5U vs. 3U and musical style

[BKN7000]

If you write the music, your synthesizer is just a tool.

If your synthesizer writes the music...

From what I've seen, that's easier said than done. It sounds true on paper, but in reality I see a lot of artists controlled by their instruments. A lot of people think they are in control by turning knobs and settings but actually they often find comfort within the confines of their tools.

This applies both to composition (being slave to sequencers and arpeggiators), as well as sound design (slave to specific effects processors, etc.) Only the most skilled and inventive artists who truly think outside the box are able to break free from their tools.

[Entrainer]

There is no U

only pure potentiality

[eXode]

3U Euro user here.

I like music by Tangerine Dream, Jean-Michel Jarre, Vangelis etc.

As a 3U user I many times feel that among my fellow Euro users, the vast majority is into noise, drones and buchla bongos. Not that many seems to be into the melodic stuff (I'm deliberately a bit cheeky, no offence).

That said. I have recently started upon my second Euro case and plan on adding stuff like digital oscillators, a LPG, a SoU etc but not because I want to do noisedrones and bongos but because I want to use them in my own context.

Maybe it's the way with 3U. You will be assimilated.

[zerosum]

I use MOTM, dotcom, modcan, frac, euro(just now getting onboard with that one), standalone semi modular, analog, digital, vacuum tubes, digital/analog hybrids, hardwired prefixed signal path synths, software synths, and 500 series modular recording gear.

I also make many different kinds of music and often get into arguments with people that say things like "I only make metal" or "i only do this"

Life is full of choices, why be one dimensional?

Use EVERYTHING!

http://snd.sc/h7gI61

http://snd.sc/hignt0

[emdot_ambient]

My gut reaction is to look around at bands that use synths and compare their musical style to what format of synth they use...I don't see any specific trends.

And anyway, what's considered a "classical style" when it comes to synths and modulars? NIN was formed in 1988. They use 3U Euro. Isn't that one of the many "classic" styles of synth music?

And even if you look at the equipment lists of great Berlin School acts over time, you'll see a huge variety of instruments being used. Schulze put away his Big Moog ages ago. In 1996 he replaced it with a Wall of 7 Quasimidi Polymorphs and 7 Rave-O-Lution 309 drum computers...and he says he uses software for studio recordings now.

So really, I don't see any correlation. The types of modules you buy will determine what you're capable of producing; how you use them will determine what you actually create. If you don't want bizarre 3U manglers to mess up your delicious bubbling sequencer bass lines...don't use the things!

It's all good, my friend. It's all good.

[BKN7000]

To me "classic" is mainly 1970s (maybe early 80s) and the technologies used at the time. Pre-digital, and somewhat pre-midi, that kind of thing.

I think there was a distinct sound that was made from that period that has a direct correlation with the technology available at the time. Since then, the sounds has changed a lot which I'm not really into.

I don't have a super strict attitude towards the technology and I think it's ok to use new technology like a midi keyboard to control your modular, as long as it doesn't interfere too much with the sound.

Anything late 80s to 90s is definitely not classic to me. I don't really listen to NIN, so I can't really speak to that, but the sound isn't necessarily tied strictly to a band, since bands change their sound over time.

[emdot_ambient]

I'm really right there with you on musical tastes (give me TD or Klaus Schulze circa 1976 over almost anything post-1989)...However, I think we must acquiesce that any style of music over 20 years old is, by industry definitions, "classic".

One man's "classic" is another man's "crusty".

[BKN7000]

Haha! I'm definitely crusty. Guilty as charged!

[pugix]

If you write the music, your synthesizer is just a tool.

If your synthesizer writes the music...

I know this is a joke, but actually I see no problem with the equipment having an impact on how you approach the music. While you may have strong ideas about style, classic or otherwise, the beauty of modular synthesizers is that your ideas can be stimulated to evolve. Even within a 'classic' approach (if there is one), there's plenty of room for innovation.

As others have noted, the format doesn't really determine the style. It's all modular. Choice of a format (or formats) has plenty of other things to take into consideration.

[VortexRanger]

I always find that new instrument configurations lead to new ways of playing, and in a good way! Chopped samples across a MIDI keyboard; using note number as a modulation source instead of a pitch source; picking up a lap steel guitar for the first time and playing in a new tuning... the list goes on.

I always sound like me no matter what I am doing, so no need to worry that different equipment will ruin my artistic integrity.

[fac]

Or, in my case...

I always sound like me not knowing what I am doing, so no need to worry that different equipment will ruin my artistic integrity.

[Johnisfaster]

If you write the music, your synthesizer is just a tool.

If your synthesizer writes the music...

I sat down with a synthesizer once and yelled at it for an hour "write a song you lazy bitch!" it didn't do anything.

[VortexRanger]

Or, in my case...

Quote:

I always sound like me not knowing what I am doing, so no need to worry that different equipment will ruin my artistic integrity.

Well, I would like to add that knowledge, education, training, whatever you want to call it, (*practice*) does not ever hurt.

These days I almost think of my musical efforts as me having a sort of conversation with my instruments, and we influence each other to varying degrees. Adding more people into the mix probably wouldn't hurt either, unless you uh, don't want them polluting your musical vision.

[JohnLRice]

If you write the music, your synthesizer is just a tool.

If your synthesizer writes the music...

+1

[ach_gott]

I always sound like me no matter what I am doing, so no need to worry that different equipment will ruin my artistic integrity.

This. With very few exceptions, whether I write for piano or bang around on the Octopus, whether improvising a piece or writing it out measure-for-measure, I tend to bang around until it sounds 'right' to me. So it always sounds more or less like me.

[Christopher W.]

If you write the music, your synthesizer is just a tool.

If your synthesizer writes the music...

You're obliged to share half the performance royalties with it?

[meatballfulton]

My choice of 5U was made after spending a lot of time with FRAC (pAiA) and a Kraftzwerg. I realized that the extra panel space was quite useful...more room for both jacks and controls. Audio and CV submixing could be done on the receiving module (as on most dotcom modules) which saves $$$ and slots that would otherwise go for more mixers, multiples, etc.

The tradeoff for me was overall space. My first dotcom was in a wooden 22-space case...48" wide, ouch. My second I used the 22-space portable. It's still huge compared to my old 9700s but more manageable trading height for width.

Notice I haven't talked about the modules themselves yet or musical style. My 22-space is full right now with 3 VCOs, 2 VCFs, two EGs, two VCAs, noise, mixer, S&H, slew. To me that's the minimum needed in a modular synth. The price and module options in both 5U and 3U are similar enough that 3U had no real advantage in building up a basic system.

[Arcade Sinusoid]

I have a 44 space .com that i started out with and just started a 3u a few months back.I love how they compliment each other. I wouldn't say adding the 3u to the 5u changed my music style, but opened up more options for great synthesizer music!