Looking for a Synth..(Industrial/

[trashfactory]

I'm looking to purchase a new synthesizer for my industrial/power electronics project. It will be my stand alone synth, so keep that in mind. I've got $450 to spend on it. Additionally, I'm purchasing a drum machine,a sampler, and effects.

I really like the way a Polivoks sounds. I would like something that sounds raw,cold,and can get very noisy but also has capability of more ambient stuff. It's gonna be the only synth I can use for a while, so I'd prefer something not so limited. If you don't know what kind of music I'm referring to, I'll link some music below to give you an idea of the kind of stuff I make so you can get a good idea of the kind of thing I'm looking for.








Thanks in advance to anyone with advice

[Z]

Pretty much everything I heard in those YouTube videos were made from samplers. (Low bit rate) Samplers were a key element in industrial music in the late 80s/early 90s. I'd look for a 12 bit sampler like an Akai S900, S950, Roland S-50 or W-30. I had (and still have) a Roland W-30 in the early 90s. It's a 12 bit multi-timbral sampling keyboard with built-in sequencer. It also has 8 individual outs for running your sounds through effect units like distortion, delays and reverbs (also key elements in that era of Industrial)

[mana]

In this price range, you should definitely take a look at Yamaha AN1x. It is not directly aimed at making Industrial sounds, but can certainly recreate the ones you posted and many more.

[trashfactory]

Z: I'm confused, those samplers you've posted have a keyboard. The one I was looking at would be a boss sp-404 and would play noises I've recorded on to it. Do those ones do the same, or do they just contain sampled synth sounds that you can modify?

[Z]

Yes, the first samplers had keyboards: CMI Fairlight, Emu Emulator, Ensoniq Mirage. Once MIDI came along, rack mounted sampling modules appeared. Once the "dance" scene exploded in the 90s, keyboard-less desktop sampling devices came along.

None of the samplers I suggested in my first reply have any built-in samples with the exception of the W-30. All of those samplers, including the W-30, allow you to create your own samples via external audio input or load other samples via floppy disk and SCSI devices (if SCSI capable).

Instruments that contain sampled sounds you can modify are commonly called ROMplers. Many modern ROMplers are also samplers. The Roland Fantom X series are ROMpler workstation keyboards that are also capable of recording and manipulating your own sampled sounds.

I suggested a sampler since you are looking at producing sounds similar to the YouTube videos you posted. As I already expressed, most of what you're hearing are SAMPLES and not actual SYNTHESIZERS. Not saying there isn't any synths in those tracks, because there are some synths. But it's mostly samplers.

If you're considering a Polivoks, I doubt you'll be able to find one for under $800. These have become a bit collectable as of late.

If you're dead set on buying a synth, I would recommend a used Novation Bass Station 2 - you can get one for around $350. You might even look at the Arturia MiniBrute & MicroBrute synths.

Now the BS2 and 'Brutes are MONOPHONIC synthesizers only capable on playing a single note at a time. For a POLYPHONIC synth, I'd look for an Ensoniq ESQ-1 (extensively used by Skinny Puppy in the 80s) or an Akai AX60. One cool thing about the AX60, is that you can feed sampled sounds from an early Akai sampler into the synth, mix it with the synth's waveforms and run all through the AX60's analog filters (you'll need a 13 pin DIN cable to connect the sampler to the synth).

But to get you started making Industrial, I'd seriously look at early 90s sampling workstation keyboards so you have the sampling capability AND a sequencer.

[trashfactory]

I'm not just starting actually, been making stuff for about 6 months. Just upgrading my gear really since I've gathered the funds. All I use as of now is a Skychord Sleepdrone 3,Korg Kaossilator,Roland SP-202, Korg KP-2, DOD Grunge, Ibanez DE7, Line 6 Verbzilla, and Tascam Portastudio 4-track.

If they mostly used samplers in early industrial, where do the synthy sounds come from?Most of the samples I hear in it are samples from speeches,interviews,commercials,junk metal and what-not. I would assume that if you used mostly sampling, it would be more of a sound collage type thing.

Also, I loved the way the Novation BSII sounded, but would using just a single mono synth be a good idea? Actually, I've got this idea of using the BSI and an ESQ-1.Both synths cost around 200-250 on ebay.The BSI uses a Wasp filter! And if you didn't know, Whitehouse famously used an EDP Wasp synthesizer. There a better/cheaper choice?

