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

[Tearing Riots]

- Software fx/synth sound amazing these days. Way cheaper too, obv.
- Analogue gear can be pushed further, if the sound breaks up it does so in more useful/interesting ways than digital.
- A knobby synth can be operated much faster than software with a mouse. Being able to adjust a parameter with one hand and its modulation amount with the other is a huge advantage over going back and forth with a mouse. Good luck setting up a controller with a feature-heavy vst in a way you don't have to mess around with the mappings all the time.
- Hardware needs to be hooked up and recorded, most daws can integrate them nicely though. Windows midi can be annoying sometimes, but when it runs it runs.

[thecontrolcentre]

Its worth it to me, but I was using hardware before software. I'm a huge fan of analog synths, and own quite a few now. I find hardware quicker, and more intuitive when writing/ creating, but software really comes into its own when processing and mixing. Maybe you should get one hardware synth and see how you get on with it.

[Azura]

And of course with hardware you record that sound and work with audio instead of midi. So if something goes wrong, you record that again instead of dragging notes around.

I don't want to be picky here, but it is not 100% true, if your hw has midi and if it is controlled by a DAW.

Another point to consider: Hardware may break, not software. But a software may stop working someday, for example on an OS update.

Marc

[foosnark]

It depends on the hardware (even down to the individual instrument), how you feel about using it, what you want to do with it, whether you have the other infrastucture needed to make the most of it, etc.

I used to be a "software is the future, nobody needs hardware anymore" type. I got better. But I went through a bunch of small desktop synths and cheap eBayed gear and most of it just didn't stick -- I found myself just going back to plugins. The exception was a Microbrute.

Then I got into modular and that changed everything for me. I started recording almost three times as much music, experimented for a few months and settled in on a more focused and refined style than I'd had before, and I enjoy the process more. It cost a bit (not as much as my ModularGrid says, thanks to used modules, discounts, and beta testing) but still relatively cheap for a serious hobby -- and any further spending is going to be a lot slower because I've pretty much maxed out the amount of gear I want to surround myself with.

There is nothing magic about hardware per se (nor analog, even). The magic is in the individual instrument and the person playing it. A lot of hardware is more awkward and annoying to use than using plugins and doesn't sound any better. Exceptions are subjective. A lot of people here would hate working with my system, and the feeling is mutual For some people, probably there is no hardware that would be better than using plugins. Other people associate computers with work and would rather record on to reel-to-reel tape.

[Distorted Horizon]

And of course with hardware you record that sound and work with audio instead of midi. So if something goes wrong, you record that again instead of dragging notes around.

I don't want to be picky here, but it is not 100% true, if your hw has midi and if it is controlled by a DAW.

Another point to consider: Hardware may break, not software. But a software may stop working someday, for example on an OS update.

Marc

Yes, you may first send midi from your DAW to your synth... But you still need to record the output (unless your gear, pc and DAW are always on). And when you're like "damn I should make a filter opening here instead of what I've already recorded", you need to record that piece again to have that effect.

And point to consider: When a software synth becomes abandonware (dev dies or makes an asshole move and disappears like some soundguru that I won't mention by name), it's then pretty much gone. It works as long as you don't upgrade/update your pc/mac, but eventually it's gone. Especially if it requires your rig to be online all the time. When the servers go down..

Hardware on the otherhand when/IF it goes broken.. Well there's still parts available for synths that are what.. 40 years old? Can you imagine a software synth that'd be 40 years old, still considered valuable and in use?

[foosnark]

I'd be very surprised if, 40 years from now -- assuming I'll be alive and making music and civilization hasn't collapsed around us -- I still cared about any of the software I'm using now. Or the hardware either.

I mean, none of this stuff even even runs on quantum processors, nevermind having a direct neural interface. ("A keyboard! How quaint!")

[vurt]

go to a store, try out one of the new analogue toys, spend an hour or so getting the feel of it and see if it does anything for you beyond the fantasy in your mind.
it may be you just don't get the same buzz as others from the interaction with the hands on nature and feel that every action has an effect...

also, what are you "expecting" from said synth, will it inspire you musically? will it make you a better musician? will it attract more babes?
only one of these is going to be a possibility, to find out is for you, we cannot decide for you.


tldr version.

hell yeah! buy all the hardware!
if its what you want.

[AnX]

Hello, I started music in 2012 and I've been software only and I generally idolize old hardware stuff, I usually find kontakt banks of old samples, or use synths that emulate analogue / digital hardware like Novation V Station. But lately I've been feeling like if I bought some old hardware my sound would be more "hardware esque" sounding... Many of my favorite artists are from late 90's to 2008... If I understand correctly most people were still on romplers / digital hardware / analogue hardware from up till then right? Or was most commericial producers using software synths by then?

I looked up some of my favourite artists, and found some gear used a lot from the songs I love. It seems to be a mixture of these
Alesis QSR
Novation Station's
Access TI
E-mu Librarys
Roland XV5080
Yamaha TG / TX
Korg's stuff
More roland stuffs
and throw in some digital hardware FX
Boss FX Units / Roland SDE2000a delay/reverb

I thought a lot about buying a few of these, the cheap ones atleast at (200$ a synth/fx unit) but I wonder if I'd really apperciate them or notice the differense from my VST's?

