tassman 4 has the be the closest thing to sounding analogue

Since this thread I've come to embrace digital sounds, however there are many times I really do wish I had an analogue synth for bass or something... there's only so much my concept can do for that.

I think it's objective that analogue bass is superior (and probably most sounds).

Still, I do prefer the sounds of Clavia for instance.

All of my soft synths still suck. I don't like Native Instruments, and I no longer have Tassman, which I enjoy for its sound and freedom.

all I want is the Nord Modular

How does Tassman compare to Nord Modular (G1)? I have a Micro Mod and I think it sounds great but I don't really think of it as analog-like. The workflow and design philosophy/aesthetic is, and it works very well. But the sound itself usually doesn't feel all that analog.

In all actuality I think they're pretty similar. Neither is analogue, but they both have a kind of unique sound. I haven't used the Tassman in years, my computer crashed a short while after making this thread, so don't take my word for it. EDIT: I recall finding the Tassman too time consuming to use for the sounds I wanted, which were generally simple.

I'm most interested in unique sounding digital synths that have warmth. For this reason I really don't like the Virus, which sounds Trancy and too close to Massive, but I do have interest in the Waldorf Blofeld.

I don't own any hardware though, which is shitty. I've been researching for about a year.

How often do you use the Micro? Is it easy to sit down and use?

The Micro is pretty easy, but I've had it for a long time - since 2005. I've had a pretty love/hate relationship through most of my ownership of it - for a long time I hated how it was tied to the computer for editing.

My philosophy about that sort of thing has changed recently and now I think that's one of the best, most forward-thinking things about it. I use it probably half the time I work on music now. The polyphony/CPU aspect is a limitation for sure but if you think of it as a challenge it can be fun. And when I work monophonic, I almost never feel limited.

Also you can get pretty freaky/grungy with it using modules in weird ways. Like using clock dividers as voltage dividers, using LFOs at audio rate for percussion, etc. But it can also be warm, bright and lush if you just stick to the standard usage, and it's quick to get something nice going if you don't give in to the temptation to get really weird.

FM is kind of awkward though, specifically setting the frequency ratios and amplitude. But you get the hang of it, and with the modular capability you can do some pretty crazy FM (again, as long as you don't mind it being monophonic).

Lack of long delay modules and MIDI output/sequencing are the only real bummers as far as I'm concerned.

There's a lot of stuff on my soundcloud using it: http://soundcloud.com/undergroundclouds

the resurfacing of this thread has made me an instantaneous die-hard Cylob fan

OK fuck I'll go download some Cylob. :D

  On 11/27/2012 at 1:22 PM, sirch said:

[

 

  On 11/27/2012 at 3:30 AM, LimpyLoo said:

Alot of analogs don't even sound analog.

 

 

 

wut.

the cheapo Roland analogs (alpha juno, jx8p, etc) don't sound very "analog."

  On 11/27/2012 at 11:31 AM, lin said:

It's not about VSTs sounding analogue, it's about VSTs sounding effortlessly good like some of the most famous analogue synths. Most softsynths don't, but few exceptions do ;)

Few analogue synths sound as good as a MS20 or a MIniMoog anyway.

I don't like either of those.

God, I'm quite the contrarian today, innit?

  On 11/27/2012 at 6:56 PM, vamos scorcho said:

the resurfacing of this thread has made me an instantaneous die-hard Cylob fan

Cylob Subforum!

  On 11/27/2012 at 11:22 PM, LimpyLoo said:

  On 11/27/2012 at 1:22 PM, sirch said:

[

 

  On 11/27/2012 at 3:30 AM, LimpyLoo said:

Alot of analogs don't even sound analog.

 

 

 

wut.

 

the cheapo Roland analogs (alpha juno, jx8p, etc) don't sound very "analog."

 

  On 11/27/2012 at 11:31 AM, lin said:

It's not about VSTs sounding analogue, it's about VSTs sounding effortlessly good like some of the most famous analogue synths. Most softsynths don't, but few exceptions do ;)

Few analogue synths sound as good as a MS20 or a MIniMoog anyway.

 

I don't like either of those.

 

 

God, I'm quite the contrarian today, innit?

JX-8P's aren't cheap. the Alpha Juno's are relatively cheap, yeah, but they don't sound cheap. they sound fucking nice. so does the 8P. they're both lush synths in the right hands.

what analog synths do you like that you think sound analog? just curious.

  On 11/27/2012 at 11:45 PM, DerWaschbar said:

Pretty cheap. I agree that Alpha Juno's sound great though.

that is an absolute bargain price! but then with that one you've gotta pay the shipping and customs charges, etc. on top. and a power converter.

they go for around £350+ over here, if I remember rightly.

