Needing advice on organs/synths

All instruments that aren't guitars (or bass guitars).
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Needing advice on organs/synths

Post by fetch » Sun Dec 13, 2009 3:59 am

What's something that isn't ridiculously overpriced, isn't overly massive and can get me Bright Eyes like organ/synth/random chorus sounds I can strum my guitar along to after some looping/etc. is added? I just recently got a Rode M3 and I'm also looking for a decent recording setup to go along with it.

So basically.

1) What will get me organ-like sounds that probably isn't an organ 'cos they're usually the size of a single bed (slight exaggeration there)? Micro Korg do the trick? I really like the look of the Moog Little whatevers but that's like $2k! I don't really want to spend over $500-600 and the Micro meets that but I'm thinking that might be a bit too 80s and not lofi enough/too crisp funk sounding?
2) What's a decent enough mixer/interface that'll be able to record acoustic (mic'd), whatever-synth-I-end-up-getting (direct? mic'd?), electronic drum kit, drum machine, etc etc.

I want to create lo-fi music on my own but I've never ventured out of acoustics (I only recently got into electrics!!).

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Re: Needing advice on organs/synths

Post by sookwinder » Tue Dec 15, 2009 9:44 pm

A question which you may wish to consider is:

do you wish to record directly into a PC, into the PC via a mic preamp or do you want to go via a mixer ?

he M3 can use a battery or 48v phantom power supply, so you're go the best of both worlds.

I got my nephew one of these mixers :
http://www.soundcorp.com.au/product/?pr ... ductid=873" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
which he then takes the output into his M-AUDIO sound card. He can plug in guitar or bass DI, or any keyboard or mic.
(btw I also bought him a Rode M3 for xmas)

Me ? I use a preamp for mics and DI and then go into my PC sound card

Your questions are good, but I think you need to define more which direction you intend to go as far as your set up.
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Re: Needing advice on organs/synths

Post by fetch » Tue Dec 15, 2009 11:19 pm

Thanks for the reply Sookwinder. I tried to make the questions as blunt as possible (I was -this- close to using 'that indie sound'!) but I definitely get what you mean. I think after todays purchase, I'm going the mic > mixer > usb thingy > pc option. I'll need the mixer to run two monitors and be hooked up to the following:

Mic
Synth
TV (can I do this? I don't like the tv's speakers so I want to use the monitors. If not, this is my last priority obviously so need not matter)
PC

Without unplugging/plugging things too often.

I just got this from Billy Hydes in Blackburn (god they're jerks towards beginners!):

Image

I absolutely fell in love with it when I played it in the store and ran back today and got it. Here's to being broke for the next 2 weeks! ::)

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Re: Needing advice on organs/synths

Post by Orang Goreng » Wed Dec 16, 2009 1:42 am

sookwinder wrote: I got my nephew one of these mixers :
http://www.soundcorp.com.au/product/?pr ... ductid=873" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
which he then takes the output into his M-AUDIO sound card. He can plug in guitar or bass DI, or any keyboard or mic.
(btw I also bought him a Rode M3 for xmas)
David, you realise that's my exact set-up? ;D Rode M-3 into Soundcraft Compact 4 into M-Audio delta 2496. What more does a person need? Oh yeah, sofa beds, love and happiness. Pleb, you may want to go for the larger Compact model; it has more mic inputs. Two may be pushing it a bit if you want to record acoustic drums (although Fuzz_King's recordings have taught me you can get great results with just one mic).

