NSD: New Synth Day

[bartelby]

About 10 days ago I ordered an Arturia MiniBrute, but my order was about 3 minutes late and they were out of stock. I was told it would be 3-4 weeks. But I was surprised by a delivery today!



Not had much time to mess about with it, but for a single oscillator synth it sounds massive!!

[RAY AGAINST THE MACHINE]

Cool! Now for a you tube clip ?

[AustinArto]

Our guitarist has a microbrute and it goes proper gnarly! Good buy.

[hairychris]

[quote name='AustinArto' timestamp='1460199437' post='3023465']
Our guitarist has a microbrute and it goes proper gnarly! Good buy.
[/quote]
I have a Microbrute, it's absolutely evil. Love it.

[Duarte]

Hmmm, been seriously considering getting one of these for a while now. Some pretty fun patching possibilities with the moogerfoogers....

How are you finding it?

[bartelby]

[quote name='Duarte' timestamp='1460484702' post='3026153']
Hmmm, been seriously considering getting one of these for a while now. Some pretty fun patching possibilities with the moogerfoogers....

How are you finding it?
[/quote]

I've only spent about an hour messing with it since it arrived. But running it through my Zoom B3 is pretty fun. Later on I'm going to record me just messing with knobs and sliders while the arpeggiator runs.

[bartelby]

Here's a quick recording.
Arturia MiniBrute ---> Zoom B3 (Phase 8, Delay, Hall Reverb) ---> Logic
Use my Roland R-8 to set the arpeggiator to 120 bpm.

Basically letting the Arp run while I twiddle knobs and sliders and such.
There's some clipping near the start where the output was too high for the Zoom's input. Then towards the end I mess about with more extreme settings on the Arturia.

[url="http://soundcloud.com/warm_leatherette/audio-1"]http://soundcloud.co...herette/audio-1[/url]

[Bottle]

[quote name='bartelby' timestamp='1460133887' post='3023001']
About 10 days ago I ordered an Arturia MiniBrute, but my order was about 3 minutes late and they were out of stock. I was told it would be 3-4 weeks. But I was surprised by a delivery today!

Not had much time to mess about with it, but for a single oscillator synth it sounds massive!!
[/quote]
That is so cool!

Just got mine delivered yesterday - was out last night so hasn't even been unboxed yet. Got the Red version (no other difference other than the colour). I did a head-to-head comparison with its smaller brother the MicroBrute. Wasn't that impressed with the keys on the micro, worth spending the extra on the mini IMHO. Plus it has aftertouch too. For that money a really good spec.

[BassTractor]

[quote name='bartelby' timestamp='1460552067' post='3026716']
[url="http://soundcloud.com/warm_leatherette/audio-1"]http://soundcloud.co...herette/audio-1[/url]
[/quote]

I hate you so much right now!
You totally won me over, and I'm on the verge of ordering one, despite my wallet's despicable opinions.

Thanks for posting, and congrats with your new Brute!
Enjoy!

[bartelby]

[quote name='BassTractor' timestamp='1478097002' post='3166723']
I hate you so much right now!
You totally won me over, and I'm on the verge of ordering one, despite my wallet's despicable opinions.

Thanks for posting, and congrats with your new Brute!
Enjoy!
[/quote]

They're awesome synths. I've got GAS for the MatrixBrute and the DrumBrute...

[Bottle]

[quote name='BassTractor' timestamp='1478097002' post='3166723']
I hate you so much right now!
You totally won me over, and I'm on the verge of ordering one, despite my wallet's despicable opinions.

