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Roland Boutique?! [new synths]


Psychotronic

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paraphonic and polyphonic are not mutually exclusive terms. they apply to different things. most polyphonic synths are paraphonic (all osc going thru the same filter and amp). individual filters and envelopes for each oscillator is less common and more expensive.

 

look it up...

 

very few polysynths are paraphonic - at least if you're considering vintage synths - most of them have a filter and vca for each osc. it's true that this makes them more expensive.

there are several new paraphonic synths, though, because they're cheaper to make.

also i believe these new rolands are fully polyphonic (altho only 4 voice) since they are just dsp.

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The music collaboration project that I did with my friend when we were in art school was called Pangophonic Fun Brothers. This was later shortened to Pangophonic.

 

-That is all.

 

p.s. If Roland released new gear that was pangophonic, that would be pretty dope. "Roland releases world first pangophonic synthesizer at NAMM 2300."

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i made most of that comment up but my main point is they are not mutually exclusive terms.

But what is really your point when you're only stating the obvious? Monophonic and polyphonic aren't mutually exclusive either, in the sense that you can play single notes on any poly synth. That doesn't mean there is a gray area where you can play somewhat polyphonically on a mono synth. Subsets/supersets, etc.

 

The general definition of polyphony is that you can play several independent melodies at once. The main implication for this discusdion is that the notes of each melody can start and end independently, which is impossible on a paraphonic synth.

 

Does anyone know if there are polysynths that let you play one voice legato and another staccato at the same time? Sounds like some complicated key scanning would be required.

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don't you think these are basically arbitrarily limited VSTs in plastic? would be good as a first synth maybe.

 

they limit the voices so that you will spend the $1000 on all three if u r a true roland fan

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Guest Chesney

Well, yeah digi synths might as well be softsynths and the main reason you'd buy digi hardware over software is tactile interface and if the hardware has a specific sound you want.

These certainly have a specific sound geared to vintage emulation which you can get in software but how close those are is usually a problem or not.

I'm more concerned that everyone and their dog will have the Roland poly sound and it will be everywhere, moreso than it is now. main reason I would not buy one or buy the vintage version anymore.

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I'm more concerned that everyone and their dog will have the Roland poly sound and it will be everywhere, moreso than it is now.

That will happen anyway. Most people seek sound they know and know how to deal with. Very view are searching for new horizons.

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it seems like a introduction to synth kind of product, but did people who have never made electronic music before go out and buy volcas? i don't know. it's hard to know how good the marketing is because of course i notice when things like this come out, but what about the new market demographic? did this conversation happen:

 

bro 1: bro have you seen those new roland synthesizers?

bro 2: yeah man they are like instant edm i hear it's what stromae uses

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it seems like a introduction to synth kind of product, but did people who have never made electronic music before go out and buy volcas?

 

Not sure if this was rhetorical, but i did. I use the volca beats a lot and the sound integrates with my other drum machines really well. At the time, it was the best bang for the buck.

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it seems like a introduction to synth kind of product, but did people who have never made electronic music before go out and buy volcas?

 

Yes. The affordability of it opened it up to a lot of younger people who want to make EDM stuff and it does a great job of keeping the functions easy to navigate through. Don't get me wrong they have some big flaws but the Volca series are some of the best introduction synths and sound modules I've used.

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I loved the volca stuff

Not beginner gear at all

More like that Martin backpacker guitar

 

These Roland's sound awesome to me

(But once again, I like severely-limited gear, so...)

 

 

Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

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it seems like a introduction to synth kind of product, but did people who have never made electronic music before go out and buy volcas?

Yes. The affordability of it opened it up to a lot of younger people who want to make EDM stuff and it does a great job of keeping the functions easy to navigate through. Don't get me wrong they have some big flaws but the Volca series are some of the best introduction synths and sound modules I've used.

 

The point is, these are 80ies synths emulation. The 80ies were dark times in regards of synthesizers. Nobody understood how to proper use FM (on the yamaha DX7). Old really great gear was sold fucking cheap or was thrown away. The rule of the preset culture started. I really dont know if EDM people will dig the sound they provide, but i could be mistaken.

 

it seems like a introduction to synth kind of product, but did people who have never made electronic music before go out and buy volcas? i don't know. it's hard to know how good the marketing is because of course i notice when things like this come out, but what about the new market demographic? did this conversation happen:

 

bro 1: bro have you seen those new roland synthesizers?

bro 2: yeah man they are like instant edm i hear it's what stromae uses

I feel ya on this. i'm not sure either.

