AW: RE: (2) DIY Digital Scanning ... and MS-20

[Clive Jones]

>On Wed, 21 Feb 1996, Haible_Juergen#Tel2743 wrote:

>> >I think I missed something somewhere.  Please, tell me, WHY are you
>> >building your own keyboard scanner, when MIDI keyboards can be had so
>> >cheaply (you may have a few laying about)?
>>
.> Similar question: Why should anybody build a MS-20 filter, when there   
are
>> so many MS-20's around?

>My estimates may be off, but here's a cost analysis:

>Cost of MS20 - US$500
>Time to build MS20 filter clone - 4 hrs
>Hourly rate - $125

>Cost of used MIDI keyboard - US$100
>Time to build polyphonic cpu scanned keyboard - 100 hrs
>Hourly rate - $1

>Building the keyboard seems like a complete waste of time.  BTW, having
>recently written polyphonic voice assignment code for an analogue synth,   
I
>can tell you that 100 hrs is a very optimistic estimate.

>To me, the decision to build or buy depends on the uniqueness of the   
item
>to be built, and cost in time.  My time is very valuable to me, so
>puttering it away building a keyboard makes NO sense whatsoever.  I'd
>rather spend my time building something novel sounding than reinvent the
>wheel.

>JDM

I think you completely miss the point here - it's got nothing to do with   
cost as most engineers/tech's build for building sake to satisfy   
themselves, because *you* think it's a crap or expensive idea doesn't   
mean others can't obtain something from it.

Did Bob Moog say - "I'd love to design a synthesizer, but, I haven't got   
the money right now"?

This list is entitled "Synth-DIY", not "I think it's a crap Synth   
idea-DIY", "You need $$$$ to build a synth before you start DIY" or "I'll   
approve your ideas synth-DIY". Give us a break.

Clive - "pie in the sky" modular designer.

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/<c.jones at sni.co.uk> / ...and on the 8th day
/01344 850213 Work   / God made Synthesizers
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/01628 602106 Home   /   ' Tom Oberheim '
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