[Jabberwalky]

been making stuff for about 6 months

Nah, you're just starting

[Z]

Samplers are not just for playing back one-shots of speech, drums and sound effects. The original idea of samplers was to be able to play ANY INSTRUMENT from it. Back in the early 90s, when gear wasn't as readily available and affordable as it is today, I bought the W-30 to be able to play any sound that I could find. We didn't have multi-track DAWs with unlimited tracks, so I couldn't overdub my mono-timbral synths. So I had to sample my synths if I wanted to use 2 or more sounds at the same time from the same synth. If you look at my collection of 3.5" floppies for the W-30, they're mostly samples of other synths.

BUT, as I stated in my 2nd reply, there are SOME synths in those YouTube tracks, but I mainly heard samplers.

I would spend the extra $100 (maybe sell the Kaossilator) and get the BS2 over the original since the BS-2 has much more features. I would prefer an Arturia MicroBrute (around $225 used) over an original Bass Station as well. I think one of these newer monosynths along with an ESQ-1 would go great with your existing gear.

[trashfactory]

[/quote]

Nah, you're just starting [/quote]
Haha, yeah.. I just ment I wasn't purchasing my first gear and am not completely new to making this kind of music.

[trashfactory]

[quote="Z"

I would spend the extra $100 (maybe sell the Kaossilator) and get the BS2 over the original since the BS-2 has much more features. I would prefer an Arturia MicroBrute (around $225 used) over an original Bass Station as well. I think one of these newer monosynths along with an ESQ-1 would go great with your existing gear.[/quote]

Oh, I am gonna sell my gear except for my 4-track and effects but it's gonna have to go to other things unfortunately. Also, I don't really like the way the microbrute/minibrute sounds for some reason.

[trashfactory]

[quote="Z"

I would spend the extra $100 (maybe sell the Kaossilator) and get the BS2 over the original since the BS-2 has much more features. I would prefer an Arturia MicroBrute (around $225 used) over an original Bass Station as well. I think one of these newer monosynths along with an ESQ-1 would go great with your existing gear.

Oh, I am gonna sell my gear except for my 4-track and effects but it's gonna have to go to other things unfortunately. Also, I don't really like the way the microbrute/minibrute sounds for some reason. Love the Bass Station II, though.How much would I be limiting myself if I get just that? I know of people who do power electronics/industrial with just an MS-20 as their synth, which is a mono.Not too sure about only having the BSII;the MS-20's a much better mono synth it seems

[nuketifromorbit]

Pretty much everything I heard in those YouTube videos were made from samplers. (Low bit rate) Samplers were a key element in industrial music in the late 80s/early 90s. I'd look for a 12 bit sampler like an Akai S900, S950, Roland S-50 or W-30. I had (and still have) a Roland W-30 in the early 90s. It's a 12 bit multi-timbral sampling keyboard with built-in sequencer. It also has 8 individual outs for running your sounds through effect units like distortion, delays and reverbs (also key elements in that era of Industrial)

No offense, but judging by the links he provided I don't think hes really aiming for that particular era. Didn't most early industrial artists mainly use tape and synths? Sampling at the point, early 80s late 70s was extremely expensive and rare? Also OP I would keep the sp202 if your happy with it, your definitely going to want some kind of sampler in the mix. A good aggressive mono synth will probably be welcome in your setup. Personally I would recommend a used desktop evolver for the kind of music your making, but its a very complex synth, and not nearly as user friendly as say the bass station 2. If you don't have a good grasp of subtractive synthesis yet, the current bass station would be an excellent choice. Also the wasp filter is definitely well suited for noise, I've only owned the doepfer clone, but its easily my favorite dirty filter.

[trashfactory]

Yeah, especially the last link I provided is VERY synth heavy. I didn't expect everyone to listen to all of them just for me though

[joeboy]

Surely the MS-20 mini is the way to go for an all-around noisy industrial synth? You can find one for under 450 these days, right? I saw two for around ~300 USD, but I don't think analog mania has been as strong here. The fact that it's mono shouldn't be too much of an issue either.

[synthroom]

No offense, but judging by the links he provided I don't think hes really aiming for that particular era. Didn't most early industrial artists mainly use tape and synths? Sampling at the point, early 80s late 70s was extremely expensive and rare?

Not sure when they got it, but SPK had a Fairlight by 1984. But the long vocal clips on the first link would have to be tape as a Fairlight could not sample very long with only 16K of memory for each, you'd have to do tricks like sample the clip across multiple voice cards to get more than a couple seconds.