Working with Multiple Audio Interfaces - General Advice

The following is general advice on using multiple audio interfaces. It is not a recommendation on specific gear but I use the pieces of equipment that I do have as examples.

This post started out as a response to a post on Facebook. It has been edited a little for this particular social media.

If you are using a Yamaha MG12XU audio outs to the Focusrite, it should be easier. Then you have to get the settings right on the Focusrite.

If you are using both the MG12XU and Focusrite as an aggregate audio interface, you will have to select the proper audio interface for an output in your DAW.

Focusrite also has its own user interface. In the past, when using a Focusrite 6i6 and a Behringer UMC404HD, I had to select the 6i6 for default output in the aggregate audio interface and in your DAW. If you do this and are still not getting sound then open the user interface for the Focusrite. A lot of the time, you can solve your problem by selecting the default settings on the Focusrite. If that does not work, you might have to do some reading of the user manual.

However, you might want to take back a couple of steps. Simplifying your setup usually makes things easier to get it running. I suggest only connecting your Focusrite and get that running and sound output from it.

Then make your aggregate audio interface and work to get that running.

One more thing: if your computer is a PC, you might have a more difficult time setting up an aggregate audio interface. In general, I have had trouble doing that with a Windows PC. If using a PC and an aggregate audio interface is not working for you, consider taking the MG12XU mains out into the audio ins of your Focusrite and work with it that way.

Macs are generally much easier when it comes to setting up an aggregate audio interface.

Take the time you look up tutorials on YouTube. They will help you a lot. And reading user manuals can also help a lot although it can add some time to your work. But the time is often worth it.

Talent - Not Just Something with Which We Are Born

This post was inspired by Todd Smith's recent YouTube video: "Talent vs Gear: Which Matters?"

https://youtu.be/7EUtt-Ko1r4

The words below express what I have felt for many years for various reasons such as seeing discouragement as well as tutoring. In the process of tutoring, I have seen a number of cases where people have revealed that they were really not shown how to do certain things, thus stunting their intellectual growth and development of their talent.

Talent is often thought of as something with which one is born. This can be seen with many people as the people whom have the talent and pick up different pursuits quickly and with ease make it look easy.

If you have the desire and patience and put in the work, you can develop talent. It is often the disappointment that is taken to heart from tough criticism that stops people from developing talent. This can also stop people from learning how to explore their own abilities so that they can discover things on their own.

Being able to discover things on your own can often make it look like you have something extra and people wonder how it is that you can do what you do. This also takes time and practice.

I have seen a number of videos on YT where music has been made with toys and sound great. It has been developed and practiced within the capabilities of the gear and the abilities of the musician.

I have also had people play and entry level guitar and have that music sound great. My own ability at the time could not, and still not, sound nearly as good. But, I am improving as I take the time to practice, at this time piano. I am practicing pieces, craft, theory, as well as analyzing the pieces I am playing.

You do not have to do all of these things, especially at one time, but if you want to improve, you do need to start somewhere. Stick with it consistently and you will see improvements. Do that for long enough and the ability becomes innate as it becomes part of you. This is talent - both the part with which you are born, and the part that you develop.

As far as gear for specific purposes, yes certain pieces of gear can be easily used to make the music you have heard when it has been used to make that music. You can learn to make music in the same vein with different gear. Learning sound design can help greatly to do so. This is also a talent that is present already with some people but, it can also be developed.

If you can tell that one pitch is higher or lower than another, you are not tone deaf. It can be two tones that are obviously different such as middle C and a C three octaves higher. If you cannot tell the difference between other tones, say middle C and the C# above it, that is understandably difficult, but it can be developed.

In the end, I believe that many people do not take the time to explore what they can do. Once you start exploring what you can do, and learn how to explore, you can really develop your talents.

Learning Synthesis versus Tweaking Presets

This post started out as a response to somebody on Facebook looking for encouragement on using the Empress ZOIA pedal. The ZOIA is a pedal that allows the user to program their own effects and even make synthesizer modules (as in eurorack equivalents in a digital box) or even whole synthesizers including sequencers. You can make things simple or you can get very extensive in detail with your creations with this pedal.

