Help!! New To Synths!

[gettinthatfosho]

Hi, I am thinking about buying a used kawai k3, because I really dig the style and the nostalgic tones. But I am new to the world of synths. I have only ever had a cheap entry-level Yamaha. But, anyway is there anything I need to know? Do I need like some expensive software or plug-in type things? I am hoping that I can just play music plain and simple like my old yamaha keyboard, but except with much more possibilities and awesomeness. Any tips/information will help me out a ton. Thanks!!!!

[rhino]

Welcome to the board!

The K3 is a rare old bird that will be lots of fun. No offense meant, but you DO understand the Kawai has no amp and speakers of it's own: you'll need a small bass amp (please not a guitar amp) and a 1/4" audio cord to hook the synth and the amp together.

Get the manual and lots of sounds at kawaius.com. Look out for patches on other sites...I got a bunch that were full of bugs and refused to load.

[midi2]

I suggest to start playing with soft synths at first to understand what's going on in the forms of sound synthesis...

[Horace]

Whew! That's quite a question. First off, what kind of music do you want to make? That can really steer your setup in a number of directions. If you're new to synths, vintage analog/digital synths can sound great and be a pleasure to make music with. A word of caution on older gear: it is old. You may have to maintain your equipment more diligently than you would with modern gear.
Software can be a very versatile tool, and there are plenty of free VST plugins available on the internets. I suspect you would need some sort of digital audio workstation (DAW) to start composing and arranging your tracks. An audio interface can also help you with with recording and midi. I have a Tascam US800 that came with Cubase, and the combo for me was a GREAT upgrade [from single-track recording off a crappy gemini mixer from who cares]

With regards to the K3 specifically, check out this video if yo haven't already:

Lots of different types of sounds in there. Seems like the K3 could be start of a solid setup, plus it has character ;]. I'm pretty sure it has MIDI too [would be surprised if it didn't] which is good for syncing to your computer/other gear/using it as a controller for software if you want to.

And welcome to the forum!

[gettinthatfosho]

@ rhino Thanks for the help! but... why is a guitar amp not okay? I have used my little line 6 amp with my yamaha with a guitar cable and it was fine. (as long as the amp is on clean). Could I use it temporarily? until I get a bass one.

@ horace thanks for the input! I am interested in making ambient/new age, and psychedelic type music, Heck maybe i'll invent my own genre!! haha

ALSO DOES ANYONE KNOW.. about programming sounds and stuff? is it hard?? does it come with enough cool sounds to keep me happy for a while? Do i have all the sounds in that video Horace linked?

[gettinthatfosho]

Welcome to the board!

The K3 is a rare old bird that will be lots of fun. No offense meant, but you DO understand the Kawai has no amp and speakers of it's own: you'll need a small bass amp (please not a guitar amp) and a 1/4" audio cord to hook the synth and the amp together.

Get the manual and lots of sounds at kawaius.com. Look out for patches on other sites...I got a bunch that were full of bugs and refused to load.

Thanks, do you know if it comes with these sounds?

[rhino]

Guitar amps (as a rule) are designed to have less low-freqency response to prevent the gutar tone from getting "muddy"... but no harm will come from using it until you get something better.

Download the manual and read it. Has some good "basics" of synth programing.

[mizu]

Guitar amps (as a rule) are designed to have less low-freqency response to prevent the gutar tone from getting "muddy"... but no harm will come from using it until you get something better.

Download the manual and read it. Has some good "basics" of synth programing.

they say in Japan that its dangerous to plug in Guitar amps. It can blow your amp, and your ears.

btw, subtractive synthesis is easy to learn compared to other programming methods (FM, Additive, PD, etc....) You'll find out quick. Also, don't get into midi and stuff yet cause people can make a whole book talking about midi, just understand what you can use it for and simply what it is.

[gettinthatfosho]

Thanks for all the input everyone!!

also Does anyone know if the Kawai K3 has a nice grand piano effect? Like touch sensitive keys and stuff?

[rhino]

The K3 keyboard has both velocity and aftertouch (you can change various aspects of the tone by how hard you press down on the key after the note plays). The factory piano tone will not fool anyone, but for a 25-year-old synth you shouldn't expect the kind of realism you can find today (for a price).

[Nightdare]

Guitar amps (as a rule) are designed to have less low-freqency response to prevent the gutar tone from getting "muddy"... but no harm will come from using it until you get something better.

they say in Japan that its dangerous to plug in Guitar amps. It can blow your amp, and your ears.

The problem lies in the input and speakers

If you were to use an amps FX return, that would be line level and no danger, but the 'normal' guitarinput may not take a synth with it's volume wide open too well

Also, a guitar amp can easily be used as Bass amp (Lemmy from Motorhead never used differently), but those 12" guitarspeakers won't be able to handle the low end frequency spikes (my 2x12 here only does 70Hz-5KHz) and slowly wreck themselves
I'd imagine a synth being 'hi-fi' and therefore work best on broad spectrum speakers, not limited frequency response designed bass or guitar speakers

[MikeRochip]

I'd imagine a synth being 'hi-fi' and therefore work best on broad spectrum speakers, not limited frequency response designed bass or guitar speakers

I agree with this. The OP should buy a keyboard amp, not a bass amp. I've played a synth through a bass amp before, and it sounded pretty awful compared to playing through monitors, which is what I'm used to.

Keyboard amps might be a bit more costly, however.

[gettinthatfosho]

Thank you to everyone on here (especially rhino)!!!! Incredible amount of information!! I signed up for a different synth forum to find out I couldn't even post anything!!! So i said screw this and came here, and I'm glad I did!!! I'll try to update you guys when I get the synth. Or maybe you'll hear me around as the next big ambient artist!!! haha

[Nightdare]

Keyboard amps might be a bit more costly, however.

But the stereo in the livingroom is ready, capable and already paid for