As of now, so many VST emulate these hardware.
There's,
Roland Cloud, Artuia(heard their emu's sux), Lush101, JP6k for roland

Halion VST for Yamaha

Korg has some VST's as well. Novation has the V Station VST which is just as good as their others.

for Acess TI there's VIPER now which imitates it.

The old FX units, I researhed alot and ppl said they haven't found stuff that sounds as good. Some units had special FX to make good sounds. SPX990 has a patch supposedly where it's LFOing 4 different pitchshifters with a delay and detune or w/e that is really unique I'VE HEARD, and ppl couldn't replicate it.

But then there's stuff like Eventide for VST now with their H3000. and UAD with rolands delay and stuff...

I was interested in the Akai 3000 sampler with abunch of sampler DVDs, that seems really like it'd have abunch of gold, samples ppl literally don't even have nowadays, of course kontakt is more realistic, but I try to look for musicality of the patches, that's why I like some of the roland kontakt librarys.



Anyway, basically there's all these old HW I'm KIND OF interested in, almost solely cause my favorite artists made my favorite sounds with them, but it seems almost redundant to get them, since there's so many VST emulating them nowadays, I haven't tried to dial in my favorite bands sounds yet, or test the VST against hardware, but I also feel if I want to sound as good as they did, I should get the same hardware units. lol...
I wonder if it all comes down to mixing with analogue emulating plugins like Slate Digital... Cause alot of hardware back then, ppl who had it, mostly had hardware ompressors and EQ's right?

Sorry if I rambled a bit, I've been on n off of buying some of the units and FX for a while but always go back to just using softsynths lol

Most of that stuff is bog standard digital gear. You may as well stick to software.

[VariKusBrainZ]

Setup some eBay Saved Searches for the stuff you want and then bid low on anything you want until you eventually get it for cheaps, thats my approach (after doing some research on what the average selling price is)

You mention $ so Ill assume youre in the US where 2nd hand shit goes for half the price it does in Europe and in vaster quantities, so youre lucky in that respect.


If you wait and lurk you can get stuff for half the usual asking price

[VariKusBrainZ]

I can recommend the SPX990 as I got one a few months ago, it does dirty low fi in a good way

[Distorted Horizon]

Actually you could get your hands dirty with some Volcas. Get Bass and Sample and you have all you need for a long time of fun

[sin night]

I switched from a completely itb setup to a largely otb one (at least synth-wise).
Some pieces of gear are nice, they have their particular features/sound, the user experience is different from working itb but... gear is not the limiting factor (as long as it's good gear, be it hardware or software), especially nowadays.

One of the reasons I went largely otb, it's to be less tied to computer and upgrades/incompatibility issues; but it opened a lot of different issues (but I knew where I was going...): cables, need for additional gear, cost, recall/workflow issues...

If you want to get some hardware, go for it BUT, before committing to any purchase, try to identify what in your opinion makes it unique soundwise and try to find a good software replacement. If the tool is irreplaceable and the difference is worth fo you, then consider it's reliability (if it's used gear with some years of life... maintenance/repairs are difficult and expensive sometimes) and its impact on your workflow. This is especially important because you won't use the gear, regardless of how great it is, if it doesn't integrate well in your workflow.

[sjm]

A lot of pros and cons already covered.

Couple of other points:

Hardware can be better for gigging. May or may not be a consideration for you.

Somewhat related to the above, I personally think you get the most benefit out of hardware if you like performing parts yourself, rather than being a piano roll musician. The whole hands-on approach and immediacy is what sets hardware apart (as others have mentioned). You probably want your first hardware to have a lot of knobs and sliders.

Hardware requires audio inputs to the PC. This has only tangentially been addressed. If you don't have an audio interface with multiple ins, you will probably want to get one. The more channels the better. Again, the benefits are bigger if you play instruments, as having lots of inputs saves you having to faff around unplugging and plugging your guitar/bass/synth/e-piano etc. The minute it becomes a chore, you lose that immediacy that is so important. I think it's important that you can just pick up the instrument (metaphorically) and play. Without even needing to boot the computer, in an ideal scenario.

There are additional hidden costs as a result: a mixer/audio interface is the obvious one. But don't forget audio cables, multi-socket adapters for all the power cables, stands, maybe a rack unit, a patch bay etc. etc.


I'd go with what vurt says. Try out some hardware and see if it clicks. If it doesn't you're just being suckered by the blinky lights and bling factor.

[Jax Pok]

I would only get hardware that uses analogue components and mostly a dial and button per feature.
Not much sense in buying hardware that is software in a box. u-he and Softube competes very well with digital hardware synths there's many others too.

The only hardware worth looking at from my experience is the Novation Peak, Dave Smith Prophet and Korg Odyssey Module.

[grabme]

With the price of hardware being so low I'd say maybe try it out but be prepared to be underwhelmed as its probably not as good as you think its going to be.

The sounds of old hardware synths are very, very basic compared to modern softsynths.

Also once you get into hardware you have to be prepared to consider outboard like a mixer, compressor, reverb, gates to get the best out of it and before long it all gets messy, takes up space and slows you down big time.

5-10 yrs back I'd say it was worthwhile but its getting difficult to recommend the hardware route nowadays as software is so powerful and Rolands cloud and Korgs vsts have made a lot of hardware redundant.