I want a hardware synth, need some questions answered!
Hey guys, I’m in the market for a hardware synth, but I just have a few questions!
If I get a rack synth, can I plug my midi keyboard into and record live audio through it?
I have a Focusrite 2i2, will I need a different soundcard to have my synth plugged in aswell as my monitors?
Any recommendations for a good cheapish synth?
Your focusrite will work fine it looks like. Do you want a rack, tabletop, or keyboard synth is the real question I guess, along with how much do you want to spend?
There’s some nice synths like the Mini and Microbrute, or the new Bass Station if you want analog. For tabletop you’ve got the DSI stuff like the Mopho. Tons of older rack synths of Emu, Roland, Korg, etc.
In the lower price range, the Arturia MicroBrute is getting rave reviews.
hi guys, I’ve just realised how vague my questions were haha!
I am looking for a keyboard synth, UNLESS a tabletop synth works with a midi keyboard (not sure about how tabletops work!)..
With tabletop synths, do I plug my midi keyboard directly into them? And with these type of synths do I still have the option to write in midi first then affect through synthesis, AND record straight to audio into Ableton?
Sorry for being so vague, I’m very new to hardware synths!
If you already have a midi keyboard, why wouldn’t you use soft syths? (VSTi’s)
well this is what it really boils down to.. I feel like using a hardsynth would open up a new creative style to me, I just don’t seem to get very far clicking and dragging with a mouse!
As well as that, it’s much easier to automate on the fly with a hardware synth although obviously parameters could always be mapped to a knob on my keyboard..
well this is what it really boils down to.. I feel like using a hardsynth would open up a new creative style to me, I just don’t seem to get very far clicking and dragging with a mouse!
As well as that, it’s much easier to automate on the fly with a hardware synth although obviously parameters could always be mapped to a knob on my keyboard..
apologies for double reply - my phone was playing up!
Guess it comes down to how much you want to spend then, synths can run from $50 to $5000+.
The focus is less on which synth and the cost, and more on HOW do I set these up, a previous commenter has said that my Focusrite Scarlette 2i2 will be fine for this, and that if I get a synth without a keyboard, how do I connect the synth, a midi keyboard and my soundcard/laptop together?
For example, if I were to buy a Moog Minitaur, how would connect a midi keyboard, would it be able to record audio directly (opposed to editting already programmed midi), and how would I connect this to my laptop (through my soundcard?).
Yes, and of course…
apologies, I have a very limited knowlege of hardware and how to connect the gear etc.
I have since found a video explaining almost all that I need, although I am in a toss-up now between getting a virtual plugin and a hardware synth, I feel a virtual can obviously offer more, for less money, I still just want the hands-on quick sounds that I need!
for me, it’s now between the Minitaur and Minibrute
Go hands on, especially if you’ve never used a hardware synth. Everyone should own at least one once 
If you midi controller has a midi out, you can connect that via midi to the rack mounted hardware synth. Treat a hardware synth like an instrument. You would connect the hardware synth into the line in on your 2i2, either using a trs or xlr connection.
Moog > Arturia dude.
I’ll definitely plug the Minitaur. It’s a very simple synth but it has a huge warm low end - pretty much my go to synth for bass. One thing - it does not respond to any keys above a certian key (c4 IIRC) so you can’t use it for high octave leads. That also also gives it a bit of limited utility for risers and other effect type sounds. One cool thing it does have is a way of saving patches if you download the minitaur app. The presets in there are pretty cool too although you dont really need presets with a synth this simple.
I’ve played around with the Minibrute too and it is a very nice synth for the price. One thing here though is that none of the pots are midi enabled, meaning you can’t automate the cutoff or whatever, youd have to to it by hand. You also don’t get patches and you only get 1 real oscillator + a sub oscillator. The build quality isnt as nice as anything by moog but it feels solid.
2 others I recommend are the bass station 2 (full analogue, patches, midi pots). Unlike the minitaur it does make the full range of sounds (there is no top octave) so it’s a bit more versatile. Also I would seriously check out the ms-20 mini. I adore this synth. The double filter set up really lets you make sounds you just can’t make on any of the others mentioned here. It does require getting your hands dirty with routing and modulation can only be done via CV so it’s a bit more complex than the others.
Any of these can be played with a standard midi keyboard or a midi arrangement from a DAW/maschine/sequencer.