If you want organ and it's just home recording, don't dig too deep in your pockets. Get the cheapest MIDI keyboard you can find, and use soft synths; I haven't tried these (maybe one of them), but at least they're free: http://www.audiomastermind.com/browse-o ... 085-1.html" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;. You want a model of a 60s/70s transistor organ (trust me, you do) and it seems like the first one is just that... I'm actually gonna download it and try it now.
As far as MIDI keyboards go, it's nice to have one with all kinds of controllers (sliders are nice if you want to use drawbars on the organ); it works easier than if you have to use your mouse for everything. However, it's not a necessity. I have this one: http://www.m-audio.com/products/en_us/K ... n88es.html;" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false; full size (88 keys) board with velocity sensitivity. You don't need velocity sensitivity for organs, but it's good to have if you want to expand towards piano and such. The 88-key model is, at about $200-ish street price, the most expensive one of the controller-less keystations. If you're not a pianist, you probably won't have any use for 88 keys, so you can get a smaller, cheaper one. A typical transistor organ has 4-5 octaves, so this cheaper one should have plenty: http://www.m-audio.com/products/en_us/K ... n61es.html" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;. Undoubtedly you can get something just as good for substantially less money second-hand. All it needs to do is send MIDI.
With this set-up, you can record direct to computer. If you like to mic the organ anyway, route your recorded organ track from the mixer to a guitar amp, either via a dedicated re-amp box or through a reversed (i.e., connect mixer output to DI output, connect DI input to guitar amp) PASSIVE DI (active DI won't work this way). Mic the amp, and record to a new track.

Actually, I'm guessing that MOOG can send MIDI, so in that department you're set anyway.
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Re: Needing advice on organs/synths

Post by fetch » Thu Dec 17, 2009 4:33 am

Wow, thanks for the reply Orang! Massive props.
And yes, I'm pretty certain I'll end up with that mixer and M3 combination too. I don't want something too complicated and I want it to be versatile, I mean, if I can get a decent SM57 and an amp-clamp, I could even do electric without fearing about damaging my gear. I like the idea of a mixer over a soundcard like device I think.

Also, tomorrow I'm going to return the Little Phatty II! I just realised what a rip off Billy Hydes was. I bought another one for $1,700 ($300 cheaper) and it came with one of these FOR FREE!!!:

Image

What an $800 turn around in two days! Stoked! Now I've pretty much settled on the following and I think I'm done for the time being (well, at least I can continue on with writing without having to stop):

- Rode M3
- Soundcraft Compact4
- Behringer UCA222 U-Control
- KRK RP6 monitors (These I'm happy to kind of splurge on I guess, if you can call it that?)
- Cables, mic stand

All up... $1,100AUD? Not too shabby I guess with the monitors coming in at around $600 for the pair. Is that reasonable or am I being over-percussionistic(not a word you say? It is now!)? I'd use it regularly which is a good thing but whether or not I'll use it to it's best abilities is yet to come to fruition.

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Re: Needing advice on organs/synths

Post by Orang Goreng » Thu Dec 17, 2009 4:47 am

pleb wrote:Wow, thanks for the reply Orang! Massive props.
And yes, I'm pretty certain I'll end up with that mixer and M3 combination too. I don't want something too complicated and I want it to be versatile, I mean, if I can get a decent SM57 and an amp-clamp, I could even do electric without fearing about damaging my gear. I like the idea of a mixer over a soundcard like device I think.
Personally I find a mixer quite handy, but many here think it's an obsolete device for home recording, and they have a good point. It might be a better idea to get an audio interface with more inputs. That mixer only has a stereo out.

BTW, don't try that free plug-in, it sucks major ass ;).

I use my M3 for everything, although that's mainly because I only have two mics, and the other is a karaoke-grade Sure C606, which does have its purposes, but not that many. Is Rode cheaper over there, being Ausiie-made and all? They're like the only brand out there that doesn't use Chinese capsules.
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Re: Needing advice on organs/synths

Post by sookwinder » Fri Dec 18, 2009 3:46 pm

the Rode M3 I just bought for my nephew for xmas was AU$169

converting using current exchange rates (into US $$$) is about US$150 (mind you that's with the lower US $$ it would have only been US$126 6 months back)

damn good mic what ever the exchange rate is...
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Re: Needing advice on organs/synths

Post by Orang Goreng » Fri Dec 18, 2009 3:58 pm

Odd, they're ever so much cheaper here. Matter of a few €€, but still. But yeah, it's a great mic, very versatile. It has this little lift in the upper region that really helps with my vocal somehow. But it also works very nicely with my guitar amp.
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