Lately I have been making soundfonts of just my presets and started making sf2 packs..I'm even using less vsts now...its a great feeling very creative process ..feels like the old fast tracker 2 days again...just samples and a few effects ..great video here Espen as always..always makes me smile
So true, man. I say this, like you, having quite a bit of vintage hardware, but the point is important and something many will never learn. The gateway to improving your musicianship, songwriting, and the quality of the music you make is stopping the GAS madness and learning what you have inside and out. Its capabilities as well as limitations are exactly what will allow you to make the music you want to make. ⛽🤪
Refreshing channel! Subscribed! I look at everything released these days and there isn’t a huge amount of innovation it’s just tweaks and changes to UI. So better to save the money for a rainy day
More equipment in music production doesn’t necessarily boost creativity; in fact, it can often do the opposite. Producers can get caught up in choosing and testing new gear, losing focus on the music itself. Too many options can dilute decision-making and shift attention from the creative process to the technical one. Sometimes, less is more - limited tools can push you to be more innovative with what you have.
Thank you for the honesty all great points. I'm only interested in old gear lately, still lots of vintage synths/drums machines from the 80s+90s available, most times cheaper than a modern equivalent and always with some type of character that makes them more unique. Companies(like Roland) refuse to make gear like they did in the past, whatever the reason is. VSTs are great for certain purposes, but too clinical. I sold a few pieces of newer gear i don't use anymore and grabbed a SP-202, TR-505, JV-880 and ESQ-700 for just under 1,000 all in like new condition. Great to have your channel to reference as well before hitting the checkout button, thank you!
1:24 Well said. I bought an Access Virus TI2 in 2021 and I am amazed by its versatility. It's not a cheap synth by any means, but I've gotten a lot of value out of it. I thought about buying the UB-XA desktop, but I think I can get pretty good Oberheim sounds out of the Virus so I'll pass. For me, the Virus TI and a couple of VST synths does the trick for me. If people would actually take the time to learn to use the synths they own, they wouldn't need to continuously acquire more gear.
One reason why I like you is you actually WRITE MUSIC so many people on this platform just obsessed over gear and make sad music I literally have a moog studio ableton and that’s more than enough to make tons of songs
In my opinion your channel will certainly be more valuable if you keep on explaining some 80's music tricks/habits/usages such as chords progressions, modulations etc... which are no longer ongoing or have been lost
"Do you need it to distract from the fact that you could be spending this time actually practicing and improving?" Keep up the great work Espen! Looking forward to seeing what you have in store for us this year. The 'A song is born' composition video linked at the end is one of my favourites of yours btw!
That’s the spirit, Espen! Use the stuff you have, you only touched the surface of. I write sysex drivers for control to wake up the greatness of my old and ancient synths and modules. So much fun!
That seems very interesting! I never attempted using SysEx, but the sections in those great manual from the 80ies and 90ies are really interesting reads. I am amazed how deep and elaborated some gear is in regards of SysEx-control.
@@wackerburg You are so right! I love to play around with these old machines. I learned to get deeper into the machines I already own and not buying new hardware of soft-instruments again. Currently I use the great CTRLR software (abandonware now?) for controlling my Novation X-Station synth and my Proteus 2. Both of them came to life again. I am writing SysEx drivers and modules for my Matrix 1000. I can control it via the knobs and faders on the X-Station. Some programming work, but - as you mentioned - MIDI implementation documentation of this old machines is great. I stepped into synthesizer world way before MIDI in the CV/Gate days, so be able to control these old and amazing machines generates a great vibe and feeling.
I Agree, didn't realize how happy i was when my single synth was a Korg Prologue. I didn't realize that everything i needed was already in my hands, i just needed to utilize it properly.
Great video, short and to the point! Thank you! I also don’t have strong reasons to buy a new synth. I really like the Montage m8x but don’t have a good enough reason to buy it as there is so much that I can do with plugins in my bedroom studio. I also don’t need more plugins at the moment, so just a happy camper learning how to get the most out of what I have and use them in compositions.
One thing I've noticed about all the other synth channels that will inevitably make "reaction" videos to this very video, is that none of those people actually make music
Or when they do it lacks the artistic impact they imagined they would have. That's why I like Ball: talent for music, humor and humility. Or Rimela, who does everything with every synth but one at a time, delivering a great showcase without the talk. Pure, anonymous love.
I was using the "it must provide me with a sound I can't already make" justification for buying gear, but quickly realized I was still buying stuff I didn't actually need, so I stopped buying stuff. I'd usually end up being excited by whatever I bought for a little while, but then it would sit, neglected and unloved, while I bought something else and started the cycle all over again. So, I very much appreciate the notion of learning and loving what I already have, and writing music rather than lusting after new toys.
When you stopped and paused I pictured the camera doing a hard pan and classic orchestral hit happening haha I always enjoy seeing you use synths that I wont ever own aside from a VST version. It helps inspire me into creating similar sounds with the gear I have. I like to follow along with Diva and see how close I can get to the sounds.
1. What? A new synth can get me laid?!? 2. I truly enjoy your presentations about music more than I enjoy your gear reviews. Looking forward to hearing what you do with the instruments you have. You give us inspiration.
This is a good advice. I generally like this approach, and there are so many good synthesizers on the second hand market. Especially digital racksynths or workstations, which might not be cool enough for the vintage-analog fanatics. They might also find them to complicated and too hard to learn.
