Alright so we still have a few weeks left until 2004 but I need to say this. I just read a post the Nigle left for me on my Buting a .com synth after all, and he got me thinking. As most of you know by now or those who don't I really don't consider myself a musician too a certian point. Even though some migh say that I am. Most of you are well aware of the fact that I have a tendency to change my mind, that I don't stick with something or that I am no good at this music game. Well that is all true and I am Guilty of it I admit it freely. But here is my problem it is sticking to it. Music to me has always seem like a chore. A lot of boreing hard and in my case mind numbing tedius work. I dont seem to bae able to enjoy playing or creating music, so I give up. Instead I turn to technology for answers, whcih is not really helping me at all. I have been useing technology as an excuse in order to make me feel better. Sort of the same way as drug addicts. Just with out all the Nastyness ascoicated with them. Okay bad analogy but it's 10:15 pm so bare with me and go with it okay. Anyway back to the point I am trying too make. I have been useing technology as a drug in oreder to help me feel better and hopefully get me to be whare I want to be. only problem is I can't stick with just on item at all. If I could I would not be whare I am today. And I would be maeking music instead of gripeing.


So my goal and resolution is to buy a peice of hardware ans try and stick with it.

But it I need to start simple to see if I really can stick with something otherwise I am just spending money for no reason on something I know I will never use. Now before anyone says anything Pleas hear me out. I am going to put off buying a modualr synthesizer for a few years, I have not givein that dream up completely, but just putting it off for a while.

What it is that I do need to do is take a step back and see what I can an can not do and what I need to do in oreder to be able to commit myslef too one particular area of interest, like Music. So here is a guide line that I have come up with to help me out.

No. 1: ADMIT that I have a problem:

This I have already done! You just read BTW in case you were wondering what I was refering too.

No. 2: Learn what it is I am good at: Find my out where my strengths and weakness are and work on both of them. Strenghts mor then weakness here.

No. 3 Determine what peice of equipment would work best for me and help me utilize my talents. I.E. Keyboard, synth, groovebox sampler etc..

No. 4 Not be afraid to say I need HELP!
My biggest problem.

No. 5 Actually being able to stick with it. Actually commiting myself to makeing music, and playing it without it seeming like such a chore.

This is my own five step program so to speak. If you have anything to add please do so I an open to suggestions.

SLAP! SLAP! SLAP! SLAP!
On second thought...
I told YA! Whatever you decide - you've got my 100% support and understanding.
Unless you decide to go for a sex change or something... - you'll be alone on that one!

I think if you want to learn about beats, arrangements, chords and music it would not be a bad idea to get an arranger keyboard or a groovebox, or even an arranger software. Something cheap and easy to use. It also has to be something that you'll like to use. Something fun.

Oh,
You ever thought about getting a cheap electric guitar?
May be keyboards are not your thing. Guitars is what got me into music in the first place.


-ED-

PS
I don't agree with Nigel though. Synths aren't just for music making.

No, No, I am serious about this ed. I might look into getting a groovebox and starting with that. If I really enjoy that then, I will upgrade to something else like a keyboard. I know you don't aggree with nigle and you are entitiled to your oppinion, but the more I keep putting off buying a keyboard the less I actually do something, like music. This is not like the last time. I would still like a modualr synth some day just not right now.

I tried the guitar, but it's just not me.

SEX CHANGE???? ARE YOU NUTS?? Please I am quite happy being a guy. I love women, I don't want to be one. They have to many complications anyways.

Actually the only thing I wasn't serious about is the sex change .
I realize that you're not another Wendy Carlos waiting to happen...(She used to be a HE, in case you didn't know that).
I was pretty damn serious about the rest. I do support WHATEVER you decide to do. Groovebox might be your answer....but not for long. Even I get sick of Boom-tss-Boom-tss-Boom-tsss stuff.
But since you keep saying that music is not your thing...
Why do you even bother with musical equipment? There must be reason for your interest in synths, sounds etc. It can't be just boredom that drives you to stick to synth like OMNI and explore that possibility of getting a modular synth or a groovebox or whatever else.

Bottom line is, I think you're being to hard on yourself Paul, Relax, try different things and you'll eventually find what you're good at. DO NOT force yourself to do anything yet. Commitment is only good when you know what you're after. I don't think you really know what you're after at this point. If you knew what you wanted - you'd do it by now.
People will always tell you what to do and what they think is the best...blablabla - the usual. I think listening is good, but being able to figure out what is is that you need and what you want by yourself is even better.
I don't think you're lazy or non musical or whatever else some people here say.
Just explore, decide....see what happens from there.

You might also want to sort out your needs and wants. They are two different things and should be treated differently. Needs last longer - wants ...burn out most of the time or burn you out.

Anyways, cheer up - Don't let Nigels or Eds get to you with their values.

