SynthEast early this year, and it's amazing. But, personally, I'm drawn to smaller synths, and I won't be giving up my volcas and boutiques soon. But, yes, my live set-up is a nightmare!
@dracul74Сағат бұрын
Imo it is junk if you never use it. I have a similar gear collection and switch stuff in and out all the time. It keeps things fresh (for me anyway). I also have a rule that now that I have a bunch of stuff, if I want something new I try to sell a few things to fund it.
@sonic2000gr4 сағат бұрын
Who says really you wouldn't have bought all of this along with a Montage? I have a Montage (the classic one) and also a MODX+, an SY77, a GAIA2, TR-8S, 404MkII... At some time I had a wavestate (this is very unique as you know), and an Opsix (but sold them both). I just bought a big mixer and a MIDI router. It's true, if you keep them stored you are very unlikely to really use them. They need to be ready to go at a moments notice. Otherwise you will simply use what's already connected. Really for most people buying lots of little synths is just GAS. You could anything with a Montage a TR-8S and maybe a sampler.
@ckatheman2 сағат бұрын
This is good. I use Ableton with a Push 2, and have a couple Yamaha keyboards, one for the hammer action (CP73) and another for the sounds (Modx6+). Use the M2 Max Mac Studio and a handful of symphonic instrument libraries. It’s everything I need right now from a keyboard/synth setup. Now, I would love to have a Montage M8x to replace both keyboards. my guitar setup, that’s a whole other story….
@b4time7185 минут бұрын
Have gone both routes but mostly wkstn for last 10 yrs at least. Until now! Have recently settled on my idea of a hybrid setup. Have a NI S88 mk3 as my "workstation" since I have a lot of Kontakt and nks compatible vsts and a Summit for that hardware synth interface which you just can't really get close to with any midi controller. and almost forgot - my "drum machine" is an Atom which interfaces great with Impact in Studio One. Easy to use and uncomplicated.
@ruikazane51234 сағат бұрын
One issue I can see with a workstation is all the menu diving and related stuff. Pure players would have a rather steep learning curve depending on their experience, trying to consolidate multiple instrument operations into one. We went in kinda blind with a Motif, and that took some time reading the fairly complicated manual. I would take that over a DAW which are more trouble anyday though. But they are heavy bricks, and takes up quite the space... The lack of certain sounds is also a real issue on some of these workstations. The Triton Extreme VST for example, claims to contain all the stock presets of the real deal but I never found the drums I wanted which even the Yamaha MU units (or the software XG synths even) had, so I still would want to have a Motif in that sense. I would get that nice keybed with it too since I don't have a keyboard. And most of the 2000's cheese with it!
@dj-cyr3nt31 минут бұрын
It would have to be one unit you used on a regular basis and developed muscle menu for, it can be done, but you would have to use the machine a LOT
@j-b-l81473 сағат бұрын
I don't think it's justifiable to buy this for producing, but for live performing having different gear controlled with a keystep pro will always be best
@KUPHSER4 сағат бұрын
I have my montage m8x as a controller for plugins on my DAW. I also use the sound banks from the montage because I had so many kontakt sample packs taking up space, and also cpu heavy in some cases.. and it’s nice having 88 weighted keys with poly aftertouch. i don’t think montage is better or worse, but you can shape sounds as good as you need then record into the daw. Then there are plugins within the DAW like Phaseplant if you really want to push further than synth engines on the montage.
@dvamateur2 сағат бұрын
Electronic music gear became d***cratized over the recent decades. Which is good, there are many products to choose from at affordable prices. I am a product of the late '80s and early '90s, so I have the baggage of remembering the times when electronic music gear was not affordable. Back in those day, it was mainly the keyboards and 19" rack mount gear. Personal computers were used back then for sequencing and score printing. A setup of consisting several rack modules, drum machine, Atari ST, and say a Roland A-80 MIDI controller used to be something of a dream. Well, these days it still kind of remains the object of dreams, when you consider instruments from companies like Moog, Sequential, Oberheim, etc. Or even the Polybrute 12. The only rack module available today is the Integra-7. The rest of the gear I am not really sure about, like the 3-octave minikeys synthesizers. Back in the '80s/'90s that kind of form factor was nearly exclusive for home keyboard toy market. Anyway, as a guy with the baggage of remembering different times, I probably shouldn't comment on the modern state of things. I should probably look forward to the future more. Although if the future is the Teenage Engineering OP-XY for $2,300 with a form factor of a Casio VL-Tone... I mean, there's nothing for me to look forward to as far as gear desirability is concerned. I would be better off sticking to electric guitar, which has remained unchanged for the last 60 years, and is as desirable today, as it used to be in the '60s.