It's the reviewers that make people buy those new synths, reviewers that can really play well and know how to make people buy things they don't need. I bought most Yamaha arranger keyboards from Tyros 1 to 5 and Genos, also Korg pax series 3, 4 and 5 and I am still crap at playing :) but the reviewers make it seem easy and let people believe that the next one will make you a great artist.
I have seen a multi track demo of the korg Monotron, it sounded like it was polyphonic, and amazing. Most of the synth limitations are in the user/musician . Thanks for the nice videos Espen, Have a happy year of 2025.
You're right Espen. I've not bought any new synths for the last 2 years, not planning to either, I Enjoy my newfangled Montage + MPC key 61 + korg and funny Yama Speech processor synth I bought for laughts and giggles, but the real challenge lies within maximizing the use of those, they're a killer combo for me, and I honestly have more gear with those 4 than I'ever understand or need, so for my part, that's gonna keep me busy for the next 10 years, already had 2 fantastic productive years with them already (thanks to the MPC, that thing is amazing), never been this productive in my 40 years of music.
I think a lot of hardware synths never get used to their full potential. The learning curve is always pretty steep and so dedication to the manual sometimes pays off.
I realized that apart from making music, I also like to watch synthjams. Thanks for all your fun and insightful videos Espen and I'm also sincere that I would love to see you 'synthjam' Espen.
I'm curious to see Korg Kronos 3 :) I just hope it boots faster than the older models, 2 minutes is ridiculous! My M1 and 01/Wfd boot up instantly, and even Trinity and Triton boot up in a few seconds.
I really enjoy hardware but as much as I want a Jupiter-8 and OBX8 I just can't afford to so I have hardware synths all under €2k and it's a lot of fun. I get so bored and tired from computer screens. So it's largely hardware for good prices and when I want an OB-X sound I just use a plugin instead (just a matter of quickly making a sound with the MIDI I already have). People either get super purist about hardware or say it's all useless but the most important thing is to do what's most fun to you within realistic limits.
Good point you made espen, all I use is nexus 2 and vps avenger, phalanx and one hardware synth which is the jp 2000, that is more than adequate for me.
Words of wisdom. However, understanding things often only happens by making mistakes. Of course, it's good to share your experiences, someone might learn from them. I still believe that only after you've done things wrong for a while do you really know what to do right (this doesn't mean you should jump off a roof or use drugs to understand that doing such things is not wise). Mere knowledge of how to do something doesn't give you a very deep understanding of doing it right, only by doing it yourself and making mistakes do you know WHY things are done in a certain way so that the end result is good. You need to know both how NOT to do things and how to do things RIGHT.
Now that I'm in the second half of my life, I'm thinking I need to redefine what my purposes are. At a certain age we get to know that time on earth is limited. What makes you happy and satisfied in this tough and cruel world? Is it your daughter getting married? Is it acquiring a bigger house in the countryside? Is it going on a cruise ship to tour the world? If you know that you can make your life truly happy by making music, lucky you, you've already found your purpose! I think acquiring gear is fine as well. In fact it's one of the cheapest ways to find your purpose and to be satisfied with your life, don't you think?
I like the view of knobs and patch cables, but it indeed requires discipline to ignore the marketing hype. I have settled for Korg modules (Wavestate, Mod Wave and soon poly multi), Novation Peak and Waldorf Iridium, while a $250 Behringer Model 15 provides for the semi modular playing ground. It is more than one ever needs, but lots of fun as well. Call it GAS, but at least it is under control. I think collecting VSTs can be rather problematic as well. How many reverb plug-ins do we need?
Actualy, when I think about that, I realize that I havent' bought a new synth or sampler since almost 20 years. All the synths I own are the ones I've bought between 1985 and 2005. And now these pieces sit in my sdutio, on shelves behind me and I use them very rarely. Yes, I spend money for my musical tools but they're computers, audio interfaces, orchestral libraries or other amenities like SSDs, headphones, speakers, etc... No hardware synths.
I knew it was a trick when I noticed it was only 3 minutes long!!😂😂. While I fully agree with your statement I would say that the Behringer Wave (one example) is an opportunity to own a spot-on physical recreation of a legendary instrument which has proven its hit-making capabilities… for a price that’s unbelievable. The fact that it has MORE functionality than the original is also crazy. If I can buy an instrument for that low cost and… unlike a VST on a screen… can close my eyes and physically reach out and adjust filters, envelopes, etc in realtime… then I’m going for it! Instruments like the Wave, Pro800, and UBX8a deliver hardware analog recreations of legendary synths that would cost an arm and a leg previously. So.. I love these new Behringer offerings. I have a Jupiter XM and while it sounds awesome, you’re going to have to learn it’s ‘partials’ and menu diving on a mini screen nightmare. Thankfully most of the XM’s key parameters are already mapped to physical knobs and it comes with a mountain of great presets. What the vintage recreations offer is the limitations (or reduced menu diving) that makes the instrument more like a Stratocaster or a piano… an instrument that has all of its limitations right on the surface so you don’t get distracted with endless ‘sound design’ ‘ menu diving’ unless you want to. Sorry for long post but your video definitely stimulates a lot of thought for all of us!! Rock on Espen!!
I just picked myself up a Roland Juno-X. I wanted that classic 80s board. My other is a Roland Juno-D. I really liked the Orchestra and Drum sounds on that so I'm keeping it. I do miss my Korg M1 though, So I have the Korg plugin I use on occasion for that.
