Is it worth it to get a bunch of hardware? (coming from software only)

[pdxindy]

The most appealing synth work is usually part of normal songs in my view.

for me, the most appealing synth work is part of abnormal music

[Rameses]

Listen, kiddo.

Says the 24-year old. I think Ive got T-shirts older than you. Go on, little baby, this oughta be good....

A harmonic spectrum of an audio signal is better if it's wider, if it has a higher fidelity and is more "complete".

So no scientific definition, not even a fully resolved one. 'More complete', eh, what a larf.

FWIW, you pretty much just claimed white noise is the best sound.

Don't try to present fully self-evident matters as rocket science or something vague or unexplainable or far from reality.

Not sure why I'd want to do that, in a situation where it applied. Here, though, it doesnt. After all, Im actually expecting your claim to be explainable, because, in fact, I asked you for a nice solid expanation.

Its not my fault you've decided to just claim that its self-evident, then attempted to vaguely handwave away any notion of support for it. If its as self-evident as you say, it'll be pretty easy for you to make it explicitly evident and prove your case, wont it?

Hmmm, I wonder why you didnt just do that.

You can't say that the quality of the taste of feces is subjective, just because they are surely people who enjoy it more than steak or fruit.

Given the inherent logical contradiction in that statement, I think the evidence is mounting up that you dont actually know what the word 'subjective' means.

Just stop arguing with me while you're wrong, it's pointless I doesn't matter how much you write or how smart you try to appear, truth his: Wider harmonic spectrum = better sound, period. It's not the only factual attribute of an average rack unit which would make it better than any synth plugins but really, I'm just pointing out the obvious and I'm wondering how much ignorance one can show by publicly not accepting that I'm right. You still try to present the quality difference between sound modules/rack units and plugins as something vague, subjective and not clearly tangible. Did you ever seen a professional industry studio from inside? Do you think there is fruity loops and Nexus or Omnisphere installed on any machine? Seriously...

[mike_the_ranger]

[himalaya]

Well, I can't really separate the music from the synth sounds. There tends to be a strong correlation.
The instrumental "space music" of JMJ sounds the cold way it does for a reason.
The most appealing synth work is usually part of normal songs in my view.

Ah, so you equate the 'song' format with appealing synth sounds.
But synth instrumentals by default sound bad...Interesting

Like I said, back to the class you go and start on your first chapter: 'The 101 of Analytical and Critical Listening'. Much to learn you have, my young padawan.

What would you list as your examples of the 'warm' pop song with synths?

By the way, my list didn't contain only "space music of JMJ". How about Wendy Carlos' 'Switched on Bach'? There is a tune or two you can hum to. I promise!
EDIT: and of course, 'Upstair at Eric's' which I have listed. Proper pop songs. Also no good?

[pdxindy]

You still try to present the quality difference between sound modules/rack units and plugins as something vague, subjective and not clearly tangible.

Todays plugins have a higher sound fidelity than the vast majority of hardware ever made...

I'm not sure if you are trolling... or actually believe the things you are saying

[Gregorius]

I'm not sure if you are trolling...

He is. And not only in this thread

[dellboy]

My two audio examples were ignored by you. Don't be affarid, you can listen to them.

Not so, I listened to both this afternoon.

I have to say that I heard nothing out of the ordinary,nor did I expect to. But really, you are preaching to the choir, I run a completely software studio. I do not own any hardware synths any longer. I for one am perfectly happy with the sound that software makes. But it will be a long time before controllers can come remotely close to matching the expression capabilities of real world instruments.

[fluffy_little_something]

Ah, so you equate the 'song' format with appealing synth sounds.
But synth instrumentals by default sound bad...Interesting

Like I said, back to the class you go and start on your first chapter: 'The 101 of Analytical and Critical Listening'. Much to learn you have, my young padawan.

What would you list as your examples of the 'warm' pop song with synths?

By the way, my list didn't contain only "space music of JMJ". How about Wendy Carlos' 'Switched on Bach'? There is a tune or two you can hum to. I promise!
EDIT: and of course, 'Upstair at Eric's' which I have listed. Proper pop songs. Also no good?

I didn't say they sound bad, but usually cold and boring.
Of course there is a connection between the synth sounds and the genre. It was no coincidence that the Vangelis Blade Runner synths sounded the way they did.

I don't know about pop songs, but a lot of R&B songs had nice-sounding synths, even today at times.

Or even some instrumentals when synths are not the only instruments, like Kool and the Gang's Summer Madness.

One of my problems with all-synth music is that it tends to be much too long, so it tends to get boring and sound all the same.

[pdxindy]

To the OP... since you started in 2012... learn to use the tools you got. Developing your skills will make far more difference than time spent chasing gear dreams.

Besides that... For 85% of people 85% of the time, it is not worth getting a bunch of hardware. Much of that old stuff is a pain to work with. If you got a bunch of it, it can be a nightmare to connect it all together... from midi to cabling to the space needed to keep it all accessible.

[pdxindy]

One of my problems with all-synth music is that it tends to be much too long, so it tends to get boring and sound all the same.

I'm glad you recognize that it's your problem... not everyone suffers from that problem

[himalaya]

I have to say that I heard nothing out of the ordinary,nor did I expect to.

I think the choir is deaf!
Try to get an authentic woodwind articulation on a standard midi keyboard controller. The first example shows you the benefit of one of those 'new fangled' midi controllers (it's not a keyboard). A challenge for you! Do that tremolo woodwind articulation and note pitch bend legato on your Novation controller!

But it will be a long time before controllers can come remotely close to matching the expression capabilities of real world instruments.

The first example did exactly that. It matched the expressive nature of a woodwind.

[fluffy_little_something]

One of my problems with all-synth music is that it tends to be much too long, so it tends to get boring and sound all the same.

I'm glad you recognize that it's your problem... not everyone suffers from that problem

Of course it is subjective. I never said others don't like all-synth music...

[dellboy]

No, I am not arguing the usual hardware versus software sounds better. But real versus synthetic.

For me,a 1966 moog is a real instrument.

Oh dellboy!

The 1966 Moog is synthetic. So is the 1970 Moog.
No matter how you will dress it, the Moog it will remain as synthetic as any synthesiser you care to mention.

Or at which point does it stop being synthetic? When you play back a recording of it through the speakers?

Did you escape from the TRON movie ?

Perhaps you can manipulate ones and zeros ?

At any rate, the sound a 1966 Moog makes is synthetic,but the instrument itself is real,it can be touched,and the knobs twiddled in real time. An image of a Moog on a screen is synthetic. When you twiddle a knob on a real Moog electricity pulses through the instrument and it is alive. When you twiddle a software knob digital ones and zeros are being manipulated.

[himalaya]

So what? Again: when you select a bass sound on you software synth, what do you hear?

Be brave. Answer with all your sincerity. The glory awaits (yes I've escaped the Tron movie and the Great Flood, and many more besides).

Also answer my question in the quote above as well (the speakers one). Be brave.

By the way, my midi controller is real. I can touch it, and its control faders tweaked in real time. An image on the acreen is just graphic. The sound is synthetic. Just like the sound of your supposed Moog from 1966.

Unbelivable conversation! I'm sitting here shaking my head in disbelief ! It's 2018, I thought humanity has advanced a little bit. Argh!

[dellboy]

The first example did exactly that. It matched the expressive nature of a woodwind.

No offense, but as someone who listens to lot of classical music I can say it does not even come close to matching the expression of a real world flute, clarinet or oboe etc. And for that matter,why would you want it to ? One is real and the other is synthetic, there is room in the world for both.