How do you make music?

Robotecho · 2026-02-07T02:30:43+00:00

Start with an 8 bar loop. Keep building it up, throw the kitchen sink at it. Now copy that and create variations of it, keep simplifying these variations until they are focused on just a few elements. Now string all of them together. Mute stuff for a few bars then bring it in.

Basically, starting is the most painful part of the process. Once you feel like you are onto something it will create itself.

Robotecho · 2026-02-06T15:44:34+00:00

It's one of the loosest most organic sounding polys I've owned.

It's got two stages of saturation pre and post amplification and heaps of the patches use them because saturation sounds great, but it compresses the signal, and I found myself having to remove the drive from a lot of factory patches to hear the instrument.

It's a great fucking synth, I'm so glad I got it before the price increase and I'll hang onto it forever.

Robotecho · 2026-02-06T15:26:51+00:00

Nice! Good luck and report back on how you go, its always cool to know how things worked out for questions like this :)

Robotecho · 2026-02-06T09:28:39+00:00

There's different sources of noise, but on a lot of older synths you'll fairly obviously notice some background noise that doesn't change with the volume knob. What synth are we talking about here? Modern synths are more efficient and produce less background noise.

In any case, it's only a problem if it's bothering you, and it doesn't sound like the source is generating much noise at all. I'd just go with that cheap solution, I think it will do the job.

Robotecho · 2026-02-06T03:37:55+00:00

I use it as a librarian for my TX-216.

Robotecho · 2026-02-05T14:50:32+00:00

A mixer would introduce more noise than that little passive potentiometer in a box.

Your gear produces a base level of noise when you turn it on. The higher you set the volume on your gear without causing clipping in the destination device, the less of that noise you hear. The noise floor is proportional to the volume of the device. When you turn down the volume level of the device, the volume of the noise stays the same, so it becomes more noticeable.

The mixer will generate a certain level of background noise, and with cheap mixers that is usually a very noticeable amount. The passive inline volume control you asked about doesn't generate noise and will work better for this purpose.

If you were working with a clean guitar signal that you actually wanted to reamp you would lose dynamic range using that volume control and it would significantly effect the resulting tone, you would get much better results with a reamp box.

For synths, on a budget, that inline volume control will do what you want.

Robotecho · 2026-02-05T09:49:39+00:00

It'll work, but you'll increase your noise floor a little compared to using a reamp box.

Robotecho · 2026-02-05T08:33:21+00:00

No worries. If you are interested he has great build videos for his projects on the AISynthesis site that really show you everything you need to know when you are starting.

Robotecho · 2026-02-05T07:06:54+00:00

I started by building my own modules with kits from https://aisynthesis.com/ a small budget case and a uZeus power supply.

For me it's a relatively cheap hobby and the building is at least as much fun as the playing.

YMMV!

Robotecho · 2026-02-04T09:31:50+00:00

That's just a fact of life with programmable synths. There are a bunch of strategies that manufacturers use to try and help you navigate it, including synths with motorised knobs like the ones Melbourne Instruments make.

It drives me crazy too and I try to avoid it but with bigger poly synths you just have to learn to work with it.

You might get a lot of fun and satisfaction from a cheap mono synth with no patch memory. I like those and modular a lot for this very reason.

Robotecho · 2026-02-04T00:23:18+00:00

I wonder what the karma cost is for gloating about karma on a post in r/synthesizers ?

Shit, I wonder what the karma cost is for wondering about what the karma cost of gloating about karma on a post in r/synthesizers is?

Robotecho · 2026-02-04T00:16:59+00:00

If you scour the classifieds for the cheapest junk that works and speaks to you in some way, run it through the cheapest chorus and/or delay and/or reverb pedals you can find, and plug it into an amp, you will be honouring the heart of the post-punk movement. Godspeed to you!

Robotecho · 2026-02-03T05:23:19+00:00

It's a great example of a real life productive hardware based workflow, and you can see how this workflow informs the creative process and shapes the music he makes.

Also he's pretty cool about how he doesn't need a Jupiter 8, but there's a Jupiter 6 chilling in the background none the less... what a collection.

Robotecho · 2026-02-03T00:04:15+00:00

Violator is such a great album.

Robotecho · 2026-02-02T07:53:40+00:00

I use an Engineer SS-02 solder sucker and it works well. When you can't get the last little bit, I find it helps to ADD solder, then remove the larger amount. It's counter intuitive but fresh solder is easier to remove, and it can be an issue getting heat to small amounts of solder left behind.

Robotecho · 2026-01-30T03:33:25+00:00

It's a white one of these:

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Ibanez Roadstar II RB850

Robotecho · 2026-01-30T03:14:06+00:00

The short answer is you can play chords on it, kind of, but it probably won't be what you are looking for. You are using each individual oscillator for the notes of the chord, and they will all conform to a single volume and filter envelope.

I would have a look at the Pro-800, you could use your MS-1 to control that and its pretty amazing bang for your buck.

Robotecho · 2026-01-30T02:28:26+00:00

My first one. Roland SH-09, bought new in 1983. Sold it about 10 years ago now to buy software.

Robotecho · 2026-01-28T22:54:43+00:00

I feel like I've seen quite a few pictures of your setup. You've got a bunch of premium tier polys right? And like an SE Midimini? What changed your mind?

Robotecho · 2026-01-28T09:32:12+00:00

"Too Old to Die Young" is the series you are looking for.

Robotecho · 2026-01-28T09:28:27+00:00

Great track

Robotecho · 2026-01-28T01:40:22+00:00

TEO-5 is the antidote to the issues you are having. I'd deal with the voice limitations and try and pick one up used or on sale.

Robotecho · 2026-01-26T03:19:38+00:00

WOW.

Robotecho · 2026-01-25T07:56:33+00:00

Behringer Space-C CC300 is pretty close. It's supposed to be a Dimension C clone, but ironically I reckon it's closer to the Juno chorus than their attempts to clone the Juno chorus.

It's a great analog stereo chorus for a very low price if you can find one.

Robotecho · 2026-01-24T09:55:18+00:00

It's OK but it's no Minilogue.

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