Thanks for posting, and congrats with your new Brute!
Enjoy!
[/quote]

[quote name='bartelby' timestamp='1478098411' post='3166738']
They're awesome synths. I've got GAS for the MatrixBrute and the DrumBrute...
[/quote]
Me, I'd be happy with a MakeNoise 0-coast and a Euro-rack box of some description. Module GAS is hell. This is my shortlist:

Makenoise 0-Coast
Makenoise Wogglebug
Makenoise Maths
Music Thing Modular Turing Machine
Music Thing Modular Radio Music
4ms Rotating Clock Divider
Mutable Instruments Elements
Pittsburgh Modular Oscillator

And that's just for starters. Have got Rack GAS now too

[bartelby]

[quote name='Bottle' timestamp='1478176433' post='3167273']
Me, I'd be happy with a MakeNoise 0-coast and a Euro-rack box of some description. Module GAS is hell. This is my shortlist:

Makenoise 0-Coast
Makenoise Wogglebug
Makenoise Maths
Music Thing Modular Turing Machine
Music Thing Modular Radio Music
4ms Rotating Clock Divider
Mutable Instruments Elements
Pittsburgh Modular Oscillator

And that's just for starters. Have got Rack GAS now too
[/quote]


I've have major Modular synth GAS, but so far I've managed to prevent myself getting involved.
A couple of years ago mate of mine said he wanted a small modular set up. "only 5 or 6 modules", he said.

He has about 30-40 now, and buys another one every month

[BassTractor]

[quote name='Bottle' timestamp='1478176433' post='3167273']
Module GAS is hell.
[/quote]

Even on the MuffWiggler forum they agree with this.
At the opposite side of the scale, I invested a mere two yearly incomes on bass gear, which is [b]a lot[/b] cheaper. I'm sure that for that money in the synth world I'd only get a MicroBrute...

[hairychris]

Modular GAS is hell, because the individual parts aren't that expensive.... says the man who had a drum module turn up a few days ago! I really want a Trigger Riot to drive it. And a Pamela's Workout to deal with clocking. And I only have 2 oscillators (well, plus the MicroBrute and Doepfer Dark Energy). And aaaargh.

EDIT: Highly recommended utility module - Expert Sleepers Disting MkII

Edited November 3, 2016 by hairychris

[Bottle]

[quote name='hairychris' timestamp='1478193242' post='3167465']
Modular GAS is hell, because the individual parts aren't that expensive.... says the man who had a drum module turn up a few days ago! I really want a Trigger Riot to drive it. And a Pamela's Workout to deal with clocking. And I only have 2 oscillators (well, plus the MicroBrute and Doepfer Dark Energy). And aaaargh.

EDIT: Highly recommended utility module - Expert Sleepers Disting MkII
[/quote]
Yes, the Disting is on my "Must-Have Utility" list along with the 4ms RCD

On another note, DV247 have been really good and let me try the synth out in store on Saturday. Shipping was quick and the MiniBrute arrived Tuesday. Only now unboxed it and.....yep, they've shipped a Euro two-pin power cord in the box. B*ll*cks

As a temporary work-around I happened to have another 12V PSU laying around with the right gendered DC barrel plug. We've got plenty of Euro-UK adapters knocking around at work so I'll grab one of them tomorrow and re-use the original PSU. On a good note, the synth is plugged in and warming up right now. Yay! Speakers next....if you hear a loud, low rumble where you live, s'ok, it's just me turning up the sub-oscillator......and oooooooh, it goes down -2 octaves........brown note time

[Bottle]

[quote name='bartelby' timestamp='1478180224' post='3167326']
I've have major Modular synth GAS, but so far I've managed to prevent myself getting involved.
A couple of years ago mate of mine said he wanted a small modular set up. "only 5 or 6 modules", he said.

He has about 30-40 now, and buys another one every month
[/quote]
Oh damn I'm told the MiniBrute partnered with another oscillator is the gateway drug into modular synthesis......

[hairychris]

[quote name='Bottle' timestamp='1478198560' post='3167514']
Oh damn I'm told the MiniBrute partnered with another oscillator is the gateway drug into modular synthesis......
[/quote]

Yep, it works great as a controller (pitch CV out, Gate out, LFO out, etc) as well as an audio source and/or audio processor. It can't act as a midi interface, but my Doepfer Dark Energy has midi + USB in and pitch/gate/mod wheel/pitch wheel CVs out so can act as one even if you don't use it as a synth.

