Please, recommend a good synth

[atarisince1989]

Hi, I'm thinking about to get a synth. Just the sound module (if possible rack size), because I have already a MIDI keyboard and not more space for another one The problem is that this is a Yamaha PSR E323 and the sounds are a bit... weak.

I don't care about the drums, as I already have a drum machine by Roland with pretty decent sounds. I also play electric guitar, so not looking for amazing guitar sounds either. I'm more interested in bass, strings and wind instruments and some synthesizer electronic sounds.

Would you recommend any good synth based on your experiences?

For synthesizer sounds, some people has recommended me to adquire a microKORG and create my own sounds. What do you think? It sounds pretty good, and also incorporates Vocoder.


Thanks a lot.

[mal7921]

Easy one this, if you want to be a bit 'Distinctive', don't get anything new(ish). If you want something unique, look for the following:

EMU Morpheus - (Or Proteus 2000) brilliant synth with many sound possabilities, very underrated but used a lot in film soundtracks
Korg Wavestation SR - Same as above and with a huge onboard sound selection. If you want some vocoder flexability, the Wavestation A/D but be prepared to hunt that one down and pay a premium!
Roland JD-990 - The old JD-800 on steroids and the best sounding filters of its era. If you can find one with the Analogue expansion board installed, your on to a winner
Yamaha TG-77 - Well, FM and sampled synthesis in perfect harmony, lush sound only let down by a lack of resonance in the filters but otherwise a solid dependable synth

I miss mu wavestations, I sold them because I was moving towards a computer based studio in the box and have the Wavestation as a soft synth, but now I'm back on the Atari I have no Wavestations

If you go to http://malcolmramage.com and go into the archives, there is a track there called Loves dream, this is awash with SY-77 (The keyboard version of th TG-77) and Morpheus sounds, with some Wavestation thrown in for good measure, and Without Warning has some Wavestation pads and SY-77 strings.

[atarisince1989]

Wow, thanks for the quick reply, and the amount of information. The sounds (as per your songs) are very nice indeed. I guess the downside is that is going to be quite difficult to find one nowadays. I'll have a look on eBay as soon as I arrive at home (eBays is banned here at the office )

[mal7921]

If you like the Morpheus, the Proteus 2000 is pretty much identical and in fact has more filter modes so is more flexible.

However many of the morpheus sounds are not included in its soundbanks and there was no easy way to get them across (Except sit with them side by side and make the missing voices one at a time... Not fun!)

In Loves dream, the piano is pure Morpheus and if you listen at the end it transforms into an angelic choir sound, and that sort of thing is the morpheus speciality.

Oh, I almost forgot, Cheetah MS6 a matrix 1000 with 6 part multitimbal capability, and if you look up Cheetah MS6 in Google, you'll find a nice chap who improved upon the built in ROM. Pure analogue heaven with a nice MIDI interface and no unsightly conversion kits.

[mal7921]

EEEK, it's Ultra Proteus has the same filter, not proteus 2000 and there is one on ebay now for £160

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/EMU-ULTRA-PROTEUS ... 4cf47c3aac

[atarisince1989]

EEEK, it's Ultra Proteus has the same filter, not proteus 2000 and there is one on ebay now for £160

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/EMU-ULTRA-PROTEUS ... 4cf47c3aac

Wow, thanks a lot. I'm going to search for videos and sound to see how it sound. Many many thanks!

[mal7921]

there is an online synth museum that has loads of samples, though I guess it also depends on the types of sound you want from the device.

[atarisince1989]

there is an online synth museum that has loads of samples, though I guess it also depends on the types of sound you want from the device.

That would be great for my Akai S2000. Do you have the URL? I Googled it and 1st one is http://www.synthmuseum.com/, but I can't see samples there.

[mal7921]

There is that one, but there is a really comprehensive one as well, though I can not remember it's name right now.

Having said that I did find this (Don't shoot me for the first song) - http://www.soundboard.com/sb/E_MU_Morpheus_sounds.aspx which has the onboard demo's and some sounds and also http://www.polynominal.com/site/studio/ ... index.html

[atarisince1989]

Thanks a lot Malcom, you've been very very helpful.

I quite like the sounds of the Ultra. I think it could bring some fresh old fashion sounds to my music, which is exactly what I was looking for. You read my mind, man

I'll buy it. for £180 you can't get too wrong

[atarisince1989]

Having said that I did find this (Don't shoot me for the first song)

Isn't that a music for a film from the 60s? Some way it comes to my mind Steve McQueen, but maybe I'm completelly wrong

[mal7921]

I know the music but felt it was a little cheesy for a demo track, kind of suggests the synth is suited for older couples or people wanting to do ballroom dancing or something like that, not the best wayy to sell a synth with advanced filtering capabilities.

Rather like selling a Ferrari by demoing it on a kiddies racetrack, the ones where you put 50p and get 2 laps out of a small electric thing.

I must admit, I love the sound of the Morpheus and with the Ultra proteus you will have just as much fun as I have exploring the sounds.

If your on the lookout for things in the future, give the JD-990 and Wavestation serious consideration as they are superb instruments. Trouble is when people have them, they rarely want to let them go...

[atarisince1989]

Yes, the JD-990 looks (and sounds) like a beast. But as you said, probably difficult to find, at least at a reasonable price. About the Wavestation I don't know too much.

[mal7921]

I wrote a little about the wavestation here, just above the picture of the SY-77 at the bottom, may well be worth doing something a little more in-depth about it in the near future.

More info can be found here and here in the meantime.

[atarisince1989]

hmmm... used by Jan Hammer and Vangelis... two of my favorites

I've seen that there is a software version: http://www.korg.com/LegacyWAVESTATION