Analog! Oh Yeah

[Rob_In_MO]

The MOOG Subsequent 37.

For creating those unique and powerful Analog sounds that digital can never recreate.

 

[Brewdude]

Yes indeedy.




Cheers,

RR

 

[Timbo]

Funky indeed, and very jealous here

I just purchased one of the Behringer knock offs of the ARP Odyssey. My that's an analogue beast as well. Pretty damn close to the original from what I can tell.

Looking to get one of their Moog knockoffs when I scrape the coin together, still about 10-20 % of the cost of an original release synth though.

 

[Rob_In_MO]

I just purchased one of the Behringer knock offs of the ARP Odyssey. My that's an analogue beast as well. Pretty damn close to the original from what I can tell.

Looking to get one of their Moog knockoffs when I scrape the coin together, still about 10-20 % of the cost of an original release synth though.

So how is their ARP Odyssey clone? It looks cool and should have tons of possibilities.
I've looked at Behringer's Poly D, what I've heard from it sounds good and I like the 4-note paraphonic ability.
Honestly though, for the price I might pick up a little Model D in the future. Still lots of possibilities there and full MIDI capability.

Believe me - if I had the money I'd buy an original also, but that might cost me a divorce at this point.

 

[Timbo]

Yep, I get the divorce comment Rob, glad I'm single. ;-)

As you say, the price points are very tempting, for instance, an original ARP Odyssey would set me back 3000 to 6000 dollars here depending on condition. I payed 750 with shipping for my Behringer clone. I also bought the Behringer Roland TB 303 knock off, the TD-3, for $300, an original would set me back around $10,000

Their ARP knock off is as good as I remember from when I last played an original Odyssey of my mates about seven years ago. Plus it is better built with no dodgy plastic keyboard surround which only covers three quarters of the key. The Behringer Odyssey is solid metal baby, I would not like to drop it on my toes at all.

It's only duophonic, but with the ring modulation happening you can get chords happening if you've got it programmed right.

I'm loving that there are no patches whatsoever, you need to dial in the sound you're after, which as far as I'm concerned is most of the fun of synthesisers.

I'm really tempted to get one of their MOOGs clones but can't decide which. They all sound so delightful.

They've also just released a Korg MonoPoly clone which is very tempting too.

Cheers,

Tim

 

[RSteve]

The MOOG Subsequent 37, For creating those unique and powerful Analog sounds that digital can never recreate.

I am totally ignorant regarding these keyboard instruments. My working background (59 years) was in the broadcast industry and have had a broadcast engineer's 1st Class (now general) license since 1974. I consider myself an analog guy in a digital world. That said, I'm not convinced that with current digital technology most, if not all, synthetic analog sounds can't be duplicated digitally.

 

[Blackhorse]

This is where I live...

 

[RSteve]

Would this have any value?

At shop Goodwill auction. Currently $33.00.

 

[Rob_In_MO]

Would this have any value?

Looks like a small Midi controller. Great for a modular or synth control center without a keyboard.

That's a fair price. If I saw it locally, it would come home with me.

 

[Rob_In_MO]

That said, I'm not convinced that with current digital technology most, if not all, synthetic analog sounds can't be duplicated digitally.

They can be duplicated digitally with great accuracy, but there is still a difference in sound. Not psychological, you can see it on an oscilloscope. Kinda like the old Digital vs Analog in music: CD vs Vinyl. There is a quality in analog sounds that digital is missing. With that being said, the higher the resolution of the digital file (and frequency response), the less noticeable the difference becomes.

 

[RSteve]

There is a quality in analog sounds that digital is missing. With that being said, the higher the resolution of the digital file (and frequency response), the less noticeable the difference becomes.

No doubt with MP3 there is a definite loss of quality. But I think there are inherent differences in audio quality even in fully analog recording. Listen to a live acoustic instrument performance, then to a recording, analog or digital, or hybrid and there will be perceived differences in audio from the live performance.

 

[Timbo]

I find what digital is missing normally is soul, e.g. the little glitches that happen in analog gear that don't happen in digital, that makes a huge difference in the sound. Also digital is less open to happy accidents. For instance, what happens if I plug this into this when I shouldn't and then that into that which also shouldn't normally be. With analog you'll probably end up with something sounding pretty cool or interesting, with digital you'd be lucky to get anything useful out of such an experiment.