What the original post on FB was saying though was more about how they were finding the ZOIA difficult to use because they did not understand how everything fits together - how the different modules can be used in conjunction with each other. This is even with tutorial videos on YouTube.

In my opinion, when you are at that stage of using synthesizers and related machines, you need to go deeper into individual modules. This is actually a step in the direction opposite from complicated. The whole psychology of avoiding this process is interesting as I think, as I write this, that people imagine all the mass of material at one time. This overwhelms the mind and shuts it down to the possibility of learning.

The way to progress is not by stopping or going around but, going through. But this is your learning. That means you dictate the speed at which you learn and apply the knowledge. You get to say how much time you spend on each detail, each particular concept. Once you realize this and commit to learning one idea, I think you will find that learning the following ideas and concepts become fun.

People whom like to read can read books and magazines, articles online. Those whom like visual learning can watch video tutorials on YouTube and other services. There is the choice of sitting there with your synthesizer or computer with a VST up in your DAW (look up those terms if you do not know them already) or go through the article or video first then make your break beat on your synth or drum machine. Do what works for you.

Take the time to read the rest of this post below as it gives some recommendations on learning about subtractive synthesis.

What about other effects pedals? If you are going to use external effects pedals, I recommend getting a multi-effects pedal. It will give you the most value for your money and you will grow with it as you learn to apply different effects.

One of the most popular effects pedals among synth users right now is the Zoom MS-70CDR. I have its cousin released earlier, the MS-100BT. Both pedals are multi-effects that can chain together several effects. Think of these like modules you can put together to alter your sound. Take the time to do some research on what each effect does.

There is some crossover between effects pedals and modules of synths. LFO's and tremolo are very similar. Tremolo, at least the way I have seen pedal manufacturers implement it these days, is a repetitive rising and falling in volume. LFO's are often applied to the amplitude of a waveform which produces a similar effect. Change an LFO waveform from a triangle wave to a square wave and you get what is commonly called in effects pedals as a slicer.

No matter which way you start, it helps your music to be learning about what you are using.

So, what about the other side of the coin, the Tweaking Presets, or using samples or MIDI packs? Those have their place too. I do not usually go that route. However, even as I edit this, I am using a new-to-me Roli Songwriters Kit. I do very little editing of the synth and drum sounds as I use these three devices (that make up the Songwriters Kit). I want the experience of making music.

Some people just like the presets and make that work for them. Some people tweak until they get something they like. The point is they get around to making music as opposed to designing sounds and working that way. I suppose the people who work this way might find the designing of sound also drives their creativity down. And that is something nobody really wants in their music creation.

If you have an opinion one way or the other, please leave a comment.

Anyway, the following is pretty close to the answer to the the FB post:

In addition to VCV Rack, I highly suggest reading Sound on Sound's Synth Secrets. Somebody even posted the PDF for it in the Files section of this group. It can also be found on the Sound on Sound website.

While experimenting with Zoia has its advantages, it helps to learn about the modules and effects that you are using. For instance, when you use a square wave or a saw wave, there is the fundamental frequency but there are also harmonic frequencies that you hear as well. Everything other than the fundamental frequency is heard a a lower volume.

What makes this knowledge interesting is the fact that using a something as simple as a filter, say a low pass filter, removes harmonics from the waveform and so can drastically change what you hear if you lower the cutoff frequency. So, use a low pass filter and increase the cutoff frequency and more harmonics are heard. Lower the cutoff and more harmonics are removed.

Why bother with this explanation? Well, if you are using a tuner to tune your device to a specific tone, using the low pass filter can change the tone that you are hearing and what the note is that you hear. TAKE NOTE HERE though, I had to just go check that information to see if that is completely true. I went to my current setup which is using the Korg ARP Odyssei app and a Microfreak into a Boss RC-3 looper and an iLoud micro monitor (the kind that is used with an iRig but I am using the Aux in, no iRig). With the Resonance all the way down, the Cutoff all the way up, one oscillator, no modulation of waveform or any of that stuff, the note tuned to C did not change when I changed the Cutoff like I expected.