Maybe you could get a used mini PC to run the plugin, and a MIDI controller to use just for that, then stick them together. I've bought a couple of good mini PCs in recent years that were cheap because they won't run Win 11.
I love my software nowadays along with my Kawai NV-10S hybrid piano and my Behringer Deepmind. Those are my fave and most used instruments (other than my guitars) nowadays.
That made a lot more sense than the rambling about how much a cheap Analog osc. chip cost to buy, lol. I think most of us are guilty of being too excited over new gear without asking if we really need it, or it's just the bragging rights of owning a lot of new fancy gear instead of focusing on the creative side. It's kinda an epidemic amongs many keyboard people to want to have the coolest gear available 😄
Agree 100%. It's the same in guitar world. - Buy an analog delay!!!1 - Why? - It sounds analog! - Does it improve phrases, picking or articulation? - No. But it sounds so analog!! :))) And antique guitars cost 10 times more. They sound like a pure magic. You just can't hear the difference because you don't have money.
Back in October 1992 I was in the studio as a beginner guitarist (only played since late 1991), with my crappy Laney solid state combo amps and a Yamaha FX500 processor. Once I had completed the demo recording, had it mixed etc I then visited a friend and played it to him. He was a good experienced guitar player with Mesa Boogie amps and a few BOSS FX pedals. He remarked on how good the guitar sound on my demo was, and I told him what gear had been used and he was very surprised indeed! However there is no question that his Mesa Boogie was leagues ahead of my Laney in sound quality and expression etc, but in the studio environment with the two Laney amps fully cranked in stereo it was a different animal. I've done other demos in the same studio over the years after that, and the guitar sound was arguably superior quality but not as epic as the Laney recording. So yeah as Espen says, sometimes you just have to learn to get more from what you already have.
True. There is an element of GAS with collecting new audio products, just for the sake of it. However, there are certain developers who don't just spew out new stuff as a cash cow. u-he for example will be releasing their long-awaited Zebra 3 software synth this year and it will be a FREE update for existing customers of Zebra 2.
Yes Espen. We know you like "composing" derivative music , and that you have a soft spot for knob-less 80s Japanese synths, but you do bang on about "synthesizers and composition" as if the two were necessarily connected. Synthesizers are not just electronic devices for 80s "compositions". They function also for sonic exploration. That's why they have lots of knobs, faders and switches on them. That the Japanese got rid of them in the late 80s were to serve the interests of keyboard performers and composers, but what was lost was the sound synthesis (which by this time became the exclusive domain of Eric Persing et al). The reason why sound synthesis became popular again is because that was the part of synthesizer culture that was lost for about 20 years when the Japanese were dominating the synth market. Sound designers and explorers of sound don't necessarily prefer VSTs over hardware any more than pilots prefer simulators over real flying machines.
The Korg multi/poly module looks interesting, even though there is a plug-in version. Other than that, not much. I've collected pretty much what I wanted to and could collect.
I think the #1 thing that you need to do this year Espen is invest in..... dormers! I would go crazy trying to work in that attic with the pointy roof. You need to cut a pair of windows into the sides so you have more room.
Talk about time and creativity being taken away! I curse pre-sonus forever for the time wasted trying to find and eliminate clipping and a myriad of other problems. I love hardware, knowing it exists in space, in a place that I can go to. And works when I want to use it instead of constantly having to problem solve. Not all synths are rip offs. I think things like Sonicware's Liven series are really well priced for what they do. And I would rather have an actual physical Wavestate than to simply use the Native software. I can't imagine anything more tedious and uninteresting and would have more fun just tapping my bodhran and making music just for me lol. I bought a PolyBrute og recently and do not regret it. In fact, every day when I see it I feel glad to own it, and respectful that without this thing I can have as many ideas as I like but they will only ring in my mind! Although, having said that I would not want a PolyBrute 12! I guess there is good and bad on both sides!
Having too many options at once is definitely a hinderance to creativity. I think computers and soft synths have created that problem, as well as low cost gear. Personally I like to have more gear on hand that I can use in a given day or week, only because there is a certain "joy of rediscovery" in pulling down a synth you haven't used in a couple of years and learning something new about it that takes you in a new musical direction. So yes, I do believe there is a connection between the gear we own and inspiration. But, that is NOT the same as "buy the next shiny thing". Buy the gear that speaks to you and you can't go wrong. For the record, I haven't really seen anything new at NAMM that grabs me either. I'm kind of jonesing for the tone of the GS e7, but that's not a new product at all.
No one “needs” a new synth, all of us who have a DAW have everything we need. But... seriously now, it's all our hobby so let's buy what we want and do what you want, go and do seome gardening or any other sarkastik or ironic stuff. Others drink alcohol, spend hundreds of dollars every weekend to impress others. I only impress myself, with all my synths and my music. Just ordered my first modular system 😇😂
i know you get some hate but i like that you stand your ground and have strong opinions. and i respect your sound. go on mr 80s! be fair but lets hear it! i enjoy watching you express your opinion.
@@alien_brain They are not even strong. I feel they are normal. This is what any group of friends or musicians would discuss normally. It is youtube gearspace where being bold and having own opinions (strong or not) has become kind of unspokenly forbidden. You need to please everyone. And you can never, ever state obvious things nor go against any gear manufacturer. Extremely boring. Kudos to Espen btw.
I have more sympathy for the rhodes and other EPs now, because such beautiful songs were made with them. These are more real sounds, and the yamaha montage m8x, probably also a linux OS has some nice ones on board.
