Software vs. Analog in 2025 – Has the Balance Shifted?

[DrGonzo]

Does anyone remember the Deadmau5 livestream where he starts trying to show off his new modular system and it’s clear he has no idea what he’s doing? Classic.

I absolutely love that phase with new gear. You dive in and have absolutely no idea about anything. You twist and turn and nothing happens - then suddenly BRAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHM....

[zerocrossing]

Something that keeps coming up is the cost difference between analog/hardware versus software. Should this be a factor? If money was no object, would a billionaire choose software over hardware? If a billionaire had one big studio fully equipped with a large collection of hardware synths, along with a mixing desk and a professional audio engineer, and another studio with a Mac or PC running software, which studio would he choose?

Even if you own all those classic instruments, I highly recommend the plugins, unless you enjoy being stuck in the past.

Musical instruments aren't technology like an iPhone or computer that require upgrades every few years to remain relevant. A musical instrument is more akin to a tool like a hammer, drill or saw (no pun intended).

The first 6 string guitar was built in 1779 and guess what? The majority of modern guitar players still play 6 string guitars. Even though you have 7, 8 and even 12 string variants available as well as double guitars, most guitarist still play that same 6 string design that first appeared in 1779.

The first synthesizer ever created? Goes all the way back to the 1890s. First piano? Early 1700s. Drums and percussion? Go back to medieval times!

So the idea that using a real musical instrument (hardware synthesizer) equals being stuck in the past if you don't choose the software emulation, is quite odd to me. Are painters who use paint brushes stuck in the past if they don't choose to paint with an iPad and Apple Pencil? Humans have been using paintbrushes for 100,000 years or more so surely they must really be stuck in the past?!

The first synthesizer was actually created in the 3rd century BC and it was water powered
It was a Organ called The Hydraulis which is a form of a Additive synthesizer..

The dry/wet mix on the effects on that thing was really fiddley.

[zerocrossing]

Does anyone remember the Deadmau5 livestream where he starts trying to show off his new modular system and it’s clear he has no idea what he’s doing? Classic.

I absolutely love that phase with new gear. You dive in and have absolutely no idea about anything. You twist and turn and nothing happens - then suddenly BRAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHM....

Oh, I love it too, but I’m self aware enough to not post a video of myself acting like an idiot. Also, what he was doing wasn’t all that complicated. Anyone with a bit of experience with modular could have done a decent “first impression” demo.

[zerocrossing]

Something that keeps coming up is the cost difference between analog/hardware versus software. Should this be a factor? If money was no object, would a billionaire choose software over hardware? If a billionaire had one big studio fully equipped with a large collection of hardware synths, along with a mixing desk and a professional audio engineer, and another studio with a Mac or PC running software, which studio would he choose?

Even if you own all those classic instruments, I highly recommend the plugins, unless you enjoy being stuck in the past.

Musical instruments aren't technology like an iPhone or computer that require upgrades every few years to remain relevant. A musical instrument is more akin to a tool like a hammer, drill or saw (no pun intended).

The first 6 string guitar was built in 1779 and guess what? The majority of modern guitar players still play 6 string guitars. Even though you have 7, 8 and even 12 string variants available as well as double guitars, most guitarist still play that same 6 string design that first appeared in 1779.

The first synthesizer ever created? Goes all the way back to the 1890s. First piano? Early 1700s. Drums and percussion? Go back to medieval times!

So the idea that using a real musical instrument (hardware synthesizer) equals being stuck in the past if you don't choose the software emulation, is quite odd to me. Are painters who use paint brushes stuck in the past if they don't choose to paint with an iPad and Apple Pencil? Humans have been using paintbrushes for 100,000 years or more so surely they must really be stuck in the past?!

The first synthesizer was actually created in the 3rd century BC and it was water powered
It was a Organ called The Hydraulis which work the same way as an Additive synth.

did it have a ladder filter?

Fish ladder.

https://www.reddit.com/r/BeAmazed/s/QSGFJTkALB

[DrGonzo]

Does anyone remember the Deadmau5 livestream where he starts trying to show off his new modular system and it’s clear he has no idea what he’s doing? Classic.

I absolutely love that phase with new gear. You dive in and have absolutely no idea about anything. You twist and turn and nothing happens - then suddenly BRAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHM....

Oh, I love it too, but I’m self aware enough to not post a video of myself acting like an idiot. Also, what he was doing wasn’t all that complicated. Anyone with a bit of experience with modular could have done a decent “first impression” demo.

I don't know how many times I've ripped apart half of my studio, trying to find why something isn't working, changing cables, updating firmwares, etc and 99% it's something obviously stupid like the channel being muted.

It's easy to overlook things. But yeah. Doing a short rehearsal before doing a video is usually a good thing

[zerocrossing]

Does anyone remember the Deadmau5 livestream where he starts trying to show off his new modular system and it’s clear he has no idea what he’s doing? Classic.

I absolutely love that phase with new gear. You dive in and have absolutely no idea about anything. You twist and turn and nothing happens - then suddenly BRAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHM....

Oh, I love it too, but I’m self aware enough to not post a video of myself acting like an idiot. Also, what he was doing wasn’t all that complicated. Anyone with a bit of experience with modular could have done a decent “first impression” demo.

I don't know how many times I've ripped apart half of my studio, trying to find why something isn't working, changing cables, updating firmwares, etc and 99% it's something obviously stupid like the channel being muted.

