Suggestion for first analog synth

[chipaudette]

No love for a Bass Station II?

I have a microbrute. It does wicked sweet arps, and the minikeys didn't turn out to be a problem, but I never really got excited about the bread-n-butter bass and lead sounds. Sure, the filter + brute factor could get totally overloaded and crazy sounding, but it was always clearly "microbrute" kinda crazy. Once I backed off on all the levels to try to move it into "sweet" or "juicy" territory, it felt flat to me. I think my microbrute is going off to find a new home.

Considering a BSII instead.

Chip

[Hybrid88]

hmm ok, I'm not saying the Mininova is a bad synth, and props to Stab for suggesting it anytime someone will listen, but sonically it's about as far from vintage analog as you can get, why would he want that?

I suggested the Ultranova, although I believe the sound engine is the same. It can do vintage analogue, have a listen to the track in my sig.

Had a listen, yes it can kinda sound reminiscent of analog like any decent VA in my opinion, I mean that's the point of them. But you can hear where it fails. The high-end is harsh even with lashes of reverb and pitch modulation and when you modulate the filter it's nowhere near as smooth as it would be on any halfway decent analog synth. I suppose it doesn't matter if you're starting out just to get something going, but eventually you're going to want something more appropriate.

The Basstation 2 is a great suggestion though, right around the OP's budget and with the 303/diode filter should come closer to some 101 action.

[Stab Frenzy]

have a listen to the track in my sig.

Had a listen, yes it can kinda sound reminiscent of analog like any decent VA in my opinion, I mean that's the point of them. But you can hear where it fails. The high-end is harsh even with lashes of reverb and pitch modulation and when you modulate the filter it's nowhere near as smooth as it would be on any halfway decent analog synth.

Wow you've got great ears, please tell me more...

[Aaron2]

OK, so some people are down on the Mininova. Fine. If you want "real analog," get an Arturia Minibrute. Full-size keys, and a knobby interface that will force you to learn synthesis. There are no presets, after all!

And prices have really, really fallen on these things, too. High-quality used ones from dealers can be had for under $300, I believe.

[Stab Frenzy]

I think the people who are down on the mininova are listening with their eyes.

The issue here is that the OP wants something to do pads with, and there isn't an analogue synth that does good pads for under US$500, which is why people are suggesting VAs.

On second though I think that seeing as the OP already has Massive they should keep that for pads and just get an analogue mono for leads. BS2 or Minibrute, whichever floats your boat. I'm more of a minibrute guy but the BS2 is probably a bit easier on the novice programmer.

[Rokk]

I think the people who are down on the mininova are listening with their eyes.

The issue here is that the OP wants something to do pads with, and there isn't an analogue synth that does good pads for under US$500, which is why people are suggesting VAs.

On second though I think that seeing as the OP already has Massive they should keep that for pads and just get an analogue mono for leads. BS2 or Minibrute, whichever floats your boat. I'm more of a minibrute guy but the BS2 is probably a bit easier on the novice programmer.

I second to sticking to Massive or any other good softsynth for pads and other polyphonic stuff and getting a good analog monosynth. At least this works for me. I only have Minibrute and DX7 in hardware and the rest is done in the box. I'd also suggest you look at Tal Audio plugins. Their UNO-62 is freeware and is simply A M A Z I N G ! You can find a face to face comparison between this and a real Juno 60 and I bet it will floor you

One caution before going for Bass Station 2: it does not have variable filter tracking. Instead the tracking is set to 100% for classic filter and 50% for acid filter. I would buy it right away, but this is such an important parameter, that the omission of it really spoils a potentialy great synth. In practice, most of the time you want to keep the filter tracking from zero to around 25%. You only need 100% tracking when you want to play the self-oscillating filter, so it tracks fully. Also, I find Minibrute more immediate as there is a knob, slider or a switch for every single parameter, while BS2 shares controls for paramters in oscillator section and envelopes and that can be very inconvenient. I do like its sound, though. i hope they come up with mk2 and introduce that essential filter tracking, plus give each of the envelopes and oscillators its own set of knobs. I mean, if there is space for a BIG cutoff knob, there is space for a few small knobs, too Sorry to go so much into BS2, but it had to be said

[Hybrid88]

have a listen to the track in my sig.

Had a listen, yes it can kinda sound reminiscent of analog like any decent VA in my opinion, I mean that's the point of them. But you can hear where it fails. The high-end is harsh even with lashes of reverb and pitch modulation and when you modulate the filter it's nowhere near as smooth as it would be on any halfway decent analog synth.

Wow you've got great ears, please tell me more...

Well I've played one in reality too as it happens so I'm entitled to that opinion without being mocked for it.

It's subtle as is everything in audio, but tell me people won't pay big bucks for subtle sonic improvements in music gear and you'll be entirely missing the point of vintage analog synths

[Stab Frenzy]

The high-end is harsh even with lashes of reverb and pitch modulation and when you modulate the filter it's nowhere near as smooth as it would be on any halfway decent analog synth.

Well I've played one in reality too as it happens so I'm entitled to that opinion without being mocked for it.

It's subtle as is everything in audio, but tell me people won't pay big bucks for subtle sonic improvements in music gear and you'll be entirely missing the point of vintage analog synths

It's just that the bits you're describing as sounding harsh and with non-smooth filter modulation aren't the Ultranova, they're 100% analogue modular.

[Hybrid88]

The high-end is harsh even with lashes of reverb and pitch modulation and when you modulate the filter it's nowhere near as smooth as it would be on any halfway decent analog synth.

Well I've played one in reality too as it happens so I'm entitled to that opinion without being mocked for it.

It's subtle as is everything in audio, but tell me people won't pay big bucks for subtle sonic improvements in music gear and you'll be entirely missing the point of vintage analog synths

It's just that the bits you're describing as sounding harsh and with non-smooth filter modulation aren't the Ultranova, they're 100% analogue modular.

Interesting. I may have been off about the modulation but in a mix especially with reverb it's hard to pick any individual instruments characteristics apart from another as I'm sure you know. I still stand by my opinion of the Ultranova from trying it myself. In any case I think the OP stopped reading the thread a while ago