Hi, Coffee House.  Long time no see :D

I've been making live electronic music lately (well, a reasonable facsimile of such), and I'm finding that my little Yamaha toy keyboard just doesn't provide me with enough sounds (it's got 100 sounds, and maybe 2 of them are useable ).  I'm still chasing my dream of collecting and building synths!


Anyways, I want to buy a vintage/retro synthesizer (preferably one with a built-in keyboard, but I'd go rackmount if I can get cool sounds).  I know I won't be able to afford an actual analogue synth, but I've heard good things about FM synthesizers (well, not so much that they're good, but that they can make some interesting sounds).  I dig the FM sound, and I'm looking for a synth with some versatility and programmable parameters (if I have to program via PC application, that's fine by me).  Knobs and jog wheels are cool, it's just that the vast majority of affordable FM synths I've seen tend to have internal parameters that you have to edit via external means.


I'm wanting something to be the driving force (that is, all the instruments) in my new project.  I'll be making dungeon synth music (it's rad, look it up) and ambient tracks.  I also want something that I can use for lead when I'm doing my more conventional live electronic (techno, house, trance) music.


Any recommendations as to a good, affordable FM synthesizer?  In an ideal world, I want something as cheap as possible.  I'll say below $200 is reasonable, but if I can get my hands on something usable for $20-$50 I certainly wouldn't turn my nose up at it.


Thanks for the advice, Coffee House peeps 

If you're only looking to pay next to nothing, you won't find much of anything, but here's a couple with high ratings that can usually be found cheaply (no keyboard though - just use one you have with MIDI or get a dead MIDI keyboard instead):

Yamaha TX-81Z
Novation Bass Station

Here's a website that you might want to check out:  http://www.vintagesynth.com/forum/index.php

One synth I like (and have the keyboard version of now and used to have the rack version as well) is the Korg MS2000.  It's a virtual analog synth so you can play around a lot without having to shell out several thousand dollars for a real vintage/retro synthesizer.  This one is still about $400 used, but I doubt you'll find much of anything with a keyboard for much cheaper.  Maybe a used Korg EA-1 (around $100).

Note that I've had multiples of everything I mentioned above and still have one of each.  They're very usable!

I've had my eyes on the EA-1 for a while.  The fact that some of the synth parameters are tied to one another in several knobs has me scared away though :D

It's worth mentioning that I'm specifically looking for cheesy or bad-sounding synths.  I know there's nothing of real, usable, "studio" quality to be found at around $200.  I'm looking for something that will make interesting sounds, and enough of them to compose entire songs with just layers of FM synths.

I also realized today that there's a gear board here on cakewalk.  Who do I talk to about getting this thread moved over there?  Just seems like it'd be more relevant :)

TysonC


I've had my eyes on the EA-1 for a while.  The fact that some of the synth parameters are tied to one another in several knobs has me scared away though :D

It's worth mentioning that I'm specifically looking for cheesy or bad-sounding synths.  I know there's nothing of real, usable, "studio" quality to be found at around $200.  I'm looking for something that will make interesting sounds, and enough of them to compose entire songs with just layers of FM synths.

I also realized today that there's a gear board here on cakewalk.  Who do I talk to about getting this thread moved over there?  Just seems like it'd be more relevant :)

You're only a couple of posts into this one--start a new thread.  Copy and paste the original message if you like.  

You have Sonar right? If so you have several synths. Do you have Midi controller keyboard? There's just no escaping the $500 to $1000 or more you'd have to spend for a decent hardware synth. There are some real nice ones in the $700-$800 range. But for under $200... good luck. You should really work on getting something good rather than struggling with low budget 64 voice synths. It sounds like you're ready to expand your skills and music but you'll have to take the leap to do it.

I know you asked about Hardware synths but have you considered some of the Arturia soft-synths?  Made to be tweaked. 

Moving this party over to "Gear"

http://forum.cakewalk.com/tm.aspx?high=&m=2626856&mpage=1#2626856

HI,

I know this is one of those suggestions/comments that you can drop on the floor ... and I'm ok with that ... but the question is ... when you can get the best analog synths on software (check out Arturia as mentioned above -- and I have Jupiter 8v), why would anyone consider getting a hardware anything?

Actually I think I have a reason, but it's not a fun one, and is one that is a hassle, and asking in places like this can be even worse, because all the help is long distance and the experts are not capable of showing it to you hands on, when they are near you!

There are midi/computer/software issues that are a total pain in the English arse ... that some people can figure out and some can't. In this board, if you can not figure it out, you are not a musician, and you are an idiot! Just like me!

My only issue is adding layers to things, and being able to work with them. So far, I have not been able to get any so-called "daw" to play something so I can hear it and allow me to record another track on it ... and when I ask it here, these folks are not willing/capable of helping you with that ... probably because they do not want competition!

All in all, you are kind of on your own. I want a synthesizer, but I am not sure that getting one of those old ones is a good idea ... no one can work on those things and make them work ... and on top of it all the experts are worthless!

As a fun example, in 1999 at the San Francisco Progressive Music Festival, Porcupine Tree came in and their Jupiter 5 synthesizer took a spill on the way from the airport. Several people spent from 11AM to 6 PM trying to fix it with the keyboard spread out on the floor in the back area, and they could not find anything at Radio Shack or anywhere else to fix it. Richard Barbieri, at least, was preofessional enough that he spent 4 hours backstage while 2 other bands played, and ended up playing just fine when they got on stage with a roadie complaining about the bad sound ... that band sounded phenomenal to me and many others ... and they played even better and did not suffer because of one keyboard!

In the end, it's about you, isn't it? So I gave up asking for help because it simply is not there at all! And I was willing to pay the two folks here top dollar for their assist ... no answer to the emails! Is it worth the hassle? NOPE!

Moshkiae


So far, I have not been able to get any so-called "daw" to play something so I can hear it and allow me to record another track on it ... and when I ask it here, these folks are not willing/capable of helping you with that ... probably because they do not want competition!

That's not true Pedro, and you know it. The thing about this forum is that it's pretty easy to find things in the sub-forums;


http://forum.cakewalk.com/tm.aspx?m=2008449

Seems to me that you had plenty of help, including from Cakewalk staff, but were incapable, or unwilling to act on it.