I am still waiting for the true NEW workstation from ANY MANUFACTURER. In my mind this will be like having a PC with professional audio manipulation, sampling and cloud sound libraries..but in a harware synth package.
I don’t buy synth in ‘25. Only keep my 4 analog 70s synths (modern built) and play OP-XY mobile. Bring all together on Mac with Push & Ableton (with Arturia, Omnisphere, UADx, FabFilters). Cheers! (Maybe look at a synth that’s is like Prophet X but better)….
I’m the exact opposite, I love to buy all the gear my buddies GAS over and glaze them how much better their music will sound with it. Convince them basically to go in debt to get one and laugh at them when nothing changes for them. I tell you it never gets old. .
NAMM2025 presents a punch of good stuff for those how does not already have a good collection of good synths and all other audio gear. But for those who already have a good collection of music production gear, NAMM2025 probably does not offer nothing they really need, if they already have all they really need. Of course, the musical instrument industry is always offering "new gadgets" because a musical instrument manufacturer that does not manufacture and introduce new musical instruments to the market won't be a musical instrument manufacturer for very long time... So yes. People who already have a good collection of music gear, should consider very carefully do they really need that new stuff presented, or can they do their thing with what they already have !!
@@infindebula The legend that is Howard Jones played a Prophet 5 for the first time the other day I witnessed real joy watching him play a 'real' synth. I think this is what Espen is trying to get the industry to do again.
@@davidhayes8883 to use your term I’d consider a “real” synth to be an instrument that can’t be duplicated in software. The Prophet-5 is being produced again today, and uses similar underlying technology to the OB-X8. Espen poo-pooed the OB-X8 because internally it uses software for its envelopes. He said that in that respect it was like a VST. This is frankly one of the dumbest things ever said about synthesizers in RUclips, and is pretty damn misleading. Off the top of my head I can’t think of a single polyphonic instrument made since 1984 that uses analog envelopes, including Espen’s own cherished Alpha Juno, JX-anything, DX-anything, Six-Trak, JD-800, etc etc There are many analog and hybrid instruments out there today. I’m pretty sure he isn’t calling for more of any kind of synths, “real” or otherwise.
Mr. Espen, can you please upload the album "those days" to youtube, or please tell me where can I buy it because I love that album and I can't find the songs in YT any longer 😢😢😢
Thanks for the interest. I took all my music down from the streaming platforms in 2024 because they steal money from artists. You will find all my music on Bandcamp. There you can buy it. Cheers
You don't need anything really. If Behringer finally releases the VCS3 clone i'm in. I always wanted one of these but i'm not going to pay thousands of dollars for a vintage one.
Yes! Would love to see more videos on making music, the creative process and what's inspiring you! Looking forward to that!
Lately I have been making soundfonts of just my presets and started making sf2 packs..I'm even using less vsts now...its a great feeling very creative process ..feels like the old fast tracker 2 days again...just samples and a few effects ..great video here Espen as always..always makes me smile
Makes a lot of sense. we can get caught up in getting gear we sometimes forget to actually use it lol
Thank you for your time and effort making this, very much appreciated, cheers from New Zealand.
So true, man. I say this, like you, having quite a bit of vintage hardware, but the point is important and something many will never learn. The gateway to improving your musicianship, songwriting, and the quality of the music you make is stopping the GAS madness and learning what you have inside and out. Its capabilities as well as limitations are exactly what will allow you to make the music you want to make. ⛽🤪
Refreshing channel! Subscribed! I look at everything released these days and there isn’t a huge amount of innovation it’s just tweaks and changes to UI. So better to save the money for a rainy day
Thanks!
More equipment in music production doesn’t necessarily boost creativity; in fact, it can often do the opposite. Producers can get caught up in choosing and testing new gear, losing focus on the music itself. Too many options can dilute decision-making and shift attention from the creative process to the technical one. Sometimes, less is more - limited tools can push you to be more innovative with what you have.
Thank you for the honesty all great points. I'm only interested in old gear lately, still lots of vintage synths/drums machines from the 80s+90s available, most times cheaper than a modern equivalent and always with some type of character that makes them more unique. Companies(like Roland) refuse to make gear like they did in the past, whatever the reason is. VSTs are great for certain purposes, but too clinical. I sold a few pieces of newer gear i don't use anymore and grabbed a SP-202, TR-505, JV-880 and ESQ-700 for just under 1,000 all in like new condition. Great to have your channel to reference as well before hitting the checkout button, thank you!
1:24 Well said. I bought an Access Virus TI2 in 2021 and I am amazed by its versatility. It's not a cheap synth by any means, but I've gotten a lot of value out of it. I thought about buying the UB-XA desktop, but I think I can get pretty good Oberheim sounds out of the Virus so I'll pass. For me, the Virus TI and a couple of VST synths does the trick for me. If people would actually take the time to learn to use the synths they own, they wouldn't need to continuously acquire more gear.
Behringer Wave ordered 👍
Yep, that's the one I'm stoked on.
One reason why I like you is you actually WRITE MUSIC so many people on this platform just obsessed over gear and make sad music I literally have a moog studio ableton and that’s more than enough to make tons of songs
0:40 I would buy a BX1 to have fun with it. I want to have fun playing on a synthesizer.
In my opinion your channel will certainly be more valuable if you keep on explaining some 80's music tricks/habits/usages such as chords progressions, modulations etc... which are no longer ongoing or have been lost
"Do you need it to distract from the fact that you could be spending this time actually practicing and improving?"
