Mono-only setups

[stephen]

I've been having a ball with my SH-09 recently. With all the talk of mopho's and things, clearly monosynths are pretty cool.

Anyone have mono-only setups? If so, what attracts you to going the mono route, is it musical style or something else?

What synths would you put in a mono-only setup? Ummm.... notwithstanding huge modulars of course!! And microkorgs in unison mode don't count

[Christopher Winkels]

I'm thinking about it. Just a Little Phatty, an F-R XS and maybe one other synth.

Given that I'm not one for playing big jazz chords it makes perfect sense. That, and it's a lot easier on the wallet to stick with monophonic than a similarly equipped polyphonic instrument.

[Automatic Gainsay]

I have nearly a mono-only setup.
Once I started multitracking the Minimoog, my polyphonic synths started vanishing. Multitracked vintage analog mono just sounds so incredibly good, I couldn't bear how plain latter-day polyphonics sounded.
I now multitrack monos almost exclusively. The CS-50 is still around because it doesn't scream "IT'S 1982!" every time I play a chord, and the interface is the best ever.

[drummy]

I have nearly a mono-only setup.
Once I started multitracking the Minimoog, my polyphonic synths started vanishing. Multitracked vintage analog mono just sounds so incredibly good, I couldn't bear how plain latter-day polyphonics sounded.
I now multitrack monos almost exclusively. The CS-50 is still around because it doesn't scream "IT'S 1982!" every time I play a chord, and the interface is the best ever.

But isn't multi-tracking quite time consuming? Wouldn't it be much easier just using polyphonics?

[Joey]

mono only setups force you to be VERY very creative both in chord structure and the way you program your patches...

it'd be a fun challenge

i'd have these monos:

waldorf pulse (already do)
yamaha cs30
korg ms20 + SQ10
moog minimoog
arp odyssey
DSI MEK


that would cover everything I needed out of a mono setup

[Computer Controlled]

All my synths are mono, except for the Ensoniqs. Which i don't use in recordings often.

[Black Tomorrow]

Joey, would the ARP Oddyssey count, being duophonic? Just pondering....

[Automatic Gainsay]

I have nearly a mono-only setup.
Once I started multitracking the Minimoog, my polyphonic synths started vanishing. Multitracked vintage analog mono just sounds so incredibly good, I couldn't bear how plain latter-day polyphonics sounded.
I now multitrack monos almost exclusively. The CS-50 is still around because it doesn't scream "IT'S 1982!" every time I play a chord, and the interface is the best ever.

But isn't multi-tracking quite time consuming? Wouldn't it be much easier just using polyphonics?

Lots of musical activities are time consuming until you practice them.
Rarely does something easy turn out worthwhile.
Using monos for polyphonics results in a different and desirable sound (lots of oscs, all unstable, performed at different times with minor timing and pitch imperfections results in a wonderful warm, thick, choiry sound), and causes you to use chords you wouldn't normally use.

[ned-ryarson]

multitracking monos is great. my mek is used a lot for pads.

but ill always need a poly for composition, as most of my work involves chord progression.

[nathanscribe]

I'd feel lost without a couple of polys around the place, but I do seem to have ended up with a few monos, unplanned. It's good to have different flavours of anything, so I've got a few from different families - SH, CS, Moog, etc. They complement each other well and inspire me differently, but they do take up quite a bit of space... it's got to the point now where if i buy another, I'll have to get rid of something, or at least put it in storage.

I like polys for the simplicity of not having to layer them. And personally, I quite like being reminded of 1982 when I play them. It was a fairly good year.

[stephen]

There's some good ideas here, especially when it comes to encouraging greater creativity through "limitations".

Perhaps we could post some examples of mono layered pads, it certainly sounds a lot of fun. I'm on new baby duties right now, so it sounds like a good way to relax when I get a bit of spare time!!

[Automatic Gainsay]

but ill always need a poly for composition, as most of my work involves chord progression.

Good point! I rarely compose with a mono!

[JSRockit]

I never intentionally use chords, so monophonic synths are my favorites. I only have one synth right now...the Monomachine...which can be polyphonic, but I only use it as a mono. I don't even know any chords on a piano style keyboard...only on Guitar.

[nathanscribe]

Using monos for polyphonics results in a different and desirable sound (lots of oscs, all unstable, performed at different times with minor timing and pitch imperfections results in a wonderful warm, thick, choiry sound), and causes you to use chords you wouldn't normally use.

cf. OMD (first couple of albums) - they multi-tracked their humble Micropreset for thicker sounds.

[Joey]

Joey, would the ARP Oddyssey count, being duophonic? Just pondering....

yes it can do duophonic, but its one oscillator per voice in duophonic mode, which is kind of boring...

i've used an octave CAT a lot (the odyssey ripoff kind) and didn't find the duophonic mode very great, and I imagine the one on the odyssey wouldn't be much better, so i'd probably never use it