@mr_floydstСағат бұрын
Workstations don't fit into your KZbin camera field of view as neatly as a setup of desktop synths, though. Need at least two cameras, one for the display and one overhead-show-all view. Also, where to put the cactus? ;-)
@klaus12345678904 сағат бұрын
I only own one hardware item at a time; after buying me new (used) synthesizer I always sell the old one. That helps me to focus on the new item and to safe money, but I am not a professional musician, and I don’t have to earn money with music (I am not good enough, ;-) maybe it is different if you are a professional.
@rogerioamorim805748 минут бұрын
I have 7 hardware synths (some in 19” rack format), including a MODX+ 8, the Motif ES rack, the Wavestate Module, the TR-Rack (bought cheap earlier this year), and I do understand the issues surrounding these sorts of setups. To be fair, all of them are best at doing some sounds, as great as a Montage is, it’s not going to do what the Wavestate does, and it will max out its polyphony while trying to do so (the Wavestate Module alone can play 128 voices). The TR-Rack has something very peculiar to its sound, which is on the “bold” side, and the Motif ES is very smooth sounding (and the equally named factory patches from the MODX+ vs Motif aren’t even comparable, because they sound so different (on purpose, I would say). Are they really “necessary”? Not at all! But I’d argue that for anyone who doesn’t play live anymore (like myself), I wouldn’t even need one single hardware synth, because a a single MIDI Keyboard (or maybe two, if I wanted one with piano keybed and another with the regular synth with aftertouch) connected to a laptop with the daw and several instrument plugins would be all I’d ever need. Even the latest Montage will feel underpowered at playing orchestral pieces when compared to what sample libraries with hundreds of GB of samples are able to accomplish. 🙂 And even if you wanted to play those tracks live, you still wouldn’t necessarily need a Montage, because you can multisample all those sounds on a cheaper Nautilus or MODX/Fantom 0 series (you can even buy two of those for live performances for the price of a single Montage 😉). This reasoning doesn’t make the value proposition of a brand new TOTL Montage or Fantom very appealing 😁, but it all depends on where you’re coming from, and what you really want/need from your musical instruments. I would likely buy a Montage or Fantom if I happen to find a great deal, but I can’t help acknowledging that my most powerful setup is my dedicated windows laptop with a midi keyboard, which can be as simple or complicated to use as I want it to be (unlike diving menus on hardware synths, even those like the Montage/MODX, Fantom, Nautilus, etc). We’ve seen DAWs and sample libraries/ VST synths taking over the whole movie soundtrack scene, with only the higher budgets still using a real orchestra. I was a teenager when the DX7 was “the synth” to have (and that I couldn’t afford), and that might help to explain why I bought the MODX, even if I own the SY77 (which also has a native FM engine) since 1991. We all tend to have our own personal heroes, and all the greatest vintage synths achieved that status _because_ they made some amazing sounds and were part of so many amazing songs. They made new _sounds_ that no other instrument was able to do before, and that’s what’s made them as famous as they are. The DX-7 II (or even the D-50, M1, not even talking about analogue synths) were still bad with acoustic piano sounds, and so many acoustic instruments, but they had their unique sounds. That’s no longer the case for a while. The best piano recreation are in the VST format, as well as all other sort of recreations and even new creations (pure synthesis). The emotional side of my brain still values the hardware, maybe because it’s a physical product, that I can feel, touch and see even after I turn off my computer screen. Sometimes, having less options on a particular synth can be great, because it helps me to choose the sound quicker. But there are also times when it’s way faster to grab the vst plugin, specially if it’s one that I’m familiar with, and _because_ I’m already familiar with them. Being familiar with any synth might be the most powerful tool (may it be hardware or software based), while being unfamiliar might be the biggest hurdle, because it gets in the way of the musical creative process. The bigger the pool of options, the most likely it becomes for us to get caught by choice paralysis, and the gigantic availability of VST instruments work against us, unless we actively try to limit our options. I do love having all those hardware synths around me, like most synth lovers do. I’ve been declining invitations to play live for many years, in favor of creating my own music, and I don’t see myself changing this atitude anytime soon. Why am I buying more synths then? As much as I wouldn’t want to admit it, I guess it’s some sort of GAS, even if I tend to find excuses for it. 