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This kind of applies to all instruments, but based on something I'm doing today ( ), I'm curious how you guys test a new synth. Do you have a set way of putting it through its paces to make sure everything is working, or just kind of wing it?

I’ve only had a couple of synths, but I usually try out a couple a year because I find them interesting.

I usually just run through the keys and check the action and make sure they work. If it’s something with presets, then I listen to those that are mission critical for the reason I am checking it out in the first place, organs or pads or piano. If it’s analog I check the LFO on how fast and slow it goes, then the different waveforms if it has more than one or two. Then I listen to different filter sweeps.

That’s about it. I don’t play any songs or spend more than a few minutes doing that, but just the basics gives me an idea if I like it or not. By the time the salesman is walking over I am already walking away. (Usually the price is a no go) Just like a guitar. Weight, neck, unplugged tone before I even ask to plug it in. Pedals, as Robert Smith says, knobs set mostly off, halfway, mostly full on, done.

Thanks Fuzzjunkie! Its interesting to see how people test stuff out to me. Testing the synth will be interesting, and might actually help learning the synth, so that's good.