insanely good usages of gear you own and obviously suck at

to

Meanwhile I got a free accordion from a classmate's dad back in high school and I still suck at it.  And it's a piano accordion not a button accordion, so I don't even have that excuse.

I have a Make Noise Soundhack Morphagene and make chaos like this: 

but in this video it shows it being used as a versatile drum machine, something I’m yet to wrap my head around. In the video comments someone has even made a reel for it using Autechre’s 2008 Machinedrum sounds: 

I have this problem, ccept the exact opposite. I am so good I have to use insanely bad gear to only sound amazing. Otherwise I might end up creating too many new genres and breaking the simulation we call reality.

  On 4/18/2020 at 10:02 AM, Stickfigger said:

 

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Above is what you hear in the promo videos when the gear is demoed.

Below is the real experience once you try it out at the jam sessio with your co-musicians:

Top idea for a thread.

I bought a Kawai XS-1 off eBay a couple of years ago off the back of this Nacho Marty video, ended up getting nowhere near this level of mastery with it and eventually had to sell it when I was a bit strapped:

Playing that back is making me wish I'd kept it actually. Also, don't watch any of his other videos or you'll end up spunking all your quarantine funds on obscure Kawai synths, consider yourselves warned.

Nacho and Jexus both must sell a lot of units that disappoint people who don't manage to program them as well.

  On 4/21/2020 at 9:17 PM, chim said:

Nacho and Jexus both must sell a lot of units that disappoint people who don't manage to program them as well.

 

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Jexus is the shit. I'm glad he's back and I'm grateful that Noir Et Blanc Vie shook him awake.

Yeah nah I ain't checking out no Jexus vids when I want to know how some prospective gear would sound like. I won't have the chops and it would be a disappointment.

The videos are otherwise great for inspiration generally, just not for the "what gear to get" type of inspiration.

I got a Roland MT-32 for $15 a decade ago and yeah, it's still basically a cheesy sounds preset box for me.  And then there's this:

Regardless of what you think of the video and music, the MT-32 programming is pretty amazing.

Jexus uploaded two vids recently of Korg Minilogue XD jams. From what I can tell he can form an entire electronic symphony out of one and I haven't even learned the step sequencer on mine yet.

  On 4/24/2020 at 11:46 PM, timbre monke said:

Jexus uploaded two vids recently of Korg Minilogue XD jams. From what I can tell he can form an entire electronic symphony out of one and I haven't even learned the step sequencer on mine yet.

Like thawkins said up there, never compare yourself to Jexus. He wipes his ass with pretty much every one - bona fide synth god.

That said, I do love watching his videos to get patch/riff/chord ideas. You'd be surprised how much of that you can do, and for that matter which does carry over between synths.

Jexus is kind of a cheat code for this thread.

  On 4/21/2020 at 8:52 PM, Leon Sumbitches said:

Top idea for a thread.

I bought a Kawai XS-1 off eBay a couple of years ago off the back of this Nacho Marty video, ended up getting nowhere near this level of mastery with it and eventually had to sell it when I was a bit strapped:

 

Playing that back is making me wish I'd kept it actually. Also, don't watch any of his other videos or you'll end up spunking all your quarantine funds on obscure Kawai synths, consider yourselves warned.

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  On 4/21/2020 at 8:52 PM, Leon Sumbitches said:

Top idea for a thread.

I bought a Kawai XS-1 off eBay a couple of years ago off the back of this Nacho Marty video, ended up getting nowhere near this level of mastery with it and eventually had to sell it when I was a bit strapped:

 

Playing that back is making me wish I'd kept it actually. Also, don't watch any of his other videos or you'll end up spunking all your quarantine funds on obscure Kawai synths, consider yourselves warned.

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Nice, I made the below 3 tracks entirely with an XS-1. Good little synth!

Aw nice one, those are top! When did you get yours? Slight chance you could have bought mine off eBay which would be a nice twist...

I bought a behringer 101 and I haven't got a single good sound out of it because i don't know synthesis and it's killing me. You'd think by chance I'd stumble onto something by now.

lol can't believe you haven't got a good sound out of it...101s are well simple. what kind of sounds are you hoping to get?

also, how "good" something sounds is often in the sequencing (imo) and an interesting and dynamic sequence can make even really simple noises sounds wicked.

what you using to sequence?

101's are supposed to be triggered as a pattern by a drum machine, then it doesn't matter what patch you have, it's still electro. 

lol?

  On 4/24/2020 at 11:46 PM, timbre monke said:

Jexus uploaded two vids recently of Korg Minilogue XD jams. From what I can tell he can form an entire electronic symphony out of one and I haven't even learned the step sequencer on mine yet.

lol this is fantastic, this dude is gifted. Thx for mentioning him guys !

  On 4/27/2020 at 12:58 PM, BCM said:

lol can't believe you haven't got a good sound out of it...101s are well simple. what kind of sounds are you hoping to get?

also, how "good" something sounds is often in the sequencing (imo) and an interesting and dynamic sequence can make even really simple noises sounds wicked.

what you using to sequence?

Well I've made weird sfx and wobbly stuff but no great leads like I hear on records / youtube.

Are you usually able to get a lead or bass sound out of other synths?

  On 4/27/2020 at 10:48 PM, user said:

Are you usually able to get a lead or bass sound out of other synths?

My experience with synths is really tweaking presets, I've never owned a synth without presets. I don't know, it's weird. I think i just need to really sit down with the thing.

  On 4/27/2020 at 11:18 PM, yekker said:

My experience with synths is really tweaking presets, I've never owned a synth without presets. I don't know, it's weird. I think i just need to really sit down with the thing.

Ok, if you're mostly getting wobbles and fx type sound try turning down the "mod" parameters in the osc and filter sections first, this should probably already put you somewhat in basic lead/bass territory. Automaticgainsay did a series on the 101, perhaps this is also useful:

  On 4/27/2020 at 11:27 PM, user said:

  

 

Ok, if you're mostly getting wobbles and fx type sound try turning down the "mod" parameters in the osc and filter sections first, this should probably already put you somewhat in basic lead/bass territory. Automaticgainsay did a series on the 101, perhaps this is also useful:

 

 

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Cheers man