Keep up the great work Espen! Looking forward to seeing what you have in store for us this year. The 'A song is born' composition video linked at the end is one of my favourites of yours btw!
That’s the spirit, Espen! Use the stuff you have, you only touched the surface of.
I write sysex drivers for control to wake up the greatness of my old and ancient synths and modules.
So much fun!
That seems very interesting! I never attempted using SysEx, but the sections in those great manual from the 80ies and 90ies are really interesting reads. I am amazed how deep and elaborated some gear is in regards of SysEx-control.
@@wackerburg You are so right! I love to play around with these old machines. I learned to get deeper into the machines I already own and not buying new hardware of soft-instruments again. Currently I use the great CTRLR software (abandonware now?) for controlling my Novation X-Station synth and my Proteus 2. Both of them came to life again. I am writing SysEx drivers and modules for my Matrix 1000. I can control it via the knobs and faders on the X-Station. Some programming work, but - as you mentioned - MIDI implementation documentation of this old machines is great. I stepped into synthesizer world way before MIDI in the CV/Gate days, so be able to control these old and amazing machines generates a great vibe and feeling.
I Agree, didn't realize how happy i was when my single synth was a Korg Prologue. I didn't realize that everything i needed was already in my hands, i just needed to utilize it properly.
This was refreshing to hear, thank you.
Great video, short and to the point! Thank you! I also don’t have strong reasons to buy a new synth. I really like the Montage m8x but don’t have a good enough reason to buy it as there is so much that I can do with plugins in my bedroom studio. I also don’t need more plugins at the moment, so just a happy camper learning how to get the most out of what I have and use them in compositions.
One thing I've noticed about all the other synth channels that will inevitably make "reaction" videos to this very video, is that none of those people actually make music
That is the most important thing when you want to become a serious SynthTuber 😀
I refuse to watch those stupid channels.
Or when they do it lacks the artistic impact they imagined they would have.
That's why I like Ball: talent for music, humor and humility.
Or Rimela, who does everything with every synth but one at a time, delivering a great showcase without the talk. Pure, anonymous love.
@@jairkerker2821 Fully agree. Alex Ball just delivers!
@@jairkerker2821 You mention Alex Ball, I take notice. Rimela? Never heard of that... found and sub'd, thanks :)
I was using the "it must provide me with a sound I can't already make" justification for buying gear, but quickly realized I was still buying stuff I didn't actually need, so I stopped buying stuff. I'd usually end up being excited by whatever I bought for a little while, but then it would sit, neglected and unloved, while I bought something else and started the cycle all over again. So, I very much appreciate the notion of learning and loving what I already have, and writing music rather than lusting after new toys.
When you stopped and paused I pictured the camera doing a hard pan and classic orchestral hit happening haha
I always enjoy seeing you use synths that I wont ever own aside from a VST version. It helps inspire me into creating similar sounds with the gear I have.
I like to follow along with Diva and see how close I can get to the sounds.
1. What? A new synth can get me laid?!?
2. I truly enjoy your presentations about music more than I enjoy your gear reviews. Looking forward to hearing what you do with the instruments you have. You give us inspiration.
This is a good advice. I generally like this approach, and there are so many good synthesizers on the second hand market. Especially digital racksynths or workstations, which might not be cool enough for the vintage-analog fanatics. They might also find them to complicated and too hard to learn.
It's the reviewers that make people buy those new synths, reviewers that can really play well and know how to make people buy things they don't need. I bought most Yamaha arranger keyboards from Tyros 1 to 5 and Genos, also Korg pax series 3, 4 and 5 and I am still crap at playing :) but the reviewers make it seem easy and let people believe that the next one will make you a great artist.
I have seen a multi track demo of the korg Monotron, it sounded like it was polyphonic, and amazing. Most of the synth limitations are in the user/musician . Thanks for the nice videos Espen, Have a happy year of 2025.
You're right Espen. I've not bought any new synths for the last 2 years, not planning to either, I Enjoy my newfangled Montage + MPC key 61 + korg and funny Yama Speech processor synth I bought for laughts and giggles, but the real challenge lies within maximizing the use of those, they're a killer combo for me, and I honestly have more gear with those 4 than I'ever understand or need, so for my part, that's gonna keep me busy for the next 10 years, already had 2 fantastic productive years with them already (thanks to the MPC, that thing is amazing), never been this productive in my 40 years of music.
hi! love your channel more and more - thanks for sharing your view and your music! 😊
Now THIS is what I what I want to hear! Go find that joy!
I can only agree with you. My few synths, all of which I bought used, are more than enough for me.
I never make music. I just get gear so I can explore it and have fun with it and then sell it again.
Oh no have you tried therapy?😮
Exactly: do the things you love and be happy with what you simply aren't.
There's absolutely nothing wrong with that. Do what you like and the technological aspect of this equipment is a subject in itself.
@@FLH3official it depends what impact the collecting disorder is having on their life, therapy can be a way out
Ok, do what you like but ocd are collecting disorders are treatable. This was a public service announcement.
true, you need more 70's synths :D
I think a lot of hardware synths never get used to their full potential. The learning curve is always pretty steep and so dedication to the manual sometimes pays off.
this is why many started with a Juno 106 in the early 90's. more with less for less.
That is very true. For example, I think DX7 mk.1 sound potential is opened maximum to 4%.
I realized that apart from making music, I also like to watch synthjams.
