From the original SynthMaker forum (2004–2014), with its members’ names and dates.
lesobrod ·
Do someone on this forum play on a non-virtual instrument? (^__^) Respect to the guitar- or piano-people, but i start to play very late (~35) and now can do some not bad things with recorder and panflute (and ocarina a little). Maybe anybody use smth like this?
trogluddite ·
Started out playing Bass guitar in punk bands - not for along time now, but I still like to twang my 5-string a few times a week (reminds me, I have a broken volume pot to fix). Thrash around on a drum kit whenever I feel like I've got energy to burn (or when I had a bad day at work!). Used to be quite good on the ukelele, but I haven't picked that up for years - and my teeth are too bad to play jaws harp any more (but it is still one of my favourite "analogue filter" sounds!).
Mostly I use SM for FX and loopers for 'real' sounds - I still haven't ever finished a synth in SynthMaker! Even when I do use synths, I nearly always play from a keyboard rather than programming - but I have to use transpose a lot, as for some reason, I only ever learned to play in D-sharp, and my left hand is only any good for fiddling with the controls.
I'd love to play a wind instrument again, they are so expressive. I used to play trombone at school, but the music was too boring, and I was more interested in chasing girls and playing computer games!. I made a DIY MIDI breath controller years ago for my Yamaha VL (physical modelling) synth - that was pretty good for expression, but I never got around to fixing it after the spit got into the electronics and rotted the circuit board.
rl ·
Started out playing Bass guitar in punk bands - not for along time now, but I still like to twang my 4-string a few times a year (reminds me, I have a broken string to replace).
But I rather prefer to program and talk to my electronic gear (be it real or virtual) and sometimes they are in good temper and talk back to me telling me stories....
infuzion ·
Does DJing count? I have learned on 1200s & CDs before, but now that oil is becoming more of an issue (esp when people are dying over it), I'm gone totally digital now. That's why I'm here 🙂
lesobrod ·
Wow thanx, esp Trog 🙂 , for very sincere post! I like jaw harp (or vargan or chomus) too. You don't need to clasp it hardly to teeth, just try to use lips with more power! In fact the edge between "real" and "virtual" sound is mostly farfetched. But note that when you use real instrument many different muscles and organs of the body are involved. It correlates with breath, heartbeat and CNS, producing some kind of Chi Kung or Pranayama 😈
What about digital sound and DAW, thanks to it I heard (just 2 years ago) the biggest thing in world - a chords in pure (just) intonation. This was like enlightenment - many sounds turn to one absolutely! This is bad that MIDI standard and most VST and DAW are very complicated (or just impotence) for tuning.
Well the DSP has many others good crazy things, so I hope a "future man" will be experienced both in analog and digital worlds..
trogluddite ·
lesobrod wrote: But note that when you use real instrument many different muscles and organs of the body are involved.
Yes, I like the 'real' instruments for just that reason - even with knobs, joysticks, ribbons etc. I never found a MIDI controlller where the movements are intuitive like guitar etc. I should re-build my breath controller, much better than a horrible little mod. wheel!... (and aftertouch!?! - great idea, but I never found a KB where it has a good feel).
lesobrod wrote: just try to use lips with more power!
I always felt the teeth connection made better nasal sounds - getting the sinuses properly vibrating - but maybe I just have too much empty space inside my head! 😉 - But yes, it is a cool instrument, moving the tongue, larynx etc. is the most intuitive 'sound interface' of all!
lesobrod wrote: a chords in pure (just) intonation
I think this is because MIDI has always been too much a device for keyboard/piano players - many designers make such good sounds, but did not think about people who interact in other ways. MIDI tuning dump can sort of work (if it is supported by the instrument!) - but could have been standard to have one CC = choose a scale (127 values, so could easily have had quarter tone etc. too). Maybe more people would use those scales if they had made it easier. Seems strange, so often we are talking here about resonances and harmonics, yet most MIDI instruments only have one scale (even temper) that make those things so hard to find.
tinkergnome ·
lesobrod: Do someone on this forum play on a non-virtual instrument?
i had taken a class in elementary school a long time ago for the recorder. i found out i wasn't very skilled in it 🙁 however, i have been known to play a mean kazoo at times.
lesobrod ·
tinkergnome wrote: i had taken a class in elementary school a long time ago for the recorder. i found out i wasn't very skilled in it however, i have been known to play a mean kazoo at times.
Well to learn a real play-technique is better with some experienced people. But inner intention give 80% of result. When (6 years ago) i heard "Lilium" from "Elfen Lied" i said: "Or i start to play it in a month, or die". 😇 By the way please try this on recorder: http://www.flutetunes.com/tunes.php?id=698 It's very simple but touching tune.
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