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Have been loving a few fixed architecture synth generals lately.

1. eMu Proteus 2000. This synth can make any sound sound like it's from a 1990s cartoon. The randomize function works really well, as well as inside the Blofeld, really, and one can come up with many patches, duty free! Four front panel knobs provide a little immediacy but I still haven't truly learned how to program the thing on purpose... no need. Also it costs, like, no money compared to synths of today.

2. Kurzweil 2500RS. This synth has the internal guts of a machine where every parameter can fuck with every parameter. It's truly versatile and can make some bonk ass noises yo. I have heard that legendary string sounds lurk within this synth but have mostly been using it for sick digital bass lines, very sparkled and digital on purpose, sequenced from iPad w/ Rozeta Suite and esp. the Bassline app which features some clutch probability functions. I am quite a n00B at this synth but already have provided myself with hecka useful sounds to make my productions elite.

*cough cough*

ah-HEM.

Jealous of Iridium.

me TOO!

cute gigantic fuckerino shipped with just a euro outlet plug! woot!

have an adapter for it hitting tomorrow, but tomorrow morn i'm off to get my eyeballs SCULPTED.

by LAZERS.

s'posed to Play Blind for the rest of the day so. Wednesday i'll get to durp around in the Irie Butts?

Sounds like an excellent excuse for some blind groping, we wish you well!

pling plang plunk... crack? shit. i don't think it was supposed to crack.

WHY DID IT CRACK?

goooood bye touchscreen.

also, i kinda hate touchscreens on anything but my phone.

also also, thanks! i am looking FORWARD to my eyes being The FUUUUUTUUUUUUREEEEEEE.

Did anyone ever snag a MicroFreak? Those things are pretty interesting.

Johnny Angle and Invisible Man both have one.

D.o.S. wrote:Did anyone ever snag a MicroFreak? Those things are pretty interesting.

I've been more interested in them since they updated it to include a vocoder. Still don't know what I'd do with a vocoder, but they seem fun

vocoders are fun. Microfreak looks real tempting

Microfreak is a no-brainer for the price, I think. Don't expect the keyboard or pitch bender to be very playable (still cool), but it packs a lot of functionality into a small set of straightforward controls, which makes it a lot of fun to explore. None of the engines are very deep, but you get a handful of different engines. So you never feel overwhelmed, but there's a huge array of sounds available. The arpeggiator is fantastic. It needs some effects, but I can't imagine that lack of built-in effects is a big problem for people on an effects pedal forum. Build quality is a step up from a Volca, but it's still plastic, so don't drop it.

It is, however, not "fixed architecture". It's a digital modular. Anything can be routed to anything up in that mod matrix. If the thing you want isn't marked there, you just hold the button and twist the knob of the thing you want to re-patch. Having to cycle through the mod matrix with that one knob is the worst bit, but it's not that bad.

Yeah that's one of the best features I think

Actually, I shouldn't say the Microfreak keyboard isn't playable. Given that you can route the aftertouch anywhere you want, it can do some really expressive, interesting things, especially when paired with the arpeggiator. It's very playable, but your piano skills mean nothing here. You play it differently and get different results. It gets even better if you run the CV out to CV equipped pedals.

yeah, piano skills are actually a bit of an impediment - better to approach it tabula rasa

I got sound out of a Six Trak today, which is something of an accomplishment given the condition I received it in.

Oscillator 4 is, recalcitrant (though I get some background/floor noise response via MIDI), and several of the sections do not agree with one another regarding set parameters. I think logic analysis is in order, and a back-up battery is overdue.