Insta for more -> @lelausynth 😉

Finally bought one of these used a few weeks ago. I tend to lurk but not post much but figured maybe some would appreciate something more compositionally focused. IDK I feel like the polyend tracker doesn't get the love it deserves

Not the best picture, but this was the first configuration in a new studio. I picked up the tiered Quiklok in February to maintain consistency between the studio and stage, and it was honestly the best decision (aside from the weight)

The main rig is centred around an MPC Live II paired with the Model 12. I have the Kaoss Pad chain (KP2, KP3+, KP3) on the SubMix send, with its own stereo return channel. They're underneath the TR-8S, which I've just brought back into the fold.
The two seaboards either play the same MPC plugin (Rise 25 usually set to a low octave)
The new studio addition, on the left, is a K2000R, paired with the Axiom 49. I've only had a couple days with the Kurzweil and I love it! Definitely just a studio instrument.

In the back are a few things I'll be trying to connect for studio use next - MC-505 and an MC-909, the Behringer SY-1, an X-Station and a Yamaha PS-55S. Along with a few other fx, etc..

I am new to electronic music production.

As a pianist, I was not very keen to produce music via midi via DAWs.

But I have sorted this out since.

What's featured here is my DAWless setup.

Novation launchkey 37 (via USB)

Arturia Keystep Pro (via USB)

Into the Korg Kronos 3

This allows me to unlock the power of Korg's Combi

And let me jam away for inspiration

I am very impressed with the modern technology.

No extra power supplies needed.

No midi cables needed.

Yamaha TQ5 and ZoomR8. This is all thats left of my gear horde…

If you are not familiar with it, the Yamaha answering machine otherwise known as the TQ5 was an overlooked gem in its days of production. It’s a four op desktop FM synth that runs a similar (I swear it is not the same flavor) sound engine to the TX81Z.

It has L and R outputs, MIDI In/Out/Thru, an onboard sequencer, three available banks of sounds (Preset, User, Card), a nice selection of onboard effects, simplified parameter editing and it is LOUD! It also tells you the date and time, mine currently still thinks it’s 2025.

Also, the form factor is perfectly portable yet durable. The top shell is plastic but the bottom is metal. And this one here has survived almost forty years and it is still kicking with maintenance. I swapped the screen and the internal battery. Easy updates if you are handy with an iron.

I have had so many synths over the years (which are sadly all gone now). But now I am endeavoring to make some fresh dungeon synth and my last remaining TQ5 (I used to have 3) is going to do the job. The sound card I have actually has a preset called Dungeon…

FM is not for everyone I know, but it’s my favorite way to synth. If you are into old synths consider the TQ5, though they are pretty scarce. If you can find one sub $300 jump on it. Screen and battery updates will run about $150 or so, but this thing will do work for you.

Earlier today i posted if $800 for a like-new Sequential Take 5 was a good deal and I got a huge mixed bag of comments ranging from "yes" to "no effing shit you chromosome missing fool". Anyways, I picked it up today. Thanks all!

Which model is the white Moog synth? At first I though it was maybe a sub 37 when they showed it from the back, but when I caught a glimpse of the front I didn't recognize it. Which synth is this?

Been having some serious 90s flavored GAS that even simethicone won't fix. Got one 90s rackmount synth for a good deal, and from there it's been falling into deals over and over and negotiating my way into others. All purchased within the last month and a half.

(yes the Scarlett is new and not 90s but sue me)

What are you guys running for mixers? Im going to run a push 3, aa astrolab and maybe a digitakt 2. Im looking for something small with at least 4 stereo inputs. And be able to have headphone cue on each channel. Under 400 ish? Idk what do you guys recommend?

I finally got the case for my 208c and LEM218. BEST CASE made this bad boy for me. Silver Haliburton with sparkle blue leather. I can’t believe how good it looks.

Racked Boog System 55, Boland System 100, BARP 2500, BARP Solina and Boog Model 15 alongside a Roland Jupiter-X, Tascam Model 12, BOSS PRO SE-70 for effects and an obligatory Keystep.

Re-installed it all in its new home and just spent half an hour watching the flashing lights lol.

I'm going to Tokyo for a few days while visiting Japan. I want to dedicate some time to exploring shops, place, flagships etc. around Toyko that specialize in electronic music gear, maybe grab a thing or two (would really love some vintage/used gear at a bargain, maybe a cool effect pedal or boutiwue synth). Please give me your best tips!