However, keep changing things, like the Resonance, turn it up all the way or 90%, now turn down the Cutoff and things start to get interesting and the tuning of that particular key will change. Resonance causes a bump at the Cutoff frequency so that is why it changes the tuning.

In my opinion, that is why it is worth reading articles such as Synth Secrets and learning how to use VCV Rack. But you have to consciously work with the concepts to learn about them. Synth Secrets is also a focused and directional series of articles. You do not have to hunt and find and decide for yourself which ones apply to your current level of knowledge.

One of the great parts of using VCV Rack is that you get to have a visual of the modules you are using. You do not have to start by learning how to put together a rack with 30 modules. They have tutorials on how to learn how to use the basics. Check YouTube. Or if you like, here is a blog post I made on VCV Rack:

http://tinturesoftech.blogspot.com/.../vcv-rack-tutorial...

Akai MPK Mini MKII Controls the Korg NTS-1 - and logue Oscillators

Here is another instance where a decent MIDI controller make using a synth that much more enjoyable. Why do I use my Akai MPK Mini MKII when I could use the more capable Oxygen 49? Well, the same features that make the Oxygen 49 more capable also make it less portable.

The MPK Mini MKII can also be carried around so I can move from my mini studio to the couch in another room to use it there while I watch TV - put a movie from Netflix or Amazon Prime or whatever. I am also using a computer as the go between between my MPK Mini MKII and the Korg NTS-1. I am enjoying the USB MIDI capabilities of the NTS-1.

One word of warning regarding the NTS-1. There have been a fair number of reports of people having the audio jack or other jacks breaking off the circuit board of the NTS-1. It is worth looking into either making a small case that will allow for handling and moving this small synth about. Some people have already done so and you can find examples online in different places. Your favourite NTS-1 group probably already has some examples.

This post is very short. You will see below a scan of how I mapped the CC's of the NTS-1 to the MPK Mini MKII.

Having used this for several days now, I could spend a little more time mapping out different sections better. For instance, the effects related CC's could be grouped together. That is something I will leave up to you to figure out.

And yes, that is a Keystep under the NTS-1. That is used to sequence the NTS-1 and other synths that do not have onboard sequencers. I like using hardware when I jam.

And because everybody wonders and I recently read that you can use the logue's user designed oscillators with the NTS-1, below is how to do that.

Using logue-designed User Oscillators with the Korg NTS-1:
1) The file used to upload to the NTS-1 is a compressed file. It is like a .zip file.
2) Download the file.
3) Click on the file name in a file browser (Mac, PC, or Linux).
4) Edit the file extension from one of the logues to .ntkdigunit
5) Now you should be able to load the file into the NTS-1 digital Librarian or the CLI if you use that.

Getting Started with Making Muisc and Learning Synthesis - Part 1

Many people ask the question "How do I start learning how to learn about making music with synthesizers?" Given the type of person I am, I suggest one of the most inexpensive routes that still makes you happy and keeps paying off down the road. Make sure to have a read through most of the post as there are some points that might affect your decisions about buying equipment. One such aspect is the free software that may or may not come with MIDI keyboards.

As most people have a computer these days when they ask the above question, I assume that you already have a computer. Most computers will do for what I cover in this series of blog posts, but, at a minimum your computer should have the following:
>Intel i3 processor or equivalent AMD processor, running at 2GHz
>8GB of RAM
>100GB - 200GB of hard drive space
>OS - Mac OSX, Windows, or Linux

The above are really just estimates based on what I am using now nd have used in the past. I currently mainly use a Macbook Pro but have used an Acer Travel Mate with the following specifications:
>OS: Ubuntu Studio 18
>Processor: i5, M480, 2.67GHz
>RAM: 8GB

The Acer PC worked well for quite some time. When I updated the OS to Ubuntu 19.10, I started to use my Macbook Pro as I have bought it for making music and hopefully to make some videos. I assume you have a keyboard and a mouse. My computers are always laptops so no external keyboard and mouse are needed but I do like using a wireless keyboard with trackpad as I tend to sit away from my laptop.

