Hey guys I’m keen on buying a synthesizer but I’ve got not much idea of what I should be getting. I’m pretty poor at the moment (student) so I’m only really prepared to spend a few hundred on it.
I’ve got FL Studio and some synth plugins so I thought It’d be a better idea just to get a second hand MIDI keyboard and use that instead of buying external synth hardware. They’re fucking expensive!
I really just want to do my best to learn how to program them and muck around with them so eventually I can get the exact sounds I’m after in my head.
I want a semi-sizeable one as I used to play the piano for like 4 years but it’s been a few years now but I’d be able to pick it up again pretty easily. I understand there’s some drawbacks to using software synths but I don’t think it’s too major. Is there anything that I should know before buying a MIDI keyboard or any advice you guys have before buying some hardware?
Predator by Rob Papen is a very versatile soft synth to have. Very flexible, three OSCs and everything else you’d expect a synth to have.
TAL also has a number of decent soft synths for free you can check out. Pretty decent for being free, and if you get a couple of them you should be able to make most sounds you can think of
(A fav of mine is the TAL-U-No-62. Such a full and lush sound!)
As for a midi keyboard, check out the Akai MPK lineup. I would maybe go for the MPK49 since you have some formal training already. Should be able to get the most out of it and it has a number of knobs/buttons/pads/faders you should be able to map out to your soft synth to make sound design a lot more easier and intuitive.
That sounds awesome. If I decide to get a MIDI keyboard that doesn’t have many knobs on it would it be possible to build something similar to the midi-fighter that could control the software synth settings independently? Like having the keyboard as the controller for the keys AND a separate box that would function as the actual synth controller?
im guessing you’re after a mid-size midi keyboard, and these normally come with enough knobs and buttons already so you shouldn’t need a separate unit.
Something like the Akai MPK25 will give you a bunch of knobs to assign to soft synths, and pads for tapping out drums. If you want a hardware synth, I’ve seen Alexis microns and Akai miniaks going for cheap lately, or maybe you can find a used novation k-station, which would be a great first synth.
I have the m audio oxygen 49 key (or 48? hell, I can’t remember). Plenty of buttons and knobs to assign on that one. Only thing missing are some drum pads.
I am currently looking for synth that are useful in creating Deep House lines. I currently use NI Massive which is an extremely good synth, but I am finding it hard to create the soft evolving sounds that I desire.
Can anyone please suggest maybe tutorials for the NI Massive synth to create Deep House lines, or any synths that can do a similar job?