I've had nowhere near the time I want to get in anyway good with this stuff, though, and for 'fat' my go-to is a Moog.

Edited November 4, 2016 by hairychris

[Earbrass]

Possibly a little off-topic, but, partly inspired by this thread I had a play on my old Novation K-Station last night. For those not familiar, it's a rather nice little 3 oscillator Virtual-Analogue synth with lots of slideriness and knobbage. Not actually an analogue synth, before the purists jump down my throat, but behaves pretty much like one, with the added benefits of not having to warm up and (optional) polyphony. Anyway, the point of the post is that although I understand in principle what all the functions do, I frequently find that tweaking one knob or another produces totally unpredicted results, and one several occasions I found myself wondering "why is it doing that?" and progressively removing oscillators, modulations etc from the sound to try to discover what was causing the unexpected effect. So I thought I'd pose the question to all the synth users out there - how much of your knob-tweaking is part of a purposeful pursuit of a sound that you know how to produce, and how much is semi-random? Or to put it another way, when you find a sound you like, or will use, how often is that the result of conscious sound-design, and how often a serendipitous accident?

[GarethFlatlands]

[quote name='Earbrass' timestamp='1478269949' post='3168073']
Possibly a little off-topic, but, partly inspired by this thread I had a play on my old Novation K-Station last night. For those not familiar, it's a rather nice little 3 oscillator Virtual-Analogue synth with lots of slideriness and knobbage. Not actually an analogue synth, before the purists jump down my throat, but behaves pretty much like one, with the added benefits of not having to warm up and (optional) polyphony. Anyway, the point of the post is that although I understand in principle what all the functions do, I frequently find that tweaking one knob or another produces totally unpredicted results, and one several occasions I found myself wondering "why is it doing that?" and progressively removing oscillators, modulations etc from the sound to try to discover what was causing the unexpected effect. So I thought I'd pose the question to all the synth users out there - how much of your knob-tweaking is part of a purposeful pursuit of a sound that you know how to produce, and how much is semi-random? Or to put it another way, when you find a sound you like, or will use, how often is that the result of conscious sound-design, and how often a serendipitous accident?
[/quote]

The only synth where I felt like I could actually dial in a sound I was after was a soft synth of the old Roland Juno. Everything else, I get hopelessly lost and can't nail down anything like I wanted. Synth 1 VST, actual Roland SH-101, never got anywhere close! Fortunately, there's a free VST of the Juno which sounds fantastic to me. Personal recommendation but I'd give that a try as it seems very user friendly. I can't guarantee what you pick up will translate over to other synths but it's a good starting place. Download here:-

[url="https://tal-software.com/products/tal-u-no-62"]https://tal-software.com/products/tal-u-no-62[/url]

[Byo]

[quote name='bartelby' timestamp='1460552067' post='3026716']
Arturia MiniBrute ---> Zoom B3
[/quote]

+1
Same setup with my Microbrute

Edited November 5, 2016 by Byo

[Bottle]

I've just had a further dig through all the bumf that comes in the box and I found an envelope with lots of pre-punched plastic overlays with suggested settings on. How cool is that?! Nice one, Arturia

[hairychris]

