An earlier iteration of my studio, circa early 2021 if the file date is to be believed. Basically the first iteration of my DAWless setup. If I recall correctly, this is essentially the setup I used to record my Oneirogen Codex album. Pretty sure this was the photo I took to commemorate this edition of the studio, and the album recorded with it, right before I rebuilt it.
Novation Circuit and Arturia Beatstep Pro (both since sold) handled sequencing and synching the whole thing. Korg Monologue monosynth (now sold); Arturia MicroFreak and MiniBrute 2s are both still in the collection, as is the Korg Volca Drum propped up in the middle there. Various modular stuff and a Koma Field Kit FX (all still part of the studio, minus maybe a few modules). You can just make out a vintage Akai tape deck on the right there; I used that to master that album. Still have it and use it all the time.
Synthesis remains an incredibly fulfilling activity, and I think it explains why guitar effects is the aspect of guitarmusic I find myself drawn to the most. I'm glad to have a Microfreak in my hands again, especially since my knowledge on how to build synth patches has only grown since last year when I owned it.
There will be a lot more music coming, so Watch This Space.
Pas de répètes cet été mais de nouvelles compos qui émergent! #sonovox #compo #arturia #microfreak #drumbrute #rock #alternative https://www.instagram.com/p/CggzcYvNxtt/?igshid=NGJjMDIxMWI=
We've got a musical instrument shop only a few blocks away. They're more focused on band and orchestral instruments than on the sort of stuff that I mess with, but I like to poke in on occasion to pick up guitar picks or ukulele strings, or just to see if they've got any interesting guitar pedals.
Today, though, they had an Arturia MicroFreak on display: a hybrid synthesizer with a multimode digital oscillator and an analog filter, a really cool modulation matrix where nearly every parameter can be driven by the LFOs or envelopes, a microphone input and vocoder, and a touch keyboard with CV/Gate/pressure outputs that can drive Eurorack gear. I've wanted one since they launched in 2019, but I've never had a chance to actually play with one, so I fiddled with it for a while — some great sounds in there! — before looking at other things. Ultimately I don't have the funds to buy it. Although the store does have some kind of monthly payment setup...
what synth do you own? i want to start playing something and i feel a synth would be a great start :)
hello anon!! i hope you're having a very good day <3
i am still a beginner so take my (cheap) setup with a grain of salt. for now, i only use three machines for my synth music purposes, not counting the effects i add in post on my computer. i bought them separately and you can absolutely start with one main instrument dependind on your ambition with the music (if you just want to play, if you want to write songs, etc)... but personally, here's what i work with:
a Korg Minilogue, a polyphonic analogue synthesizer which is very beginner friendly in my opinion. there's an upgraded version that is called the XD, it's a bit more expensive but maybe it's worth looking into it since it has more options to fiddle with (including a built-in looper). i am very happy with my original minilogue though! great instrument, easy to understand and fun to work with, no matter your level. i have to say the sequencer can be limiting if you're not working with an audio interface since it only has 16 steps. which leads to my second machine on the list.....
a Behringer U-phoria UMC22 also known as the cheapest audio interface i could find. it does what it does well, nothing fancy but if you plan to put your music on a computer one day, it's good to have an audio interface (and all the cables that goes with it. i love you audio jack cables <3)
and finally, a Korg Volca Sample which i both use as a drum machine and a sampler. it's not the best drum machine out there but it's very easy to use. useful if you want to write full songs!
it you're not against pads instead of keys, you could check Donner and their B1 for the cheapest option or you could check Arturia's Microfreak which is another great entry-price synth. if it's too expensive, which i have to admit it is, i'd advice you to check the second-hand market, lots of people are selling synths so you might find what you need at a cheaper price than what you expect!
i can't encourage you enough to pick up the synth. it's a great instrument. it has so many layers and it pushes you to experiment and have fun with sound.
March 29, 2021: Two years ago today, Corduroy Institute obtained the E-mu ESI-4000. This purchase marked our first foray into rackamount samplers.
Since our first recordings, digital samplers have played a pivotal role in our composition. Initially, samplers with a drum machine form factor were used to establish the pulse of the music. Later we acquired keyboard-based samplers to access polyphony and multilayered tones. As functional as these are, transporting them between our multiple studios hindered their practicality.
In 2021, however, we made a leap into the rackmount world by obtaining an ESI-4000. This unit came with RAM upgrades and a USB floppy drive.
The previous owner was critical of the workflow and we have to concur. This is the first and only time we have ever had to print an owner's manual for any of our devices. The operating system, the navigation, the nomenclature, and the file conventions all conspire to make this unit unusually abstruse.
Despite these flaws, it remains a worthwhile sound processor. Samples acquire a pleasing metallic quality during transposition. The filter section is among the most extensive and each one can absolutely transform the basic tone. The ability to alter the bit rate also allows a sample to become degraded to uncannily precise depths. Finally, there are ways to induce errors which make it a curious part of the arsenal.