The computer I am actually using for this exploration of making music on a minimal budget is an HP Pavilion. It has an AMD processor but it fairly capable. The basic specifications are:
>Windows 10 Home
>Processor: AMD A10, 2.10GHz
>RAM: 12GB

Other pieces of equipment needed:
>Monitors: These can be anything from computer speakers to music production monitors to headphones
>MIDI keyboard: for this I recommend something like an Akai MPK Mini MKII but there are many options out there. An M-Audio Oxygen 25 would work or an Arturia MiniLab MKII would be good. You can get and use more expensive MIDI keyboards but, remember, I am recommending a low-budget setup.

A word on the monitors: done not go too cheap here and buy a $20 set of  computer speakers. In my experience, those types of speakers never last more than a year so it is a waste of money to buy them. If you buy headphones, try to get over-the-ear headphones as they will block out some or all of the noise, depending on what you get. A price range from $70 to $100 should get you a decent pair of headphones. I am not going to recommend a pair but you can check around on the Web to see what people recommend.

Your total budget can range from $200 to $300 before taxes. That is a rough estimate and you can spend more or less depending upon what you already have and can afford. You can also search for used equipment to cut down on expenses further. Whatever you buy used from a person will most often have no warranty so buyer beware. A new MIDI keyboard should come with a USB cable so that is included.

More expensive MIDI keyboards will have more options but, I bring up the point of introducing you to the hobby of music and synthesizers on a low budget. One point I highly recommend for these tutorials is a MIDI keyboard that has knobs. It is essential for having a good experience working with software synthesizers, or VSTs. Using the mouse or trackpad all the time for adjusting the "knobs" on the VSTs make everything take longer and harder to use, especially when making adjustments on the fly.

Now, you have your computer, speakers, and MIDI keyboard connected. What next?

The DAW. DAW stands for Digital Audio Workstation. There are several free DAWs out there but not a whole lot of free DAWs with a full feature set. I recommend Traktion 7. It ticks all the boxes I like in a DAW.
>It is straightforward in layout.
>It sets up easily when I need to work on a new project.
>I can add and delete VSTs easily.
>It has a PDF manual so I can read up on features I do not understand.
>It outputs finished audio files in different formats.
>It has versions for all three major OSs - Mac OSX, Windows, and Linux.

Other DAWs that might work for you are Cakewalk and LMMS. Cakewalk is only available for Windows. LMMS does not do audio but it can be used effectively to make electronic music. Other free DAWs include Ableton Live Lite, Pro Tools, and Cubase. I have used Ableton Live Lite and not Pro Tools or Cubase.

Ableton Live Lite has a very limited feature set so if you want to make music with more than a instruments or sounds, avoid it for now. If you are interested in it, try it for free later. That being said, Ableton Live Standard and Ableton Live Suite are recommended by many people and have a vast range of possibilities in the music you can make and the situations in which it you can use it. Ableton Live Suite only sets you back about $900. I imagine Pro Tools and Cubase have similar buying situations.

Ableton Live Intro is a product I have but, it only allows me to record 4 audio signals at one time. I just do not use it much as Traktion 7 is more useful to me now.

Other free options for making music with VSTs are Caustic (for Mac OSX and Windows) and VCV Rack. If you check back in for later blog posts, you might see some tutorials on these pieces of software. I have made a tutorial on using VCV Rack but you can look at that later (here: https://tinturesoftech.blogspot.com/2019/04/vcv-rack-tutorial-1-vco-vca-sequencer.html). Reading that blog post would be getting off track.

Once you install Traktion 7, you need some VSTs to use. There are a number of free virtual analog VSTs available. Two are Synth 1 and Helm. Both sound very good. You can look for others. Synth 1 is the focus for now.

Another free VST is Dexed. Dexed deals with FM synthesis, not subtractive synthesis. This means that a lot of the controls that apply to subtractive synthesis will not exist or be applied the same way with FM synthesis. However, Dexed has so many presets available on its homepage that you can usually find something that fits your sound needs. You can always learn FM synthesis by learning how to program a DX7. Dexed is DX7 compatible.