Hey y'all. I replied with some wavestate tips for another user and thought they might be helpful to have in a top level post. Nothing crazy just stuff I've found while casually learning mine. Happy to discuss more in the comments ☺️☺️

- in the randomizer, try out the option to rando programs and effects. If you add more libraries with new programs or fx presets, the randomizer will pull from those too.

- you can load up 4gb of your own samples but honestly it's kinda a pain. I highly recommend the Ocean State addon. 4gb of good samples and hundreds of presets and programs, all categorized for you. I threw it on mine and then never had to touch samples again, and it gives the randomizer a lot of new material to pull from.

- this is my hot take but, don't learn it through the vst/editor, if you can manage it. The workflow on the hardware is very well thought out and you can get to a great level of speed and proficiency with it. I prefer it over the vst and I'm faster than on the editor. I also couldn't imagine how lost I'd feel learning the editor first then trying to do anything major on the hardware.

- the easiest way to learn some basic synthesis on it is to use one layer. Switch it to single multi sample mode, then load a saw wave. This will disable all the sequencer stuff and you can treat it like a normal subtractive synth, mess with the filter, envelopes, lfos, etc. 

- the fx are part of the synthesis. It's easy to think you do all the work on making the entire sound and then the effects are just some spice, but each effect has several parameters that can all be modulated just like everything else. I love hooking up velocity for example to the drive on the guitar sim

- this goes hand in hand with the learning on hardware not editor thing. But those loop start and endpoints are dedicated knobs for a reason. Tweak em just like a cutoff knob or any other performance tweak knob. Having a sequence running and dynamically adjusting say, a pitch lane loop end that will add in or remove a +3, +7, +11, +12 for example can make melodic flourishes that are harmonically relevant to your base sequence. Adjusting the loop end on a timing lane can dynamically bring in ratchets or triplets, again taking that melodic component you sequenced and adding on demand rhythmic flair. What happens when you add several of these on one mod knob, or even the pitch wheel so you can flick in a flourish and have it return to baseline.. hmmmm...and so on.

- those pitch lane changes can sound like shit if you're not careful. I'm too lazy to be careful, so I set a global scale in the utility settings. This will snap any pitch lane changes into your scale. So if I'm using my sq64 or pyramid and my sequence is in f phrygian or some wankerish bullshit(as I am want to do) I just copy that on my wavestate.

- you have 8 global perf mod knobs, but also each layer has an additional set of 8. So a full 4 layer patch could technically have 40 mod knob assignments, hopping from layer to layer to live tweak individual things. You can also set up each layer on its own bidi channel and send it 4 different sequences and then hop into layers, tweak mod knobs or do some mutes to build up jams

- I almost always make a global perf knob for cutoff, attack, and release. Sometimes gate length. That reaches into all 4 layers and adjust them at the same time. I can turn my entire patch into something plucky or a pad in seconds. Add in a reverb macro and you can do big wash out risers then snap the whole system into plucky focus.

There was an option to check another battery (unsure if it's a different one or not) and that test was okay too. I am very confused. I am still getting the change battery warning

EDIT: thanks for the feedback everyone :)

now it won't turn on

any chance there's some magic way to rescue her or is my mother cooked?

I will never tire of that Pro-800 lush sound, so I thought you might appreciate it too.

(Just added a 🤏 bit of Lexicon reverb and even less –around 5%– of Softube Saturation Knob)

I can’t find it spelled out as literally 100% anywhere, but I thought I remembered reading somewhere that it was, though who knows if what I read was accurate or not. Can anyone confirm with real knowledge if pianoteq is merely overwhelmingly modelling based or truly 100% so? And what of the other modeling companies, do we know which are pure, which are mostly modeled with some samples, which are largely samples supplemented with modeling?

initial test:the juno and dx7 patches sound good, reverb is surprisingly good,

can't wait to learn more about this thing especially for loading multisamples and maybe re-creating casio CZ style synth

for $29 it is no brainer

The usual suspects toe the line with Double Knot on bass & a little piano phrase looping in Jots. Weaver is weaving a percussive element & Skitter has the Chromaplane fed into it, then into Microcosm. Norns is running the Strum script through Haze & into Mimeophon.