News for hackers. Stuff that matters.
Re:Vangelis’ film score for Blade Runner by smoldesu on Friday July 08, 2022 @05:33PM (#32027472)
For anyone interested in the world of analog synths, now is the time to jump in. The hobby is starting to get affordable enough for everyone, but elitist enough that you'd be fooled into thinking that synth owners spend a lot of money on their hobby. Joking aside, the Yamaha CS-80 sound that built Vangelis' career is easily a $60,000 synthesizer today, but you can still get 90% the same sound from a $600 Behringer Deepmind 6. Both instruments are obviously respectable in their own rights (and perhaps detestable in others), but I think it represents a really hopeful trend for the future of electronic music. I still have a hard time believing that you can get several high-quality polyphonic, analog synthesizers for less than a grand.
Re:Vangelis’ film score for Blade Runner by filoeleven on Saturday July 09, 2022 @02:32AM (#32032450)
I have a DeepMind 12, and while “90% of a CS-80” seems pretty generous, it is as you say a fantastic synth. It does a hell of a lot, especially given its price point. Spending an hour or so to learn its mod shortcut UX makes it great for performances and sound sculpting. The huge range of built-in effects adds a lot of value (and saves space/cash on pedals).

I recommend it to anyone who’s interested in polyphonic analog synths. It has its limitations, but I’ve had mine for years and haven’t felt the need for get another (conventional) synth.

For anyone who wants to learn more, Loopop has a great review of it: https://youtu.be/So8B6HJ2chQ

Re:Vangelis’ film score for Blade Runner by smoldesu on Saturday July 09, 2022 @08:25PM (#32040663)
I am indeed being generous :p

I think most people who remember Blade Runner's lush soundscapes would get fooled by a good DM12 patch. Obviously there are some more subtle modulations that would be hard to replicate (and the DCOs vs CS-80 VCOs certainly don't sound as retro), but I think it's "good enough" to satiate most people looking for a complex pad synth. There's always the 99% of a CS-80 synths out there like Deckard's Dream, too.

Re:Vangelis’ film score for Blade Runner by ohhelloxoxo on Friday July 08, 2022 @06:34PM (#32028519)
I'm very much in that boat myself! Zero synth or really even musical experience, picked up a Korg Prologue on a lark from a local CL seller. Do you have any recommended introductory resources? Right now I'm focusing on learning the basic modulation the synth offers alongside some very basic music theory to get a grasp on chords/melodies/etc.
Re:Vangelis’ film score for Blade Runner by smoldesu on Friday July 08, 2022 @07:42PM (#32029481)
That's awesome! I'd recommend all first-step beginners check out Ableton's Learning Music[0] and Learning Synths[1] resources to start. They're both great sites for getting to grips with the basics, and should take ~2 hours each. They're also super accessible, anyone aged middle-school or older should be able to get something valuable from these guides. Learning Synths is particularly salient because it teaches subtractive synthesis, so (almost) all of the parameters it shows you how to use will also exist on the Prologue.

After that, it's mostly up to you. There are hundreds of niches in both sound design and music theory, all of them with their own unique quirks to learn. Let your sense of curiosity guide you, and you'll definitely find something interesting. You should probably look into getting some DAW software if you want to compose full tracks, and a DAC would allow you to record off the Prologue into your computer. It really is an open-ended hobby besides that.

The only other piece of advice I like to give is to temper your expectations. The process of learning music theory and sound design is long, and everyone makes a lot of garbage when they're starting (much like programming). Unlike programming, I find the process of sound design to be pretty therapeutic, and many nights I'd find myself sitting in front of my modular rack instead of watching TV or playing games with friends. Everyone's relationship with it will be a little different, but nobody should be overly critical of their own work. Do whatever is fun to you, and let the inspiration follow.

[0] https://learningmusic.ableton.com/

[1] https://learningsynths.ableton.com/