Minimal Wave Records

I love the sound of the Mopho, I love the cute yellow packaging (although I recognise this would definitely not be to everyone’s tastes). However, the advent of the Tetra polysynth and the immediately more programmable Mopho keyboard remind me of its limitations. To my ears, Dave Smith’s synths have a lovely brassiness, but I am probably going to pass it on for a Little Phatty with CV or one of the new Oberheim SEMs eventually, I suspect the DSI release cycle is going to offer more imperative improvements in the future.

As for the MAQ, I’m glad to hear you’re getting the same creative buzz out of it, though the MIDI issue was from a friend who uses Cubase. Excellent programmer, I trust his judement but *shrug* who knows…he passed up his MAQ and recommended the Oberkorn, the YouTube videos of which I’m loving, but I wonder if the MAQ isn’t better featured somehow. It’s certainly ra-ther sex-y.

The earlier mention of the Radias keyboard – I am alone amongst my friends but I actually quite like its sound and look (although I think the keyboard part itself could be a little nicer) and can see how someone could get quite a bit out of it, live and at home. Although in digital terms, I’d rather a Nord or Waldorf synth.

Presently I’m imposing a bit of a “ninety-days-in” rule on myself to try and save for a tiny bit more recording equipment and start using it…this year I want to make Minimal Wave!

The Tetra is also another tempting one. Lots of good crammed into a tiny box. And Oberheim…mmm yes.

If your friend is seasoned programmer, then I guess I wouldn’t be surprised if the MAQ wasn’t entirely Cubase friendly. Hahaha. It IS a dinosaur after all.

Honestly, the Radias is one of the ugliest hunks of junk that I will tolerate (stupid lights everywhere), but for the price tag, it’s very hard to argue with what it’s supposed to be able to do. It’s loaded with a lot of stuff, in terms of granular level of control, having a sequencer, multi-timbral, etc. But if I had an “extra” grand or two or three I would probably rather get a Nord/Waldorf/Virus. Or better yet, go the other way and get something analog (like even as far as an MS20). Except I prefer to keep it cheap right now. I don’t want to look like one of those Leica posers who get the most expensive gear and make shitty art. I’d rather get cheaper gear and do the best that I can with it.

Haha a 90-day rule is good. Rules are good.

The Tetra is *lovely.* I don’t find it terribly exciting as a four part mono synth, but playing chords on it in a store - some lush and emotive sounds are possible there. As for the Little Phatty (CV) and SEM (CV), I have a feeling that with the right sequencer and pedals, they would play *very* nicely to make the kind of music I’m hearing in my head…I just want something that has tight timing AND feels good.

The MAQ just seemed to drift out of time with the master clock. I wonder if it was sync’d to a tighter MIDI source, like an MPC it would be overcome, or if it’s an intrinsic characteristic of it, but it is still a tasty looking thing…

I can see some enterprising glue-gun wielding creative type giving a Radias lovely wooden sides standalone or a keybed not unlike the Moog Voyager, maybe rendering it more aesthetically pleasing. It’s not for me, though. A friend has a Virus Polar and it’s without doubt one of the most powerful synths I’ve played with, but again it’s not terribly exciting to me for some reason. Nords are just…delicious looking and well laid out, and Waldorfs have a glassiness that I adore.

The same friend has an Elektron Machinedrum which, while digital sounding, has a pretty intuitive and tight MIDI sequencer, and a crunchy sampler option if anyone is so inclined. His dog tried to eat it which might be an indicator of its desirability.

But, yes, expense and necessity is a factor, and ultimately, the coolest-looking act is the one that puts itself out there with confidence and capability, not necessarily fringes-ahoy. I tend to avoid old analogue, even though there’s so much choice out there, the expense and upkeep can be difficult… The MS-20 is awesome, but averaging up to $2,000 USD, I can get two of the above mentioned modern analogue pieces for that price. I’d love to see a company like Analogue Solutions manufacturing a keyboard like an MS-20.

Ah, you know, it’s time for rules. Imagine spending slacking for a long time with a head full of New Cold Dreams and then somehow waking up in your mid twenties, post girlfriend, post comfort zone, post long-walk-home-in-the-rain-after-another-unfulfilling-set-at-your-crummy-local-goff-club and then thinking “Oh, it would be nice to be some kind of band, now. Less beer money, more synth money.”