Thanks for all your fun and insightful videos Espen and
I'm also sincere that I would love to see you 'synthjam' Espen.
Great advice as usual! Thanks Espen! Also I love the subtle Seinfeld references, iykyk. ❤
I'm curious to see Korg Kronos 3 :) I just hope it boots faster than the older models, 2 minutes is ridiculous! My M1 and 01/Wfd boot up instantly, and even Trinity and Triton boot up in a few seconds.
You’re the best.
Why do you need a new synth if the old one has 2 saw-tooth oscillators, 2 LFOs and a filter already?
I really enjoy hardware but as much as I want a Jupiter-8 and OBX8 I just can't afford to so I have hardware synths all under €2k and it's a lot of fun. I get so bored and tired from computer screens. So it's largely hardware for good prices and when I want an OB-X sound I just use a plugin instead (just a matter of quickly making a sound with the MIDI I already have).
People either get super purist about hardware or say it's all useless but the most important thing is to do what's most fun to you within realistic limits.
Good point you made espen, all I use is nexus 2 and vps avenger, phalanx and one hardware synth which is the jp 2000, that is more than adequate for me.
Very good point indeed. Love for the tools and love for the Craft (see what I did there) are two completely different things.
Words of wisdom. However, understanding things often only happens by making mistakes. Of course, it's good to share your experiences, someone might learn from them. I still believe that only after you've done things wrong for a while do you really know what to do right (this doesn't mean you should jump off a roof or use drugs to understand that doing such things is not wise). Mere knowledge of how to do something doesn't give you a very deep understanding of doing it right, only by doing it yourself and making mistakes do you know WHY things are done in a certain way so that the end result is good. You need to know both how NOT to do things and how to do things RIGHT.
Now that I'm in the second half of my life, I'm thinking I need to redefine what my purposes are. At a certain age we get to know that time on earth is limited.
What makes you happy and satisfied in this tough and cruel world? Is it your daughter getting married? Is it acquiring a bigger house in the countryside? Is it going on a cruise ship to tour the world?
If you know that you can make your life truly happy by making music, lucky you, you've already found your purpose!
I think acquiring gear is fine as well. In fact it's one of the cheapest ways to find your purpose and to be satisfied with your life, don't you think?
I like the view of knobs and patch cables, but it indeed requires discipline to ignore the marketing hype. I have settled for Korg modules (Wavestate, Mod Wave and soon poly multi), Novation Peak and Waldorf Iridium, while a $250 Behringer Model 15 provides for the semi modular playing ground. It is more than one ever needs, but lots of fun as well. Call it GAS, but at least it is under control. I think collecting VSTs can be rather problematic as well. How many reverb plug-ins do we need?
You are so right. Thats it. Cool Statement
Actualy, when I think about that, I realize that I havent' bought a new synth or sampler since almost 20 years. All the synths I own are the ones I've bought between 1985 and 2005. And now these pieces sit in my sdutio, on shelves behind me and I use them very rarely.
Yes, I spend money for my musical tools but they're computers, audio interfaces, orchestral libraries or other amenities like SSDs, headphones, speakers, etc... No hardware synths.
I knew it was a trick when I noticed it was only 3 minutes long!!😂😂. While I fully agree with your statement I would say that the Behringer Wave (one example) is an opportunity to own a spot-on physical recreation of a legendary instrument which has proven its hit-making capabilities… for a price that’s unbelievable. The fact that it has MORE functionality than the original is also crazy. If I can buy an instrument for that low cost and… unlike a VST on a screen… can close my eyes and physically reach out and adjust filters, envelopes, etc in realtime… then I’m going for it! Instruments like the Wave, Pro800, and UBX8a deliver hardware analog recreations of legendary synths that would cost an arm and a leg previously. So.. I love these new Behringer offerings. I have a Jupiter XM and while it sounds awesome, you’re going to have to learn it’s ‘partials’ and menu diving on a mini screen nightmare. Thankfully most of the XM’s key parameters are already mapped to physical knobs and it comes with a mountain of great presets. What the vintage recreations offer is the limitations (or reduced menu diving) that makes the instrument more like a Stratocaster or a piano… an instrument that has all of its limitations right on the surface so you don’t get distracted with endless ‘sound design’ ‘ menu diving’ unless you want to. Sorry for long post but your video definitely stimulates a lot of thought for all of us!! Rock on Espen!!
Looking forward to what this channel will be teaching in 2025!
I just picked myself up a Roland Juno-X. I wanted that classic 80s board. My other is a Roland Juno-D. I really liked the Orchestra and Drum sounds on that so I'm keeping it. I do miss my Korg M1 though, So I have the Korg plugin I use on occasion for that.
Maybe you could get a used mini PC to run the plugin, and a MIDI controller to use just for that, then stick them together. I've bought a couple of good mini PCs in recent years that were cheap because they won't run Win 11.
I completely agree with you
I love my software nowadays along with my Kawai NV-10S hybrid piano and my Behringer Deepmind. Those are my fave and most used instruments (other than my guitars) nowadays.
When I want to make music, I play a flute - still entirely for myself though. It hasn't stopped me buying lots of synths.
That made a lot more sense than the rambling about how much a cheap Analog osc. chip cost to buy, lol. I think most of us are guilty of being too excited over new gear without asking if we really need it, or it's just the bragging rights of owning a lot of new fancy gear instead of focusing on the creative side. It's kinda an epidemic amongs many keyboard people to want to have the coolest gear available 😄
You got me wanting to make my top 10 synths I would want in 2025, even if that was not your intention.
