Survey: do you use hardware or software synths or both?
Moderators: MattKingUSA, khz
Survey: do you use hardware or software synths or both?
I thought it might be interesting to find out how many of us use only software to make music and how many still prefer external hardware synths and how many play and record acoustic instruments.
Please click all options that apply to you.
Feel free to give further details in a post.
Personally I still prefer hardware synths (all bought second hand for very little money) connected via MIDI as they 'just work' unlike software synths which can be affected by any issues the PC might have (bottlenecks, latency, lock-ups, setup issues).
Edited to clarify category for electric guitars/basses.
Please click all options that apply to you.
Feel free to give further details in a post.
Personally I still prefer hardware synths (all bought second hand for very little money) connected via MIDI as they 'just work' unlike software synths which can be affected by any issues the PC might have (bottlenecks, latency, lock-ups, setup issues).
Edited to clarify category for electric guitars/basses.
Last edited by tux99 on Sun Oct 14, 2012 4:05 pm, edited 2 times in total.
- raboof
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Re: Survey: do you use hardware or software synths or both?
I mainly use acoustic instruments and virtual synths.
The only instance where I use a hardware synth is when playing my yamaha wx11: not many softsynths have good support for the 'breath control' aspect of that MIDI instrument (OK, you can simply map it to 'volume', but it's not the same). The VL70 synth has some nice sounds that take that into account better.
The only instance where I use a hardware synth is when playing my yamaha wx11: not many softsynths have good support for the 'breath control' aspect of that MIDI instrument (OK, you can simply map it to 'volume', but it's not the same). The VL70 synth has some nice sounds that take that into account better.
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Re: Survey: do you use hardware or software synths or both?
I would add that if anyone picks 'other' please explain what the hell it might be - what music making equipment falls outside of those categories?
Apart from my real instruments (that includes my voice) I'm only using software synths and samplers because:
a) I don't have the money for good hardware synths etc although I do a have vintage synth and a couple of old keyboards here
b) I don't have the room to have loads of hardware permanently set up
c) I find instrument plugins much easier to manage than using hardware or using session managers
Apart from my real instruments (that includes my voice) I'm only using software synths and samplers because:
a) I don't have the money for good hardware synths etc although I do a have vintage synth and a couple of old keyboards here
b) I don't have the room to have loads of hardware permanently set up
c) I find instrument plugins much easier to manage than using hardware or using session managers
Re: Survey: do you use hardware or software synths or both?
Both. I have dabbled with hydrogen but i haven't taken the time to learn it completely yet - definately on the todo list but. I rather like the default drum sounds that load when you open it up.
Years ago i bought a guitar with a midi pickup on it, I bought the guitar b/c i really wanted the guitar never really paid much thought to midi aspect of it, it came with a module and an interface (A Roland JV-1010 and GI-10) So i recently retrieved the JV-1010 from my mums after it had a 4 year stint in the wardrobe, its a nice piece of gear actually tethered to my keyboard controller, also considering my options with the expansion port. I haven't recorded anything with it yet but in theory it should be easier cause i'm just sending an audio signal to my daw.
My only gripe is my Roland A-PRO keyboard it connects to the computer via USB or to the JV-1010 via midi. Problem is when the USB is connected on the A-PRO shutdowns the midi port so it appears i can't assign my rotary encoders and sliders to functions in my daw whilst i'm using the JV-1010.
Years ago i bought a guitar with a midi pickup on it, I bought the guitar b/c i really wanted the guitar never really paid much thought to midi aspect of it, it came with a module and an interface (A Roland JV-1010 and GI-10) So i recently retrieved the JV-1010 from my mums after it had a 4 year stint in the wardrobe, its a nice piece of gear actually tethered to my keyboard controller, also considering my options with the expansion port. I haven't recorded anything with it yet but in theory it should be easier cause i'm just sending an audio signal to my daw.