🙂 Reality tends to become more obvious as the available space for all the synths and workflow becomes constrained, because all the tactile feel from some hardware synths demand that we’re in front of them, which becomes harder to accomplish when the main daw monitor is on the other side of the room. I can connect another of my spare monitors with the wireless keyboard and mouse, but it still doesn’t come close to the practicality of working totally inside the box. I don’t plan on selling any of my synths, but I’m seriously considering not buying another one so soon, because it actually hurts my workflow. Most of us tend to forget that all the greatest synths in history had very limited sound canvas. 😉 No other synth was able to sound like the Jupiter 8, Moog and so many other iconic synths, but they were amazing at doing a few things, and objectively bad at all the others. All iconic synths had unique sounds that made into great recorded music, and that’s what made them famous. The Jupiter was never famous for its electric pianos, and I’d argue that the newer Jupiter-X will never be famous for anything, since it got harder and harder for any synth to become truly unique over the last decades. It’s virtually impossible for _any_ synth today to become so instantly recognizable (from a sonics perspective) 20 or 30 years from now, since new synths aren’t necessarily the source of what was recorded in the studio, and the newer synths that we see being played at live shows are often playing multisampled synth banks (see what Rick Wakeman has been doing for more than a decade, for instance). What’s the truly iconic synths from the last 15 years, meaning, those who have been used on so many tracks that made them instantly recognizable? 🙂 Thankfully, it also means that amazing sounds became available for virtually all synth players, unlike most of those icons, which were already very expensive when they came out.
@cordlesswire9 минут бұрын
my type of comment. a literal blog. :D
@shogunai4 сағат бұрын
There is a lot of validity to whats said here. But most serious producers I know have both something to fill workstation catagory - either a workstation itself or just a full DAW suite which obviously offers a lot more capabilities than a workstation, and then a full array of synth/sampler/drum machines/FX flavours. Because that is what they are, flavours. Without trying to be rude, this video comes across as something for people who want to stay firmly in the hobbiest/prosumer category of musician. You're not supposed to buy these instruments and set them up every time you use them and then pack them away again into a cupboard only to be used 6 months later again. They are designed to go into a music studio and be used by musicians who know how to use them. And be set up in a place where they will be used regularly. If you dont have the space, time or knowledge to use these, then of course you should buy a wokstation or a DAW and keyboard and just patter away. But if you want to become a professional electronic musician in 2024, and develop your own sound, then learning how to use synthesisers, samplers, drum machines and FX is basically essential.
@DJGenki53 минут бұрын
This. Literally all of this. I have a bunch of 80s/90s synths on racks with rack mount units, that go into my mixer which goes into my PC. Then I have some vsts in a DAW. When I need a DW8000 sound, I go to it and use it. It’s all hooked up for when I want the particular sound. I’m not sure why this evades so many KZbinrs but you -can- have both. The middle ground seems to be finding ways to make it all one cohesive system that you pull from because you look at it like a giant artistic palate. No studio I know stores away synths and drags them out begrudgingly. They’re there for a specific purpose.
@toxic-o1u4 сағат бұрын
I believe something like a Korg OASYS/Motif XF etc. plus DAW and some plugins is difficult to beat. For a couple of thousand $ almost everything can be done that one once needed ten of thousands of $ for. Collecting these tiny boutique synths is just an expensive obsession or hobby and as you said in the video it can be kind of nerve wrecking to connect and synchronize them all.