Totally agree. There is still so much to learn and do with my current equipment. 2025 is pay off the mortgage year 😂
Well said, well done.
Top 10 synths I'm going to sell in 2025
Very well said. Although I do miss original "I'm Espen Kraft, I'm the 80s".... That was the feature of the channel. The world is changing...
Almost everything I do on the channel is 80s related.
I will definitely be getting the Behringer PPG and Jupiter-16, especially at that price.
That PPG clone is probably the most excited I will EVER be for any brand new synth lol.
@@_m0t3L_b3dbug5_and at $599. Jupiter-16 too.
@@_m0t3L_b3dbug5_that one & the Jupiter-16.
hard truths, but true nonetheless
rock on, espen...sköl!
Korg multi poly rack if price is reduced by 10% is a good purchase option for those who don’t have as many sound designing synths as you.😂
Agree 100%. It's the same in guitar world.
- Buy an analog delay!!!1
- Why?
- It sounds analog!
- Does it improve phrases, picking or articulation?
- No. But it sounds so analog!!
:)))
And antique guitars cost 10 times more. They sound like a pure magic. You just can't hear the difference because you don't have money.
Back in October 1992 I was in the studio as a beginner guitarist (only played since late 1991), with my crappy Laney solid state combo amps and a Yamaha FX500 processor. Once I had completed the demo recording, had it mixed etc I then visited a friend and played it to him. He was a good experienced guitar player with Mesa Boogie amps and a few BOSS FX pedals. He remarked on how good the guitar sound on my demo was, and I told him what gear had been used and he was very surprised indeed! However there is no question that his Mesa Boogie was leagues ahead of my Laney in sound quality and expression etc, but in the studio environment with the two Laney amps fully cranked in stereo it was a different animal. I've done other demos in the same studio over the years after that, and the guitar sound was arguably superior quality but not as epic as the Laney recording. So yeah as Espen says, sometimes you just have to learn to get more from what you already have.
There's the pleasure to make music and there's the pleasure of the instrument. Collecting things is also a pleasure.
Do what pleases you.
True. There is an element of GAS with collecting new audio products, just for the sake of it. However, there are certain developers who don't just spew out new stuff as a cash cow. u-he for example will be releasing their long-awaited Zebra 3 software synth this year and it will be a FREE update for existing customers of Zebra 2.
Only piece of kit I really need at present is a MIDI patch bay so I can stop crawling around behind the rack and under the desk moving cables around!
Yes Espen. We know you like "composing" derivative music , and that you have a soft spot for knob-less 80s Japanese synths, but you do bang on about "synthesizers and composition" as if the two were necessarily connected.
Synthesizers are not just electronic devices for 80s "compositions". They function also for sonic exploration. That's why they have lots of knobs, faders and switches on them.
That the Japanese got rid of them in the late 80s were to serve the interests of keyboard performers and composers, but what was lost was the sound synthesis (which by this time became the exclusive domain of Eric Persing et al).
The reason why sound synthesis became popular again is because that was the part of synthesizer culture that was lost for about 20 years when the Japanese were dominating the synth market.
Sound designers and explorers of sound don't necessarily prefer VSTs over hardware any more than pilots prefer simulators over real flying machines.
I have a soft spot for making music, which is why I started using synths.
The Korg multi/poly module looks interesting, even though there is a plug-in version. Other than that, not much. I've collected pretty much what I wanted to and could collect.
I think the #1 thing that you need to do this year Espen is invest in..... dormers! I would go crazy trying to work in that attic with the pointy roof. You need to cut a pair of windows into the sides so you have more room.
We get mad from different things. I'm very comfortable in this room. It has all I need.
Exactly 💯 Same old same old
Yamaha TG77 is and has been my favourite synth for the last 5 years
My love and appreciation of the SY and TG range grows year upon year. This was a real high point for Yamaha synths IMHO.
Please make a video "Espen Kraft's Top Synths for Getting Laid" - it would be essential viewing for all 😂
I can only base it on my own experience so I can't promise they will work for you though. It's all about finger-work.
@EspenKraft 🤣
I don’t know any women who would be sexually impressed by a dude with synths.
Talk about time and creativity being taken away! I curse pre-sonus forever for the time wasted trying to find and eliminate clipping and a myriad of other problems. I love hardware, knowing it exists in space, in a place that I can go to. And works when I want to use it instead of constantly having to problem solve. Not all synths are rip offs. I think things like Sonicware's Liven series are really well priced for what they do. And I would rather have an actual physical Wavestate than to simply use the Native software. I can't imagine anything more tedious and uninteresting and would have more fun just tapping my bodhran and making music just for me lol. I bought a PolyBrute og recently and do not regret it. In fact, every day when I see it I feel glad to own it, and respectful that without this thing I can have as many ideas as I like but they will only ring in my mind! Although, having said that I would not want a PolyBrute 12! I guess there is good and bad on both sides!
Having too many options at once is definitely a hinderance to creativity. I think computers and soft synths have created that problem, as well as low cost gear. Personally I like to have more gear on hand that I can use in a given day or week, only because there is a certain "joy of rediscovery" in pulling down a synth you haven't used in a couple of years and learning something new about it that takes you in a new musical direction. So yes, I do believe there is a connection between the gear we own and inspiration. But, that is NOT the same as "buy the next shiny thing". Buy the gear that speaks to you and you can't go wrong. For the record, I haven't really seen anything new at NAMM that grabs me either. I'm kind of jonesing for the tone of the GS e7, but that's not a new product at all.
