I had the original Motif and now have the ES. I work as much with software if not more than hardware right now, but the Motif ES is quite useful to me.

I pretty much agree with what Vic 83 said. The OS is a bit of a pain to learn and there is a pretty big learning curve, but once I did learn it, I found it to be intuitive and well laid out. Unlike most other hardware boards I've used, it's sequencer is quite useful and easy to manuever in.

I could also easily be happy with a Fantom X or Triton Extreme. They all have some nice sounds. I think though, value vs dollar, especially on the lower end of the scale ( think Triton Le, Fantom S or original Fantom ), I'd easily choose the original Motif. I just thought the soundset was better than the others at that time.


As much as I have gone toward software for better and more realistic sounds, I find that the VL150 module still provides me better horn and reed ( sax ) sounds than anything available in the software realm. That's kind of amazing too, since the VL technology is at least 10 years old now, and hasn't changed much if at all in that time span.

The AN150 is a very nice analog module. You can interchange patches with the AN1x or AN200 harware synths, and there are many good patch sets out there. The AN emulates the Sequential Circuits Prophet 5 very nicely btw, and the P5 is one of the great classic analogs. The drawbacks for me are that I have to edit and then save each patch as a user patch in order for it to be able to work with the internal effects of the ES, and that more detailed patch editing has to be done in a software editor. Of course you can do basic editing and control it with the ES' knobs from inside the board.

You can always add to your analog sound palette by adding a few softsynths, as long as you don't mind working through a computer. This is still the area where I think software shines, although the acoustic sets are getting very good as well. Some of the analog models available today are unmatched for sound palettes. Think V synth, Wavestation, all the old classic analogs, etc, but with maybe even better and more useful selections. Absynth, Pro 53, Arturia's CS80V and Moog emulations, Imposocar, to name a few, but these are just a sampling of what is out there now.

AJ




[This message has been edited by Bluezplayer (edited 03-30-2005).]

Well I don't really want to sound too vintage so I prefer not to use analog synthesizers , I just happen to like what was done with them in the past .

The Trick to Alan Wilder sound seems to be that he uses alot of synthesized accoustic instruments .


Just to clarify I would one day like to be able to compose and record actual music tracks in the New Wave/Synth Pop style with vocals . Will these Synthesizers allow me to do that or should I look at an arranger keyboard for that ?


[This message has been edited by Darksounds (edited 03-30-2005).]

Many of today's softsynyths also focus on modern sounds, even some that emulate the older stuff. The CS80v is a good example. It does a lot of the vintage stuff, but it also gives more modern sounds as well. If you're looking for up to date and synthesized instruments, an arranger might not be the best choice. It depends.. Try one out and see what you think...

If I wanted to design my own sound palettes based on synthesis, particularly of acoustic instruments, an arranger would be low on my list, while most workstations ( Motif, Tritons, etc ) would be somewhere in the middle of the pack. There is nothing wrong with an arranger btw, just that this isn't really what they are designed for as a strong suit.

AJ

[This message has been edited by Bluezplayer (edited 03-30-2005).]

Sorry to ask this question but what exactly is a soft synth ?

As for designing my own sounds yes some day I hope to be able to do that but at the beginning I would make more use of the stuff that comes preset .

A soft synth is one that is hosted inside of your computer, as opposed to the module that is housed in a hardware keyboard.

My two favorite hardware boards for modern synth sounds would be the Korg Wavestation and Clavia Nord lead 3, but there are other very good ones as well. These might be the kinds of boards you would want to try out based on what you have told me.

There is a softwware emulation of the wavestation that is excellent btw, and now there is one of the Clavia as well.

AJ

AJ

Um no I actually prefer a hardware keyboard .

Some random synths that are on Depeche Mode records...big surprise, some of them are exactly whats currently on the market that I directed you to in the first place.


YAMAHA DX-1

YAMAHA DX-7

KORG MS2000*

KORG DW-8000

Korg Rhythm 55

KORG M1

KORG Poly-800

KORG Trinity

KORG Triton*

KORG WaveStation

ARP 2600

"Well, I don't really want to sound too vintage so I prefer not to use analog synthesizers."

In a few years...if you stick with music and all that stuff, this statement will be embarrassing to you.

Anyhow GO to a store and play some keyboards...cause you have NO idea what you honestly want, or even what basic standard features are. Heck you dont even know one bit of gear a band you like that you wish to emulate in part have used.

LOL I mean there was a reason I pointed out some keyboards to you...wasn't so you would run off and buy something someone you dont know told you about...it was so you could get a diverse foundation of what the market has to offer, that in the end would give you a basis of comparison to make a logical informed choice. Someone that "prefers not to use" something ANYTHING they have no experance with is just slamming the door in thier own face.

I feel I should mention that I've had my Yamaha CS6x synth for about 3 years now and will NEVER sell it. For me, it has a fantastic mix of modern synth sounds and some nice acoustic stuff as well. It take Yamaha PLG expansion boards so you can always add the VL, DX, AN, etc boards for even more sounds.
http://www.planet-groove.com/yamaha/cs6x.html

Carrie

I like hardware too. The reason I pointed softsynths out to you in the first place is that many are very close sonically to their hardware cousins.

Most also have good working demos which would allow you to get a feel for their sounds. It costs you nothing to try them, if you use demos and freeware hosts and synths.

Examples : Clavia Nord lead - Emulated by Synth 1 ( freeware ) and Disco DSP Nord Lead edition ( demo )

Korg Wavestation - ( demo ) made by korg and does a very close emulation of the hardware sonically.


NI FM 7 - ( demo ) emulates the Yamaha DX7.

Arturia Arp2600, CS80v, Moog Modular - Excellent emulations of their hardware cousins... all have demos

There are many more..

OTOH, arrangers and workstations are great tools, but they are both geared more toward bread and butter sounds. I only assume that you also had at least some interest in arrangers, as you posted here in the first place.

When you mention Alan Wilder and Depeche mode, well.. I think more cutting edge.... and if you're looking for cutting edge preset synth sounds, including those based on acoustic instruments samples, I think it's quite likely you're going to fall short of your expectations in any arranger or rompler workstation. That is of course unless you are willing to do a lot of patch editing, which most arrangers don't have the facilities for in the first place.

I can do a lot of editing in the Motif ES, btw. It has the facilities, but if I'm focusing on more cutting edge sounds and tweaking, give me a VA and / or a dedicated sampler any day. Much easier and more productive to work in for that kind of work, and the presets start out closer to what I want in a VA.....

Then again, I have the AN150 and VL150 in my ES, so I can get a little more cutting edge.. but as I said before, not without editing on a computer.



But hey.. it's your money.. Good Luck.


AJ



[This message has been edited by Bluezplayer (edited 04-01-2005).]