I am thinking about maybe springing for a behringer Neutron, kind of just for fun for me, and also to have something physical my kids can use to make noises with.
Just to make sure I have the right picture of how playing it would actually work, I am supposing it will be basically like what happens when I play my guitar--I plug the guitar into my little shure brand audio controller which in turn plugs into my laptop, on which I run my DAW, which makes an audio track of what I played.
Is that pretty much how it goes with a hardware synth as well?
I had to take a step back and think when it hit me (even though it was of course obvious) that, unlike a software synth, I won't have practically infinite copies of the neutron available to play simultaneously, it will be a "record one track at a time" kind of deal just like vocals and guitars and such, right?
(And while we're here--it looks to me like the neutron is the biggest bang for buck at that $350 or so price point, but is there a better alternative at that price point that I'm missing?)
General question about hardware synths interfacing with computers
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- KVRAF
- 7122 posts since 22 Jan, 2005 from Sweden
Your assumption on recording process is correct, that is how I do it with all synths.
But you can very well record the midi with some kind of midi keyboard and a midi interface, and edit that and then render when you feel the takes are ok.
But you can start off doing audio only, but to even run sounds you need midi to it anyway if talking Neutron.
About a synth what is the purpose?
Neutron is plenty fun if into doing modulations with cables apart from what is on panel. Thinking in voltages doing this.
But
- it is monopreset - meaning no storage of one sound you made
- it is monophonic or paraphonic, making max two notes at a time.
I would maybe look at Korg Minilogue XD or possibly Korg Minilogue first edition without the third oscillator they call Multiengine. Plenty free oscillators as user oscillators too you can laborate with. And 4-voice ability to make chords as well for more profound sounds in your recording like pads and stuff.
And you have a midi keyboard with it. Add the cost of that separately and you are at Minilogue anyway. Midi interface not even required if you want to go audio route first.
I mean it is magnitudes more fun as user, knob per function most of it and hundreds of presets to just load again. More satisfaction is guaranteed.
Have fun....
But you can very well record the midi with some kind of midi keyboard and a midi interface, and edit that and then render when you feel the takes are ok.
But you can start off doing audio only, but to even run sounds you need midi to it anyway if talking Neutron.
About a synth what is the purpose?
Neutron is plenty fun if into doing modulations with cables apart from what is on panel. Thinking in voltages doing this.
But
- it is monopreset - meaning no storage of one sound you made
- it is monophonic or paraphonic, making max two notes at a time.
I would maybe look at Korg Minilogue XD or possibly Korg Minilogue first edition without the third oscillator they call Multiengine. Plenty free oscillators as user oscillators too you can laborate with. And 4-voice ability to make chords as well for more profound sounds in your recording like pads and stuff.
And you have a midi keyboard with it. Add the cost of that separately and you are at Minilogue anyway. Midi interface not even required if you want to go audio route first.
I mean it is magnitudes more fun as user, knob per function most of it and hundreds of presets to just load again. More satisfaction is guaranteed.
Have fun....
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- KVRist
- Topic Starter
- 208 posts since 19 Apr, 2022
The fact there is no way to save presetss does bother me but, the price is so tempting. I already have both a very portable 25 key controller and a not so portable full 88 key Yamaha i can also use to control it so the keyboard on the Korg isn't a huge draw for me. And the patch matrix on the neutron looks very fun.
But yeah, no prrsets, and basically monophonic (duophonic with a certain option switched on) are definitely negatives that keep me from just immediately buying the thing.
But yeah, no prrsets, and basically monophonic (duophonic with a certain option switched on) are definitely negatives that keep me from just immediately buying the thing.
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- KVRian
- 1323 posts since 28 Sep, 2012 from Norway
I wrote a long post about multitimbral synths, regarding what you wrote about having "infinite copies playing simultaneously", but it disappeared like an unsaved preset. Honorable mentions was Access Virus, Supernova and Korg Radias, but concluded with mentioning the Roland JD-Xi, which may not have the best build quality and some other niggles, but it is cheap in regard to what you get. 2 digital synths, 1 mono analog( although a bit limited), a drumtrack and a solid sequencer to tie them all together for simultaneous playing. Don't disregard digital synths. There are many gems from 90s/00s and even new ones like Modal Cobalt.
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- KVRist
- Topic Starter
- 208 posts since 19 Apr, 2022
I'll look into those.
I also just realized the microfreak is about the same price as the neutron and i may prefer it.
I'm definitely not opposed to digital!
I also just realized the microfreak is about the same price as the neutron and i may prefer it.
I'm definitely not opposed to digital!
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- KVRian
- 1323 posts since 28 Sep, 2012 from Norway
Microfreak tempts me too. Seems like a lot of fun.
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- KVRAF
- 20941 posts since 22 Nov, 2000 from Southern California
Korg Monologue, Roland SE-02, and Novation Bass Station also have presets. All of those are monophonic/monotimbral.
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vitocorleone123 vitocorleone123 https://www.kvraudio.com/forum/memberlist.php?mode=viewprofile&u=333504
- KVRAF
- 2509 posts since 30 Jun, 2014 from Pacific NW
I suggest a poly not mono first. More fun and flexible - not as much a departure from soft synths. A poly can act as a mono, but a mono can’t act as a poly.
Recording one instance at a time is an adjustment but pretty easy. You can record however many MIDI tracks you want for it - but only play/record one at a time. Honestly it can speed things up, forcing you to commit.
Use the notes feature of your daw to capture any tweaks you make to a a preset or how you twisted certain knobs during recording that aren’t part of the preset just in case you have to re record.
Recording one instance at a time is an adjustment but pretty easy. You can record however many MIDI tracks you want for it - but only play/record one at a time. Honestly it can speed things up, forcing you to commit.
Use the notes feature of your daw to capture any tweaks you make to a a preset or how you twisted certain knobs during recording that aren’t part of the preset just in case you have to re record.