Archive of the former Yahoo!Groups mailing list: MOTM

I would agree that The having more tools (particulary with a variety
of functions and sound possibilities) enhances creativity. It is
also true that bad ergonomics can stifle creativity. To me this is
the major detriment of all these digital synths. Most of these
synths sound great (although they certainly don't sound analog) but
trying to figure out how to use them is a real pain in the ass. I
have never done my own sampling with the Kurzweils for instance
because I find it so much easier to sample with the Emus. Likewise
if I want to do a pitchbend with aftertouch it can take all day to
figure out with one of the digital synths. You can go through menu
page after menu page, and search through 4 manuals only to find out
you can't do it. On the MOTM all it takes is a little thought and a
couple of patch cords.
One of the most wonderful features of the MOTM and really any
modular is it encourages you to think outside the box. To
experiment, to try something totally different. There can be a
certain amount of luck involved, finding a great sound by accident.
It is these moments which can lead to creativity.
Personally I've found that creativity with the synthesizer is
similar to creating music. Inspiration and luck are great but when
they run out, an intellectual understanding of your instrument and
of music in general can save the day.
I wish comapnies like Kurzweil and Emu and Korg would offer a great
big panel full of knobs and switches which could be plugged into the
back of their synths to allow real-time tweaking. You could unplug
the panel if you had a gig and just take the synth. It's probably
possible to implement such a controller for some synths by using a
clever bit of midi sysex programming, but certainly not a project
for the faint of heart.