 

Let me tell you something. I really really hated that deadmouse guy for writing the "we all press play" article, cause i'm really deep down in stockhausens intuitive music dungeon.

 

But some nights ago i saw this:

 

If this is what young people that dig and produce EDM are watching, then i'm really really happy. Let'em go down this road all the way. If that helps to evolve music subotnik - style, so be it. This is how i made my peace. The rise of Eurorack is what really will have impact, not the companies that sold cheap boring shit from the 70ies on and still do.

 

(Yes, i opened this thread, but i will not buy them!! Never, i save my money for a fucking buchla/eurorack system.)

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That Deadmau5 video looks like the RCA Mk II had a baby with the control room of a nuclear power plant.

 

I'd just skip all that and buy a full Ultimatte rig to do that sort of thing. Then I could put Raymond Scott's studio around me while I spin vinyl.

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I went to the local store to have a peep at them over the weekend. They are way smaller than I thought they would be, to give you an idea the smaller of the knobs and the sliders are about the knobs on the volca series. I had a mess around with the JP-08, the way the banks / patches work is pretty nice and user friendly. I can't say I was blown away by the sound of it though.

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it seems like a introduction to synth kind of product, but did people who have never made electronic music before go out and buy volcas?

Yes. The affordability of it opened it up to a lot of younger people who want to make EDM stuff and it does a great job of keeping the functions easy to navigate through. Don't get me wrong they have some big flaws but the Volca series are some of the best introduction synths and sound modules I've used.

 

The point is, these are 80ies synths emulation. The 80ies were dark times in regards of synthesizers. Nobody understood how to proper use FM (on the yamaha DX7). Old really great gear was sold fucking cheap or was thrown away. The rule of the preset culture started. I really dont know if EDM people will dig the sound they provide, but i could be mistaken.

 

it seems like a introduction to synth kind of product, but did people who have never made electronic music before go out and buy volcas? i don't know. it's hard to know how good the marketing is because of course i notice when things like this come out, but what about the new market demographic? did this conversation happen:

 

bro 1: bro have you seen those new roland synthesizers?

bro 2: yeah man they are like instant edm i hear it's what stromae uses

I feel ya on this. i'm not sure either.

 

Let me tell you something. I really really hated that deadmouse guy for writing the "we all press play" article, cause i'm really deep down in stockhausens intuitive music dungeon.

 

But some nights ago i saw this:

 

If this is what young people that dig and produce EDM are watching, then i'm really really happy. Let'em go down this road all the way. If that helps to evolve music subotnik - style, so be it. This is how i made my peace. The rise of Eurorack is what really will have impact, not the companies that sold cheap boring shit from the 70ies on and still do.

 

(Yes, i opened this thread, but i will not buy them!! Never, i save my money for a fucking buchla/eurorack system.)

 

 

Personally I think modular synths just aren't too much fun for anyone who isn't a total labcoat boffin (or Morton Subotnick.) I mean, they're cool and they're awesome but different people have different needs - I can make lots of sounds on a Casio CZ synth or on a Volca Bass or even 4-op fm because they're simple and they're a lot of fun, whereas I'd have a really hard time getting started on a modular synth. I'd have to think about proper synthesis for starters. Same with programming sequences: I like my PO-12 because despite having some horrible limitations (such as there being no way to mute individual tracks) the sequencer is simple and gets the job done fast. Maybe some people can't go beyond being cheap, boring, shit and from the 70's as you say.

 

i do agree that there could be more innovative stuff but tbh i'm pretty sure i wouldn't be able to get my head around it

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Played on these the other day. Was not impressed or disappointed. They're nice for what they are. I have owned two of the synths they are trying to emulate - they aren't really close, but they do have a roland-y sound.

 

I did get a chance to mess with the system 1m hooked up with their 808 and sequencer thingy as well. I hate to admit it, but it was a lot of fun and the sounds I was coaxing out of that pretend-semi-modular were very nice. I've always liked modulars, I don't go exploring too much compared to some of the space music I hear doofs on youtube make, but it's amazing to have the ability to build a patch and have such intense control of your routing without menu-diving. It almost helps me to have it all laid out like that. I can see the drawback though lol

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I'm pretty glad modular stuff isn't my thing. I loosely dabbled with CV control of analog stuff earlier this year but the lack of quick patch/sound changes frustrated me. It's great for long, loose cosmic jams but my recent work has required too much tightness of sound/sequence switching to use modular gear without going totally insane.

 

Plus, one of my friends already does modular IDM better than I ever could:

 

https://refund.bandcamp.com/album/zirkon-modular-idm

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