You can hear the E-mu ESI-4000 on "In This Confessional" where it provides percussive hits thanks to external MIDI control from the Arturia Microfreak. That is, thus far, our sole recorded use of the unit within a Corduroy Institute song. Most of the time, it serves as intermediary sound processor whose sampled contents then get sampled onto other samplers.
As always, however, further exploration and sonic research awaits.
I have been a long time ardent fan of Swedish hybrid synth maker Love Hulten. I was inspired by his work and decided to create my own version of a hybrid synth..perhaps a mix of Arturia Microfreak x Moog x Theremin? Not sure about the usability but it was sure fun to design!
I seriously miss my Korg Poly 61 analog synth--played the hell out of it in the 80s, and I just found a good-condition used one on Reverb for $850. I really miss that synthesizer, so fun to play and experiment with. I miss the synth, but to this day I deeply regret selling my early 80s Rickenbacker 4001 bass, classic black and white. Maybe to make up for some of that, I bought an Arturia Microfreak, which is sort of a cool advanced modern version of the old Korg. It's a hybrid digital synth with analog filter, a crazy number of "oscillator" sources, two envelopes, LFO, sequencer, and a million more features. This thing is crazy.
AMDEK RMK-100 x 2 アムデックのトホホなDIYリズムボックス!
KORG DDD-5 長く使用。ベロシティ・パッドと音色カードが新しかった
KORG DRM-1 すぐ売り飛ばした。私にラックは合わない
KORG PSS60 なんで買ぅたんやろ?
KORG WAVEDRUM Mini 和太鼓 和太鼓とWaveDrum Miniとがニコイチ!和のこころとSondius XG!
Roland CR-78 我が家のクロック・ソースでした!
Roland CR-68 日影もんですが、良い音します
Roland TR-606 フォークソングおっさんが呉れた!!!!
Roland TR-707 かなり故障中
Roland TR-626 なんでうちにあってんろ?
Roland R-70 リズムパターン自動生成。エスノなのは下手。ポジショナルパッドよろし。外観ポップ
Roland R-8 MKII 永遠の名機。外観も硬派。'80年代後期はこれでしょう
KORG SQ-8 x 2 DW-8kワーステ化をもくろむも変態さを自慢して終わり
KORG SQ-1 これほしかった!S/H波LFOの代用になるし安いし USB-CV/Gate I/F になるし
Make Noise 0-CTRL これもなんちゃってブックラ素晴らしい!!!
Roland MC-500 バルクライブラリアン最高! タイ航空ステッカー最高!
Roland MC-500 mkII クロックが揺れず、ダイアル一発でリタルダントとかできて良いらしい
Roland MC-50 mkII 最後の単体ハードシーケンサーSMF互換ロングセラー
YAMAHA QX5 多機能やねんけど使いにくくて、と思ったらもっぺん来た笑
YAMAHA QX3 これ、はやりましたな!
KORG MS-03 x 2 Pitch to CV変換機、謎リヴィジョン違い
KORG KMS-30 DIN同期とMIDIとを変換するレアなボックス貴重
Oberheim Cyclone アルペジエイターのみの変態マシン
Oberheim Strummer ギター奏法を再現というが、なかなか半端
Roland ASC-1 "Arabic Scale Converter" x 2 知られざる変態MIDI変換マシン
Sigboost “midiglue” 史上初MIDI/CV Programmable Processorメルカリ!
BOSS HF-2 "High Band Flanger" 高い周波帯だけフランジングするアイディア商品
BOSS MZ-2 "Metalizer" その名も凄い、アナログ歪み+デジタルかな?によるコーラス
BOSS XT-2 "Xtortion" その名も凄い、効果もエグい、でもアナログ歪み
BOSS DM-2W "Delay" アナログディレイ技ペダル、あやしいBBDだそうでよくぞ頑張ってくださいました感涙
BOSS VT-1 変態ボイスチェンジャー、某公共事業に寄贈
BOSS WP-20G GK P.Uが要るのにどないすんねん
BOSS RE-20 "Space Echo" 極上のテープエコーをモデリング、綺麗な音
BOSS SL-20 "Slicer" シーケンシングに匹敵するツインペダル!
HeilSound Talking Modulator ほとんど使わず、めっさ重たい
Ibanez SDR1000+ 2連MIDIタイム可変高音質デジリバ死語SONY製
KORG SDD-3300 3連モジュレーション・ディレイで変態
Roland RE-101 やっぱテープエコーですよ、800DV 等にかけっぱなし
Roland RE-201 名機なのは分かるけど、この機種のみ有名なのは何故?
