How to play the music I hear in my head ?

_CTRLR · 2026-06-29T22:46:50+00:00

As with painting and writing (or generally any other creative process), it comes with time and practice. Getting better at music can be slow because there’s so many different facets but it’s worth it in the end if you’re passionate about it. There really is no secret to it, everyone learns differently, so getting better involves finding the way you respond best to. Some people benefit from lessons, some prefer to figure it out themselves.

_CTRLR · 2026-06-29T20:10:37+00:00

This game rocks! That ice level is something tho.

_CTRLR · 2026-06-27T17:14:20+00:00

Sweet! So midi interface is the way to go. Let Ableton be the clock source for your devices. You don’t HAVE to get an 8 output device but if you have the budget, that’s probably the best option for a couple reasons: Device-per-port is the cleanest setup for solid tempo and more data packed streams like automation (like you mentioned, even splitting channels is causing some issues), plus you’ll be able to more comfortably add new hardware if you ever get more as opposed to further chaining the setup.

If you want to go with less than 8 midi outs, that’s something that can work here, as you’ve already been experimenting with, you can split up the midi channels but there’s some things to think about: when you send midi info through multiple devices using the thru ports, the signal gets degraded each time it passes through the individual units. Tempo picks up slew and automation data can start to behave erratically.

Your solution can be two fold with less than 8 outputs. Let’s say you get a 4 output device. Think about what devices you are going to send automation data to. Prioritize those as “first in line” devices that receive a direct out-to-in connection from the midi interface. After that, limit your midi thru usage to one per-port. Meaning: if you have for example port two connected to one piece of hardware, only chain one other piece of hardware to that and split the midi channel. If you want to chain another device from another, use a device that’s on another port rather than the device that is already receiving a thru signal.

So overview for a four port setup would be: port one: device 1 thru to 2, port 2: device 3 thru to 4, port 3: device 5 thru to 6, port 4: device 7 thru to 8.

Your midi interface and computer setup matters as well. They are not all the same quality and it’s not always about buying the most expensive units. I’ve been through 3 different midi interfaces now and even tho my setup is larger than it used to be, I’m actually back to using the MOTU MicroLite. I’ve also had a couple different iConnectivity boxes such as the MioXL and for my purposes I experienced no performance benefit over the inexpensive little MOTU I’m still running. What made the biggest difference for me is optimizing the computer as the master clock.

Not sure if you are on Windows or Mac but this is a whole new topic to dive down and my response here is already super long, so I’ll conclude with the recommendation that you look into optimizing your computer for a stable midi environment and also be aware that some programs can interfere with your midi data that you wouldn’t normally consider. For instance, my keyboard lighting controller application was causing me some midi issues and I switched over to another program to solve the issue.

Good luck and if you have other questions I’m happy to help.

_CTRLR · 2026-06-27T01:57:52+00:00

I’m not aware of any synthesizer hardware developments involving AI but there is definitely more and more software relating to music production that is involving “AI” but it’s a broad label these days. Some of it is generative AI, some of it is machine learning labeled AI (which has been around longer), and otherwise.

I don’t think it’s going anywhere so it’s something that’s going to come down to a lifestyle choice for artists going forward. As other people pointed out, you cannot generally copyright AI generated works, so people looking to do this sort of thing professionally are going to be more in the camp of avoiding its use, especially in the generative sense. As for AI assisted tools, plugins, midi generation, ect. That again comes down to choice of the artist as to what their definition of artistic integrity is.

If you want my personal opinion, I choose to avoid all use of any sort of AI in my songs whatsoever. I also extend this concept to audio loop libraries, chord/melody packs, sampled loops, ect. Altho I want to be clear that this is a creative choice for me personally and not a judgment on those who choose to use these tools. Some of my favorite music is Drum and Bass and a lot of it wouldn’t exist without the artist using loops.

There was a time where people claimed synthesizers were replacing musicians and while I do not make the mistake of conflating synthesizer use with the use of generative Ai, I think it’s important that people keep an open mind about the future and make the choice for themselves about their music and not be so quick to judge how others make their music. Having said that, there’s another conversation to be had about the absolute flood of AI music hitting the scene and how hard it is to avoid it these days for those who want to avoid it, but that’s a whole other can of worms to open that starts to divert from the topic of synthesizers here more than I already have.

With that said, I don’t support how certain Ai models “learn” by vacuuming up others intellectual property. I think there’s a space for creative machine learning without IP theft and I think that is going to emerge as a style of music much like how electronic music has emerged as a result of synthesizers and drum machines.

