For those who have MS2K + other VA

[crystalmsc]

I've spent the recent month engrossed in OB12 and Z1... so it's like getting from heaven back to earth.

the MOSS or Prophecy board inside my workstations is what keeping me not getting the newer too. The older sounds fatter, punchier and could be harsher in the way that I like. also wider and deeper, with meaner filter.

[killedaway]

what exactly are you all referring to when you say a synth sounds "plastic"? i can't even begin to guess what that means. the casing and keys of a lot of my synths are plastic, but that's about all i'm getting...

[crystalmsc]

what exactly are you all referring to when you say a synth sounds "plastic"?

like this may be and I really like that one. and whatever the term of plastic is, I sometime like those type of non ideal sounds..and may be that's also what I like from the microkorg sound.

[i_watch_stars]

what exactly are you all referring to when you say a synth sounds "plastic"? i can't even begin to guess what that means. the casing and keys of a lot of my synths are plastic, but that's about all i'm getting...

"Plastic" is the opposite of organic sounding, and a subset of "digital sounding", but not to be confused with "cold", which to me is different. Warm plastic sounds exist.

Characteristics, generally, are;

-Lack of chaos or randomness in the sound

-More high frequency character.

There is also "cybernetic", "fat", "phat", "thin", "sterile", "liquid", and of course "analog" sounding. Pretty cool huh

[Neonlights84]

I've played or owned nearly every VA out there, and the MS2000, to me, sounded the most like an analog mono synth. It also behaved the most like one. So no, in short, i dont personally agree with your statement that it sounds like a sample based rompler.

[i_watch_stars]

I've played or owned nearly every VA out there, and the MS2000, to me, sounded the most like an analog mono synth. It also behaved the most like one. So no, in short, i dont personally agree with your statement that it sounds like a sample based rompler.

How can you sound like a mono synth?

[atom]

beeing a personality like you are, there is no point in saying your wrong, so many synths, you can't beat that.

i have my ms2000br for a bout 4 months, it sounds like it was supposed to sound, a cheap old va, it's not analog cause it's not analog i never beleieve in big company propagan da saying it will sound like something else (take roland latest juno/sh series). having so much experience you became the victim of that propaganda.

i like my ms2000br i hook it up sometimes to my sonic alienator they both play nice, it sounds ... well is sound the way i want it to sound, it's pure digital the oscilators sound "clean" that's why the plastic feeling, however for the money it's a great synth, for example sonic state had a tutorial on how to turn this machine into a drumbox with a x0x0 style sequencer, very nice, and the korg plays that well.

it's not like ms20 but in my opinion it never was intended to be one (at least not in my opinion, i guess korg had a different opinion naming it MS).

if you don't like it, sell it, one problem less.

[killedaway]

i don't know. VA synths sound a lot like analog synths. not exactly, not perfectly, but similar. that's all anyone should expect, and i feel 99% of the VAs meet that expectation admirably. people claiming the contrary are usually just arguing semantics.

in this case, saying an MS2000 sounds nothing like an analog synth is pure snobbery. (by the way, this isn't aimed at anyone in particular, just the general upturned noses.) it was so named because it was a modern digital instrument that shares many of the same characteristics as an older, analog synth, and Korg was trying to draw an association with it. i'm certain that Korg did not bestow the MS prefix in order to deceive anyone. they wanted to advertise the synthesizer to musicians of all kinds, including those who might be familiar with their older, analog offerings. thus, they suggested that the new model was capable of achieving very similar sonic results, which i think most people (not just musicians) would agree is fair and accurate.

[Neonlights84]

I've played or owned nearly every VA out there, and the MS2000, to me, sounded the most like an analog mono synth. It also behaved the most like one. So no, in short, i dont personally agree with your statement that it sounds like a sample based rompler.

How can you sound like a mono synth?

I found the poly to be a weak side of the ms2000, so i treated it like a mono synth, and it obliged. It created room shaking basses, and awesome leads. These specific sounds are traditionally the realm of the mono synth. The ms2000 excelled at those sounds, ergo, it reminded me of a great analog mono synth.

