Polyphonic Microbrute alternative?

General Gear Discussion - effects, synths, etc.

Moderator: Ghost Hip

User avatar
askashrub
committed
committed
Posts: 408
Joined: Wed Jun 13, 2012 1:19 pm
Location: Toronto

Polyphonic Microbrute alternative?

Post by askashrub »

Monophonic :(

I want to make all of the sounds, without spending all of the money.

Pocket piano or volca keys look like the only other sub $500 options, but neither seems very playable.
I would pay for some rhodes or mellotron-type sounds.

What do I do?
User avatar
trace
experienced
experienced
Posts: 569
Joined: Mon Feb 14, 2011 7:43 pm
Location: Tappahannock VA

Re: Polyphonic Microbrute alternative?

Post by trace »

If it has to be analog its probably not gonna happen. If digital or virtual analog is ok then there's tons of options. Alesis Micron is awesome for a cheap compact synth, can be had for like $150.
User avatar
retinal orbita
IAMILF
IAMILF
Posts: 2899
Joined: Tue May 04, 2010 7:44 pm
Location: I haven’t had a decent sandwich in thirteen years

Re: Polyphonic Microbrute alternative?

Post by retinal orbita »

Microbrute has most of the features of the Minibrute and could probably be picked up used for under $200 smackaroos. I'd just save up for the mini, it rules.
User avatar
backwardsvoyager
IAMILFFAMOUS
IAMILFFAMOUS
Posts: 4216
Joined: Wed Nov 21, 2012 4:52 am

Re: Polyphonic Microbrute alternative?

Post by backwardsvoyager »

casiotone MT-65 or similar
run through octave pedal if you want the sub bass (honestly i think these sound better than most new cheap synths)

or a microkorg

if you want something thats not super limited you're gonna be hard pressed finding an analogue synth at that price point. there are plenty of digital or VA ones that do a lot more for a lot cheaper.
a pocket piano MIDI with a MIDI keyboard running into a mixer to soften it out would sound awesome.
User avatar
Inconuucl
Supporter
Supporter
Posts: 6407
Joined: Mon Jul 28, 2014 9:35 pm
Location: Boston, MA

Re: Polyphonic Microbrute alternative?

Post by Inconuucl »

A used iPad.
Le Ciel Inconnu (I was a whale once.)
Image
NSFW: show
Chankgeez wrote: We should have a game show à la Name That Tune

Inconuucl: I can shoegaze that tune with 5 pedals.
other contestant: I can shoegaze that tune with 4 pedals.
Inconuucl: I can shoegaze that tune with 3 pedals.
other contestant: OK, shoegaze that tune!
Inconuucl: :!!!:
User avatar
kbit
IAMILFFAMOUS
IAMILFFAMOUS
Posts: 11509
Joined: Sun Dec 12, 2010 1:16 pm
Location: Philadelphia

Re: Polyphonic Microbrute alternative?

Post by kbit »

trace wrote:If it has to be analog its probably not gonna happen. If digital or virtual analog is ok then there's tons of options. Alesis Micron is awesome for a cheap compact synth, can be had for like $150.
Im going to express this once again: try out a Micron before you buy. Some people dig em but a lot of peeps (myself included) have a jard time coaxing much of anything useable out of those synths.
D.o.S. wrote:I'm fucking stupid and no one should operate under any other premise.
User avatar
Wes Mantooth
Supporter
Supporter
Posts: 3643
Joined: Tue Feb 01, 2011 11:19 pm
Location: Minneapolis
Contact:

Re: Polyphonic Microbrute alternative?

Post by Wes Mantooth »

Inconuucl wrote:A used iPad.
AniMoog and you're choice of USB MIDI keyboard. As long as you're okay using a screen to tweak parameters. AniMoog has way more sounds than any analog synth in your budget and to be honest sounds just as good, if not better.
User avatar
askashrub
committed
committed
Posts: 408
Joined: Wed Jun 13, 2012 1:19 pm
Location: Toronto

Re: Polyphonic Microbrute alternative?

Post by askashrub »

Wes Mantooth wrote:
Inconuucl wrote:A used iPad.
AniMoog and you're choice of USB MIDI keyboard. As long as you're okay using a screen to tweak parameters. AniMoog has way more sounds than any analog synth in your budget and to be honest sounds just as good, if not better.
Neat, I like the sound of that.

