Vintage Synth Explorer Forums

Hello people. I have stumbled across this website and WOW!

I may sound like an idiot here but your guys nust have a wealth of knowledge that can save me some time (I hope).

I am in a band (www.lunarpilots.co.uk) and currently have a Tyros 2 which a great all rounder and fit for my purpose.

However, I am now after a cool professional analogue synth with keys (at least 2 octaves preferably 3 or more). I also want it to be able to capture sampled sounds and replicate them at different frequencies as I play different notes.

I see that the microkorg has a vocoder. Will this do what I want with any sound other than voices? My budget is up to £500 but will consider higher if the gear is the nuts!

Any advice is greatly received!

I dont think you will find anything that does both. Just find something with midi and attach a sampler of your choice

Oh ok thanks.

What sampler would you recommend?

I think I am going to get a microkorg anyway as it has some great synth sounds.

I guess the way forward with the sampling is to hook up a sampler with midi and then capture the sounds into my tyros? Or would I need to have the sampler permanently hooked up to ensure I got the sounds across all the keys?

I suggest this earlier but deleted my post cause I wasn't sure your Tyros sampled or not. I think it has an AWM2 Tone Generator with the Motif Engine in it with similar sampling capabilities to it and or the RS7000 if it does have it, it should be a pretty decent sampler if so, samples across all keys, and no need for an analog or VA synth unless your just looking for the knobage, the tyros should sound as good as any VA or Analog for all practical purposes. You'll just have to learn how to edit or program its voices like patches on the other synths. Plus you ought to be able to get a lot more real acoustical sounds out of it too that those other synths can't do, but I have never had the chance to mess around with a Tyros to know for sure, for their costs tho I'd hope it would also come with a date with Mira Sorvino at a fancy restaurant.

Oh yeah see if you can add an AN PLG card to your Tyros instead of getting a MicroKorg.

drhigh5 wrote:able to capture sampled sounds and replicate them at different frequencies as I play different notes. However, I am now after a cool professional analogue synth with keys (at least 2 octaves preferably 3 or more). My budget is up to £500 but will consider higher if the gear is the nuts!

Hi drhigh5, welcome to VSE, as mentioned you would be able to do that with your tyros 2. but if you want a keyboard which has a VA engine as well as sampling and other cool features, the Fusion HD fit that price nicely and going to be a great addition to your tyros 2.

Zamise wrote:Oh yeah see if you can add an AN PLG card to your Tyros instead of getting a MicroKorg.

as with their new XS line, this is what's been missing. the new boards are no longer supporting the PLG cards.

Thaks guys for your replies. This is a learning curve for me and I appreciate your advice.

From what I can establish Tyros 2 uses the XS motif engine and has done away with PLG. Can I still achieve all the same great synth loops and that I have listened to sampled from from a korg kp3 or similar?

I think I need to go on a course or something! I really don't understand how I can use the tyros as a sampler. I think I need to get a hard drive expansion to start with. No problem.

Are there standard sample formats that I can load into the tyros to try out?

Thanks for the tip about the Fusion HD. To confirm is this a Fusion 6HD?

I am actually after a cool retro looking little synth with knobs rather than buttons that is a contrast to the tyros for live gigs as well as professional recording. The 6HD looks quite similar in appearance to the tyros.

What I liked the look (and sound of) about the microkorg is that it seems much simpler to use and get the great sounds I am after. Perhaps I need to have a lesson on the tyros if it can do the same thing?

As you say for the price it ought to do everything with bells and whistles on!

drhigh5 wrote:Can I still achieve all the same great synth loops and that I have listened to sampled from from a korg kp3 or similar?

sure, if you have the KP3, just sample it and load/playback the .wav file. the Tyros 2 is able to do this. or for even more fun and easier sampling, you might want to check out their new Kaossilator.

drhigh5 wrote:I think I need to go on a course or something! I really don't understand how I can use the tyros as a sampler. I think I need to get a hard drive expansion to start with. No problem.