  On 11/27/2012 at 11:42 PM, sirch said:

  On 11/27/2012 at 11:22 PM, LimpyLoo said:

  On 11/27/2012 at 1:22 PM, sirch said:

[

 

  On 11/27/2012 at 3:30 AM, LimpyLoo said:

Alot of analogs don't even sound analog.

 

 

 

wut.

 

the cheapo Roland analogs (alpha juno, jx8p, etc) don't sound very "analog."

 

  On 11/27/2012 at 11:31 AM, lin said:

It's not about VSTs sounding analogue, it's about VSTs sounding effortlessly good like some of the most famous analogue synths. Most softsynths don't, but few exceptions do ;)

Few analogue synths sound as good as a MS20 or a MIniMoog anyway.

 

I don't like either of those.

 

 

God, I'm quite the contrarian today, innit?

 

JX-8P's aren't cheap. the Alpha Juno's are relatively cheap, yeah, but they don't sound cheap. they sound fucking nice. so does the 8P. they're both lush synths in the right hands.

 

what analog synths do you like that you think sound analog? just curious.

What I'm saying is that those don't sound more analog than, say, a Casio CZ-1000 or what have you.

As far as what I like, I'm super-picky about synths. I pretty much only like 3 or 4 synths. Don't read anymore into my synth-related statements than "LimpyLoo is hyper-picky."

  On 11/27/2012 at 11:53 PM, LimpyLoo said:

  On 11/27/2012 at 11:42 PM, sirch said:

  On 11/27/2012 at 11:22 PM, LimpyLoo said:

  On 11/27/2012 at 1:22 PM, sirch said:

[

 

  On 11/27/2012 at 3:30 AM, LimpyLoo said:

Alot of analogs don't even sound analog.

 

 

 

wut.

 

the cheapo Roland analogs (alpha juno, jx8p, etc) don't sound very "analog."

 

  On 11/27/2012 at 11:31 AM, lin said:

It's not about VSTs sounding analogue, it's about VSTs sounding effortlessly good like some of the most famous analogue synths. Most softsynths don't, but few exceptions do ;)

Few analogue synths sound as good as a MS20 or a MIniMoog anyway.

 

I don't like either of those.

 

 

God, I'm quite the contrarian today, innit?

 

JX-8P's aren't cheap. the Alpha Juno's are relatively cheap, yeah, but they don't sound cheap. they sound fucking nice. so does the 8P. they're both lush synths in the right hands.

 

what analog synths do you like that you think sound analog? just curious.

 

What I'm saying is that those don't sound more analog than, say, a Casio CZ-1000 or what have you.

 

 

As far as what I like, I'm super-picky about synths. I pretty much only like 3 or 4 synths. Don't read anymore into my synth-related statements than "LimpyLoo is hyper-picky."

yes they do! a CZ-1000 is pretty shit compared to both of those and has a very different sound.

anyway, analog > digital. truth.

last post.

  On 11/28/2012 at 12:00 AM, sirch said:

  On 11/27/2012 at 11:53 PM, LimpyLoo said:

  On 11/27/2012 at 11:42 PM, sirch said:

  On 11/27/2012 at 11:22 PM, LimpyLoo said:

  On 11/27/2012 at 1:22 PM, sirch said:

[

 

  On 11/27/2012 at 3:30 AM, LimpyLoo said:

Alot of analogs don't even sound analog.

 

 

 

wut.

 

the cheapo Roland analogs (alpha juno, jx8p, etc) don't sound very "analog."

 

  On 11/27/2012 at 11:31 AM, lin said:

It's not about VSTs sounding analogue, it's about VSTs sounding effortlessly good like some of the most famous analogue synths. Most softsynths don't, but few exceptions do ;)

Few analogue synths sound as good as a MS20 or a MIniMoog anyway.

 

I don't like either of those.

 

 

God, I'm quite the contrarian today, innit?

 

JX-8P's aren't cheap. the Alpha Juno's are relatively cheap, yeah, but they don't sound cheap. they sound fucking nice. so does the 8P. they're both lush synths in the right hands.

 

what analog synths do you like that you think sound analog? just curious.

 

What I'm saying is that those don't sound more analog than, say, a Casio CZ-1000 or what have you.

 

 

As far as what I like, I'm super-picky about synths. I pretty much only like 3 or 4 synths. Don't read anymore into my synth-related statements than "LimpyLoo is hyper-picky."

 

yes they do! a CZ-1000 is pretty shit compared to both of those and has a very different sound.

 

 

anyway, analog > digital. truth.

 

last post.

As an SH-101 owner, I appreciate analog synthesizers. BIG TIME.