But wait, what about the free software that comes with your MIDI keyboard? Well, that depends on what you get. Akai's MPK Mini MKII has some free stuff. Just follow the instructions for installing the free software and you will have it. The same goes for other pieces of equipment. Many offer free music making software as part of the package. You can check that out before you buy. It might help you make your decision.

In the process of writing this, I have installed on my Windows PC the following:
>MPC Essentials
>three free sample soundpacks from Akai (Elements of Dystopia, Elements of House, and Elements of UKDance)
>Synth 1
>Helm.
>Dexed was already installed.
>So was VCV Rack and the VST that allows the sound to be heard in Traktion 7 - VCV Bridge64.

 Now what to do?

Well, a good place to start is with the rhythm. As I do not know how to use all the features of MPC Essentials, a VST that uses samples, I am going to have to read the manual.

If you have read this far, installed Traktion 7 and the VSTs I recommend above, you can look forward to the following:
>Using the Akai LPD8 and MKP Mini MKII with MPC Essentials.
>Open Synth 1 and have a look at the layout.
>Using the Akai LPD8 and MPK Mini MKII with other VSTs.

One last piece of advice is to look up and start reading Sound on Sound's Synth Secrets. It is one of the best resources for an electronic musician in constructing their own sounds from subtractive synthesizers.

Korg ARP Odyssei with an Akai LPD8 and an MPK Mini MKII

The Korg ARP Odyssei app is too good an emulation to not use. I put it this way because I prefer to use hardware and I am still learning how to use the hardware devices I currently have. There is something about physically turning knobs and hearing that change in sound that connects you to the device that you are using.

Hardware Setup

Equipment used for this setup:
>iPad with Korg ARP Odyssei
>Akai MPK Mini MKII (with USB cable)
>Akai LPD8 (with USB cable)
>powered USB hub
>iPad camera connection kit
>iPad charger with Lightning cable

When I use VSTs, it is usually testing them out using presets, to see how the synth sounds. However, I really enjoy sound design, making my own sounds so that I can really call the creations my own. From time to time, I might want to start something immediately, so I rely on a preset to fill that need and get on with making music. To each their own, but, if you are reading this, then chances are you like working with the controls hands on and making your own sounds as well. Or, at least you like to tweak presets through physical means such as using a MIDI controller. That is the reason for this blog post.

This one should be shorter than the rest. On with the post.

Another reason for wanting to use hardware to interface with the ARP Odyssei is that I retain the knowledge better when I use hardware. One more reason? I find using my fingers on the iPad touchscreen to be inaccurate. The touchscreen interface is great but I find that when I lift my finger from it, the value changes at least a little bit. I find that does not happen with hardware controls.

In this situation, I decided to use a long ignored Akai LPD8 and a less used MPK Mini MKII. While this is not the best situation that one could come up with if you had a choice of MIDI controllers, it does serve the function of portability. From time-to-time, I like to go to the library to make music and my iPad setup with these two devices and maybe an iRig Keys Mini work well.

But, it takes work to go through this process and when I finally had the CC's mapped that I wanted, I was not sure it was going to work at first. I will let you know below how I fixed the problem of hunting down CC's mapped to controls among the different programs available. Once you see the scans of the work I did, you will have a better understanding.

First, I found the CC's used for the ARP Odyssei's controls. I compared those CC's with that of the app itself. For the CC's I was not sure about, I programmed my MPK Mini with that CC on a knob to see how it behaved. This meant turning the knob after the program was sent to the MPK and looking to see which control changed. This is important because, there are times when I was not sure if the CC controlled a switch or a fader.

"sl" means the CC controls a slider or a fader.
"sw" means the CC controls a switch.

There is one instance where I assigned a CC that is a switch to a control knob - the NOISE GENERATOR. This is because the knob functions better in this situation. The switch has three positions. You can work with this control using a pad on the MPK or the LPD8. Striking the pad softly will get you position 1. Striking it with a lot of force will get you position 3 of the switch. But position 2 can be tricky as it requires the note value of the velocity to be at the proper value or value range in the middle. The knob works better here.

