My synth setup: an exercise in "restraint"

KBD_TRACKER · Post by **KBD_TRACKER** » Tue Jul 17, 2007 11:07 am

I thought i'd share my set up which is made of quite reasonably priced gear:

alesis micron
desktop DSI evolver
korg EX800 expander
roland TB626 drum machine
alesis midiverb II effects processor
korg kaoss pad 3

so, this isn't "fort knox" as far as equipment, for sure, but anytime and always i am astonished by, and marvel at what i can get from this set up, the variety of sound palettes, the sequencing possibilities, the almost limitless modulation options, and of course... serenpidity... who seemingly happily inhabits this set up.
sure there is gear i'd love to have/use....like expensive stuff (and there is certainly no disrespect on my part for those who can get expensive gear) but everytime i make music with what i have...i realize how far i personally am from the limits of my own instruments, and how silly my craving, GASing can be...

my point ? maybe solace for those who might go through VSE a bit dejectedly, thinking how expensive is synth gear, and how difficult it must be to get going in electronic music.

anybody would like to comment or share their "budget" set up ??

Soundwave · Post by **Soundwave** » Tue Jul 17, 2007 12:57 pm

I'm thinking of selling my KP2 for a KP3 but I've seemed to resist much a GAS recently despite a fresh new credit card on the way!
I think the key is to get a few well chosen bits of kit that each cover their own area and which are also flexible being used in different ways. Rationalising the lust for new gear against how you current gear could pretty much do the same thing is another good way to beat the craving.

translucencecs · Post by **translucencecs** » Tue Jul 17, 2007 1:45 pm

godmcgarvey wrote:You kids don't know you were born!

My first recording setup consisted of...

Tascam 244
Korg MS500SP
Yamaha CS-5
Boss DR-55

and for chords!...

Casio MT-30

My first recording setup was:

An Amiga 1500 running OctaMED
A Korg Poly 800
A cheap Radio Shack DJ mixer to combine the two sound sources...

I even gigged with that setup for a while.

Post by **nathanscribe** » Tue Jul 17, 2007 1:56 pm

godmcgarvey wrote:Korg MS500SP
Yamaha CS-5
Boss DR-55

All of which are now quite collectible.

Z · Post by Z » Tue Jul 17, 2007 2:09 pm

This is kinda like the "High School Gear Thread." Well, in '88-'89 I had:

Akai AX-60
Alesis HR-16
Commodore 64 & some software (forgot the titles)
Radio Shack Disco Mixer (2 line, 3 mic with pan)
Tascam Porta One (borrowed from uncle)
CZ-1000 & TR-626 (borrowed from buddies)
Alesis MicroVerb 2 & Boss Digital Delay Pedal (also borrowed)

A couple years later I bought a Tascam 246, Roland SH-2, TR-808, TR-909, U-20 & Alesis MMT-8.

Z

animehair · Post by **animehair** » Tue Jul 17, 2007 2:16 pm

first I had a poly-800 . Then I got a micron. Then I sold both, and got the synthesizer I wanted all along...the Mono Evolver Keyboard.

So all I have now is the MEK, MFB-502, and my computer, and its been working nicely. i would like to add a poly synth to my setup soon so Im budgeting towards one.

JSRockit · Post by **JSRockit** » Tue Jul 17, 2007 2:36 pm

All of the songs on my myspace page were made using a Roland SP-404, Korg EA-1, and a Microkorg. That is about as budget as I will get these days.

RedSky · Post by **RedSky** » Tue Jul 17, 2007 3:03 pm

My first set up was a Korg Poly 800 II (aquired for £50), Korg SQD 1 Sequencer, Casio CZ 101, Stylophone 3560s and an old cheap reverb unit, with an old Mac Classic. In spite of the apparent limitations I did some great stuff- I got (still do) great drum sounds out of the Poly and that tiny screen will bring a glut of nostalgia next time I switch it on

redchapterjubilee · Post by **redchapterjubilee** » Tue Jul 17, 2007 3:27 pm

I have a fairly minimal setup right now too.
Moog Source
Alesis Micron
Casio PT-10
E-Mu Vintage Keys Plus
laptop / mixer / FX
I like having fewer pieces of gear, though I will probably spring for a Matrix-1000 later this year.

portland · Post by **portland** » Tue Jul 17, 2007 3:34 pm

Powerbook G4
Proteus/1 ($30)
Midi controller/ XG Sound Generator
Korg SDD-3300

crystalmsc · Post by **crystalmsc** » Tue Jul 17, 2007 3:47 pm

years ago, I used to rely only on two synths; the Korg Trinity Pro, as a sound source, sampler playback, sequencer and hd rec plus an expanded JV-1080.

KBD_TRACKER · Post by **KBD_TRACKER** » Tue Jul 17, 2007 4:18 pm

Z wrote:This is kinda like the "High School Gear Thread." MMT-8.

Z

well, maybe i wasn't clear in my post, but this is not so much about what one HAD when they started, as it is about the kind of 'budget' set up people do have presently and use now to make music .....

ronP · Post by **ronP** » Tue Jul 17, 2007 4:46 pm

.

I first made four-track recordings 20 years ago (in 1987) using:

CASIO MT-70
CASIO SK-1 (stolen later that year)
KORG Polysix

ELECTRO-HARMONIX Electric Mistress Flanger, Bad Stone Phaser, and Big Muff Distortion pedals (all stolen later that year)
REALISTIC four-channel mixer (stolen later that year)
TASCAM four-track recorder (model unknown, borrowed from college roommate)

.

Post by **TrondC** » Tue Jul 17, 2007 4:47 pm

yeah i made tons of songs using my microkorg and an organ I got for free

then I got an ER, and now I have ESX, EA, ER, Microkorg and Roland FP-2. All I really need now is an interface and ableton live, and I won't be needing anything more for atleast a year or so. (and then it's probably gonna be something that cost less than $300) I love using "cheap" gear, I doubt I'd have much more fun if I had dropped like $5000 on gear (which I could never afford anyway)..

EA+ER+ES would be a perfectly capable setup for around $300 total

ronP · Post by **ronP** » Tue Jul 17, 2007 4:51 pm

.

Today, my budget micro-kit set-up includes:

ZOOM MRT-3B,
KORG microKORG,
KORG EA-1mkII,
CASIO MT-70 run through a ROLAND Microcube,

all sent through a . . .

BEHRINGER XENYX 802 mixer

and recorded by . . .

ZOOM MRS-4B digital four-track recorder

.