-ED-
BTW
Understanding that EVERYTHING about studio work is difficult is not just my opinion. EVERYTHING is hard work if you go it professionally - It's a fact of life.
I didn't make that up.

It doesn't ALL have to be difficult. If you have a natural ear, work hard and devolpe good habits - lots of stuff will come easy for you !

Look I will make this short and simple. All I ever wanted was to own my own synthesizer, more specically a Minimoog synthesizer ever since I first played one. So I have come to a descion and that is this. I am going to buy a Minimoog Voyager synthesizer and that it that. Not a modualr, or digital or even virtual. just a good old fashion VCO ANALOG synthesizer and the Voyager fits in nicely.

There I have taken the intiative and decided to go for it. No more mucking about, no more saying I am not a muscician, no more sayig music is not my thing. It's time for me to relaxe and stop being so hard on myself.

Thank you for showing me the light ED. You have been a true insperation.

[This message has been edited by Paul-61 (edited 12-10-2003).]

Sure you can go for a Voyager or a sex change. (stupid joke)

Don't rush with decision making.

Just like with most of us...Your perception, needs, wants etc will always change as time goes by. I believe that the right decisions come naturally, with time. Don't force that process and don't lose any sleep over it.
Think of how you bought your new PC and finally got the high-speed internet
service. You didn't kill yourself trying to decide which computer you're going to get, didn't blame yourself for not being a computer programmer, didn't consider getting a new stereo instead, you didn't lose any sleep trying to figure out if you need the computer at all etc. The circumstances were right, the need was there so you just went for it. You are capable of making the right decisions Paul. You will be able to decide what you want to do with music and synths. Do not rush it.

-ED-

Oh,
check out my new thread Paul.




[This message has been edited by 3351 (edited 12-10-2003).]

Well the computer was a no brainer. I went into Best Buy and Bought the cheapest Hewlet Packard they had. But I just bought the CPU tower, since I already have a monitor. I got DSL becuse I was getting fed up with dial up takeing too damn long to surf the net.

If my needs keep changeing as time goes by then I will never buy anything.

Every keyboard I have tried sounds good in the store, but then it's different at home.

I have used, analod, digital, samplers, home keyboards, and groove keyboards. That still leaves Arrangers, Workstations and Virtual analog?

It did not take this long to buy my computer, or my car or even my stereo.

compueter was easy, Bought an HP, car was easy bought a Mercury, stereo was easy bought a Pioneer, even my DVD player was easy Panasonic. even my condo, and even my furniture was easy too.

So why is it hard to find the right keyboard?

See now you got me thinking again?


Maybe I'll just take some time off from all of this. Sort of a vacation to get away from here and synthesizers. Since I obviously cannot make up my mind.

By what you're describing, you NEEDED a computer, DSL, your car, condo and furniture. Synths are more of a WANT.
As I said, "Wants" alone burn out or burn you out. So when you want a synth , but don't really need it for anything it becomes useless shortly after you buy it. I kinda have that problem too, but I can't afford to throw synths away. I need them for work.
Also, for me having a lot of gear is good, because I can work with different synths all the time, without having to sell them, throw them out the window ... or whatever whatever .
And Paul, vacation or not - stick around. This forum needs you.

-ED-

This is what I do know. I am not looking for tons of gear, and I ma not looking to go into the music business. I just happen to like synthesizers as a hobby. And I thought that ba having a synth would be fun to have. To learn about analog synthesis and comeing up with all kinds of weird stuff. I have been fascinated by those early pioneers and synth builders of electronic music and synthesizers. There are times I wished that I had lived during those early years especially when the frist Moog synthesizers were being produced.
[This message has been edited by Paul-61 (edited 12-11-2003).]

[This message has been edited by Paul-61 (edited 12-11-2003).]

To put it mildly, If I really want to lern to play keyboards, I may as well spend the money to buy a home keyboard or even an aranger keyboard, if I want just have found with sound then I would buy a synth.

Guitar Center is having it's December Sale.

Hmm maybe I will see what's keyboards Best Buy is offereing.


Thene again maybe I don't even know what I want!

Hmmm...
I'm not sure if I would want to live in the 60's or even 70's for that matter...
In the 60's girls were kinda fat (most of them anyway) and I think
only holliwood actresses shaved their legs...Plus all that hippy stuff...DIRTY...
And I'm pretty sure I'd miss my studio after dealing with nothing but modular systems and tape loops. I don't really miss that. I really had enough of unstable and muddy sounding tape echos and other nasty things.
I definitely miss the 80's though.

Paul,
Getting an arranger keyboard is GOOD. It will teach you a thing or two about arrangements, chords and different styles. Nowadays arranger boards pack more firepower then my entire studio did back in late 80's. You can get a lot of them used for a good price. As tech says " When you're fed up with it. Throw it away. We live in a disposable world". So once you've outgrown it ...get a better arranger or may be even a synth with some nice sequencing software and start writhing something of your own. I'm not saying you should decide NOW...take your time, shop around, see what happens.


