Magazine Archive

Home -> Magazines -> Issues -> Articles in this issue -> View

Synthesis on a Budget

The E&MM Buyers' Guide For Beginners

Article from Electronics & Music Maker, July 1984

So you've saved your pennies and want to join the world of synthesisers, but don't know where to start looking? E&MM's buyers' guide shows you how.


Searching for your first synth can be a disheartening and sometimes disillusioning experience, especially if you happen to come across rows upon rows of glistening new keyboards, equipped with the latest technology and price-tags that put them well out of your reach. But take heart. Armed with a little perseverance and this buyers' guide, you should be able to find an instrument that combines flexibility with an accessible price.


Although hi-tech instruments are capable of wonderous feats, it's still you, the musician, that has the greatest influence on the end result, and there's no point in buying a complex polyphonic synth if you only play with one finger.

Remember too that there are dozens of effects pedals available that can offer further variations on the basic sound of your synth, the most popular being chorus, flange and delay. Reverb is another effect which can greatly enhance certain synthesiser sounds and, for recording purposes, more alternative treatments such as standing the speaker in a resonant oil drum may be employed in order to impart an original quality to the basic sound.

Indeed, this kind of treatment can so alter the characteristics of an instrument that 'sampled' type sounds may be produced, although the end result is not always very predictable.

Before parting with your hard-earned money, it's a good idea to decide what you need, as opposed to what you want. Do you need monophonic or polyphonic operation, and do you require the synth mainly for music or for sound effects?

Presets



Then there's the question of variable or preset operation. A preset synth offers rapid selection of any available sound without the expense of programmability, but offers little or no opportunity to alter the basic sounds, which may be good, bad or indifferent, depending on the model in question.

The fully variable design, on the other hand, is capable of producing a vast range of sounds but, in a live situation, this may involve adjusting a dozen or more parameters in a very short space of time, which can be disastrous if one vital adjustment is overlooked. Many is the time that the erstwhile player has set up what he hopes to be a flute patch only to be rewarded by the sound of a liquidiser full of snails because of a simple patching mistake. Dimly-lit stage conditions can aggravate this problem further, so this potential problem area should be given due consideration before a firm decision is reached.

Parameters



To complicate matters further, there are different degrees of complexity involved in setting up different types of variable synth, and your choice will again be affected by what you intend to use the instrument for.

For example, the Moog Rogue has a very simple control layout but is capable of a wide range of useful musical voicings, while the ARP Axxe, on the other hand, has a very comprehensive patching facility that enables elaborate sound effects to be created in addition to more conventional musical voicings, but there are a lot of parameters that must be set accurately in order to give a satisfactory result.

Another area worthy of scrutiny is that of performance controls. Both mono and polysynths tend to have some form of performance control, the most popular being the Moog-type wheel system which allows control of pitch-bend and vibrato depth.

Some manufacturers use an extension of this system, whereby other parameters such as filter cut-off frequency may be patched to the performance wheels, whilst others go in for joystick controls, levers, or pressure-sensitive pads.

The next point of consideration is the keyboard itself: does it have enough octaves for your particular application, and if you want to play a lot of bass on it, does it have a bottom E?

Triggering



The keyboard triggering system on some older synths may not feature what is known as multiple triggering and this too can be important. On modern synths, when a second note is pressed before the first one is released, the envelope shaper will retrigger, which is as it should be, but on machines not incorporating this facility, it's necessary to release one key fully before depressing another in order to initiate a second trigger sequence which can make fast playing very difficult.

Interfacing



Having decided on which of these facilities you really need, you should then look at the question of interfacing. If you need to run your analogue synth in conjunction with a sequencer or rhythm machine, check that the appropriate trigger and control voltage sockets are provided, and that the control law is to the one-volt-per-octave standard, as this enables maximum compatibility between machines of different makes.

If there is a built-in sequencer, check that it has sufficient storage capacity for your needs and that it can be synchronised to a pulse from a drum machine.

Conclusions



There are many angles you ought to consider before parting with your money and the aspects previously mentioned don't really tell the whole story.

Buying secondhand can enable you to obtain more facilities for your money, but be sure that your potential purchase is working properly, especially if it is a private purchase since you have no legal comeback in the event of a breakdown. If the synth is now obsolete, do make sure that service facilities and spare parts are still available, and obtain a circuit diagram if at all possible.

To help you make up your mind, we've compiled a list of some of the more popular budget synths, both monophonic and polyphonic, and included a brief description of each one, drawing attention to any unusual features. Many of the synths in this list are no longer in production, and few if any have MIDI capabilities. However, they are all useful instruments in their own right and represent good value for the synthesist on a budget.

ARP Axxe


ARP themselves are now no longer in business but there are still many of their products available secondhand.