I think you don't really need to take a class for this you just need some basic understanding of sampling. If you have any PC, soundfonts is an easy and cheap (even free) way to learn a hands on experiment with a multisample sampling just like you want. Also it has a huge of free library on the net. Just Download the Vienna Editor and read everything about it, it will teach you many thing about it. You can get it here and learn about it here. Also if you have access to any sequencer, this free virtual sampler is a great way to start.
no need to get any hard drive to learn, the Tyros is going to be ready for a learning purpose.

drhigh5 wrote:Are there standard sample formats that I can load into the tyros to try out?

after you have some basic understanding about sampling and multisample, you could make your own using any .wav you like. and toy around more with the Voice creator in the Tyros 2. Unless you really want to easily playing samples from a specific format, the FusionHD will be able to load soundfonts and other format such as the huge Akai library using the Fusion converter.

drhigh5 wrote:Thanks for the tip about the Fusion HD. To confirm is this a Fusion 6HD?

Yes, your budget can even get a used 8HD to play the great piano sounds of your Tyros better.

drhigh5 wrote:I am actually after a cool retro looking little synth with knobs rather than buttons that is a contrast to the tyros for live gigs as well as professional recording.

If like this, may be what you need is actually two units, a dedicated sampler, and a VA with nice interface. I won't say that working with microkorg interface is easy, even many said that it's serviceable. If budget permit, you may want to check out the P08 which is the hottest new DCO polysynth around. But if you are ok with the microkorg smallish keys and interface, it would make a nice first time budget VA. and yes, I like the look of it too just make sure to get the limited black reversed key edition, it will look even cooler on top of the Tyros 2 8)

drhigh5 wrote:Perhaps I need to have a lesson on the tyros if it can do the same thing?

as my experience with the S-900, while the Tyros 2 would do some good analog emulation, but not as funky as the MK, since it has features and engine that will sounds different from the Tyros 2.

drhigh5 wrote:As you say for the price it ought to do everything with bells and whistles on!

yes, the capability of layering three sounds easily (2 on the S-900) will make it capable of doing many unique sounds, surpasing a standard bread and butter sound of just a super XG module good luck and happy sampling.

Thanks ever-so-much for all your advice.

I will learn about sampling as you advise. Those links are very useful.

I will look at a ll the alternatives before I decide.

I like the look of the P08 but may be a bit over budget considering I already have a tyros. I think the microkorg (limited edtition) is the budget way forward. If I can't get the tyros to work my sampling requirements then I may also get a kp3 or similar.

I will read through carefully all you advise first though.

Thanks again!

no probs, selecting the right gear is enjoyable yet important since the beginning. hope you made the right choice. here's another very nice sampling guide made by Yamaha which will also explain about several different sampler such as loop sampler and multisampler as well as some history of their instrument.

Thats too bad to hear about the XS and Tyros not taking the PLG cards now

I think ye need to learn the Tyros still, especially the sampling if thats what you plan on using a lot of, but I can also see the need to get something more immediate, cheap, and basic too until you figure out how to do it all on the Tyros. And, in that case the microkorg might be a good answer for you.

I'm not fond of microkorgs, or any korg personally which is a personal thing, but they do sound nice and often suit newbs a little better.

The Alesis Fusion I'd not even bother poking with a stick, another personal thing, it might sound great and easy to use too but I'll probably never know unless I wanted to tie it behind someone's car who just got married. They do seem like great deals for what you get with them though, so I'm not going to knock anyone for having one.

If your looking for an all around great performance synth with lots of knobage at a decent price then pick up a Novation X-Station. No sampling, not analog either but has a lot of everything else for a budget performance synth. Some might say it sounds too digital, but its a good digital sound for its price IMHO. I think its respectable, and don't hear much about them so sort of sleeper unit maybe even under rated synth.

Just my thoughts, good luck with whatever you go with tho.

Zamise wrote:Thats too bad to hear about the XS and Tyros not taking the PLG cards now

yes, they said that the new architecture no longer supporting those cards anymore gone is my expectation for more exciting cards like the FS1R or SY99 on a card, left one slot empty in my MU100..

Zamise wrote:If your looking for an all around great performance synth with lots of knobage at a decent price then pick up a Novation X-Station.

agree, the desktop Evolver will happily sit on top of that (X-stn61) and both going to be one of the cheapest system for a good real analog sound with plenty amount of control. I really like the key and aftertouch action of this keyboard.

Zamise wrote:Some might say it sounds too digital, but its a good digital sound for its price IMHO.

to me it's a bit on a more analogish sounding compared to the Nord or some other VA. it has certain beefiness that's lacking from some VAs. and since it actually sit on a stand just about my S900 (with the Evolver too) so, I know how those will supporting each other well.

to drhigh5, back to the vintage sampler request, try to process your sample through the Evolver real analog filter and other dsp, it might instantly sounds more vintage