[quote name='Earbrass' timestamp='1478269949' post='3168073']
Possibly a little off-topic, but, partly inspired by this thread I had a play on my old Novation K-Station last night. For those not familiar, it's a rather nice little 3 oscillator Virtual-Analogue synth with lots of slideriness and knobbage. Not actually an analogue synth, before the purists jump down my throat, but behaves pretty much like one, with the added benefits of not having to warm up and (optional) polyphony. Anyway, the point of the post is that although I understand in principle what all the functions do, I frequently find that tweaking one knob or another produces totally unpredicted results, and one several occasions I found myself wondering "why is it doing that?" and progressively removing oscillators, modulations etc from the sound to try to discover what was causing the unexpected effect. So I thought I'd pose the question to all the synth users out there - how much of your knob-tweaking is part of a purposeful pursuit of a sound that you know how to produce, and how much is semi-random? Or to put it another way, when you find a sound you like, or will use, how often is that the result of conscious sound-design, and how often a serendipitous accident?
[/quote]

With the Moog Sub37, I tend to have an idea what I'm doing and quite enjoy programming patches up from scratch. The front panel is lovely to use, very well laid out and intuitive. I'm a bit more haphazard with the MicroBrute, and completely over my head with modular!

Case in point: last weekend I discovered how weird a drum machine sound when run through a delay (Disting Mk3 bank 1a patch 3d) while modulating the delay's feedback and tempo at audio rates. I'm fairly sure that you can't get up to that sort of nonsense with a "normal" instrument, haha!

[BassTractor]

[quote name='Earbrass' timestamp='1478269949' post='3168073']
how much of your knob-tweaking is part of a purposeful pursuit of a sound that you know how to produce, and how much is semi-random?
[/quote]

Let's just call it 50-50 to keep it simple.
Just turning and switching every little bit I see on the panel - without thinking - is a lot of fun, and I like scratching my head asking myself what in the name of Pete just happened.

It's also fun to tweak that random result to get a result that can be used in the musical setting that is at hand.

For the synthesis methods I've officially learned and taught I don't have much fun designing a sound in my head and then building it in the hardware afterwards, but I've done it a lot. It's just work.
That said, intermediate results while tweaking can be fun and inspiring. Therefore, I've often changed the order of the tweaking, or started with random settings also when knowing exactly which sound I wanted and how to get there.

This brings us to presets as in that you store the results of your tweaking (as opposed to the presets the synth ships with).
In the old days I always wished for synths that could store my results, but when I finally got synths like that in the 80s, I learned that I used the stored sounds too much and that part of the fun vanished. I had to have a hard look at my discipline.
That said, programming a 1,000-parameter digital synth does require storage. Once, I used eight working days for one complex sound.

These days, I'm not preoccupied with storing my results even though 2 of my synths have 500 and 1,000 memory slots, and I've even invested in memory-less synths again.
These are simpler synths like the Odyssey.

[hairychris]

[quote name='BassTractor' timestamp='1478635476' post='3170539']For the synthesis methods I've officially learned and taught I don't have much fun designing a sound in my head and then building it in the hardware afterwards, but I've done it a lot. It's just work.[/quote]

Is it weird to say that I never get sounds in my head - I have to start somewhere/anywhere physically and hone in from there? It's the same with writing music.

Am I a freak, being a musician who can't actually create without hearing it?

Edited November 9, 2016 by hairychris

[BassTractor]

[quote name='hairychris' timestamp='1478688075' post='3170887']
Is it weird to say that I never get sounds in my head - I have to start somewhere/anywhere physically and hone in from there? It's the same with writing music.

Am I a freak, being a musician who can't actually create without hearing it?
[/quote]

I do not have the answer to this, but now you ask, I do remember that in music college there were enough of people who could not invent new music or new sounds in their heads.
I have no idea whether they were just untrained or whether they lacked some basic ability, but in general a lot of stuff can be learned - even when people think they can't learn it.

As to synths and acquiring the ability to imagine a sound and build it, I think one is helped a lot by traditional subtractive synthesis and knobby hardware and [b]a lot of time[/b] playing and experimenting, consciously looking for the answer to the eternal question "why the Hull does it sound like that".

The MiniBrute is a great example for this, as it has many knobs and sliders for such a tiny synth, and a relaxing lack of bewildering routing switches. Later, one can use its connectivity and get to the wilder stuff.