The Axxe is a single-oscillator monosynth featuring ARP's proportional pitch control and vibrato depth pressure pads. The internal patching is very flexible and readily lends itself to the production of sound effects as well as music, and multiple triggering is provided along with interface connections for CV, Gate and Trigger.

ARP Odyssey


This is a two-oscillator version of the Axxe, featuring a duophonic option and a ring modulator which extends the range of sound effects and musical voices available.

Interface connections are provided, and multiple triggering is standard.

ARP Omni


This is a hybrid machine having a polyphonic string/brass section, a bass section and a basic lead line monosynth.

Again obsolete, but this model can provide high quality textural sounds in spite of its limitations. The keyboard may be split for further versatility, and the polyphonic section can be fed through the synth filter to create polysynth effects.

Gnat


This is a single-oscillator version of the Wasp with fewer facilities, though it is still very strong-sounding. This is only available with the touch keyboard, and its light plastic construction coupled with battery power and an internal speaker makes it entirely suitable for practising in the bath(!)

Jen SX1000.

Jen Synthetone SX1000


A very basic one-oscillator monosynth featuring a three-octave, full-sized keyboard. Although cheaply constructed and extremely basic, the SX1000 does offer all the essential basics for synthesis, and has a useful range of sounds.

The very low price (sometimes under £100) of this instrument should make it accessible to even the most impoverished newcomer, whilst the techniques learnt from using it will still be valid when he or she moves to a more sophisticated synthesiser.

Korg Sigma.

Korg Sigma


The Sigma represents something of a departure from conventional synthesiser design, in that it utilises a bank of preset sounds that may be used singly or in combination. Each preset has one user-adjustable parameter to increase the overall flexibility, whilst performance control is via a joystick.

The ring modulator allows the production of metallic tones and, for the more avant garde, it is also possible to play quarter-tones on this instrument. If you're looking for a lead-line synth with 'instant' sounds of high quality, this is the one: it can be picked up surprisingly cheaply secondhand.

Korg Delta


This synth, like the ARP Omni, is a hybrid device incorporating a polyphonic string section and a mono lead line synth.

A joystick performance control is fitted and the poly section may be routed via the filter of the mono section for further flexibility.

Like the Omni, the separate sections have individual outputs, enabling multichannel amplification to be used.

Although very much a 'compromise' type of instrument, the Delta's sounds are generally good and it should be possible to buy a secondhand model at a reasonable price.

Korg MS10.

Korg MS10


This is a two-and-a-half octave monosynth with one oscillator and a modulation wheel. The design is unusual in that the individual circuit elements are brought out to a patch bay, enabling unconventional hook-ups to be implemented. The interface facilities are to the Korg standard, and so the Korg MS02 interface is required if connection to other makes of synth is envisaged.

Korg MS20.

Korg MS20


Based on the MS10, this model offers two of each basic module plus a full three-octave keyboard.

In addition, an external signal processor input is fitted, which implements a frequency-to-voltage conversion and enables other instruments to control the synth. This facility is purely monophonic and so works better on some sound sources than others.

Korg MS50


This is essentially an expander unit, ie. it does not have its own keyboard. It includes a one oscillator synth with two envelope generators, a ring modulator and a sample and hold converter, all modules being patchable for maximum flexibility. Again, it will interface only to other Korg synths unless a suitable linear/log converter is used such as the Korg MS02. Like the rest of the MS range, the 50's modular design means that it can be of great educational as well as music value.

Moog Prodigy.

Moog Prodigy


This was Moog's first budget synth and was designed to bring the essential features of the MiniMoog to the lower end of the synth market.

Although no longer in production, this two-oscillator synth is still very much in circulation and features the Moog performance wheels and phase syncing.

There is, however, no multiple triggering facility and early models had no Gate or CV interface connections.

When considering one of these instruments, check the tuning drift after allowing a five-minute warm-up period, as some models were particularly prone to problems in this area.

Moog Rogue


The Rogue is a basic two-oscillator polysynth sporting the two Moog performance control wheels and phase sync capability. CV and Gate interface connections are fitted, though the Gate input requires an S-trigger to operate. Despite the limited facilities, this synth has some excellent basic sounds and is quite easy to set up. It is an ideal beginner's instrument, and secondhand models are available at extremely reasonable prices.

Oberheim OB1


One of the few programmable monosynths produced, the OB1 features two oscillators and dynamic phase sync capabilities. This was originally quite an upmarket synth costing over £1000, but with the advent of cheap programmable polysynths, it should be available at a realistic secondhand price.