The other thing with analog especially synths, is that they're immediately fun. You twiddle a knob and can hear the changes instantly, I've found digital synths painful to program and they seem far less accessable to me. Even analog recreations on a computer aren't nearly as much fun to muck around with as a physical analog synth. I find my best creativity comes when I can loose myself in the flow of mucking around, which comes more easily for me on analog gear,

And yep, nothing beats the being there at a live performance, it's very hard to capture the acoustic dynamics of a room with microphones, no matter how many you use or where they're placed. Even a direct line recording from the mixing desk will sound flat in comparison.

 

[RSteve]

I find my best creativity comes when I can loose myself in the flow of mucking around, which comes more easily for me on analog gear,

And I think that's the essence of the discussion. An artist seeks to use the medium in which he/she is most creative. I have a very close friend who is an extremely skilled pianist/organist. He refuses to even sit at a digital piano.
For my grandchildren, I picked up a digital keyboard at a thrift shop for a fraction of what it cost new. My friend was visiting at my house. I politely asked if he'd take the keyboard for a "test drive." His reply, "Hell, f....ing NO. I won't dirty my fingers." He's a specialist on the old movie theater pianos and organs that have all the odd sound effect attachments.

 

[RSteve]

I've told this story many times and always find it amusing when I think about it. A guy who worked for me was a very accomplished musician. He played piano, organ, and baroque recorder. Several weeks before Christmas he decided that he was going to buy his eight-year-old nephew some type of musical instrument. After some discussion, he decided to buy the boy a small semi-toy accordion. At the time, I told him that particular instrument would probably be a short term noisemaker, then wind up in a closet. He ordered via mail order. It looked something like this:

When it arrived, he took it out of the packing box, glanced over the brochure that came with it, and immediately started to play it with great dexterity. I was astonished.
"How do you know how to play that thing?"
"Years ago, I took a few accordion lessons, but decided that I didn't really want to play accordion. But this thing is great and I'm keeping it for myself. I'll buy something else for my nephew."
For the rest of the day, he drove everyone quite nutz, playing that thing.

 

[Timbo]

The accordian reminds me of my scripture teacher in school, he always used one for the sing along.

That story sounds a bit like a bloke I went to school with who I'm still jealous of. He could pick up any instrument and within minutes sound like he'd been playing it for years, the really sad thing was his religion forbade playing musical instruments and he was forced to drop music as a school subject as soon as it became an elective.

As for not playing a type of keyboard? I'm a whore and will give anything a fidlle once or twice. ;-) So maybe my fingers are already sullied.

 

[Rob_In_MO]

As for not playing a type of keyboard? I'm a whore and will give anything a fidlle once or twice. ;-) So maybe my fingers are already sullied.

Same here, Brother! I guess I fall into the latter category of playing and enjoying the sound of what I enjoy most. Growing up in the 80's, I was exposed to analog and digital. Just something about the allure of all the knobs, buttons, and switches. The model I have has digital interconnects, hence no patch cables. It does have patch memories, which I actually find to be very useful, though I was somewhat skeptical at first.

I'd love to have an old Model D to restore and play around with, but that's not in the cards right now. Honestly I'm not that good at playing piano/keyboard, I'm more into sound design, of which the possibilities are nearly endless with the multi-oscillator analog synth.

 

[Timbo]

Yep same story here, give me knobs and sliders and I'm a happy chappy.

I can't play a keyboard worth a damn, but that's what sequencers are for. ;-)

I'm thinking a Model D knockoff will be my next big purchase, though Behringer keep bringing out more new/old synths every month. So the range keeps widening.

 

[Rob_In_MO]

Yep same story here, give me knobs and sliders and I'm a happy chappy.

I can't play a keyboard worth a damn, but that's what sequencers are for. ;-)

I'm thinking a Model D knockoff will be my next big purchase, though Behringer keep bringing out more new/old synths every month. So the range keeps widening.

I'm most interested in Behringer's Poly D. Closest clone I've seen and decent reviews as well.

 

[Timbo]

Mmmmm, that sure looks tasty. will keep an eye out for one at a reasonable price.

 

[Timbo]

Rob you and this guy convinced me.

Found one for a decent price so it is on its merry way to me as I type.

It sounds so good in all the reviews I've seen, I can't wait to get my fingers on it.