Amen!
Haaa!! Funny but true! But for beginners that do not have any synths, this topic might be important and informative.
My answer is YES to all those questions. But I'll get a tattoo that says "Espen Kraft says NO!" 😂
No one “needs” a new synth, all of us who have a DAW have everything we need. But... seriously now, it's all our hobby so let's buy what we want and do what you want, go and do seome gardening or any other sarkastik or ironic stuff. Others drink alcohol, spend hundreds of dollars every weekend to impress others. I only impress myself, with all my synths and my music. Just ordered my first modular system 😇😂
It'd be funny if there is a NAMM product annoucement that's so amazing and innovative that Espen changes his mind! :-)
That's IT !
Perfect message 👍🏻👍🏻👍🏻👍🏻 🎹
i know you get some hate but i like that you stand your ground and have strong opinions. and i respect your sound. go on mr 80s! be fair but lets hear it! i enjoy watching you express your opinion.
@@alien_brain They are not even strong. I feel they are normal. This is what any group of friends or musicians would discuss normally. It is youtube gearspace where being bold and having own opinions (strong or not) has become kind of unspokenly forbidden. You need to please everyone. And you can never, ever state obvious things nor go against any gear manufacturer. Extremely boring. Kudos to Espen btw.
@@MarcusEDM strong in that hes not stepping away from them, he stands his ground
I get off on the gear AND making music.
Got 2 of mine last year:
Korg Wavestate and
Ensoniq ZR76
He, who has more toys, wins! Welcome to the modern world
I have more sympathy for the rhodes and other EPs now, because such beautiful songs were made with them. These are more real sounds, and the yamaha montage m8x, probably also a linux OS has some nice ones on board.
Getting one as a body warmer and massager....hoping my MD's 'necessity' prior auth. goes through with my health insurance company.
I am still waiting for the true NEW workstation from ANY MANUFACTURER. In my mind this will be like having a PC with professional audio manipulation, sampling and cloud sound libraries..but in a harware synth package.
I get off on making music with gear I get off on, even when some of them passed 40 and tend to go high maintenance.
Yaaaaaa baby
I don’t buy synth in ‘25. Only keep my 4 analog 70s synths (modern built) and play OP-XY mobile. Bring all together on Mac with Push & Ableton (with Arturia, Omnisphere, UADx, FabFilters). Cheers!
(Maybe look at a synth that’s is like Prophet X but better)….
I’m the exact opposite, I love to buy all the gear my buddies GAS over and glaze them how much better their music will sound with it. Convince them basically to go in debt to get one and laugh at them when nothing changes for them. I tell you it never gets old.
.
NAMM2025 presents a punch of good stuff for those how does not already have a good collection of good synths and all other audio gear. But for those who already have a good collection of music production gear, NAMM2025 probably does not offer nothing they really need, if they already have all they really need. Of course, the musical instrument industry is always offering "new gadgets" because a musical instrument manufacturer that does not manufacture and introduce new musical instruments to the market won't be a musical instrument manufacturer for very long time... So yes. People who already have a good collection of music gear, should consider very carefully do they really need that new stuff presented, or can they do their thing with what they already have !!
The K2088 kurzweil.And I need it!
Espen really is challenging the industry which keeps churning out keyboards that are just VSTs with knobs on.
@@davidhayes8883 such as?
Some certainly are basically just VSTs in a box. Others are much more than that.
@@infindebula The legend that is Howard Jones played a Prophet 5 for the first time the other day I witnessed real joy watching him play a 'real' synth. I think this is what Espen is trying to get the industry to do again.
@@davidhayes8883 to use your term I’d consider a “real” synth to be an instrument that can’t be duplicated in software. The Prophet-5 is being produced again today, and uses similar underlying technology to the OB-X8.
Espen poo-pooed the OB-X8 because internally it uses software for its envelopes. He said that in that respect it was like a VST. This is frankly one of the dumbest things ever said about synthesizers in RUclips, and is pretty damn misleading. Off the top of my head I can’t think of a single polyphonic instrument made since 1984 that uses analog envelopes, including Espen’s own cherished Alpha Juno, JX-anything, DX-anything, Six-Trak, JD-800, etc etc
There are many analog and hybrid instruments out there today. I’m pretty sure he isn’t calling for more of any kind of synths, “real” or otherwise.
Does not matter what is inside, as long as it sounds good and is HARDWARE.
Did you get rid of the JX-3P? I love the sound.
All my 3Ps are long gone.
Mr. Espen, can you please upload the album "those days" to youtube, or please tell me where can I buy it because I love that album and I can't find the songs in YT any longer 😢😢😢
Thanks for the interest. I took all my music down from the streaming platforms in 2024 because they steal money from artists. You will find all my music on Bandcamp. There you can buy it. Cheers
The K3m 😍
i think its better to pirate vst and use it for 4 to 5 months and then buy if you need that vst and you can ean anything from making music
preach it brother ...preach it
I am waiting for the Casio pss A-50+ mk2 😮..... Have made ALL the Muzik I can with the Original A-50. 😊
Any idea of synths used by UB40 back in the 80's?
I have no idea.
You don't need anything really.
If Behringer finally releases the VCS3 clone i'm in.
I always wanted one of these but i'm not going to pay thousands of dollars for a vintage one.