It's easy to overlook things. But yeah. Doing a short rehearsal before doing a video is usually a good thing

Oh, I was once 40 minutes late to get started on a brunch gig because every time I played my guitar it sounded like something was shorting out. I checked every cable, to no avail. Then I glanced over at my multi-effects unit and I'd accidentally left it on an auto-sampler patch where once audio passed a certain threshold, it would record a short sample of it, and then play it back when audio passed a threshold on the way in. I was literally listening to a sample of me plugging my guitar in every time I played a note.

[DrGonzo]

Does anyone remember the Deadmau5 livestream where he starts trying to show off his new modular system and it’s clear he has no idea what he’s doing? Classic.

I absolutely love that phase with new gear. You dive in and have absolutely no idea about anything. You twist and turn and nothing happens - then suddenly BRAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHM....

Oh, I love it too, but I’m self aware enough to not post a video of myself acting like an idiot. Also, what he was doing wasn’t all that complicated. Anyone with a bit of experience with modular could have done a decent “first impression” demo.

I don't know how many times I've ripped apart half of my studio, trying to find why something isn't working, changing cables, updating firmwares, etc and 99% it's something obviously stupid like the channel being muted.

It's easy to overlook things. But yeah. Doing a short rehearsal before doing a video is usually a good thing

Oh, I was once 40 minutes late to get started on a brunch gig because every time I played my guitar it sounded like something was shorting out. I checked every cable, to no avail. Then I glanced over at my multi-effects unit and I'd accidentally left it on an auto-sampler patch where once audio passed a certain threshold, it would record a short sample of it, and then play it back when audio passed a threshold on the way in. I was literally listening to a sample of me plugging my guitar in every time I played a note.

Yeah that's how it goes.

To connect back to Deadmau5 - this is an absolutely excellent story. At the intro of a concert the all the music just stopped right after the crescendo. They rebooted everything and tried again. Same thing exactly at the same point. Crescendo - Boom - music just stopped.

Turned out it was a computer keyboard leaning on a speaker so when the boom came the keyboard bounced pressed the space bar...

[wintoid]

Oh, I was once 40 minutes late to get started on a brunch gig because every time I played my guitar it sounded like something was shorting out. I checked every cable, to no avail. Then I glanced over at my multi-effects unit and I'd accidentally left it on an auto-sampler patch where once audio passed a certain threshold, it would record a short sample of it, and then play it back when audio passed a threshold on the way in. I was literally listening to a sample of me plugging my guitar in every time I played a note.

Now that IS funny!

[whyterabbyt]

Ive heard rumours that once upon a time composers had to wait until they could assemble groups of 80 odd musicians in a concert hall before properly hearing the results of their work; compared to that, I think my own attention span is such that I can sufficiently cope with the time it takes to stand up or sit down. Even with my knees.

[_leras]

Does anyone remember the Deadmau5 livestream where he starts trying to show off his new modular system and it’s clear he has no idea what he’s doing? Classic.

Maybe when it was new.

You don't need to look very far to find music he's made with modular synths.

And who really knows what they are doing on a modular anyway? 99% modulars users just make weird noises.
.

[D-Fusion]

If you want to lay on floor and play with modulars awesome but how are you interacting with the ones two meters above you? Or across the room on the other wall? Of 3 meters to the side of you?

get up and move?
same as i would if i was moving from keys to guitar for example.
its not like you have to tweak everything all the time!!!

Again no one actually using those in a room that large is laying on the floor

sitting maybe?

Getting up, sitting down, getting up, sitting down, run across the room, move to the center desk, lay on the floor, stand up and reach 2.5 meters up towards the ceiling

Sounds like a real buzz kill

It keeps you healthy
Hardware gives you weight loss and Software makes you gain weight

[pekbro]

I like to have modular on the wall. I got some 6ft cables, also since it’s modular I can separate
modules by case and put those cases anywhere I want. Generally mount the stuff on the wall above my desk.

[vurt]

i dont have much space, so mine is floor to about 6 foot up.
that includes my pedals obviously, but i do sit on the floor to live tweak those, sometimes.

[vurt]

If you want to lay on floor and play with modulars awesome but how are you interacting with the ones two meters above you? Or across the room on the other wall? Of 3 meters to the side of you?

get up and move?
same as i would if i was moving from keys to guitar for example.
its not like you have to tweak everything all the time!!!

Again no one actually using those in a room that large is laying on the floor

sitting maybe?

Getting up, sitting down, getting up, sitting down, run across the room, move to the center desk, lay on the floor, stand up and reach 2.5 meters up towards the ceiling

Sounds like a real buzz kill

It keeps you healthy
Hardware gives you weight loss and Software makes you gain weight

exactly, its modular yoga

[vurt]

If you want to lay on floor and play with modulars awesome but how are you interacting with the ones two meters above you? Or across the room on the other wall? Of 3 meters to the side of you?

get up and move?
same as i would if i was moving from keys to guitar for example.
its not like you have to tweak everything all the time!!!

Again no one actually using those in a room that large is laying on the floor

sitting maybe?

Getting up, sitting down, getting up, sitting down, run across the room, move to the center desk, lay on the floor, stand up and reach 2.5 meters up towards the ceiling

Sounds like a real buzz kill

id find playing the same songs, gig after gig, to folk who dont actually care if im checking my email or not, and are more interested in when the buffet starts, or talking in groups behind each others backs, (we've all been to weddings ) quite soul destroying, but we are all different