Roland Revo30 x 2 珍品レスリーFX、非常にチープな音
Roland SDD-320 言わずと知れたディメンジョン、プロ5と相性抜群、取っ手もかっこいい
Roland SDE-3000A ビット数が粗いのがかえって名機となるも、結局使わず
Roland RSP-550 x 2 当時ボコーダーがほしくて入手
Roland E-660 x 2 中古で入手するにもほどがある、エディット時の反応が遅すぎ!
Roland EF-303 x 2 友人にあげたらフォノイコになった!!
SONY DPS-F7 ウソっぽいフィルターで硬い音のシンセにもなるがその音もウソっぽい、でもSONYシンセ!
YAMAHA REX50 まともな使い方せず遊んだ青春、世界初デジタルディストーション
なんやしらん緑の小さな Ring Modulator ただ歪むだけ
なんやしらん光学式のワウ 口に入れたり脇にはさんだりしてワウる
Roland A-880 MIDIマージ重宝したMIDIパッチベイ
Roland A-110 ただのにぎやかしになるMIDIノート表示板
Roland M-480 48chラック型ミキサー! 経年劣化でノイズ
Roland M-240 24ch 据置型ミキサー! 経年劣化でノイズ
KORG KMX-122 フロントにイレギュラー入力は便利だがすぐ歪む
(Roland)Cakewalk UA-1G カミさんの Mac 用、借りて使って使いやすさにびっくり
(Roland)EDIROL UA-101 私の Mac 用、大活躍だが生産完了になってから入手したので老兵
Roland UA-1010 "Octa-Capture" UA-101 の後釜。Auto-Sens 機能便利
Roland Rubix44 Octa-Capture後釜、4ch充分、Generic driver充分
Fostex X-28H VUではなくLEDレベルメーターに未来を感じた青春
TEAC TASCAM Porta One "MINISTUDIO" ピンポン録音だ!
TEAC TASCAM Porta Two "MINISTUDIO" 入力端子が多くて当時アマにグッド!
TEAC TASCAM 688 "MIDISTUDIO" カセットで8トラ! 使い倒した!
Roland VS-1680 "V-Studio" w / CDR-88 ピンポンしても音が劣化しないのに仰天! CD焼けてバックアップまでできて、また仰天!
Roland CD-5 使わずじまい、っていうか使えずじまい??
ableton Live w / various VST plug-ins Ver.1.0から使ってておもろかったけど安直に曲できすぎて飽きた
ableton Live Lite 8 のばちょんのオマケ、VSTホストとして使うつもりが使わずじまい
Apple Garage Band 当時これで同時録音可能音声トラックが8トラあったら充分やったのに
Apple Logic Express 9 ガレバンが↑だからこれを買うはめに。凄い万能ぶりにぼーぜん
Apple Logic Pro 9 なんせ最上位機種がダウンロード販売で1万7千円しかせんのでぼーぜん
Apple Logic Pro X ゼロからの再出発
Apple Garage Band iOS まさか8トラが32トラになって無償になるとは!
Arturia Pigments 3 これはあたらしい音がするねぇ
Arturia CS-80V ヴァンゲリス御大の神器、実物80kgもして所有不可なのでソフトで
Arturia prophet-V キャンペーンでタダで入手!!プロ5とプロVS合体がいい
Arturia minimoog V Original キャンペーンでタダで入手!!太い音しますねー
Arturia Matrix-12 V Xpanderの代わりに入手、やっぱ LFO ×5基は凄いねぇ
DEXED これは使いやすいDX7完全再現フリーウェアしかも今風の音もいろいろあり
Garritan World Instruments 安い音質だが打楽器豊富、常にマルチ音源なのがちょっと
KORG LegacyCollection MS-20 単品売りで安価、少々時代を感じる操作性だけど個性派
KORG M1Le キャンペーンでタダで入手!! レゾナンス無いし M1 そのもの
Miroslav Philharmonik CE 格安キャンペーンで入手、原音忠実すぎて音域限定は使い辛い
Media OverKill Waverazor もっともぶっとんだイカれた壊れたイカしたソフトシンセ!!
Native Instruments Razor この変態音源が最高、なんせリバーブまで 320 倍音加算合成!
Native Instruments Prism 変態打楽器物理モデリングシンセ、持続音にするとなお変態で良い
Native Instruments Micro Prism 変態打楽器モデリングシンセ簡易版、遊ぶだけなら充分
Native Instruments Scanner グラニュラーで遊びたくて、しかも安かったし
Native Instruments FM8 まぁクロノスとDX互換させたかったので、って変な理由ですね
PPG WaveMapper2 奇才ジジイ極変態ウェーヴテーブルを超越タイムコレクテッド音源、楽しい!
UVI 各種デモ版ばっか走らせるもスタンドアローンで弾けず
waldorf largo 変態シンセメーカーの集大成的変態シンセが楽しい
W. Taylor Holiday Audulus おそろしく基礎から始めさせられるモジュラーシンセ
じつは膨大なフリーウェア音源とエフェクトたくさんたくさん