# Looking for some synthspiration



## Marcus Millfield (Dec 10, 2020)

Hi guys and gals,

The thing is, I bought a synth a few years ago when I was on an electronic music high and used it vigorously for a few years, but haven't really used it this year simply because it doesn't inspire all that much anymore. I just don't have the spirit anymore to program something with it and nowadays mainly end up just droning away a bit.

I think I'm just looking for some inspiration. How do you use synths in your music? I hate having a great instrument and not using it!

Mark


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## fourier (Dec 10, 2020)

Wish I could lend you any advice, but my use of synths have mainly been for making electronic music - but if you're looking for inspiration and if you really like the vintage synths, perhaps the newly released update of V collection 8 can be of interest https://www.arturia.com/products/analog-classics/v-collection/overview#en 

I got my hands on a novation nova back in the day, and for me this gave me the chance to reinvent takes on songs when playing in a cover band. By far the best purchase I did if I count hours spent playing/tweaking vs money invested. Again, not sure if I'm helpful, but the ability to tweak the heck out of sounds to create something that just feels exciting is for me the first step before I start thinking about how this can be incorporated.


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## Wally Garten (Dec 10, 2020)

Marcus Millfield said:


> I just don't have the spirit anymore to program something with it



Do you mean you don't have the spirit to program patches? If so, may I suggest Synplant? You don't program anything -- you just start with a basic "seed" patch and you "grow" some other patches from that patch by dragging branches that change the parameters of the synth in some mysterious, behind-the-scenes ways. It's good because it really forces you to use your ears instead of your analytical brain.


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## Marcus Millfield (Dec 10, 2020)

Tldr: have synth


fourier said:


> Wish I could lend you any advice, but my use of synths have mainly been for making electronic music - but if you're looking for inspiration and if you really like the vintage synths, perhaps the newly released update of V collection 8 can be of interest https://www.arturia.com/products/analog-classics/v-collection/overview#en
> 
> I got my hands on a novation nova back in the day, and for me this gave me the chance to reinvent takes on songs when playing in a cover band. By far the best purchase I did if I count hours spent playing/tweaking vs money invested. Again, not sure if I'm helpful, but the ability to tweak the heck out of sounds to create something that just feels exciting is for me the first step before I start thinking about how this can be incorporated.



Yeah, that's about my story too. But didn't you feel like "ugh, that sound again" with your synth after a while? That's one of reasons while I'm without inspiration using it. Idk, maybe it's me.


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## Marcus Millfield (Dec 10, 2020)

Wally Garten said:


> Do you mean you don't have the spirit to program patches? If so, may I suggest Synplant? You don't program anything -- you just start with a basic "seed" patch and you "grow" some other patches from that patch by dragging branches that change the parameters of the synth in some mysterious, behind-the-scenes ways. It's good because it really forces you to use your ears instead of your analytical brain.


That's part of it yeah. Not the spirit to program it, but also not sure anymore how it fits my music or how to use it, other than coloring some low end and textures. 

Thanks for the link to Synplant. Will have a look!


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## Wally Garten (Dec 10, 2020)

Marcus Millfield said:


> That's part of it yeah. Not the spirit to program it, but also not sure anymore how it fits my music or how to use it, other than coloring some low end and textures.
> 
> Thanks for the link to Synplant. Will have a look!



What synth do you have? Does it have a sequencer? 

Sequencing and arpeggiators are super-important to using hardware synths (on many genres, anyway), and IMO they don't get talked about enough compared to "ooo, this creamy filter" or whatever. If it isn't fun to sequence, and you can't easily play cool arps or patterns, it'll be hard to use musically. And then yeah, I think you do find yourself just using it for things like low end and textures.

There are some cool external sequencers, too -- the Arturia Beatstep Pro and Keystep Pro, or more esoteric ones like the Squarp. Some people really like the sequencers in the Elektron boxes. I find myself struggling with their workflow, though.


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## Marcus Millfield (Dec 10, 2020)

Wally Garten said:


> What synth do you have? Does it have a sequencer?
> 
> Sequencing and arpeggiators are super-important to using hardware synths (on many genres, anyway), and IMO they don't get talked about enough compared to "ooo, this creamy filter" or whatever. If it isn't fun to sequence, and you can't easily play cool arps or patterns, it'll be hard to use musically. And then yeah, I think you do find yourself just using it for things like low end and textures.
> 
> There are some cool external sequencers, too -- the Arturia Beatstep Pro and Keystep Pro, or more esoteric ones like the Squarp. Some people really like the sequencers in the Elektron boxes. I find myself struggling with their workflow, though.


It's a DSI Prophet Rev2 16 voice and it does have a sequencer and I know how to use it. It's a great machine and although it does a lot, especially as it's bi-timbral and has a large mod matrix, I just think I'm kind off done with the core sound. There's just no escaping the brassy sound of it except with a whole, and I mean whole lot of tweaking, for which I just don't have the energy anymore.