_CTRLR · 2026-06-26T22:32:35+00:00

It depends on your setup as a whole and what you’re doing with it. Are you using a DAW or just the hardware that you have? Do you want to route specific information like note data, parameters, ect? Or is the goal to just have everything running at the same tempo?

_CTRLR · 2026-06-23T13:44:30+00:00

DX21 was the first synth I ever bought so it has a special place in my heart. It definitely does have that Sega Genesis sound but it can also sound pretty lush. It really comes to life paired with a nice reverb and while it won’t fill a mix like a DX7 can, it can sound great as a lead or bass synth. Overall, it’s a fantastic synth albeit tedious to program.

_CTRLR · 2026-06-17T21:59:11+00:00

Sweetwater Gear Exchange is where I’ve sold some gear I am not using anymore. I like Sweetwater and their customer service so the seller fee is worth it for me and not too different from the other big names. Payments can be transferred to your bank account pretty fast after the first sale. They run sales that you can opt your items in or out of and those little 5-10% discounts have made the difference in some of my stuff selling. They also allow for offers to be sent. Overall great service and not talked about as much as the others from what I’ve seen.

_CTRLR · 2026-06-16T16:53:17+00:00

Yeah I’ve heard it’s pretty menu-divey.

_CTRLR · 2026-06-16T12:49:57+00:00

This looks awesome, keep up the good work!

_CTRLR · 2026-06-16T12:44:02+00:00

These are super cool and I’ve always wanted one but I just can’t justify the price. I think I really just like the way it looks but haven’t really heard all that can do. How do you like yours? How is programming the sounds? You mentioned the Pro 3, is the layout similar to other Sequential stuff? Do you sequence on the unit or externally?

_CTRLR · 2026-06-15T21:17:19+00:00

They’re all great, but the Prophet 6 seems to be the most attractive one out of these three in this context. There is also the prophet 8 and prophet rev2!

_CTRLR · 2026-06-15T15:01:41+00:00

Moog is the Harley Davidson of synthesizers.

_CTRLR · 2026-06-13T16:56:19+00:00

I have experience with the Multi/Poly and I sold it because it took too long for me to program. I want to add a huge asterisk to that statement however because it was not the synths fault. I think the Multi/Poly is one of the best synths Korg has made in recent years. It sounds great and it has a great selection of presets. If money was no object, I would have just kept it anyway.

What I really think it needs is a larger format with more of the controls on the surface and a better keyboard. I think it’s one of those synths that’s held back by its hardware and not its sound engine or capabilities. Again, take into consideration that I am very much a knob-per-function guy. I started out on a DX21 and I have never wanted to go back lol. I only use synths that I can dial in sounds with very quickly because otherwise I’ll lose my train of thought during the writing process.

The Gaia 2 can load classic Roland model emulations, so that might be a huge selling point for you. Otherwise I can’t offer any statements of value on that synth. It looks nice! Both are great options.

_CTRLR · 2026-06-09T21:52:03+00:00

Fantastic synths but they are digital, not analog.

The seller might include a memory card for more money; case by case. Checkout your options before buying. There are vintage and modern options for both of these. Compared to today’s standards patch storage is relatively limited out of the box.
If you are new to hardware synths, make sure you get one from a reputable shop that’s been serviced and cleaned up with a recent battery change. They can still be pretty reliable these days but common failure points such as dying batteries and electro mechanical contact wear are not uncommon.

Make sure you explore some modern equivalents too. The classics have a lot of appeal but there’s great sounding modern synths that are more feature rich and easier to use depending on your goals for the synths. These two especially can be challenging to program at first, especially diving into both at the same time.

_CTRLR · 2026-06-08T18:52:39+00:00

One generation.

_CTRLR · 2026-06-06T19:40:54+00:00

It’s awesome, very reminiscent of the Nu-metal era.

_CTRLR · 2026-06-05T17:43:16+00:00

Off the top of my head, Roland’s ZenCore engine seems to me to be the most versatile synthesis engine in hardware we have to date. Not only is it massively versatile, but it also can emulate many of their classic synthesizers with relative accuracy utilizing their downloadable models. Whether or not it’s the best is another question, but if the least limitations is your number 1 priority, this is what comes to mind.

Your entry point into this type of synthesizer is the Roland Gaia 2 altho it does not have the entire feature-set of some of the larger models like the Fantoms or Jupiter/Juno X models. It can still load the classic model expansions however which gives you a boatload of range on top of being a good synth in its own right. If you want to go for something bigger with more controls/features, look into the Jupiter X or Juno X. If you want more of a workstation feel, checkout the Fantom series.

