Minimal Wave Records

I know that many of us love the feeling and sound of some of those old analog synths, and actually prefer hardware (new and old) to software in general…
Being said, I know that some of us do in fact use vsts (you can’t miss some of those arps from the minimoog v plugin!) and just wanted to get some opinions on this.

Also, any opinions on DAWs (computer and integrated) vs. the old 8/more track method are welcome.

Which do you prefer and why?

Please entertain me this morning.

But what happens when you want to play live?

depends on what you are aiming for…
if you’re making front line assembly style sampler music, than yes bring your laptop or mpc.. if you’re using a cr 78 to trigger the envs of an old sh 5 or kr to trigger an sq 10, i’d ss-say bring ‘em all up on stage and show ‘em what you’ve got…: )

I agree that making music is sometimes easier with hardware and not bothering with DAWs and midi… but I have found that problems always arise (for me at least).

For example, some songs that I have recorded by 8track sound nice, but in the future when i want to change/fix up, it is harder. Also, remembering everything that I did in the song can be a problem unless I hand write every note/action down for record. I suppose you could save patches with some hardware, but I usually dont find myself doing that.  In that respect I find DAWs and midi to be very helpful. Although sometimes, like Tan was saying, it can be too much… Meaning that you have SO MANY options that it can get out of hand, and often in the way of the creative process.

I am a fan of both for different reasons. It really depends what you are trying to do, and what works best for the artist.

Also, I find that bringing lots of hardware out for shows can be a pain, not to mention the risk factor of it getting stolen or broken. I find that it is much easier to have some things on laptop, and have a synth or two on stage for playing other parts. Some of my songs have 15 individual tracks to them, and unless you have some serious multitimbrality going on, that would be near impossible for a single person to re-create live without the help of DAWs.

As for vsts, I find some of them to be very helpful and more practical! Vintage/Analog synths can be pricey, not to mention it is hard to find many of the beloved older synths is decent working condition. Arturia did a wonderful job in replicating some of the older analogs, like Yamaha’s CS-80 for example. Now imagine having the hardware version of that? Not only did it weigh a ton,  but cost an arm and a leg!.. not to mention various other tuning issues.

check out mr. Foxx on top of the pops with his 3 cs-80s…

Thats all fine and dandy, but for the average musician.. its not practical at all. Cool, yes… but honestly.

simply joshing…mr. foxx like many of the legendary synthpop acts of the early 80s never dreamed of really playing live, it might mar their vanity..time to show these dinosaurs how to really do it

much more likely that one will have their laptop, ipod, or minidisc stolen than a big rig of synths…

If you play out of a laptop you are basically doing karaoke. No pun intended.
Where’s the talent in that?
Besides that I think playing live is not about sounding like “the” recording.
I personally like to hear the difference between the recorded track and the live performance.

If you dont have the gear is one thing but don’t be lazy because it’s easier to carry a laptop instead of synths! that’s ridiculous.

I don’t see how one can get satisfaction out of laptop playback.

that’s a good one!     
Very true.

Come to this for some real live performances:

http://www.minimal-wave.org/site/modules.php?name=Forums&file=viewtopic&t=514

i wish you guys had invited me : (..oh whither Miami

Sean…I DID!

“If you play out of a laptop you are basically doing karaoke. No pun intended.
Where’s the talent in that?
Besides that I think playing live is not about sounding like “the” recording.
I personally like to hear the difference between the recorded track and the live performance.

If you dont have the gear is one thing but don’t be lazy because it’s easier to carry a laptop instead of synths! that’s ridiculous.

I don’t see how one can get satisfaction out of laptop playback.”  CR 78

My feeling exactly… this concept of analog, for me, impels the “live”..this directing of voltage, channeling the electric, no prefab storage and recall of 1s and 0s…the mimetic nature of VSTs and emulative software embodies more and more the turbo plasticisation of life itself..a life not lived but mediated and spectacularised (represented)

If you dont have the gear is one thing but don’t be lazy because it’s easier to carry a laptop instead of synths! that’s ridiculous.

I don’t see how one can get satisfaction out of laptop playback.”  CR 78

My feeling exactly… this concept of analog, for me, impels the “live”..this directing of voltage, channeling the electric, no prefab storage and recall of 1s and 0s…the mimetic nature of VSTs and emulative software embodies more and more the turbo plasticisation of life itself..a life not lived but mediated and spectacularised (represented)

If this is the Sean I’m thinking of, it’s a bit hypocritical to say this when the one time I saw you live, your laptop and fruityloops were hanging out to your immediate right. I dont recall but the only other things I saw you have for gear on stage was a microphone and a guitar

I hate when people (in forums mainly) downplay their use of vst’s etc.

It’s the synthsnob equivalent of a pissing contest, “my moog is bigger than yours”

-K

“simply joshing…mr. foxx like many of the legendary synthpop acts of the early 80s never dreamed of really playing live, it might mar their vanity..time to show these dinosaurs how to really do it”

***I dont think most artists start making music with the intent of playing live shows.

“If you play out of a laptop you are basically doing karaoke. No pun intended.
Where’s the talent in that?
Besides that I think playing live is not about sounding like “the” recording.
I personally like to hear the difference between the recorded track and the live performance.
If you dont have the gear is one thing but don’t be lazy because it’s easier to carry a laptop instead of synths! that’s ridiculous.”

***I know that MANY bands that play live with laptops do in fact go the “karaoke” route, but that is not a fair assumption to make for anyone who uses a laptop live. To say that is being a little ignorant. No? Yes, playing live is not about sounding like the recording, and if you have a few backing tracks for a song that has various amounts of tracks, it will sound NOTHING like the original recording. Again, I guess it all has to do with the artist, their live support system, gear, ability, ect…
I never said, “its easier to carry a laptop instead of synths”, I was stating that I find it easier to bring a laptop as support to what I am already doing live. It makes it easier for me to concentrate on what I am humanly capable of, delivering more quality. Again, its a matter of preference and what you feel is right.

“My feeling exactly… this concept of analog, for me, impels the “live”..this directing of voltage, channeling the electric, no prefab storage and recall of 1s and 0s…the mimetic nature of VSTs and emulative software embodies more and more the turbo plasticisation of life itself..a life not lived but mediated and spectacularised (represented)”

***I agree with this to a degree. If you have a proper controller, or use another synth with keys as a controller, you can get a similar feeling of analog (although not the same) live. A Vst can be used in a similar manner as an analog synth, its a matter of how the artist chooses to use it and record it…

Either way, the use of Analog gear as opposed to Vsts, ect does not determine the quality or talent of an artist.  You either have talent or not, regardless of what you use to get your music out. If someone/something sucks, its because of the people, not the gear they use.

Glad to hear some of your opinions.