@Trollgaldrer4 сағат бұрын
I definitely have more instruments than I have room for in my limited studio space, and also cannot remember how half of them work sometimes 🤓 But I blame this channel for everything, Woody convinced me to get a Korg Kross 2 when all I wanted was some keys to finally learn how to play properly. But since the Kross has some nice features for making music I quickly found myself wanting more and more. Still can’t play the keyboard and I’m making blips and bloops, posting dawless jams like all the cool kids 😎
@BigMuff5203 сағат бұрын
DAWLESS is fun but impractical and too expensive for my tastes after years of building a setup. I’m currently selling off 95% of my DAWLESS set up. I spent about $6,000 as well. Through the process I discovered the piece of gear that was the one thing I needed in addition to a DAW and that’s the AKAI MPC X SE. It was between that and a Roland Fantom. I was shocked that the AKAI goes toe to toe with the Fantom and actually has more capability to make custom sounds via the sampling route. The MPC X SE has a lot of hands on control and the best features of a DAW while not fully being one. It just suites what I do best. It gets new synths added to it all the time. It’s more capable than my $6,000 of individual synths and it’s not just a window on my laptop. Though it plays well with my DAW. The biggest thing is it’s one workflow. I also had to relearn each box every time I picked it up. I found I was having to force myself to get into some of those synths or drum machines and that I would tire of them quickly. I find myself unable to pull away from my MPC, which is ultimately why it’s the best piece of gear for me. I don’t perform live anymore and I don’t have an unlimited amount of space. The expense and inconvenience of DAWLESS, like vinyl just became too much. So I’m selling off what I affectionately call divorceware.
@mathumphreys3 сағат бұрын
Well Woody, you've got me thinking - and that's not a good thing. I have always been a workstation guy (starting with a TS-12 and going to a Fantom) but in the past decade I've collected a bunch of synths that could all be covered by the Fantom. For simplicity I'd love to go back to one synth, but the problem is that I love my little collection.
@Carpenter01024 сағат бұрын
Go for a MacBook Pro with any daw and komplete kontrol
@udiorockmeamadeus4 сағат бұрын
I just bought Arturias Vintage softsynth, including arp2600, yamaha cs-80, prophet v, cmi, synclavier, ms-20.. $300 on the black friday setup for my mac mini m4.. Arturia offered me $50 crossgrades to FX 5 and pigments. Yes if you get the $300 vintage synth you get all their effects modules for $50 extra.. and pigments their multifaceted synth.. . I'm shopping for a slider/knob controller..
@FLH3official4 сағат бұрын
Hardware synths: Welcome in the 80s, when we did with all these machines, expanders, fx boxes, MIDI thru-boxes, consoles and recall headaches 😁 In the early 2000 I took the path to in-the-computer world (I'm not a workstation guy, actualy I don't like them) but I kept my old gear. But to be honest I don't fire them up verry often.
@------YeahOK------4 сағат бұрын
I just sold my Fantom, because even that on it's own - is overwhelming.
@joakimdavidsson4401Сағат бұрын
Good video about thoughts a lot of people have, I run a combo, JD-XI as master (funny but doesn't sound that good) and some synth extra as fun spice like microkorg, monologue or microfreak, they go a long way to have some fun
@czarecki805 сағат бұрын
You're right, there are a lot of these synth, rather for a collector, but the best configuration is a workstation plus a PC and a good DAW with vst plugins.
@X22GJP5 сағат бұрын
It’s not six grands worth of junk, but it is six grands worth of stuff you’re likely to rarely use due to the hassle factor. I’m in the same though camp - as much as there are loads of really cool little units, for me I always gravitate back to an all-in-one hardware solution. I’m yet to pull the trigger, but looking in the area of Montage, Fantom, and even things like Super Gemini, but I do like the idea of backing and not having to have a separate thing for it, but I think one good analogue synth accompanied by one “groove box” is an acceptable amount of cabling and setup. Thing is, even with something like a Montage, you could argue that you are still unlikely to use all of it, but at least “out of sight out of mind”, and if you do what to mess about and explore, you can do so right there from the same unit, no need to go digging out hardware and cabling it all up.