My only gripe is my Roland A-PRO keyboard it connects to the computer via USB or to the JV-1010 via midi. Problem is when the USB is connected on the A-PRO shutdowns the midi port so it appears i can't assign my rotary encoders and sliders to functions in my daw whilst i'm using the JV-1010.
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Re: Survey: do you use hardware or software synths or both?
Non-acoustic instruments like electric guitars?danboid wrote:I would add that if anyone picks 'other' please explain what the hell it might be - what music making equipment falls outside of those categories?
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Re: Survey: do you use hardware or software synths or both?
well, the sound is generated acousticly, so for me it would be in the acoustic category in this cas.AutoStatic wrote:Non-acoustic instruments like electric guitars?danboid wrote:I would add that if anyone picks 'other' please explain what the hell it might be - what music making equipment falls outside of those categories?
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Re: Survey: do you use hardware or software synths or both?
Yep - I automatically mentally classified electric guitars under the acoustic instruments myself. If these are classified as 'other' then I should've also ticked other too and I'd imagine the same would apply to many others so if thats the case we'll see a lot of 'others' now too.
IMHO electric guitars and basses are too common to be classified as 'other' - hence my question/ suggestion.
IMHO electric guitars and basses are too common to be classified as 'other' - hence my question/ suggestion.
Re: Survey: do you use hardware or software synths or both?
I agree, for the purposes of this survey at least I think we should consider electric guitars part of acoustic instruments.Capoeira wrote:well, the sound is generated acousticly, so for me it would be in the acoustic category in this cas.
I have clarified that now in the survey options.
I only added the 'other' choice just in case, I also can't think of what could actually fall under 'other' here.
It would be interesting if whoever selected 'other' could say what he/she categorized as 'other'.
Or was it you, AutoStatic, for the electric guitar?
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Re: Survey: do you use hardware or software synths or both?
I Select All.
Other: Hardware -Sequencer -Filterbank.
Other: Hardware -Sequencer -Filterbank.
. . . FZ - Does humor belongs in Music?
. . GNU/LINUX@AUDIO ~ /Wiki $ Howto.Info && GNU/Linux Debian installing >> Linux Audio Workstation LAW
. . GNU/LINUX@AUDIO ~ /Wiki $ Howto.Info && GNU/Linux Debian installing >> Linux Audio Workstation LAW
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Re: Survey: do you use hardware or software synths or both?
You mean this?khz wrote:I Select All.
Other: Hardware -Sequencer -Filterbank.
http://www.vintagesynth.com/misc/sherman.php
IMHO that's either not part of the survey (since it seems an effects unit, not a sound source itself) or else should belong to the hardware synth category.
Last edited by tux99 on Sun Oct 14, 2012 4:20 pm, edited 1 time in total.
- khz
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Re: Survey: do you use hardware or software synths or both?
Like this, yes.
Ah OK. Sry.
Ah OK. Sry.
. . . FZ - Does humor belongs in Music?
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. . GNU/LINUX@AUDIO ~ /Wiki $ Howto.Info && GNU/Linux Debian installing >> Linux Audio Workstation LAW
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Re: Survey: do you use hardware or software synths or both?
No problem, one wrong categorization doesn't affect the survey.khz wrote:Ah OK. Sry.
That Filterbank looks very interesting BTW.
- khz
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Re: Survey: do you use hardware or software synths or both?
Hmm correct, the Filterbank´s i use are ~effects http://www.effectsdatabase.com/type/filter/rack
. . . FZ - Does humor belongs in Music?
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- autostatic
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Re: Survey: do you use hardware or software synths or both?
No it wasn't me, otherwise I would've clarified it in a post. I am a guitarist, yes, and when I read "acoustic instrument" I think as a guitarist and immediately make the distinction between acoustic and electric instruments. But in this context that doesn't fly.tux99 wrote:Or was it you, AutoStatic, for the electric guitar?
Now we're at it, what about the Optigan?
Re: Survey: do you use hardware or software synths or both?
Hmm, hard to say, I'd say it an early form of a ROMpler , so should go in the hardware synth category.AutoStatic wrote:Now we're at it, what about the Optigan?