[tallowwaters]

-Lack of chaos or randomness in the sound

wish my demos were still around, just so you could see how wrong you are there.

[mis psiquicios y yo]

"

I've had MS2000 for 2 weeks now.
I think it sounds like a rompler. It sounds most plastic compared to other VAs, and I have things like AN1x, OB-12, A-Station. And after those 2 weeks, I feel limited by its amount of functions.
Does anyone agree/have the same feelings. Or am I doing something wrong restraining myself from discovering the wolf in sheep's clothing.

"

I have an MS2000 and a Novation KS and yes, in comparison, the Korg is much more plastic than the Novation, but that is not a bad thing at all, the "plasticity" of the MS2000 is way particular, so in the end, you have a synth that doesn't sound like others (being the Microkorg the exception) which has nice features, like the mod sequencer and the virtual patchbay.
It is not a wolf in sheep's clothing, but maybe it is a fox.

[gryphon]

I have never really needed to use the ms2000 to make exeptionally analog sounds. I think it's just a musical workhorse. I've used it for basslines, leads, arp things and crazy modulations, and it has a really specific sound that seems to blend just fine with other instruments.

I think of many analog sounds as being extra lush or present in some fashion, but the 2K seems best suited to the sounds that need to recede in a mix more. I think it wouldn't be as great for sounds that need more girth or are larger-than-life the way my evolver or z1 (insert your favorite analog here) sounds by comparison, but that doesn't mean people should knock it.

You can hear that the math it does is a little nicer on the ears than the average softy. I think it's good fun, and the delay line is just a blast to f**k around with. So yeah it's VA, but I think you can use it to make other richer or more present synth parts stand out that much more in a mix. Contrast.

A good example of what I'm talking about would be the track "orphan crocodile" by my band hey la la (not intended as a plug, sorry). The evolver did the intro/outro sounds and the ms2k did the bassline and banjo-type plucked sound. I think the effect is pretty alright.

myspace.com/heylalaonline

Sorry for the long post.
Cheers

[WDW]

-Lack of chaos or randomness in the sound

wish my demos were still around, just so you could see how wrong you are there.

Your patches, Tallow, opened my eyes (and ears) to what the MS2000 could do. Previously, I had been making the usual basses, leads, pads and noises. But then you gave me some programming pointers, and every patch that I have created since then has been pure evolving wackiness.

The step sequencer greatly increases the ability to lull very dynamic sounds from the engine.

WD

[nuketifromorbit]

-Lack of chaos or randomness in the sound

wish my demos were still around, just so you could see how wrong you are there.

I honestly don't understand how anyone could think this. While the ms2000 does not have as many modulation routings as some synths, its still substantial enough to produce plenty of chaotic noise. Nevermind the sine/cross wave which is absolutely perfect for that sort of thing.

[shaft9000]

Give it time Jexus.

In a similar way I thought I'd never go near an OB12 based on the prior demos & reviews I'd heard..but since YOU praise it... i'll have to reconsider and check it out.

re:MS2000
imho the distortion is horribly a*s, the sync/xmod/ringmod almost unusable, and the knobs/build just suck. The filters are weak in anything but 12db lowpass.

But it's a great little synthesizer.

Granted, it's no good at sounding 'BIG' like an old polysynth, no way. It simply doesn't have the beef to deliver it. In my experience Supernova and even the old Prophecy/Z1 engine eat it alive in this department.

However...
Mod sequencer+dwgs=industrial heaven. Most useful delay and phaser i know of in a VA. Good quick&dirty vocoder. Fun to play and tweak - more so than any other synth I've ever used besides LittlePhatty or perhaps MEK. If it had aftertouch it would damn near be my favorite modern synth. Works very well in a band/jamming enviroment.

And while i don't care if it 'sounds analog' really, I must say that in some apps no other digital or VA I've heard can touch it for analog-like character. It has an eerie old sound to it sometimes that bely it's digital nature.
I know that sounds contradictory, but like i said...give it time.
HINT: program a Theremin emulation on the MS, and then do it on other VAs and tell me what you think.