Click on the scan provided for a better view:

ARP Odyssei CC's

If you already know how the controls of the Odyssei work, the above task might seem unncessary. I am still learning though and some of the controls listed above are still foreign to me. The ARP Odyssei has an uncommon arrangement of controls for subtractive synthesis. If you do some reading and watching YouTube videos, you will find out that the creators of this original synth, the ARP Odyssey, laid out the controls and specifically used faders so patches could be created easily during performances. That is the short version anyway.

When I was first looking at learning the ARP Odyssei, I went searching for material on the original synth. I found this website:

http://www.arpodyssey.com/directory.html

Click on the "ODYSSEY PATCHES" link and then click on the "Blank Odyssey Patch Sheet" link to get a blank and colour version of the scan below:

CC's on Edited ARP Odyssey Patch Sheet

Note how I added the "Velocity Intensity" control to the patch sheet. I also moved the "NOISE GENERATOR" selection switch from the left side to the right side, as it is on the ARP Odyssei.

From there, figuring out the best arrangement for the controls on the LPD8 and the MPK Mini MKII was worked out. That required some planning though. For this, I made a mockup of the LPD8 and the MPK side-by-side and then copied that down the page so I could see all four programs on each MIDI controller at the same time. This is crucial to arranging the CC's into an easy-to-use setup.

The CC's were grouped according to section on the Odyssei. Also taken into account were the two MIDI controllers' knob and pad groupings - groups of 8. If you have a look at the sheets provided, you will see that not all the controls in the VCO1 and VCO2 Frequency sections were kept together. But VCO1 Coarse and Fine were grouped with VCO2 Coarse and Fine and their respective switches were kept together. Luckily, the Odyssey and Odyssei control panel does allow for fairly convenient groupings of eight, more or less.

Provided are the blank program sheet and the populated program sheet.

Blank:

Populated:

At this point, I took the Populated sheet and started to use it with the hardware setup as shown at the beginning of the post. This was not very fun to use. I was hunting to find where different controls were. It was hard to remember where things were. It did not flow well at all. That was even though I had the different sections labelled - VCO1, VCO2, S/H Mixer, etc.

The project was left for the rest of the day. Later, I was thinking, wondering how I could fix this problem. I knew I did not want to be hunting for the correct program and knob or pad every time I had to find something. The solution might seem obvious to some and that I should have continued the work by marking all the knobs and pads on the blank Odyssei patch sheet. The result is provided below:

LPD8 and MPK Mini MKII Controls on ARP Odyssei Patch Sheet

Each marking on the sheet above indicates the device, the program number, and whether it is on a pad or knob. See the example below:

Example:  L 1/K1 - This would translate to LPD*, program 1, Knob 1
                 M 2/P5 - This would translate to MPK Mini MKII, program 2, Pad 5

Being able to work through a user manual or guidebook on the ARP Odyssey using the Odyssei app using hardware is very satisfying. It makes me want to use the app more.

There are other possibilities for this hardware setup. If you had a close look at the CC mapping on the LPD8 and MPK Mini MKII mockup, you noticed that only 3 programs are used on the LPD8 and 2 programs used on the MPK. This leaves room for special configurations of controls to be decided by the user. Or, another possibility is to create programs to control other synth apps.

There is another cool feature that might not be used a whole lot. The pads on both devices can be set to either Momentary or Toggle. To use the pads as switches, they need to be set to Toggle. They work as switches when you press the CC button on the device. However, the default mode for pads is to play notes. Usually the notes are played in Momentary mode so that when the pad is struck, the note plays and then plays out according to the settings used on the hardware or in this case, software.

Toggle mode makes playing notes interesting. Using the pads to play notes this way allows the musician to play drone notes. There are no pieces of tape needed to hold down the keys. Nothing needs to be jammed between the keys. No weights, no keydogs, etc. The only word of warning when using this is to be aware of the notes that the pads are playing. When you play the note on a keyboard and release it, a note velocity of zero is sent and the note stops sounding.

