all hardware setup

steevio · Post by **steevio** » Mon Jan 24, 2011 11:20 pm

::BLM:: wrote:What labels bro? Can you say?

no i cant mate, sorry

oblioblioblio · Post by **oblioblioblio** » Mon Jan 24, 2011 11:46 pm

bleugh. i should spend more using my machines and less time arguing/ranting etc about gear.

i know what it's like... it hard for someone else's opinions to affect your own. I was kinda oblivious to modular for a while... I actually went to Schneidersladen and spent a little time arguiing with Herr Schneider about digital and computers and how I like them (though also 2 afternoons totally lost in physical machines)...

Steevio getting excited about modular co-incided wit me finding more limitations with my own gear, and everything afterwards happened on it's own accord.

In lots of ways the music is the end result. It's healthy to have people expressing their own opinions on forums like this, it can help with that those slow little personal journeys of discovering/loving/hating machines. The worst possible thing would be everyone agreeing that one machine was perfect and everyone sounded the same and thought the same things.

dubgil2 · Post by **dubgil2** » Tue Jan 25, 2011 8:37 am

steevio wrote:
dubgil2 wrote:Steevio or Oblio...

do either of you have some example of the music you've made with modular systems you can share; even if it's not full tracks. I appreciate it, but understand if you don't.
yeah i know ive been rabbiting on about it and not posted any music, the only reason is that i'm recording stuff for release on 4 different labels in the next 6 months, and i'd rather be judged on that when it comes out, i'm a sad pefectionist, and i hate posting unfinished half-assed music on the net.

i was thinking about posting a video of a tour around my modular to explain a few things and show what it can do, but i'm not sure i'll have the time, it seems somebody needs to do it to explode all these weird myths.

the reason you haven't had time for making a video is because we've distracted you by luring you into these "debates" on mnml.nl:)

AK · Post by AK » Tue Jan 25, 2011 10:54 am

Horses for courses. Ultimately, you could have the 'best' gear in the world and spend a fortune but still churn out dull music. Some of what I consider to be groundbreaking and inspirational music has been written on a very modest set up with limited funds.

Arguing what sounds better just kinda goes over my head, and I think, yeah whatever, cos ultimately, its all subjective stuff. Its all we hear just lately on here, a bit of gear gets mentioned and it gets slated or compared with something else. Who cares? If something does the job you are looking for and you like the sound of it, use it. Lifes too short. Besides, no matter what gear you have, theres always someone with 'better' gear round the corner who would tell you how inferior yours is by comparison, these people just exist out there, I dont know why.

Im left in great interest when theres genuine passion for ones instruments and how it has redefined their workflow or whatever but thats where it ends for me, I really do have to make my own mind up on these things.

In software, I certainly dont think it all sounds the same, theres a lot of difference. Take FM8, compare it to korg ms20 software. Then compare that to its polysix, then compare all the above to Absynth. Its as diverse as hardware, no 2 ways about it. Mind you, that doesnt mean I like it, just making my point.

It wasnt so much that I didnt like the sound of some software, I just hate the fact theres a screen between me and it. Im all for having a mixture of sound sources and whilst i think the billion software emulations of hardware gear gave software a bad rep, things like Absynth are revolutionary. Try and get your hardware to do stuff Absynth can do and it will sound inferior.

If there were a hardware version of it, Id snap it up but the computer interface kills the moment for me. Its like va's, many people would say buying a va isnt gonna get you a better sound than software but its the hands on involvement that makes all the dif.

I know I dont need the latest and greatest gear to make music but I have to be able to work creatively with it and I have to enjoy it. That then makes the gear priceless regardless of what joe bloggs might say about it.

TechnoMusic · Post by **TechnoMusic** » Tue Jan 25, 2011 11:37 am

I like ducks. Who else likes ducks?

TechnoMusic · Post by **TechnoMusic** » Tue Jan 25, 2011 11:45 am

oblioblioblio wrote:
::BLM:: wrote:I really don't get all this vst bashing. Vst's are fantastic, to say they all sound the same is just stupid really. I have different ones for different things. A synth for Bass, then one for strings etc... they are all completely different.
but they all use exactly the same technology at the core. I believe all oscillators are just simple digital mathematical waveforms. Most of the filter designs are based on the same core algorrithms, I believe.

Instead of "believing" why not do some actual research? To say that the filters and oscillators in massive sound the same as those in uHe ACE for example would be completely ludicrous.

Hell if you listen closely you can hear differences in timbre between playback in supposedly equivalent 24bit sampling plugins.

::BLM:: · Post by **::BLM::** » Tue Jan 25, 2011 11:54 am

^^ agreed. they have different uses and after years and years of playing with them i can tell they are not the same. the thing is the modular guys you have found something that works for you, but some of you just go on and on about how great modular is and just bash everything else now which isnt helpful at all. When we try and voice an opinion you then go off on one saying we are bashing modular when all we are doing is sharing our opinion just like you. If im interested in something I am of course going to question what you are saying, so there is no need to be so uptight.

In software, I certainly dont think it all sounds the same, theres a lot of difference. Take FM8, compare it to korg ms20 software. Then compare that to its polysix, then compare all the above to Absynth. Its as diverse as hardware, no 2 ways about it. Mind you, that doesnt mean I like it, just making my point.

For sure. I think its bit elitist to say they all sound the same and modular is better. if someone can make amazing music on vsts then its stupid to bash them. just because it doesnt work for you, doesnt mean to say they all sound the same. If you open up and listen to a square wave from different vsts they sound different.

steevio · Post by **steevio** » Tue Jan 25, 2011 12:30 pm

dubgil2 wrote: the reason you haven't had time for making a video is because we've distracted you by luring you into these "debates" on mnml.nl:)

haha yes you bastards !

on another note;

i'd just like to make one thing clear, i'm not bashing VSTs

lets not be assuming because one modular guy is, that we all are.

i have only ever compared my modular gear to things which ive had lots of personal experience of, which in my case is mostly Virtual analogues, i bought the first VA when it came out in 1995, and ive been using them ever since, and my experiences with soft synths is more limited, basically because i never liked the interface and working with a screen, so no matter how good or bad they sounded, they were never going to work for someone who had a hardware studio and does all his recording 100% live.

when i have A/B 'd soft synths against good analogue synths they have always sounded inferior to my ears, but thats subjective.

i certainly wouldnt bash VSTs, some of my best friends are software based musicians, and i wouldnt be releasing their tunes on my label if i was some sort of analogue purist.

a good tune is a good tune however it was made.

in contrast there are a lot of people on this forum who are modular bashing who've never had any experience of modular whatsoever, and thats why modular guys are being defensive.