Hi John, welcome to the wacky world of modular synthesis! It sounds like
the MOTM you're getting is fairly minimal, but a pretty complete place to
start. Of course, it'll grow as the modular worm creeps into your brain,
and the news of a VC lag processor keeps you awake in a cold sweat in the
middle of the night contemplating which of your children could be sold. But
I digress.
I understand all too well the need to clear some stuff out to pay for the
MOTM, but in a perfect world, you may want to keep some of your VA stuff
along with the modular. One of the coolest things about modular synthesis
is that, with a little pre-amping, just about anything that puts out a
signal can be patched into it. The MOTM filters can do wonderful things to
digital synths, the 410 is great for adding warmth and motion to any pad (I
love it on DX-7), and, as JH pointed out recently, the 440 sounds very cool
on polysynths. And these are just the more "conventional" applications, you
could use a VA pad as an audio-rate FM source on a VCO (very cool way of
adding "harmonic noise" to a patch), run a pad into the sub-oct mux for
low-end ring-mod grunge, anything really.
>I do like the variety of sounds in my Jp8080 and Audity 2000 (which
>is a software modular set-up--like it A LOT) ; the sound
>designers have done a fab job but.....its still "someone else's
>sound, when I really want to make my own.
I completely understand this feeling! I was contemplating getting a Yamaha
FS1r on their recent blowout, but chose to get a Micromodular instead. I've
been told that the FS1r really makes some entirely new sounds, but at this
point in my life, I don't want another box with a million presets and an
indecipherable operating system, I want a system that lets me create my
sounds without an enormous learning curve
>
>Now, I could sample the patches I have created of course, and use
>them from the Mac so I wouldn't lose "everything" I like
>about the VA's. I guess I'm asking, is the process of working on a
>true modular "too" minimal for me (miss my lush pads?),
>or can I arrive at the same fullness and beauty with simply, more
>elbow grease (gallons??) and creativity
>on a mod.
The modular will open up entirely new ways of working with sound, at least
it did for me. The MOTM will also make some wonderful "conventional" synth
sounds, I actually have to keep reminding myself of this fact! Recently, I
was looking for a certain kind of analog bass sound, nothing really
special, just warm and deep. Went to the BassStation, the Nord Lead, etc,
nothing quite sounded right. Patched up a "normal" 2-osc/filter/VCA/2EG
synth voice on the MOTM, and there it was. We're lucky to have all the
tools we have today, hard-disk recording is a perfect complement to the
modular, once you get a sound that works, record it to disc and it's there.
When I think about Subotnick/Carlos et al working with splicing analog tape
and primitive modulars, I'm even more in awe of the music they produced. So
anyway, yeah, you will get sounds that move you from the MOTM, I can almost
guarantee it. Whether you'll get the same lush pads you love from the VA
synths, I dunno, my usual work method is is that when I set out to get one
thing, I end up with something else entirely. And that's the beauty of
modular synthesis.
____________________________________________
Dave Trenkel :
improv@...Minus Web Site:
http://listen.to/minusmusicMinus MP3's:
http://www.mp3.com/-minus-____________________________________________