Roland Juno 6


This was Roland's first budget polysynth and, as its name implies, it has six voices that can be played simultaneously. The oscillator circuitry is digitally controlled, allocating one oscillator to each key pressed, whilst the analogue filtering and envelope shaping controls are similar to those found on a monosynth. A chorus unit is built-in, and a pitch-bend lever is also provided.

The synth is not programmable and there are no MIDI facilities, but the internal arpeggiator may be syncronised to an external drum machine.

Roland Juno 60


Identical to the Juno 6 in all other respects, this version is programmable and can store 56 patches in its inbuilt, non-volatile memory.

Roland SH101.

Roland SH101


The ever-popular SH101 is in many ways an update of the SH09 but with a few added bonuses which included a built-in digital sequencer, battery or mains operation, an arpeggiator, and an optional modulation grip and guitar-style strap for the ultimate in portability. This single-oscillator synth provides for CV and Gate In and Outs as well as an External Clock In, which will sync the arpeggio or sequencer to another sequencer or drum machine. Even new, the 101 is by no means expensive.

Roland SH2.

Roland SH2


A dual-oscillator three-octave synth featuring a sub-oscillator on VCO1. The pitch can range from 32' to 2' with Sine, Ramp, Square and Pulse waveforms selectable on both oscillators. The SH2 also includes delayed vibrato and autobend, and operates on the 1V/oct standard. Shop around the secondhand Shops for this versatile mono, as its sounds and facilities are still relevant to most modern musical styles.

Roland SH09


A scaled-down version of the SH2, this single-oscillator synth also features a sub-oscillator which can be mixed with VCO1 to thicken up the sound from the 2½-octave keyboard. CV and Gate interfaces are provided, and the control parameters offer the means to recreate most standard synth sounds.

Transcendent 2000


Marketed only as a kit by Powertran, this single-oscillator monosynth features a separate envelope generator for the filter section in addition to the standard complement of synth controls. Gate and CV inputs are provided and multiple keyboard triggering is standard. The basic sound is reasonable (if a little limited) and the components are all fairly common so that future servicing should not be a problem.

Wasp


A cheap but well-equipped two-oscillator synth which has a touch-sensitive keyboard and digital interface capabilities, running from batteries or a mains adaptor unit.

Wasp Deluxe.

The Wasp Deluxe was produced later using a conventional keyboard and, although the manufacturers - Electronic Dream Plant - are no longer in business, both synths represent good secondhand buys. The pitch generation is digital, and it's possible to interface the synth directly to a microcomputer or an EDP Spider sequencer.

Yamaha CS01


This synth is unusual in several respects. It's based around a small-scale keyboard and may be controlled using an optional breath controller.

Yamaha CS01.

Basically, the synth is a simple one-oscillator design, but the battery operation and built in speaker make it ideal for practice as well as live use.

Although it is an ideal beginner's synth, the CS01 is widely used in professional circles, largely due to the added flexibility provided by the breath controller. A CS01 Mk II has just been announced by Yamaha, with the result that old models are now being discounted to below the £100 mark.

Yamaha CS5


This is a basic single-oscillator monosynth which should be available secondhand at around £150.

The three-octave keyboard features multiple triggering and the filter allows a choice of high, low, or bandpass options.

An audio input is also provided with an automatic triggering facility, enabling other instruments to be fed through the filter and envelope shaper, which can be a useful treatment for a string machine.

Interfacing facilities are provided, but these are to Yamaha's own standard and so will work only in conjunction with another Yamaha machine.


More with this topic


Browse by Topic:

Buyer's Guide



Previous Article in this issue

Spectrum MIDI

Next article in this issue

Using Sequencers


Publisher: Electronics & Music Maker - Music Maker Publications (UK), Future Publishing.

The current copyright owner/s of this content may differ from the originally published copyright notice.
More details on copyright ownership...

 

Electronics & Music Maker - Jul 1984

Topic:

Buyer's Guide


Feature

Previous article in this issue:

> Spectrum MIDI

Next article in this issue:

> Using Sequencers


Help Support The Things You Love

mu:zines is the result of thousands of hours of effort, and will require many thousands more going forward to reach our goals of getting all this content online.

If you value this resource, you can support this project - it really helps!

Donations for February 2025
Issues donated this month: 13

New issues that have been donated or scanned for us this month.

Funds donated this month: £14.00

All donations and support are gratefully appreciated - thank you.


Magazines Needed - Can You Help?

Do you have any of these magazine issues?

> See all issues we need

If so, and you can donate, lend or scan them to help complete our archive, please get in touch via the Contribute page - thanks!

Please Contribute to mu:zines by supplying magazines, scanning or donating funds. Thanks!

Monetary donations go towards site running costs, and the occasional coffee for me if there's anything left over!
muzines_logo_02

Small Print

Terms of usePrivacy