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## SupremeFist (Dec 10, 2020)

Marcus Millfield said:


> It's a DSI Prophet Rev2 16 voice and it does have a sequencer and I know how to use it. It's a great machine and although it does a lot, especially as it's bi-timbral and has a large mod matrix, I just think I'm kind off done with the core sound. There's just no escaping the brassy sound of it except with a whole, and I mean whole lot of tweaking, for which I just don't have the energy anymore.


I don't have that synth (still itb but hardware-curious) but I've been very impressed in hearing and reading about what this guy has been able to do with it, if you're not familiar:








Synth Voice Component Modeling (VCM)


Advanced modulation techniques to model classic synth character and analog ensembles.



www.voicecomponentmodeling.com


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## Marcus Millfield (Dec 10, 2020)

SupremeFist said:


> ...hardware-curious...



How are you going to break that to your family? Just kidding 



SupremeFist said:


> but I've been very impressed in hearing and reading about what this guy has been able to do with it, if you're not familiar:
> 
> 
> 
> ...



Very cool stuff. Bookmarked, thanks for that link!


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## el-bo (Dec 10, 2020)

Have you thought about adding Omnisphere to your collection? Fantastic starting-point for a wide variety of synth and real instrument falvours, and pretty sure your DSI is one of the compatible hardware 'boards. So you get all the benfits of knowing your way round the Prophet, while having access to many ways to augment the Rev 2's palette


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## Marcus Millfield (Dec 11, 2020)

el-bo said:


> Have you thought about adding Omnisphere to your collection? Fantastic starting-point for a wide variety of synth and real instrument falvours, and pretty sure your DSI is one of the compatible hardware 'boards. So you get all the benfits of knowing your way round the Prophet, while having access to many ways to augment the Rev 2's palette


Yeah, thought about it in the past, but Omnisphere is a serious investment in money and disk space.


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## el-bo (Dec 11, 2020)

Marcus Millfield said:


> Yeah, thought about it in the past, but Omnisphere is a serious investment in money and disk space.



Not to make assumptions about available monies, but disk space amounts to pennies, these days. And no, Omnisphere is not cheap. Although, in terms of it's size and flexibility it's value proposition makes it relatively cheap (imo).

Anyway, my suggestion was in context of somebody having fallen out of love with a 2000 quid synth. In that respect (presuming it actually would breathe new life into the Prophet and thus making good on your already considerable investment), I still think it's a good idea. The Prophet would make an excellent hybrid (as in MIDI + full, independant synth) controller, especially with Omnisphere's tight integration. It would be much tougher to recommend an Omnisphere owner to buy the Prophet as a controller, but the reverse is an easier sell. 

Still, it's not the only option. There are tons of other synths (hard and soft) that might give you what you are looking for.

Perhaps you'd also want to consider selling the DSI. You might find a decent Master keyboard and a couple of synths to be more inspirational. Maybe look into the MPE options that are available (controller and synth).


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## Marcus Millfield (Dec 11, 2020)

@el-bo : good points all. I think I really need to think about what I want out of the/a synth and go from there. Thanks for the insights.


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## pmcrockett (Dec 11, 2020)

Have you tried making any music using only the synth? Doing a single-synth-only project forces you to think creatively and explore because you don't have other sound sources to fall back on for the elements you normally wouldn't use the synth for. And that goes doubly if the project is in a genre you wouldn't normally use the synth for.


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## el-bo (Dec 11, 2020)

Marcus Millfield said:


> @el-bo : good points all. I think I really need to think about what I want out of the/a synth and go from there. Thanks for the insights.



You're welcome, dude. 

Also, maybe download some free synths. Seems to be a lot of great stuff, out there. And that way, you can experiment with different synthesis and get a better idea of what you might be looking for.\\Have fun


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## Marcus Millfield (Dec 11, 2020)

pmcrockett said:


> Have you tried making any music using only the synth? Doing a single-synth-only project forces you to think creatively and explore because you don't have other sound sources to fall back on for the elements you normally wouldn't use the synth for. And that goes doubly if the project is in a genre you wouldn't normally use the synth for.


Yes I did and although it's a great idea, I get frustrated at how limited my imagination is how use a synth for the stuff I make. It's like the only things that come out are acid/techno/trance type stuff, ambient or 80's synthwave. Those genres, apart from ambient, aren't my thing to create.


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## Marcus Millfield (Dec 11, 2020)

Dear synth,

I know our relationship has been on edge lately. I've been neglecting of your oscillators and what your filters want out of this relationship.

Although I'm trying, I'm struggling with you in my life. Just know one thing: it's my input, not your output.

Much love,

Mark


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