@annother33504 сағат бұрын
The thing is I buy synths which cannot be replicated by anything else
@zoomosis3 сағат бұрын
Is it really that much of a hassle to connect up a new synth, though? I mean consider what other musicians have to do if they want to change amplifiers, microphones, or drummers setting up their drum kit. There's always going to be a bit of setup time. But if you really need to switch between synths quickly then mixers aren't very expensive. The biggest issue for a lot of people is probably just lack of physical space for everything. But you don't need all your gear hooked up at once. If you do that you get overwhelmed by too many choices, and too many distractions.
@X22GJPСағат бұрын
Goes without saying, what I say with my own words is not fact unless I say it is. Of course music is, and instruments are, extremely personal. If people feel they need an instrument because nothing else can replicate it, fill your boots. If you are happy buying multiplier units, hooking them all up to various mixers and whatnot, have at it and enjoy. I don’t have a studio, I don’t have anywhere really dedicated so need and want something that I can just setup and look like a piece of furniture. Most of the time I’m just noodling and playing, not really interested in recording, and given I work at and with computers all day, I have no interest in laptops, software and controllers. So yes, for me cabling stuff up is a hassle I don’t need, and I’m not really concerned with authenticity. If it sounds good, that’s all thot matters.
@MSM55004 сағат бұрын
All those discrete boxes that come with either castrated mini keybeds or with no ones at all might attract those who cannot play keyboard but want to make some noise dicking around with knobs. Also this box-like stuff easily makes potential buyers spending their money on them rather than endlessly rising funds for more comprehensive yet more expensive instruments.
@annother33504 сағат бұрын
Yes it's because a Genos doesnt sound like a Microfreak though
@CurvedVacuum5 сағат бұрын
This is why I switched to Reason about 20+ years ago and use a single (aging) Axiom-61 controller (I have used this live, but switched to a Roland A50 as was easier to lug around though sacrifices an octave) - I can still create a virtual rack and wire it all up and have fun with that but there is no clutter. I still dig out some of the old gear now and again though.
@udiorockmeamadeus3 сағат бұрын
QUEST BASED WEB AR MIDI CLIENT CONTROLLER + MAC MINI M4 VIA USB-C CONNECTION TO QUEST.. USE MAC TO CONTROL DEVICES THROUGH AND IN THE MAC.
@Denvermorgan20004 сағат бұрын
I think my Genos does nearly everything I want to do the only other thing I might want would be an Akai MPC One+ but that being said I don’t really need it but I just want to experiment with it.😊
@fisk04 сағат бұрын
I'd say, sometimes you wanna highlight the oddities that crop up when having a bunch of different gear play together. I don't own a Yamaha Montage, so maybe you can set different groove/timing parameters per MIDI channel and such, but having a bunch of drum machines that feel like they're on the brink of losing sync with each other can be such a joy sometimes, or layering three synths with completely different acoustic characteristics. I do certainly have a few pieces of gear that seem a little useless though, filling the same niches as others, like a bunch of samplers with largely the same features.
@deepsynth34954 минут бұрын
Howzit woody, hope you well. I remember watching a video where you said that you were some type of engineer or scientist. Am I imagining this?
@wesleywild-s9x57 минут бұрын
You have tons of options there . Creative playground mate
@AndyMangele5 сағат бұрын
I'm the typical hybrid-guy - I love outboard stuff as much as I love certain plugins!
@ERYKJACKNIFEСағат бұрын
I don’t want any synths that are sold at guitar center. The montage keys are trash. The most expensive thing on a synth is the sheet metal cutting, bending, Anodizing, polish, powder coat and silk screening. These toy synths offer none of things. They sound pretty good, but that’s only because technology doubles every 18 months making everything smaller as time goes by. As far as dawless and daw you’re gonna end up at the computer at the end of the day anyway.
@youaintseenmeok5 сағат бұрын
Maschine plus and symths looped
@glencromusic18 минут бұрын
All the wires and cables - its makes me sick sometimes😁I look forward to the day I can have just 2 or 3 bits of gear. Im sure I would be more productive. and richer 🤪
@willmcelroy637612 минут бұрын
How dare you sir: I’m screaming at my Mac, NOT a PC…. (10:50)
@udiorockmeamadeus3 сағат бұрын
This cost me $1100 = mac mini m4, remember garage band is free , all 38 arturia vintage softsynths, 30+ fx, pigments synth.. Cheap MIDI controller
@zoomosis3 сағат бұрын
We're so spoiled. M4 Macs are great value for the money. Well, the entry-level models at least. I bought Logic but I suspect most of what I do could be done in Garageband. There are an incredible number of great quality free softsynths and effects plugins available now.
