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Ok first of all, as I already mentioned before, I'm a complete noob concerning synths/eurorack/midi/modular/etc. I don't know shit! haha

So, what does someone who wants to get into synths and stuff need? I need to know: what cables do I get? what amp/speaker do I use? what should I start with? well, everything
It looks like an absolutely amazing world and I want to get in it but have no idea where to start. ps: I'm on a quite tight budget so forget moog and $800 stuff.

What I have that could maybe help:
- Tube amp for my guitar
- Pedals
- Edifier R1280T speakers for my turntable (could I use them?)

I was thinking about: Volca FM, Critter&Guitari portable synth, microkorg ...

Please help me guys I would really appreciate !

Have you looked at the 0 Coast or the Mother 32?

D.o.S. wrote:Have you looked at the 0 Coast or the Mother 32?

holy shit those look badass. But I guess I would need some kind of keyboard in order to make some chords/notes ? Sorry for being totally ignorant.
Thanks for the suggestion, maybe a little expensive for now thought..

So I'm in the same boat!!

I purchased an Arturia Microbrute recently as my first synth. I paid $215 for a demo model. I felt this was a great first device after reading about it and watching demos. It's been a blast so far.

I'm primarily a guitar player as well...having some pedals is great to broaden the tone!

I bought some studio monitors for my desk and I run it through those when I'm not using headphones.

The manual is quite good and I've been going through it learning about all the stuff it can do. And I also chose it because I can incorporate a second device easily in the future. I'm not sure I'll go Euro, but I already know I'm going to add something like the 0-Coast or something from Dreadbox.

I initially thought about a Korg Volca as well...but was steered towards something w keys due to many suggestions to do so. I am brand new but being mono makes it a bit "newb friendly" I've found.

Someone turned me on to Syntorial and I may go through that to learn in a more formal manner.

Anyways...feel free to PM me!!

I need to learn MIDI as well...

What kinds of sounds do you want to make---retro film score (70s), synth pop(80s), ambient(70s to present), contemporary electronic(90s-10s)?

For a starter synth/package, there are certainly a variety of option at $400 or less: Reface CS, Reface DX, 1980s Casiotone (+pedals), Yamaha TG33+Arturia Keystep. If you're more interested in sound design than actual keyboarding, an iPad would give you the most variety of sound engines and modules. Some of those apps will give you a much better understanding of synthesis than many $200-400 synths will. Not to mention with built-in sequencers, arpeggiators, and matrix capabilities, you'll be making your own compositions much faster.

Microkorg was my first synth (it took me forever to figure anything out on it when I first got it). A couple of volcas and a cheap bass amp, or no amp at all if you use headphones, would be a fun place to start. A microbrute or monoloue would also be excellent choices.

Where it's your first synth I'd start as basic as possible. If you get a Volca FM I feel like there's an excellent possibility that you wouldn't learn much about how a synthesizer works. Almost all the controls are hidden in sub-menus, like over a hundred controls. I would highly recommend avoiding any synth that you have to menu-dive with as a first synth.

O-Coast and Mother 32 are excellent starting points. I could see the patch-bay being a little intimidating if you're new to this, but you could always ignore the patchbay entirely on those until you feel like you're ready for it. I would've killed for synths like these when I was first getting into synths. You can play the Mother 32 with its little built in keyboard, but you would need something for the ocoast.

You can plug synths into anything, I use mine with a little 5w guitar tube amp. But you have to be a little more careful when using guitar amps (they aren't made to handle the lows synths can put out). You could use your amp, I would just shy away from cranking it up too much. Your turntable speakers would work if they're powered and you had the right kind of adapter cables? I'd recommend a bass amp, or headphones. I usually just use headphones

They use the same cables for the most part. The little "toy" synths like the volcas and pocket operators have a 1/8th inch trs output (I say "toy" because they're small and super fun). So, you just have to use the same kind of adapter you'd use for your phone/ipod/cd player/whatever (a 1/8" male trs to 1/4" male mono adapter). Most things use the same full size cables your guitar and pedals use.

raj007 wrote:So I'm in the same boat!!

I purchased an Arturia Microbrute recently as my first synth.
I initially thought about a Korg Volca as well...but was steered towards something w keys due to many suggestions to do so. I am brand new but being mono makes it a bit "newb friendly" I've found.
Anyways...feel free to PM me!!
I need to learn MIDI as well...

Thanks dude! I thought about the microbrute too. something with keys is indeed more attracting to me but I think I would prefer Poly over Mono..

As for the Make Noise 0-Coast and Moog Mother-32, I just don't get how it works.. Do you need some keys to play with it or you can just have that and be good to go? I don't understand

echorec wrote:What kinds of sounds do you want to make---retro film score (70s), synth pop(80s), ambient(70s to present), contemporary electronic(90s-10s)?
.

