I need help man. Synth like in MGMT

[cgren72]

synthetic solutions, How would he play a dark energy or several of the other synths you listed without having a midi controller? And i think the dark energy could be a little bit much for a first synth anyway. And shaft, how many new analogs have you tried? I sold all my old analogs to make way for newer analogs. just sayin'. And if he bought an axxe, he would probably buy it on ebay and it could very well have problems and he could very easily sink over 1500 dollars on it including purchase price. And what song of mgmt sounds like an axxe? I know you may think that "vintage analogs" are the solution, but if he buys one, it probably wouldn't suit what he wanted


mgmt probably uses a microkorg anyway

[shaft9000]

i got my Solus for $1000 in amazing condition last year; i play it live and use it almost every day. i have no idea what you're on about '1500 bucks for an axxe'. even sky-high Ebay unsold listings cap at around 900, which suggest the realistic going rate for a top specimen to be about $700-800.

the right tool for the job.
it produces a perfect 'kids' sound; better growl, swirl and beef than any of the newer synths(god help any VA). it's exactly what he wants to do this sort of sound. just sayin.

re: what they use live.
call me fussy, but mgmt are hardly known for their live act. the Kids demo done in reason it's a lot 'flatter' sonically in the bass. I'm positive that Dave Fridmann spruced up the bass on the studio recording using a vintage mono; it's a common element of his style as heard on flaming lips, mercury rev etc so it makes sense to use what got them there.

[cgren72]

search axxe on ebay. i dont see one on it right now, but the little brother has a buy it now price of 999. not that it will sell. the market has gone up in the last year. and the 1500 included repairs that you have to factor in because of the fact that it is such an old piece of equipment. your solus may be in good condition, but that doesnt mean that every old arp is.

And analog does have its "growl, swirl, and beef," but VAs have "growl, swirl, and beef" plus. An access virus b that i used to own made my vintage analogs sound "thin."

Its fine to own old analog, it may sound better for what it does, but it will only give him a few sounds (compared to VA) and it wont give him as much for his money.

[cgren72]

"i just want whats best for him"

lol

[fh991586]

I am shocked to see people promoting the microkorg on these forums! Come on VSE users, think about what you are saying, it has to be the most forsaken piece of c**p i have ever set my eyes on.

You know, some people just want to have fun with a synth, as a hobby. Not to be pro with the big a*s analogue thing.
I'm pretty sure that I would not have ended up buying synths in a compulsive manner if my first synth would have been a Microkorg. It is complete and easy to deal with in many ways, mostly for someone new about synth.

[vanpet]

The downside of the gaia is the raw sound: without the effects it can sound a bit crude, but if you're not making pristine studio records, it is not a problem at all. Live, nobody can hear the difference.

holy h**l, has it really gotten this bad?
i to go to clubs, and favor playing certain venues, specifically because they have great sound systems.
you bet your a*s an aliasing VA is going to sound like metallic phasey crud next to a nice analog mono.

i feel kinda sad for those that haven't experienced the joy of your music played on a fantastic system.... the easiest way to descibe what i mean is: it sounds bigger without trying to be louder. it's impossible to convey without being there - but it is a rare treat i get to experience less and less over the last few years whenever i go out. i-pods have everyone accustomed to s**t sound.

so um, this notion of "progress"....yeah.

i'd suggest trying the new Arturia analog mono-synth or checking out a mopho keyboard.
or better yet
sure fire: save a couple hundred more and buy an ARP axxe and blow all those digitals and new analogs out the door with one little oscillator.
Christ, this is VSE, for f**k's sake. Roll like you got a pair.

Haha that's a whole new debate there.

I like a good sound system. At home I have quite expensive speakers.

But I also play in a rock band, mostly in small venues (pubs/schools/underground punk basement/...) and I can't ear anything, not even what the singer says, so the aliasing in the synth, going through echo pedals and a amp, is really not something I'm worried about.

But I also played in some larger venues with a better soundsystem, and even there it didn't change much. People where busy dancing and enjoying the songs, and not really concentrating on my rig and the stepping of the cutoff filter.

That said, I do raw rock, not Jean Michel Jarre. But the OP wanted to sound like MGMT. Analog is really not the answer.

[Alex E]

They also love the Mono/Poly. It was used for that flutey sound in Electric Feel.

[shaft9000]

But the OP wanted to sound like MGMT. Analog is really not the answer.

step awaaaaay from the computer, please

nothing you wrote makes any sense if you can't hear it in the first place
what are you doing playing in a live band if you can't even hear it, or as you wrote, 'ear' it?
you might as well mime to an mp3 player if you don't care what you sound like

[syntheticsolutions]

synthetic solutions, How would he play a dark energy or several of the other synths you listed without having a midi controller?

Well the idea would be to get a cheap midi controller.

The Slim Phatty and Dark Energy are the only modules i listed, when refering to the Mopho and MS2000 i should have stated i was thinking of the keyboard versions. I suppose the DE isnt everyones cup of tea but i was just suggesting some budget synths that this chap may not be familiar with.

You know, some people just want to have fun with a synth, as a hobby. Not to be pro with the big a*s analogue thing.

I can totally appreciate this, as a lot of my friends are pure gear nuts i sometimes forget that the general population aren't as interested in quality synthesizers as others.

I suppose my opinions are based on many bad experiences with the microkorg. personally i wouldn't recommend it as everyone i know that has bought one has really regretted it. I think you can get so much more for your money if you simply research and look around.

On the other hand, i can totally relate to your point. i suppose to someone that just wants to experiment with a synthesizer and have a taste of what its all about, it could appear as a good choice. It definitely has a place in the market, for the likes of Dawsons its a perfect pitch.

[sequentialsoftshock]

An Alesis Ion would be perfect in that price range.

[Stab Frenzy]

An Alesis Ion would be perfect in that price range.

+1

Or an R3, Ultranova, KS4, etc.

And i think the dark energy could be a little bit much for a first synth anyway.

I strongly disagree. The Dark Energy is pretty much perfect as a first synth, it's very simple, each knob just does its thing, every thing has a knob.

[tallowwaters]

How a refreshing, a d**k match.

MGMT make some pretty standard synth sounds. I would venture to say that any standard subtractive, be it VA, analog, or software on a laptop can get you 90% of that sound, the other 10% from post production.

[vanpet]

But the OP wanted to sound like MGMT. Analog is really not the answer.

step awaaaaay from the computer, please

nothing you wrote makes any sense if you can't hear it in the first place
what are you doing playing in a live band if you can't even hear it, or as you wrote, 'ear' it?
you might as well mime to an mp3 player if you don't care what you sound like

As I wrote earlier, I can pretty much hear it in my home studio. I have a lot of analog gear that I love (like every one else on this forum, or else we wouldn't be here).

But in a live situation, between the drunk fratboys, the berhinger soundsystem, and the waitress taking orders, my synth could be a Roland Gaia or a Moog Voyager, nobody would hear any difference, I swear. And it has nothing to do with mp3, I'm not from that generation.

And to go back on thread, I still think that MGMT has a very generic kind of sound, every VST can do the trick.

[blakeq]

I would say:

Alesis Ion - this would be perfect.

Alesis MIcron - I would pass, if you are considering this you could get a great deal on an Akai Miniak which is the same thing but better.

Novation X-Station or Xio - this would be a good choice as well,

Not to familiar with the new Novation or the M Audio Venom, they might work as well.


For drums, an Electribe ES1 or ESX would be perfect.