Makes sense for my needs.
User avatar
BoatRich
IAMILF
IAMILF
Posts: 2374
Joined: Wed Mar 26, 2014 2:58 pm
Location: Northern VA/DC

Re: Polyphonic Microbrute alternative?

Post by BoatRich »

Wes Mantooth wrote:
Inconuucl wrote:A used iPad.
AniMoog and you're choice of USB MIDI keyboard. As long as you're okay using a screen to tweak parameters. AniMoog has way more sounds than any analog synth in your budget and to be honest sounds just as good, if not better.
This is what I did, and Massdrop is selling a Samson 25 key controller with samplers for like 50 bucks right now? https://www.massdrop.com/buy/samson-gra ... controller
User avatar
John Matrix
experienced
experienced
Posts: 660
Joined: Fri Feb 01, 2013 5:59 pm
Location: Sacramento, CA
Contact:

Re: Polyphonic Microbrute alternative?

Post by John Matrix »

ANIMOOG RULES
~ bands I am in ~
OROMET // https://oromet.bandcamp.com/
BATTLE HAG // https://battlehag.bandcamp.com/
User avatar
Wes Mantooth
Supporter
Supporter
Posts: 3643
Joined: Tue Feb 01, 2011 11:19 pm
Location: Minneapolis
Contact:

Re: Polyphonic Microbrute alternative?

Post by Wes Mantooth »

John Matrix wrote:ANIMOOG RULES
I think if the interface was just on a screen on a keyboard that Moog sold, it would be far and away their most lusted after model. Does shit you can't do with all of Moog's other synths combined.
hiorgos
experienced
experienced
Posts: 636
Joined: Sat May 09, 2009 10:54 am
Location: ...

Re: Polyphonic Microbrute alternative?

Post by hiorgos »

...
Last edited by hiorgos on Tue Jan 03, 2017 8:17 pm, edited 1 time in total.
User avatar
kbit
IAMILFFAMOUS
IAMILFFAMOUS
Posts: 11509
Joined: Sun Dec 12, 2010 1:16 pm
Location: Philadelphia

Re: Polyphonic Microbrute alternative?

Post by kbit »

I just watched a demo of animooog for the first time.

Fuck.
D.o.S. wrote:I'm fucking stupid and no one should operate under any other premise.
User avatar
Deltaphoenix
Supporter
Supporter
Posts: 4831
Joined: Sun Dec 04, 2011 1:38 am
Location: Gainesville, Fl
Contact:

Re: Polyphonic Microbrute alternative?

Post by Deltaphoenix »

I agree that Animoog is BADASS. For fun, the Moog Theremini is a theremin that has Animoog as it's sound engine…I think it can do midi over USB too so you could use it with a midi controller as an Animoog sound module with keys and then have Theremin freakout times, being a dedicated piece of hardware, it may have better digital to audio convertors than the iPad and thus, sound a little better. I don't think it has every patch from Animoog but it has recently had an update so you would need to check that out further.

Also, there are a ton of other cool apps for the iPad like Waldorf Nave, Korg Gadgets app., several apps that do some great stuff with sampling and granular synthesis. I think a good iPad is a solid way to fill in blanks in one's electronic music explorations. I have a drum machines, synths, a modular and I still find great uses for the iPad.
User avatar
BoatRich
IAMILF
IAMILF
Posts: 2374
Joined: Wed Mar 26, 2014 2:58 pm
Location: Northern VA/DC

Re: Polyphonic Microbrute alternative?

Post by BoatRich »

Deltaphoenix wrote:I agree that Animoog is BADASS. For fun, the Moog Theremini is a theremin that has Animoog as it's sound engine…I think it can do midi over USB too so you could use it with a midi controller as an Animoog sound module with keys and then have Theremin freakout times, being a dedicated piece of hardware, it may have better digital to audio convertors than the iPad and thus, sound a little better. I don't think it has every patch from Animoog but it has recently had an update so you would need to check that out further.

Also, there are a ton of other cool apps for the iPad like Waldorf Nave, Korg Gadgets app., several apps that do some great stuff with sampling and granular synthesis. I think a good iPad is a solid way to fill in blanks in one's electronic music explorations. I have a drum machines, synths, a modular and I still find great uses for the iPad.
Thank you for letting me know that exists, because holy shit I've never needed something more.
Post Reply