But the difference between A and D is often blown into mythic proportions (spend 5 minutes at Gearslutz for proof).

I owned a CZ-1000 and it made beautful music. I would much prefer it to an Alpha Juno.

  On 11/28/2012 at 12:04 AM, LimpyLoo said:

  On 11/28/2012 at 12:00 AM, sirch said:

  On 11/27/2012 at 11:53 PM, LimpyLoo said:

  On 11/27/2012 at 11:42 PM, sirch said:

  On 11/27/2012 at 11:22 PM, LimpyLoo said:

  On 11/27/2012 at 1:22 PM, sirch said:

[

 

  On 11/27/2012 at 3:30 AM, LimpyLoo said:

Alot of analogs don't even sound analog.

 

 

 

wut.

 

the cheapo Roland analogs (alpha juno, jx8p, etc) don't sound very "analog."

 

  On 11/27/2012 at 11:31 AM, lin said:

It's not about VSTs sounding analogue, it's about VSTs sounding effortlessly good like some of the most famous analogue synths. Most softsynths don't, but few exceptions do ;)

Few analogue synths sound as good as a MS20 or a MIniMoog anyway.

 

I don't like either of those.

 

 

God, I'm quite the contrarian today, innit?

 

JX-8P's aren't cheap. the Alpha Juno's are relatively cheap, yeah, but they don't sound cheap. they sound fucking nice. so does the 8P. they're both lush synths in the right hands.

 

what analog synths do you like that you think sound analog? just curious.

 

What I'm saying is that those don't sound more analog than, say, a Casio CZ-1000 or what have you.

 

 

As far as what I like, I'm super-picky about synths. I pretty much only like 3 or 4 synths. Don't read anymore into my synth-related statements than "LimpyLoo is hyper-picky."

 

yes they do! a CZ-1000 is pretty shit compared to both of those and has a very different sound.

 

 

anyway, analog > digital. truth.

 

last post.

 

As an SH-101 owner, I appreciate analog synthesizers. BIG TIME.

 

But the difference between A and D is often blown into mythic proportions (spend 5 minutes at Gearslutz for proof).

 

 

I owned a CZ-1000 and it made beautful music. I would much prefer it to an Alpha Juno.

as a past owner of all of the above, including a few 101's, they (101's) are quite overpriced and overhyped, imo.

nice sounding synths but not really worth the money they fetch nowadays which is around £400-500 ish, for a pretty simple monosynth with a couple of cool extra features (arpeggio/sequencer).

I like the Casio Phase Distortion sound but would never take a CZ-1000 over an Alpha Juno 2 or MKS-50. - very different synths and a different sound to both. - a CZ-1000 is a bit of a toy compared to any Juno, really. quite fun though and definitely worth the money they fetch, which is roughly £100 now in the UK.

also love Clavier's earlier Nord sound of digital doing analog, while we're at it... I adore the Lead 1.

last post. :)

quasi-on-topic: http://moogfoundation.org/2012/moogfest-2012-voyager-raffle/

But a single-osc monosynth is the exact extent of my wants/needs. I paid $615-ish USD and I would've gladly paid more.

in response to what someone else in this thread said, just from sound quality and diversity of sounds the Nord Modular blows away Tassman. The only thing it's inferior for is physical modeling synthesis, which Tassman comes ahead by a a large degree.

  On 11/28/2012 at 12:40 AM, LimpyLoo said:

quasi-on-topic: http://moogfoundatio...voyager-raffle/

 

 

But a single-osc monosynth is the exact extent of my wants/needs. I paid $615-ish USD and I would've gladly paid more.

Never thought I'd see an analog synthesizer with both Nas and GZA's signatures on it. Also, the entire Google logo doodle team... incredibly valuable.

  On 11/27/2012 at 1:34 PM, BCM said:

lol I think I kind of get what he means...for example the Roland JX-8P and Roland SuperJX/JX-10 sound quite "digital" - audible stepping when performing filter sweeps etc. I love both these synths but I could see how, for analogue synths, they don't sound classically analogue.

You have audible stepping when performing filter sweeps with Super JX 10? I reckon something might be wrong then. Never experienced that personally, filters have always been smooth on the Super JX or MKS70, albeit lacking a little bit of bite in comparison to others. (still sounds pretty good though!) But definitely no stepping.

I do kind of get what you mean about not sounding classically analogue though, but the Super Jx can be an incredibly warm sounding synth. Decent for bass sounds as long as you don't want super fast percussive-like bass (thanks to the slow envelopes). But really excels at lush pad sounds. Up there with some of the best synth modules for warm, silky, smooth pads and strings imo. "Analogue sounding" in that regard I guess.

love it muchly I do