r/synthesizers

Bough a Leviasynth today. It is awesome, but I must say - a tad overwhelming. Anybody on here have one and have any good tips?

Just picked up a Behringer Model 15 this week. Was initially looking for a 2-XM but this popped up first. I’ve had a Moog Grandmother for a few years and figured it would be fun to get as close to a matriarch as I can. This is the first time I’ve added a piece of external gear to the Moog so I’d love some tips. Also, the model 15 sounds great and it’s fun to compare them side by side.

Had left over sticks from a school project. The top half comes off so you can move all the cables.

This was made in like 45 minutes… don’t look too closely…

Working on restoring a Moog from 1972, such an honor

I love these tropical fish :)

I'm looking for another fun noise machine and I don't want to spend too much on it. I would like to get something under $100 and I'm curious what the best bang for my buck would be. I'd honestly be down for anything, from a multifx pedal to a cheap drum machine, or even a mixer for feedback loops.

I put cheat notes on my Chompi with a label maker so I wouldn't have to relearn it every few months when I mess around on it. Not as kawaiii but much more usable, IMO. If I have to re-learn how to save samples or the various shift functions it's just not fun. I wish they would have an option that has the functions printed on the unit.

It’s one those days today - the weather oracles all predict a foot of snow, everybody in town has their stuff ready to go for things to be shut down all day, people are looking out their windows waiting for the storm to come… and halfway through the day, nothing has happened and no storm materialized yet. No shade to the meteorologists out there; my track record for predicting the future isn’t great either, but there’s always a feeling out there on days like this. Somewhere between the nerves of the gruff voice in our heads that knows *storm’s out there somewhere still could be a-comin* and the disappointed little kid that wants the fury of Mother Nature immediately dumped at our doorstep, everyone feels a little of this same thing. I tried channeling some of that feeling into a lil melody on the Juno.

Juno 106 with PWM and triangle waves, chorus 2 per youzh, and some space echo.

But above all my sanctuary where I can create, compose, and feel free, far from the noise of the outside world.. 🎶🕊️

I have been reflecting on synthesizers and my music making recently, having realized I’m almost done with an album, have dozens of sketches and have created countless patches from scratch. It’s been so fun, but it didn’t start that way! Hopefully this brief story helps those who are just getting started.

I first got into synths back in 2020. I was finishing a record and wanted to add synth elements to a very singer-songwriter oriented set of songs. I did research, and ended up getting a KORG Volca Keys because it just seemed the simplest. When I got it, even that simple box felt overwhelming. I had to learn about oscillators, filters, and was totally flummoxed by envelopes and modulation! I ended up getting things figured out and managed to add a few plucks and notes to my album. The best example is this instrumental that closed everything out.

Then, I entered my “learn a ton with cheaper stuff” era. Got a Volca Drum and added some layered drums to tracks like this one. I bought a Minilogue and thought it was the best. Then I got a Bass Station 2 and fell in love with it.

I entered my "I know more so I need more" era. I bought a Deepmind 12, and quickly realized that no, I didn't really know as much about programming as I thought. I sold it and continued working with my Minilogue and Bass Station 2. I got better. I finally wrapped my head around envelopes! It was making sense after a couple years of learning.

What followed was buying, selling, and trading purely based on workflow because I knew enough to make better choices. My Prophet Rev 2 was really cool, but there were programming quirks that I didn't really love. I sold it and realized that the Sequential Take 5 was way faster to program with a sound I connected with much more. After playing more, I realized that the immediacy and VCOs are what I was responding to, but was running out of voices, which led me to an even trade for my Prologue 16. It's lovely.

I realized I loved Novation's approach to panel design, workflow and creativity! So now I have a Launchpad Pro MK3 and a Peak. I really, really love the panel of the Peak. I've also become a huge fan of how Novation invests in their products and customers long term, with free updates and loads of videos with tips and tricks.

Now, I sit down and reach for my synths without feeling overwhelmed, and I can pick which one to use because I know what sound I'm after. It's taken me 6 years of learning, making, and experimenting. It didn't happen overnight, and in the beginning I even felt like I was in school to learn this stuff, but it's really paid off. It's become so enjoyable that programming and playing feels almost like a meditative practice, and I'm really glad this is a part of my life.

So if anyone else is in the beginning stages and feeling like it might be too tough, too complex, or not for you... maybe keep at it, and allow yourself space to be bad at it. It won't happen overnight, but I promise it gets easier. And one day, when you're discovering new sounds or grooving to a sequence, you'll realize the journey was worth the effort.

Sweetwater has the Behringer UB-Xa for $400 off ($899). I was thinking of doing a Deepmind 12, but they’re going for $909 new. I’ve looked at Reverb for the Deepmind, but they’re seem to be going for a little bit of premium (vid just spending an extra $200-$250 for a new one).

I just wanna write a soundtrack for something.

This is my second jam attempt.