Have fun with your new setup! Send me an email to let me know if you enjoyed this post.

Electronic Music - What to Buy When Starting Out?

This is very much a personal account of what I am using to make electronic music. One of the most important things you can do is figure out what works for you. What do you like when it comes to making music?

My collection of synths started off and continues to be more along the lines of the budget conscious and continues that way. Some Korg Volcas, use Microkorg XL, Roland SH-01A, Uno Synth, and a D-05. A Behringer Neutron is for Christmas. Many are not used all the time. I also have effects pedals - Digitech RP100, Zoom B2.1u, Boss DS-1, Danelectro Wasabi Reverse Delay - those were purchased when I played more guitar. EHX Oceans 11 and Zoom MS-100BT were purchased with synths in mind.

Another new purchase has been the Empress ZOIA. It is both a modular effects pedal and a modular synth. You can combine the two parts to your liking. It is not all that hard to learn but if you are considering it, it is worth watching a couple of YouTube tutorials on it to see if it might fit the way you like to work.

I also have a iPad with Korg Gadget 2 and a few other apps like the Moog Model 15. Some apps I do not really use, to be truthful but they are there. Many apps like this sound very good. Korg Gadget 2 is its own DAW with all the apps or Gadgets necessary to cover just about any type of synthesis there is.

Other budget based options are VCV Rack and Caustic for computers. These can be made to sound very good even though they are free. You have to put the time in, just like learning hardware and plugins for your DAW.

If I had my choice and more room to spare, I would be considering synths like the Novation Peak, Moog Grandmother and Matriarch, a Minilogue XD, maybe a Prologue, maybe some DSI synths. Maybe a Novation Circuit soon as well as a Behringer Model D. - Those two could be made to fit in my current setup. I like the idea of modular but I have neither the money or the space for a modular setup.

The Moog One is way out of my budget so at this time I do not spend time thinking about it. This is also true for the DSI synths. The Novation Peak desktop module is about as high as I could go and I would have to save for quite some time for that.

Take some time to consider how you want to hear your instruments. Do you want to record? Do you want an audio interface with MIDI IO? Do you want a mixer and if so, with USB audio and what about number of audio channels?

What about speakers? Monitors to hear with, or some might laugh or shake their heads but I am using a set of Altec Lansing 6.1 speakers that are meant for surround sound on a computer. I only use stereo out with a bass speaker for this setup as I am using the stereo plug. These were there for me to use so at this time I am not spending money on monitors. I like sound so they suffice.

In the end, you should watch a bunch of YouTube videos to figure out if you like the way different devices work. When you buy, that is when you are really going to find out if certain pieces of equipment work for you. It is well worth the time to learn how each piece of equipment works to figure out if you really like it.

In my opinion, it when people do not spend the time learning their equipment that GAS strikes.

To start with, whatever you buy, you should get something that is oriented towards subtractive synthesis. It is by far the easiest type to learn and the most common among equipment used. It can be analog, virtual analog, or a VST. Given the paragraph above, I highly suggest reading and APPLYING Sound on Sound's "Synth Secrets." Look it up.

That last bit brings you to the option of a MIDI controller. Any synth with a keyboard these days will act as a keyboard MIDI controller. If you are to buy one piece of equipment a wise investment would be a new analog or VA synth as it will act as both a synth and a MIDI controller. It could be a mono synth or a poly synth. It depends on your budget. Have a look around and watch YouTube. If you go with just a MIDI controller, get something with at least 8 knobs with keys. Mini-keys are a possibility but full size keys are nicer.

One last note, buying used can very often be a good option for many pieces of equipment. If you can buy using eBay or Reverb as they have some buyer protection practices in place. If you buy used from the classified ads such as Kijiji, Craigslist, or the newspaper, it is best to be able to try the piece of equipment in person so you do not get burned. I have sold some of my own equipment through online classified ads and mailed them to buyers with them not having tested them. I never had a complaint. But, as a buyer, there is always a risk.