Looking for an organ/string synth

D.o.S. · Post by **D.o.S.** » Tue Dec 20, 2016 2:52 pm

echorec wrote:Umm, yeah shucks, maybe I'm a bit spoiled because I have a $4,000 string synth that only studio owners and middle-aged people who scored during the decline of analog 20+ years ago will ever own.

You're a fucking legend.

Pepe · Post by **Pepe** » Tue Dec 20, 2016 4:56 pm

echorec wrote:
Pepe wrote:
Iommic Pope wrote:
blakestree wrote:Do you know the Waldorf Streichfett? Maybe not what you're looking for. But, ummm, it is sweet.
Yeah that thing is fucking amazing.
Maybe I'm spoiled by my KORG Trident, but I think that the Waldorf Streichfett doesn't sound a bit like a real nice vintage string synth. Rather like a semi-decent 80's poly synth. But maybe that's what some of you are craving for.
That's your contribution...really? A $4,000 rarity is your benchmark? Umm, yeah shucks, maybe I'm a bit spoiled because I have a $4,000 string synth that only studio owners and middle-aged people who scored during the decline of analog 20+ years ago will ever own. ---Yeah, that's a bit of a fucking understatement, Pepe.

That's like badmouthing someone's beloved Chinese digital delay, because you have a Binson Echorec that was used on the early Pink Floyd tours. The Trident is 13x his budget and it's insanely overpriced. Why even introduce it to the discussion? Hypothetically-speaking, if someone had four-grand burning up their PayPal account, one would be better off buying a Roland Paraphonic 505, a Prophet 08 PE, and a Solina II for the same amount of money.

Considering that most people are going to run their string synth(s) through phaser, chorus, delay, reverb, or all of the above, you would be hard-pressed to tell a Streichfett from a vintage unit on a recording. I've owned a Korg Lambda and an Elka Rhapsody, but now I use a Streichfett and an MX49 for 99% of my string needs. I'll take MIDI and a manufacturer warranty over the hype of vintage mojo nearly every time. (been down the vintage road many times) ---If I want to thicken a sound or add artificial age, then I'll insert a TC Mimiq and a tape delay into the chain. Yeah, a Streichfett may not wow you on YouTube, but add a couple pedals and it's quite efficient in-person.

Phew! Hold your horses! I didn't want to act uppity at all. I just wanted to tell how the Streichfett sounds to my ears - which are spoiled by my KORG Trident that I bought through a lucky deal for 75€ (!) in 2007. The Streichfett CAN sound nice, but if anyone is searching for exactly that sound of the KORG Lambda/Solina String Ensemble/Logan String Melody league, he/she might be disappointed by the Streichfett which seems to fill those needs at first look. It is a totally different beast and with my last sentence I wanted to say just that: maybe this certain Streichfett sound might be the desired basic tone of some players. I simply don't know. We all have different tastes and the Streichfett will never be my friend. But I don't look down on those who love it. Please don't get me wrong. I'm not known as a snob.

Chankgeez · Post by **Chankgeez** » Tue Dec 20, 2016 6:28 pm

escalation!

Yeah, Pepe's definitely not a gear snob.

echorec · Post by **echorec** » Tue Dec 20, 2016 6:36 pm

Chankgeez wrote: escalation!

Yeah, Pepe's definitely not a gear snob.

I know Pepe's not a gear snob. After all, he likes Boss pedals. I was just giving him a hard time.

popvulture · Post by **popvulture** » Tue Dec 20, 2016 6:53 pm

Haha I'll always appreciate that a perceived Gearslutz-esque response will be quickly remedied on here, once again proving the consistent loveliness of ILF.

rfurtkamp · Post by **rfurtkamp** » Wed Dec 21, 2016 11:39 am

For cheap in the budget, the Roland RS-5 or RS-9 from the early 2ks is $300ish used.

I have one and it does traditional happy sounds well enough.

space6oy · Post by **space6oy** » Wed Dec 21, 2016 3:43 pm

re: RS-09, it isn't exactly realistic, but it's a cool suggestion. i have one.

rfurtkamp · Post by **rfurtkamp** » Wed Dec 21, 2016 11:36 pm

Not the RS-09 vintage, see....

"the Roland RS-5 or RS-9 from the early 2ks is $300ish used."

Pepe · Post by **Pepe** » Thu Dec 22, 2016 5:06 am

Roland model numbers confuse me very often. I don't know who's responsible for the model numbers, but they are so cryptic sometimes that you cannot tell them apart.

rfurtkamp · Post by **rfurtkamp** » Thu Dec 22, 2016 5:56 am

There's 40-some years of stuff, but for the multi-named it's why I mention era etc.

Iommic Pope · Post by **Iommic Pope** » Thu Dec 22, 2016 7:29 am

That's got to appear on the top ten list on conversations I never expected to read between echorec and Pepe.

Shanetram · Post by **Shanetram** » Thu Dec 22, 2016 10:22 pm

space6oy wrote:re: RS-09, it isn't exactly realistic, but it's a cool suggestion. i have one.

Got mine on eBay for $275 within the last year. It was a little beat up but deals can be had.

Yamaha sk-20 mentioned earlier is also a good suggestion!

Seten · Post by **Seten** » Fri Dec 23, 2016 11:21 pm

Right now I'm really liking the yamaha SK series. Can someome give me a quick run down on the differences between SK-15 and SK-20?

kaeth · Post by **kaeth** » Sat Dec 24, 2016 12:03 am

I have the Sk-20. Never played the 15 so I wouldn't say this info is verified as there could be something I'm missing. The 20 has an extra octave of keys, and the ability to split the keyboard into 2 sections. 20 has a couple preset buttons for the organ and poly-synth that aren't really useful anyway. The 20 can apply vibrato to the poly-synth section separately, where the 15 applies it to everything. It also looks like on the 15 you have to choose between tremolo or ensemble (chorus) for both organ & poly sections, whereas on the 20 you can use either one separately, but still not both on the same section. The 20 has separate outputs for each section as well as a mixed output. The 15 just has the mixed. 20 also has a sustain pedal input which the 15 lacks, and individual tuning knobs, so you can detune different sections.

The SK-20 is more like 3 distinct synthesizer types, each with their own signal path. The SK-15 is more like one signal path with 3 parts to it. If you're only using one part at a time, they are almost functionally identical.

jrfox92 · Post by **jrfox92** » Sat Dec 24, 2016 2:04 am

echorec wrote:
Chankgeez wrote: escalation!

Yeah, Pepe's definitely not a gear snob.
I know Pepe's not a gear snob. After all, he likes Boss pedals. I was just giving him a hard time.

More proof echorec is the new D.o.S.

space6oy wrote:re: RS-09, it isn't exactly realistic, but it's a cool suggestion. i have one.

Realistic as in it doesn't sound like strings or price wise?
I got mine for $350 counting a couple of shitty Crate amps that I traded for ~$120 of credit towards it.
That being said, it doesn't sound like strings at all. It sounds like a synth. A synthy synth.