-ED-

Okay ED, any suggestions?

Suggestions regarding arranger boards?
That's Uncle Dave's department. But I can look into it for you if you want.


-ED-

[This message has been edited by 3351 (edited 12-11-2003).]

Paul,

You are bringing two different issues. The first one is about satisfaction and fulfillment in life. Believe it or not, music is not the answer even if you own all instruments and even if you play better than the rest. That is the arena of God and the bible. And you are right. Many times we use addictions to try to fulfill a void that only one can satisfy.

But, concerning the second issue: music, I would like to suggest few things:

1) Visit various music stores for some time and play with various instruments. Do that on a regular basis until you find what you like.

2) Visit some musician friends and try their instruments.

3) Practice Music half an hour a day and then STOP! If it feels like work, make it 20 min a day. Then STOP. If it still feels like work, just do it 15 min a day or even 10 min a day. 10 min a day or even 20? That is not work.

4) When practicing music, do the things that you like. If you get bored, stop.

5) Remember, you always can expand and you always can sell and get a different instrument. You always can upgrade and add.

6) If playing music is not your thing, and if you decided that you will not get an instrument, that is ok. We still consider you part of our community and we still read and appreciate your comments. Do not feel pressured to get something in order to belong. You already belong now.

7) If you decide to do something with music, recording, making sounds, playing music, whatever it is, you do not have to be good at it. The only rule here is that you should have fun.

8) Do not feel shy in taking break from music, or changing your mind, or breaking a commitment you made to certain instrument. Life is tough. Do not make music a burden!!!

God bless you on the first issue and Good luck on the second one.

Hmmm, was that an insult?

NO

-ED-

Cassp, over on the Genneral Arranger forum suggested the Novation KS 4 as a possiblity. What do you think? From listening to the K-station demo at Novation Music.com it sounds rather cool. And it is not like anything else I have seen before. It does have knobs which I like, plus 4 arpegiators which I like also, and MIDI which is usefull. Plus it does not seem to overly complex. Of course I would have to play one to see if I like it. I do happen to like the strange and unsual and differnt. This could be something to consider.

[This message has been edited by Paul-61 (edited 12-12-2003).]

I didn't think so ..... Happy Holidays !

The K Station is the easiest VA Synth I have ever used. Everything is straight up front and a doddle to fathom out. I think using one of these with some form of software like Acid may be right up your street. You could record audio directly into it and add even more effects to those already onboard the K Station.

You may need to find out which way you wanna work on your tracks before chosing your software.

If you really want to play, explore your options.. and then just go get something that you think will work for you. The equipment itself is important to a point, but there is more to it than that. The player behind the equipment is the most important part for me. If playing whatever you have in front of you seems like too much of a chore, then maybe it isn't meant to be, but I think you really do want to get something and play it Paul.

I agree with Ed. I played keys long before I ever got my first arranger. Having a modern arranger though has been beneficial to me in that it has allowed me to learn to play along with an electronic back up band in genres of music that I had not played in before, which expands my abilities as a player. It's also a tool that allows me to better express myself and my music in a live setting when I can't have a live band with me. The tradeoff is that you won't find many arrangers that have a detailed synth engine for making up those cutting edge or off the wall synth sounds.

I have the Korg PA80, and it is among the best of the arrangers out there for editing sounds. It allows for sampling ( with an optional Korg formatted smart media card ). Still, if your focus is set on making abstract sounds, then an arranger is never going to be the best choice. I like playing with abstract sounds at times by the way, but more often than not, I want to play or make music, so I use the PA80, my Motif ES, and a few soft synths. You have to decide what your priorities are and then make a decision. If you wind up with something that really isn't your thing, all is not lost, as you can always sell it later on.

AJ

Your absolutely right AJ I will do just that. I was doing some hous cleaning yesterday and I found this book called "The rough guide to Keyboards & Digital Piano" And started to read through it. This is helping me in makeing an informed decsion in decideing which keyboard to buy and and how to go about decideing which one would be right for me.

My best suggestion:
1.)Take a look around at all your local colleges music departments. Select a school that best fits your needs and take some basic courses and stick to them like :
Applied analog synthesis
theory 101
piano 101
Talk to the teachers before you sign up to one of their classes. Go with the person that seems best for you.
2.) If you want thing to adhere and stick well, use epoxy.

WOW! I was not expecting anyone to post to this topic. I thought it had died? Guess I was wrong.

Thanks for the info Morph, but I have decided to buy a Korg Karma, becuse I really don't want to learn to play the piano, becuse it's a boreing instument. Well for me it is anyway. Plus I don't know of any colleges that teach analog synthesis. Oh yeah I have had 20 years of piano lessons and relly did not learn a whole lot. Besides, I was told you can learn more in life then from sitting in a class room.