PJ Harvey-like cheap synth

euseila · Post by **euseila** » Tue Jul 11, 2017 12:51 pm

Hi guys! This is my first post at VSE although I've been lurking for a while. I've only recently started reading about synths and I am yet to buy my first one so please try to tolerate my ignorance hehe.

I'm looking for a cheap synth that will get me a sound similar to the one you'll hear on this PJ Harvey song (from 1:48 onwards):

Would a 20£ stylophone do? Probably not, right? I wouldn't like my budget to go over 200 USD since I'm buying s-loads of other stuff but if I find exactly what I want for a higher price, I'll consider it. I'd rather not buy anything second handed since I live in a country where such things are not easy to find.

I'll be playing it alongside my electric guitar, voice and drum machine. I want it to be aggressive without sounding modern. I wouldn't be playing complicated melodies. In fact, I'd probably play only one to four notes to provide texture / create chaos ahahah. Each note lasting a long while. Something with drone-like characteristics that sounds like it might just be about to break. Lo-fi.

Edit: If you don't think there really is anything of the sort when it comes to hardware, please feel free to advise some VSTs (which I would rather not use but what can I do if there's no alternative...).

Thanks a lot!

Dezb1 · Post by **Dezb1** » Sat Jul 15, 2017 5:10 pm

I know she was / is a big fan of the Yamaha QY20 not sure if this is the synth on the song you posted as I can't play the video ' video not available' as usual.

Post by **meatballfulton** » Sun Jul 16, 2017 1:34 pm

Over my computer speakers it just sounds like a combo organ to me. Hard to tell with the low fidelity of the recording

Music Bird · Post by **Music Bird** » Sun Jul 16, 2017 3:42 pm

It sounds like it could be a combo or home organ, right, it does sound like one, and also, it could be the QY-20, or a cheap Yamaha PSR (they have the same sound set for the XG Lite, it sounds like the Even Bar organ or one of the 70's drawbar organs). I think a used Yamaha PSR would be under $200. While home organs can be found really cheap too.

Synthabator · Post by **Synthabator** » Sun Jul 16, 2017 7:40 pm

have no idea what I was looking for. A bunch of distortion and maybe a guitar synth.

PJ Harvey-like cheap synth

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Re: PJ Harvey-like cheap synth

Re: PJ Harvey-like cheap synth

Re: PJ Harvey-like cheap synth