Why you left VSTs?

Anything about hardware musical instruments.
Post Reply New Topic
RELATED
PRODUCTS

Post

chk071 wrote: Tue Feb 11, 2020 2:09 pm Lack of space
Space is a factor, but I've turned that into (sort of) a positive because it helps me keep my budget from running away too far :lol: If I had the space I'd probably do something foolish like buy an old Rhodes, which I really don't have much use for in my music but I want it anyway...
chk071 wrote: Tue Feb 11, 2020 2:09 pm cables
I used to say I hated cables. I have more or less made peace with them at this point. But honestly I've had less trouble with my current rig with bad cables and jacks than I did in the 80s, where it seemed like any time I needed two cables, one of them would always be screwed up.

The main annoyance I have with cables is when you need, say, a 2 foot cable with a 1/4" TRS male connector on one end, and splits to two mono 3.5mm TS male connectors on the other -- and there is not a single online electronics shop on this planet capable of showing you that in a search, but will instead show you plenty of headphone splitters, RCA phono cables, XLR cables, USB cables and Commodore 64 power supply cables. And if you're lucky enough to eventually find what you need, it comes in either 6 inches or 10 feet. So you order the 10 foot version, which costs $2.50 with $19 shipping. They only ship using FedEx, but they will dither for three days before sending it, and then it's "signature required." And when you finally get your package, it turns out they sent you the 6 inch version.
chk071 wrote: Tue Feb 11, 2020 2:09 pm no multiple instances of the synth
I'm generally OK with this. I use a lot fewer synth voices and get more out of them. I still pile on the effects instances though...
chk071 wrote: Tue Feb 11, 2020 2:09 pm bouncing
I just don't. I use that "everything is live" workflow, no bouncing or multitracking. Sometimes I do looping with a delay module but that's as close as I get.
chk071 wrote: Tue Feb 11, 2020 2:09 pm tedious programming, unless you buy a expensive hardware synth with a decent knob for function ratio...
There's quite a few synths that are one-knob-per-function but don't cost all that much. Granted some of them are Behringer, but there's also Korg and Arturia and others.

In my experience, it's basically just the 80s style, two line LCD synths that are tedious to program. Or software with a bad UI. Or (personal pet peeve) Eurorack modules with obscure button combos where you need to keep a cheat sheet to navigate them.
chk071 wrote: Tue Feb 11, 2020 2:09 pm and, on some hardware synths you don't even have patch memory.
I'm happy to say none of my hardware synths have patch memory. Pots that point to the wrong values because something was loaded "behind" it from memory, are seriously annoying. If everything had encoders with displays, like Hydrasynth, I might feel differently... but I also tend to like simple synths where presets are unnecessary, and I do my recording in single sessions and never go back to revisit something I've previously created. Always move forward...

Anyway, all this said, it does very much come down to personal preferences. I can't blame someone for not wanting to muck with cables, or for saving money (!) or just not prioritizing the same things I do.
Last edited by foosnark on Tue Feb 11, 2020 3:28 pm, edited 1 time in total.

Post

dellboy wrote: Tue Feb 11, 2020 3:25 pm
vitocorleone123 wrote: Tue Feb 11, 2020 3:03 pm Here we go again....

Make music. No way of doing it is superior. What works well for some sucks for others. Your way is NOT the best way... except MAYBE for you.

What works for me is all VST all the time, except for an analog hardware monosynth and an analog hardware polysynth, both desktop versions.
Hardware is most definitely superior -------------------------------------------------

---------------------------------------------When there is no electric plug.
well so long as its acoustic or battery powered.
my modular is shit without a plug. laptops however...

Post

vurt wrote: Tue Feb 11, 2020 3:27 pm my modular is shit without a plug.
You need one of these:

https://www.awonderfulkindofimpossible. ... ck-module/

Also, "Shit Without a Plug" could work as a band name.

Post

foosnark wrote: Tue Feb 11, 2020 3:31 pm
vurt wrote: Tue Feb 11, 2020 3:27 pm my modular is shit without a plug.
You need one of these:

https://www.awonderfulkindofimpossible. ... ck-module/

Also, "Shit Without a Plug" could work as a band name.
its an interesting module for sure, so long as you have some processing and fx :hihi:
not sure "tiiiiiiiiinnnnnnnnnng" repeatedly is much good for anything except meditation.

