Synth of DAW-controller

[Aaron]

I'm going to a music shop in a few hours to spend some money. What should I get, a new synth [to replace my Yamaha CS-01] or a USB/Midi DAW controller.

[horseypie]

buy a kazoo instead

[Detective Dan]

I'm not big on synths so a MIDI controller all the way

[Aaron]

I don't like stuffing round with soft-synths, but I do need something for DAW control. Hmm.

[(*The Noonward Race*)]

check out the m audio oxygen keyboards
or one like that,
i have a 61 key one with assignable daw controls, sliders, etc.

both of the functions you want
theres very little difference between a soft synth and a physical one, the algorithms are still mostly digital i think, get like a tube preamp or something if you dont want a totally in the box tone

[Aaron]

I was looking at the Novation X25 Station if I go with second option.

I just like getting my hands dirty with physical synths [sending it through a cab and micing that etc].

[(*The Noonward Race*)]

sweet the Novation X25 looks like a space station, dope.
pressure sensitve touchpad sweet, i only wish it maybe some more possibly mpc style pads i think i want one now..

have you ever 'got hands dirty' by routing the tracks out from a daw to a mixer, i do that a bit, sometimes put it on tape, use my mini kp, amp it, cabs, and mic'ing.. you can still do that, fun

[Aaron]

I've routed to 1/2" reel-to-reel tape, lol
Micing cabs and monitors is a fun way to change the dynamic

[0zzyTornado]

madeyadams

[(*The Noonward Race*)]

np: the sound of madeyadams gagging on my ****

[Shadows Within]

Hardware is still better than soft-synth so i would deff so synth, what kind of music do you play?

[(*The Noonward Race*)]

if he has a hard synth he should get a daw interface cause he that's what he needs

also aaron are you still considering winnipeg haha

[Aaron]

I want to visit it, it sounds interesting [winnipeg, not synth]. Might be a cool place to buy a place. I want to live between two countries in the next few years, just for exposure to different things. Likely to be Canada and LOLstralia.

I have a Yamaha CS01 but it's about 25 years old and unreliable. I went and tried out the Novation and it's really comfortable to play for me [I'm left handed so I need to be selective on the setups]. I think I'll buy it, and then in a few months buy a Roland SH-201 to suppliment my sounds.

[pikester]

You can use the MIDI out on a hardware synth to control a DAW just like a USB controller. You just need a MIDI interface that's like 50 bucks or whatever. That being said, the USB MIDI controller will be cheaper than the hardware synth, and you can buy rackmount hardware synths later if you really feel like it.

So basically, no matter what you get, you can do the same stuff. It just depends on if you figure the hardware synth has enough sliders and buttons and knobs, and is worth the extra money for the onboard sounds that you can probably get with software for cheaper.

[Amit]

get neither they both involve science and you know what they say about science

you can't spell science without sin

otherwise it's just cece

[RouteOne]

lol

[Aaron]

get neither they both involve science and you know what they say about science

you can't spell science without sin

otherwise it's just cece
Don't worry. I'll submerge it in holy-water before I use it. I heard that helps. I think you should cece [pronounced cease].

[The_Mop]

wait, is this like a DAW controller with faders and transport controls and crap or are you talking about a MIDI keyboard?

I'm still saying synth though. Novations are quality, I've got a KS Rack. It's like an X-station except it's multitimbral.

Just wiki'd it, turns out the sound module in the X-station is basically a barely-cut-down KS. Dunno bout the xiosynth though.

[Lunarfall]

MIDI controller + soft synths = way cheaper and generally better tone shaping and sounds

[The_Mop]

That's not strictly true. One of the best things about having a hardware synth is being to very easily control parameters (like filters, ADSR envelopes) whilst recording, on the fly. especially useful for live performance.

I've heard in Sound On Sound a lot of producers are 'returning' to hardware synths now after the rise of decent soft synths, mainly due to just simplicity in control.

And I've yet to hear a soft synth anywhere near as awesome as a Virus TI.

[Aaron]

I've decided on the X-Station 25 and a Korg Kaos-Pad 3 together instead of the Roland Juno-G [they're the same price].

[The_Mop]

Truth is man, the Juno is more of a workstation, so you could probably do more with it. You can't do samples with the X-Station, I don't think, it's completely virtual analogue.

EDIT: Not to suggest you can't do much with the X-Station, it's just you won't be able to emulate other instruments very easily. Unless you use another sound module or something.

[(*The Noonward Race*)]

you can do samples with the kp3

and he already does his samples on the computer

the x station is dope

aaron, sounds good.

[Aaron]

Yeah that was basically the trade off; dynamics and production tools vs greater amount of voices.

[The_Mop]

I was considering getting a Juno G a while back, but because of the economy and all that the prices for instruments (especially at the more technical end) have got way up. A Juno G used to be about 650-700 quid, now they're over 800 o.O

[(*The Noonward Race*)]

wtf is a quid

is a inside out squid

[Aaron]

Yeah, they've spiked about $200 here. You can normally talk them down though cause store staff know that they're going to have a tough time selling to you when you know what the price was six-months ago and indicate you're probably just order it online. Tip of the day.

[(*The Noonward Race*)]

like i said earlier i bought a mini kp in los angeles and guitar center for 125, its 250 here in canada and like 345 in wollongong ausmastralia

i didnt know stuff like that varied so much