Allegory wrote:I don't recall hearing anything analogous to the Virus pad that you pointed to played on a Radias, at least not on Youtube.
It doesn't matter. It's opinion no matter what. Apples and oranges.
I think the Radias is the best synth to be had in it's particular niche. I'm glad that it isn't as popular as the Virus, since the street price has come way down (presumably due to this lack of popularity). Not everyone is going to agree, obviously.
You seemed to be sold on the Virus from the beginning. Why didn't you just hold out and get what you really wanted? If you bought an R3 new, you weren't that far off, price-wise, from a used Virus.
Still... try using a better monitor for your R3. You'll probably be pleasantly surprised.
Well, I've loved almost every single demo of the Radias and R3 I've heard- this being at youtube quality audio. In real life, played by the right person with the right equipment, it would likely sound even better.
Also, my point about 'analog leads' was simply me stating that, while I'd prefer nice deep, modern, ambient pads and leads, if I'm going to have classic analog leads instead I'd at least wish that the R3's would have the same power that they did in the 80s; not the boring industrial tone they take on today that my R3 seems to be leaning towards.
Oh, and with my budget, I'm lucky I could afford a secondhand R3, nevermind a new one or secondhand Virus/Radias! Being 16 I spent all my cash and plenty of hours painting a few rooms in our house
However, given the choice between a Virus or a Radias, I'd probably choose the Radias (or get the Virus, sell it, and buy a Radias with a bunch of other equipment
). I'm mainly promoting the Virus in hope that someone can come up to me, and prove to me that by choosing the Radias I'm choosing the right synth. I love the Radias in all its orange LED glory, for a variety of reasons; It's a Korg, a brand my father and many of my favorite artists hold as the best; It has amazing sound shaping capabilities especially for leads; It can create remarkably good bass and drum patterns simply with its arpeggiators; and, well, it just looks awesome.
I know that I probably am doing my R3 absolutely no justice by complaining about its presets or by playing it through a guitar amp. Hopefully, once I learn to patch decently and purchase some studio quality headphones, the little 37 key bugger will surprise me
Hi tpantano,
as I can read from your several posts, you are trying to get the sounds you hear from all the music what is running there. Years ago, when I heard a new synth, I thought "wow this is the best I ever heard". I remember hearing a demo of a keyboard which leave me wanting it.
Years later I got one on ebay and was very happy, but it turned to be just as usual as the others, some things were better and others not.
It is not only a matter of the sound a synth can do, it is how you play it, the expression you give and last but not least the feelings or mood in that you are. Unfortunately I am not a good keyboard player, never had studied music and my only musical skill is to have a good ear for sounds and music. If the R3 is the wrong synth or the Virus is better, I cant say because I dont have one. But I think it is like being a painting artist. There is a limited set of colors everyone can use, but it depends of how you mix and what you do with them, what style you have and what your inspiration and skills are.
If you are always looking for that sounds that others have, then you probably will go better with a mega-rompler. As for warm pads (which are my preferred sounds) I think the R3 is very good.
To finish, you really should hear and programm your synth with headphones or good monitoring boxes. A (mono?) guitar amp can't give you the spatial impression nor the complete spectrum of the sound which are the main features of a good pad, no matter what kind of synth it is.
Hello.
Yes, as you can see, I am frantically trying to figure out how to play the songs of my favorite artists, specifically, Owl City.
Now, there's the obvious reason for this; I'd love to be able to cover his music. I also convinced another forum member to purchase an R3, as he was also looking for Owl City covers. Both of us had been inspired to take up the keyboard by Adam Young (OC); The depth in some of his projects such as the song 'The Airway' or his band 'Insect Airport' is simply astounding. With both Adam being an insomniac and me and this other forum member having a form of it, we can relate to the dreamstate Adam creates.
But I have another reason for wanting to learn how Adam patches. Sure, Adam may make his music by using Reason for sequencing. Sure, if put in front of a piano, he may not be the worlds best player. But Adam has a skill that I find simply amazing. He can turn a small $400 box, a very low price in the music world, into a maker of masterpieces. The sounds that dominate all of his tunes are made from a very basic, two oscillator, four note polyphony mini keyboard. He shapes a tiny synth, packaged with garbage dance presets, into a machine who's melodies can shake a whole room. He doesn't need to pay $2700 for someone elses not quite perfect presets. He can do it all by himself with an MK, a 'first step' synth.
I'm hoping, that by learning how to create his patches, I will also acquire the skills needed to shape garbage into perfection. Let's face it; Wether it's the MK, R3, or Radias, presets lack emotion. They can't grab the listener by the ear and gently guide them into whatever mood the song intends to go. It's the difference, between, say, the stereotypical Linkin' Park, which all sounds the same, to the likes of Muse, an artist who can take you away to another world.
Oh, and on the topic of ROMplers and Samplers;
a ROMpler is simply like a large preset database. Sure, you can tweak the sounds a bit, but when it comes to the end, it is somebody elses work. You won't create something new; it's someone elses emotions held within each oscillator.
Samplers are the same on a larger scale. You're limited to the sounds already in the world. It's still not you; it's the worlds; wether or not it be the work of two small particles, a God, or multiple deities.
With a wave based synth, the sound is truly you. You can pour as much emotion into a patch as the synth's modeling capability allows. The sounds can be brand new, never heard before in this world that we inhabit.