Post

foosnark wrote: Tue Feb 11, 2020 3:31 pm
vurt wrote: Tue Feb 11, 2020 3:27 pm my modular is shit without a plug.
You need one of these:

https://www.awonderfulkindofimpossible. ... ck-module/

Also, "Shit Without a Plug" could work as a band name.
SWAP
(since Schiit as a brand is already taken)

Post

vurt wrote: Tue Feb 11, 2020 3:34 pm its an interesting module for sure, so long as you have some processing and fx :hihi:
not sure "tiiiiiiiiinnnnnnnnnng" repeatedly is much good for anything except meditation.
Mine has been sleeping in a drawer for a while now. Maybe once I get the next wave of changes settled, if I still have 4hp not doing anything, I'll put it back in to excite resonators or trigger stuff.

Post

Because apps are as good and much cheaper and more innovative....

Post

foosnark wrote: Tue Feb 11, 2020 4:30 pm
vurt wrote: Tue Feb 11, 2020 3:34 pm its an interesting module for sure, so long as you have some processing and fx :hihi:
not sure "tiiiiiiiiinnnnnnnnnng" repeatedly is much good for anything except meditation.
Mine has been sleeping in a drawer for a while now. Maybe once I get the next wave of changes settled, if I still have 4hp not doing anything, I'll put it back in to excite resonators or trigger stuff.
nice. would be more interesting in using it for non audio stuff personally.
want to get some tibetan bowls to incorporate the koma a little more for simillar stuff.
currently 15 hp, possibly (probably) another 208 inbound soon :o

Post

Hardware has actually proven to be quite a lot cheaper for me than software. HW is more expensive,
so I don't buy as much of it as I did software. My modular rig may be well over $10k, but my software collection, purchased over many years, is over $50k easy.

Post

I prefer physical knobs and buttons - and the convenience of just one power button to sit down and play a bit. Just more accessible.

The alternative is mouse click-fest, and no fun at all.

I always used a synth as master keyboard anyway - that was start of it.
Tried uc-33 controller with nice overlay panel for B4 plugin - but did not quite do it.
So got external digital Hammond as well - and on it went.

And best part - physical gear have second hand value - software does not have that, really.
So currently have 7 external midi gear and never regretted it. And eDrums set that is used feeding Addictive Drums.

I have VST instruments too, some sample libraries - but that is no good for the composing part anyway. The external gear is always feeding ideas when fooling around. Sometimes you pickup a guitar or bass in a stand and sometimes the keyboard stuff.

Post

OK, I’ll bite on your troll topic.

I left VSTs for basic types of synth sounds. If I need a good sounding analog mono, they’re so good and inexpensive these days that it would be silly to not use one. I left VSTs for modern hybrid poly tones. I remember recreating a patch from my 002 on Diversion, and I pretty much nailed it... but the oversampling had to be so high that I could only get a few notes of polyphony.

I stuck with VSTs for what hardware isn’t good at. You can go f with your Eurorack unti the cows come home, I’m happier in Reaktor where I can work on something, save it, work on something new with totally different modules, save it, and then go back to the first one and continue. Each .ens becomes a fixed architecture synth that I can go back to and make new presets for. Am I missing out on some unique stuff? Sure, but I’ve not even scratched the surface of what I have.

When I need a rich analog poly pad, I’m all in on my Prophet 6, but that’s a fairly simple instrument and one flavor. I’d love to have 8 different analog polys, but who has the space and money for such things? Not me. So OP-X 2 Pro gives me a little Oberheim sound. Roland Cloud plugins give me some Roland flavor.

Or what if you’d like a poly version of a synth that never was a poly? Diva, Legend, Oddity, impOSCar, etc, all sound great and go places you can’t go with a hardware analog mono.

Or a synth like ArcSyn that has a modulation sequencer that’s nothing like anything hardware on the market. Or anything by Sugar Bytes.

So, anyway, you guys could make your big touch-guy stances in one camp. Good for you. I’ll continue as I have been, using whatever inspires me to make music.
Zerocrossing Media

4th Law of Robotics: When turning evil, display a red indicator light. ~[ ●_● ]~

Post

I still use computer and VST , but my main source for music is my Korg M3 with Radias expansion, my Yamaha EX7 and my old good friend , Korg Triton Rack with MOSS board . The Karma from M3 combined with the strange sound from Radias ( combination from Analog , FM and Digital sounds) , give me the craziest rhythmic sound and it not an arp, it a complex , evolving arp , Yamaha comes with with nice textures , and Korg Triton finish things with some good sounds from MOSS board . I record everything on computer , naturally , and if need it I insert some vst to enrich the sound.

Post

Definitely one of the caveats of Hardware of late, is the limited production run. Korg FS Arp 2600,
Pittsburgh Modular Voltage Lab etc. If a software developer does this they are just being an ass about it.
Of course, I think that can be said about Korg as well... :hihi:

Post

Because of Logic.

Post

Cinebient wrote: Fri Feb 14, 2020 6:30 pm Because of Logic.
are you mr spock?

Post Reply

Return to “Hardware (Instruments and Effects)”