Mostly chord progressions, droney organ sound you know ? good example (from 0:50 to the end ) : https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d7ec4sVK6Mk .. omg that sound
Also some more fucked/dark sounding drones and fucked up noise like this https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LskJowvADUo , https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h3KdWNLGk_g .

wfs1234 wrote:Microkorg was my first synth (it took me forever to figure anything out on it when I first got it). A couple of volcas and a cheap bass amp, or no amp at all if you use headphones, would be a fun place to start. A microbrute or monoloue would also be excellent choices.

Where it's your first synth I'd start as basic as possible. If you get a Volca FM I feel like there's an excellent possibility that you wouldn't learn much about how a synthesizer works. Almost all the controls are hidden in sub-menus, like over a hundred controls. I would highly recommend avoiding any synth that you have to menu-dive with as a first synth.

O-Coast and Mother 32 are excellent starting points. I could see the patch-bay being a little intimidating if you're new to this, but you could always ignore the patchbay entirely on those until you feel like you're ready for it. I would've killed for synths like these when I was first getting into synths. You can play the Mother 32 with its little built in keyboard, but you would need something for the ocoast.

Thanks that's a good point (on the FM). So you need keys to play the ocoast, thanks. I haven't noticed the built in keyboard on the mother-32 I'll have to take another look. It could be an option.. quite expensive but ... an option nonetheless

So if you want chords and droney organ stuff and a keyboard you might like the Minilogue.

if you want polyphony and can hack 500 bucks get a korg minilogue.
https://www.sweetwater.com/store/detail/Minilogue''

edit: heh, dos beat me to it.

D.o.S. wrote:So if you want chords and droney organ stuff and a keyboard you might like the Minilogue.

Thanks I thought about that one too it looks really good

My turntable speakers are ''powered'' speaker with dual RCA inputs http://www.edifier.com/ca/en/speakers/s ... -bookshelf it could do the job I guess ?

THE GAS IS REALL !!!

get an 0-Coast and the controller device of your choice (Microbrute? Minibrute? cheap decent other synth? Keystep? everything works well with the 0-Coast), learn how to get every possible thing out of that device combined with your pedals, and by then we'll have the singularity and gear won't matter

JTurbide wrote:My turntable speakers are ''powered'' speaker with dual RCA inputs http://www.edifier.com/ca/en/speakers/s ... -bookshelf it could do the job I guess ?

you'd have to get 1/4" to RCA adapters. then that'd be fine.

JTurbide wrote:

D.o.S. wrote:So if you want chords and droney organ stuff and a keyboard you might like the Minilogue.

Thanks I thought about that one too it looks really good

My turntable speakers are ''powered'' speaker with dual RCA inputs http://www.edifier.com/ca/en/speakers/s ... -bookshelf it could do the job I guess ?

THE GAS IS REALL !!!

So what kind of tube amp do you have, and more importantly, what kind of guitar cab do you have?

You're probably going to want to look into a bass/keyboard amplifier, but it doesn't have to be expensive. I don't think I would recommend using home audio speakers for a synth.

space6oy wrote:

JTurbide wrote:My turntable speakers are ''powered'' speaker with dual RCA inputs http://www.edifier.com/ca/en/speakers/s ... -bookshelf it could do the job I guess ?

you'd have to get 1/4" to RCA adapters. then that'd be fine.

Thanks seems obvious to most but it helps

Well my amp for now is a DRRI but I'm looking to downgrade for an AC15 to get some $$ for a synth

Also, just to clarify, I'm not gigging or recording professional stuff so in terms of quality I don't mind using my speakers instead of an amp (if it's safe). I'm very restricted about volume (apartment life) so it would probably not damage my amp... headphones are an option too as I have a quite good pair

I can recommend the Moog Mother 32. It's a blast, will teach you a lot, and is packed with lots of sounds, features, possibilities.

If you're worried about playability and user interfaces, it has a small keyboard built in (those rubber pads at the bottom are keys as well as buttons to program the sequencer). Watch some demos to see if the sounds appeal to you. You could build out a ton from there, or you could sell it at a small loss if it isn't right.

The O Coast is great, too, but uses a style/language not everyone gels with quickly. Microbrute is a great option, too, and pairs well with more Euro if that's something that interests you. That and the Moog would be great complementary mini systems.

You can use whatever speakers you like. I use a tube amp, bass amp, headphones and studio monitors for my synths depending on what I'm doing. Monitors and headphones are most accurate, but sometimes you wanna move some air.

Tl;dr: buy a used Moog and go nuts. You could also buy a MIDI keyboard for it, but it hunk there's more fun to be had without one.