@磁鬼頻率3 сағат бұрын
That's some workflow...
@fridosteffers8912 сағат бұрын
@woody, does this mean your are thinking about selling gear? 🤓
@koalemos16792 сағат бұрын
Look. Buy one of the Elektron boxes. Best stuff going right now for DAWless. The engines are good enough and the sequencer isn't as good as people say. But it's still amazing. Try a Digitone.
@wolfunplugged4 сағат бұрын
yep we all suffer from GAS.😅😅😵😵
@cloudseer4 сағат бұрын
As you have an mpc one, get a 19v powerbank.
@4mb1275 сағат бұрын
Macbook Air, M-chip version, with 16 GB of memory. Akai MPK Mini Plus. Cheap electric guitar like Jet JS-400. Breath controller, MIDI guitar 3, for MPE. Hard to imagine what I would add from hardware perspective outside a good full piano controller when I just want to play for fun. Why do I have actual hardware synths? It's the tactile feel I consider it makes the workflow more seamless. But I don't really need more than a very few.
@suga4all11 минут бұрын
Well, I guess for me all the synths are different insteuments that sound completely different when I play them. So, for me, having a lot of synths means having a sonic journey exploring my sound on all of these instruments.
@adiero4 сағат бұрын
Spent a fortune in the 80's, 2000's, 2015's on top stuff - rOMG: oland, moog, korg, kawai - all that. BUT... everytime, there woudl be a delay, or problem, or glitch that had to be dealt with That's one side of the brain. Another side is a boner from the music in the head. (ymmv). Had a really surprisingly fertile output with just an upright mason and riche piano + a casio arranger thingy. And the nice thing was, i'd have an in-head idea and just sit and play. Then refine--- The music iteself. not the thech or patch. Doesn't matter if the recording is full of hiss on a cassette or all fk'd up from uninhibitedly playing the s'it out your thing, or 2496 in 2026, the energy, emotion, and authenticity is there, it will blaze through. Whatever that may be. That said, after 40y, a lot this new gear is seductive, so.... Thanks for this timely poste, Was thinking of going for montage. Time to streamline. Thanks again, I really appriciate your work :)
@jtrace-44429 минут бұрын
I WISH You were My Brother..... I would have Nice hand me down Gear ...AND a Criminally Awesome Beard!!!
@runestone13372 сағат бұрын
Possibly keep the TR-8S, but sell everything else and get a Montage M8x (I call it the "Full Monty"). It will be your closest friend for many years to come.
@popsss20002 сағат бұрын
Yeah what about samplers?
@lollebolle84 сағат бұрын
Geir the Montage m.
@_mickmccarthy2 сағат бұрын
Sure, you could've bought a Montage. But now you can film a synth montage, showing off your collection!
@jtru364029 минут бұрын
Where's the Torso T-1, Pulsar 23, Perkons, and Elektron? Never give up, just keep buying stuff :)
@timweinheimer128 минут бұрын
I like to do it all in the box
@James-DeepСағат бұрын
I have too much gear. It's nearly impossible to get it all working together. I did own a Fantom, but it was boring with limited controls. We need someone to make a really good landing pad for tracks. Then we can layer tracks quickly live. DAW is not the answer for live, too much clicking and in and out audio issues for live jamming.
@serg47214 минут бұрын
I think for you personally something like Genos would be exactly what you need. You enjoy playing and improvising, not recording or fiddling with knobs. I would understand if you had a dedicated studio where everything was permanently connected ready to jam at any time, but having it all in storage you know you will never use it. For you as a youtuber it makes sense to get and showcase all that gear, though I see no reason for storing it after reviewing collecting dust and losing resale value, I would get rid of it after each review and get something else to showcase. No need to be attached to it and think that one day maybe you will have space/time/desire to fiddle with it all, you know that you won't, and it's ok.
@nigelreadon8381Сағат бұрын
I'M sure in the 1970's they had less gear too make music, now everyone got everything but some mybe cannot play a note on a keyboard lol.