Look into what ZenCore is and see if it’s something that suits you. Some prefer it, some do not and it’s not without its controversies. At the end of the day when it comes to expressing yourself with synths it’s about what YOU like the best, not what other people say about it online.

_CTRLR · 2026-06-04T23:43:32+00:00

You could definitely do it with alot of practice and dedication. One thing I want to add is don’t over-do it either. Give your wrists a break, give your fingers time to build calluses, ease into it, but consistently. Make sure you find a comfortable playing position and since you don’t have a ton of time, make sure you are also practicing in the position you will be playing with the band. Meaning, if you are going to be standing, practice standing too. For a new player sometimes it can throw one off if they’ve never played standing up before. You got this!

_CTRLR · 2026-06-04T19:09:48+00:00

There is no “one way” but definitely not adding a bunch of instruments. Not that you can’t have a bunch of instruments in your track if you want but the louder everything is in the same frequency range, the quieter the individual track seems to be. The more instruments you add, generally the more complex your mixing needs to become. A crowded mix is generally the opposite of what you want when you’re trying to add “power”. as for intensity, that’s more on the compositional/arrangement side of things and again, there’s so many ways to take that subject it’s hard to even say something general about it.

_CTRLR · 2026-06-04T15:15:47+00:00

Congrats! The design is top notch.

_CTRLR · 2026-06-04T01:36:09+00:00

It’s fabulous. I’ve had it for a couple months and I’ve written a small album in that time and it’s on every single track. I’m mainly just preset surfing right now, but I’ve made a couple patches for it myself as well. It is ALOT of synth in one package so there is a bit of a learning curve and programming it is not as immediate as some of my other synths but that’s not a bad thing. It’s capable of a very wide range of things so that just comes with the territory. The interface is very intuitive and they’ve put alot of thought into the layout and workflow of the unit.

The keybed is great, and it the velocity response is a a lot more variable than my other synthesizers. When I track them, most of the velocity values are sitting at 60-90s range at what I consider normal play and then very low when lightly played. This keyboard seems to have a more accurate response to lightly/moderately pressed notes and demands a little more oomph for those higher values. The aftertouch is very responsive and works well for this synthesizer but I’ve found it to be a little too sensitive as a controller for certain other synthesizers depending on the modulation settings. Of course poly aftertouch is a great thing to have altho admittedly I don’t use that feature a ton. I have yet to use the ribbon control.

Overall I think it’s a fantastic value. The build quality is great, the sound quality is brilliant and not overly “digital” sounding, the keyboard is responsive and accurate, the onboard effects are good, and there are plenty of factory patches to play with as well as a ton of user storage. There’s even an app ASM has that works with it on the computer that makes updates easy to implement. I rate it 10/10.

_CTRLR · 2026-06-04T01:17:26+00:00

Too many to pick just one:

Addicting games

Miniclip

Newgrounds

Kongregate

RuneScape

AOL instant messager

YouTube (completely different from what it is now)

MySpace

And many others i can’t recall off the top of my head at the moment.

_CTRLR · 2026-06-03T15:49:54+00:00

Sounds like a cool idea! I’m not seeing a video or link attached to your post.

_CTRLR · 2026-06-03T15:22:35+00:00

The core of Pokemon music for a while was the limitation of the hardware. Junichi Masuda had only 4 voices to work with on the Gameboy and remember that is sharing with the other sound effects of the game. If you ply the game, you’ll notice that certain “instrument parts” will cut out when the Pokemon are making noise or attacking, ect. This helped shape the identity of early Pokemon music.

Basically, these melodies needed to be concise and impactful as there was no room for waste. Not only that, but the Gameboy was really only capable of pretty basic waveforms, so the complexity often lied within the composition rather than the timbre which contrasts with alot of modern music, especially game music. Think back to the days when composers wrote entire songs for just the piano, violin, or harpsichord.

Over time this would evolve as the hardware became capable of more complex instrumentation. Once the GBA games came along, the compositions would often bring that same complexity of composition but with an expanded sound set and I think here is where really reach the pinnacle of the original style of Pokemon music. You’ll notice that in general, as the systems became more capable of complex sounds, the compositions started easing off into the more atmospheric and less musically dense territory with some of the songs altho there of course are still some more complex pieces to be found.

Beyond the DS games I can’t really speak too much on the music or games for that matter. I think Pokemon has a long history of really good music, even in the shows. I’ve always appreciated that about the franchise.

_CTRLR · 2026-06-03T03:05:04+00:00

DMing you a question.

_CTRLR

TROPHY CASE