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Dr. Sherman Sticks M.D. wrote:

univalve wrote:

Dr. Sherman Sticks M.D. wrote:yea the electribes are really dope. i have the EMX as well. the drum samples are okay to good, but u can coax them into dope with some fx n what not...lots of tweakability and the 5 synth channels dont hurt either. love the korg synths. the 8 bars (128 steps) of sequencer is really nice too.

Thread hijack side question: Is it possible to use the Sequencer to trigger external stuff via MIDI?

definately can

Thanks! Ok, i should finally get one. Tried the first Electribe in Januar 2004 in NYC (!) and never got around to buy one. Time to pull the trigger.

Instead of starting a new thread I thought I'd join in here. Been watching/listening to a lot of Portishead lately and really became inspired to make more "electronic" music. I'm mostly interested in doing more rhytmic stuff, drum loops, beats or whatver you want to call it. Pedalwise, I've really enjoyed my Diamond Memorylane 2 when it gets really clicky. Otherwise the closest I've got to analog "synth-stuff" with my pedals are the goatkeeper and a ring stinger clone.

However I've been surfing around today looking at lots of websites and demos and really like the Doepfer stuff, dark time and dark energy. Anyone got experience with these? Are they difficult to use? What's the easiest/best way to get into the analog synth-world anyway? The word analog here doesn't necessarily mean "not digital" but I'm looking for mor lofi sounds than modern trance-ish stuff, if that makes any sense. I'd like to start with a sequencer and a synth. Sequencer-wise I'd really just like a "bigger" goatkeeper.

Preferably something with (at least) 8 steps (that's what it's called, yeah?) with the same tremolo-option on each step and also a pitch tuning option. Something that can generate the noise itself but also had an input for intstrument/mics would be cool.

See where I'm going? Anything like that out there? Will it cost me a fortune?
And yeah, are most synths compatible with other synths or do I have to think about that when deciding what to get? How do things work with pedals?

Oh, and one more thing. I'd rather get something reasonably "pedalboard-sized" than a whole piano to start with...

i haven't had either the dark time or dark energy but i have a 25u eurorack modular synth rig with plenty of other doepfer and comparable / compatible modules. far as i know there isn't another step sequencer similar to the goatkeeper simultaneously involving anything more than step triggers and note frequencies. if you're still looking for a sequencer without those though, personally i prefer the future retro mobius and orb to any others. very friendly programming and can store tons of patterns instead of something like the dark time that has just its current.

easies/best way to get into the analog synth world IMO is to start off with something simple like i did, yamaha CS-5 for example. something minimal with one voice & one envelope, assigned knobs for everything and no menu diving.

far as compatibility there are a few variations out there. the most common (hence the one used by modulars) is CV/gate (control voltage). it just gets weird when you start involving older korgs and moogs and so on, which use other formats. the expression inputs on most if not all pedals is cooperative with the common CV.

if you get into synths and start a modular, yes, most likely it'll wind up costing you a fortune.

hope some of that helps.

Yeah, you definitely want to start small with synths. I'd suggest the minibrute if you want to try something out that's relatively feature-rich but hopefully won't be too overwhelming. It has an arpegiator which will get you a feeling for sequenced sounds and has plenty of midi and cv ins and outs to make it compatible with an external sequencer if you end up looking for something more powerful.

You could buy my Future Retro Revolution that is an Analog Synth and Sequencer with built in Digital Stereo Effects and a Remix keeps the same notes in your pattern but play them in different order plus it had Midi, CV, and Din... It really COOL!!!...

Look on CL for Analog or Synth...

Portishead (Adrian) uses a lot of different stuff to get various sounds...

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YT0l-OsGpgA[/youtube]

The bots got to me...

^^ his revo has an external input, too.

space6oy wrote:^^ his revo has an external input, too.

Ahh good lookin out...

Heck to the Yes it does... You can run through the Analog Filter and I think the effects... The Synth sound has a built in Distortion with a button on the back...

The Minibrute is a great starting point for synths, I'd suggest getting something with a keyboard instead of delving straight into racks and modulars. The knob-per-function type deal makes it far easier to grasp the basics of synthesis and you just have to lug around one self-contained unit as opposed to multiple desktop units and a rat's nest of wires. Also, no menu-diving is a huge plus! Plug and play.

Just wanted to say thanks for all the answers and feedback. At first I wasn't to impressed "heck I only want to tweak knobs and make weird sounds, I don't want a keyboard" but after researching and watching a few demos round the Minibrute it reaaaally looks like a good way to get started.

I have one question though, how many notes can you play at once on the Minibrute? Are there any limitations?

Well, I was thinking the other day about promising myself not to buy anything new, gear wise (after the baritone guitar my friend is currently building me) but seems like I'll have to think again. Maybe for christmas I'll get myself a Minibrute! don't have a girlfriend to spoil/worry about at the moment so might just give it a go.

Thanks again.

The Minibrute's monophonic, so one note at a time. No chords, sorry so you'll have to make do with wall-rattling basslines and sick ripping leads. No biggie. But yes there are limitations, I'm not sure what the default note priority is on a Minibrute specifically, but usually when you hold down another note it'll jump to the highest/lowest key or the last key pressed. If there's a glide/portamento function it'll segue from one note to the other, similar to sliding on a guitar's fretboard.

....BUY ONE.

The synth engine on it can only handle one note at a time, but it will send polyphonic midi signals. So if you want to use it to controller for midi modules in the future it would work pretty good for that, if you can handle the small keyboard.

If I remember, it seems like it has switches me note priority but I could be wrong. Best way to find out would be to download the manual and look through it.

Allright, bit of a bummer but I still really like what I've been hearing/seeing. Another questions though, since you guys are so good at answering them, Can I run my guitar through this thing and how would it sound? Can you use both the guitars and the minibrutes "own" signal at the same time, in parallel, or would that just make it jump back and forth between notes?

PanicProne wrote:Allright, bit of a bummer but I still really like what I've been hearing/seeing. Another questions though, since you guys are so good at answering them, Can I run my guitar through this thing and how would it sound? Can you use both the guitars and the minibrutes "own" signal at the same time, in parallel, or would that just make it jump back and forth between notes?

Check out the end of this video....

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LlN1_LajMrE[/youtube]

modernage wrote:

PanicProne wrote:Allright, bit of a bummer but I still really like what I've been hearing/seeing. Another questions though, since you guys are so good at answering them, Can I run my guitar through this thing and how would it sound? Can you use both the guitars and the minibrutes "own" signal at the same time, in parallel, or would that just make it jump back and forth between notes?

Check out the end of this video....

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LlN1_LajMrE[/youtube]

Holy shit now I want two of them.