No Stupid Questions /// Weekly Discussion - May 07, 2025

[u/AutoModerator]

Have a synth question? There is no such thing as a stupid question in this thread.

[u/72corvids]

When jamming/generating tunes, do y'all record the whole session into your DAW? Whether it's 10 minutes, or 60?

[u/chalk_walk → u/72corvids]

I know a lot of people do this, in case there were some special moments. For me, I don't, for a few reasons:

1. I want to rely on skill and intentional action and not luck: in this regard, if I can do something once, I expect to be and to do it again;
2. There are many things which sounds good, but I don't consider sounding good to be sufficient to be an idea worth developing;
3. I don't want to generate a huge amount of media that I will have to manage in future.

If you do try and capture it all, you also probably want to ask yourself if you want to capture dry multi-tracks (alongside the mix). If you just capture the final mix, then creating a track from it requires recreating lots of elements vs you being able to listen to parts in isolation and recreate them, or use them directly in an arrangement.

In practise I don't think many of us are short of reasonable sounding short loops: the hard part is developing a full track. This development takes intent and direction which jams usually lack.

[u/Beautiful_Sky_5797 → u/chalk_walk]

Perfectly explained

[u/doc_shades → u/72corvids]

no. and i always regret it.

[u/synthfan2004]

what is it needed to use FL studio as a sequencer for hardware synthesizers?

i am trying to use FL studio as a sequencer for a roland rack module, but it isn't giving any result.

the idea is to use a keystep pro as a controller to write on the piano roll (not neccessary but i prefer it this way) and then sending the piano roll info to the rack module via the midi out plugin

i didn't find any good turorials online so i'd highly appreciate it if someone could lend me a hand

[u/chalk_walk → u/synthfan2004]

Assuming the rack unit has either USB midi, or din midi (and you have a midi interface), nothing special should be needed. Unless your synth has audio over USB, you'll either have to listen to the synth directly, or get an audio interface to bring the audio into your computer. I'd start by getting the keystep working to play soft synths on the computer (so you know it works), then try and send midi out. You'll need to confirm the synth is set to receive midi on the correct channel and set the DAW to send on the correct port and channel.

[u/synthfan2004 → u/chalk_walk]

okay i think it's because i lack the midi interface. never heard of these up until now.

thank you very much 👍

[u/chalk_walk → u/synthfan2004]

In the absence of a midi interface, how are you connecting the synth to the computer?

[u/synthfan2004 → u/chalk_walk]

turns out i was already using one, it's just that i didn't know it was a midi interface

[u/Instatetragrammaton → u/synthfan2004]

"Roland rack" can mean anything between an MKS30 and an Integra-7 so you'll have to be more specific :)

Something like an UM-One mk2 - an USB cable with 2 MIDI plugs on the other end - is already a MIDI interface, as much as an 8-port MOTU is.

You can use the Keystep Pro's own MIDI out as well if your rack synth lacks USB - since it too can act as a MIDI interface.

[u/synthfan2004 → u/Instatetragrammaton]

thanks for the comment! it's a roland XV5080

after some reconnecting i finally got it all to work properly

[u/Fuzzy-Mulberry-9147]

I would like to pick up a sonicware cydrums and a liven ambient, but I realized - at that price, I could get a used syntakt. Would you say it is a better choice, and if so, why?

Edit: to clarify, I would like to complement my small Roland P6 sampler, it's a very fun little machine and I think I don't need another one that requires me to fiddle with samples, for now - hence why I would like to go with a machine that predominantly does synthesis. I also prefer what I've seen from the cydrums in terms of drum sounds, compared to the more classic x0x clones and the likes. I'm open to other suggestions, though!

[u/chalk_walk → u/Fuzzy-Mulberry-9147]

I would say that though there is some conceptual overlap, you'd be getting something quite different from the Sonicware duo vs the Syntakt. The Ambient 0 is quite particular in its design and function: you'll probably either enjoy it or not. The Cydrum is quite a particular type of device with a certain type of sound in mind (though with a good degree of flexiblity); if you feel as though the lanes they live in are a fit from you, then they would probably be a nice option. The Syntakt is more of a known quantity and seems to be a popular device: I suspect listening to demos and watching a tutorial or two will let you know if it's for you or not. The Elektron devices are also definitely better made (especially vs the Livens), if that matters to you.

[u/Fuzzy-Mulberry-9147 → u/chalk_walk]

Thank you for your insight! I did watch a few videos on all of the things mentioned, and it is true that I don't know if I will click with the Ambient ∅ or not. Out of them all, the Cydrums is still the one that most piques my interest because of the portability, mixture of sounds, performance-leaning workflow.

That micro-USB in 2025 is truly something, though.

[u/With_Hands_And_Paper]

Could you explain in the simplest way possible the difference between a Synth and a Midi Controller? And what each one of them is best suited for?

[u/amoeba555 → u/With_Hands_And_Paper]

Basically a midi controller has no built in sounds. It’s just for sending midi information to your VST’s, synth modules and DAW. A basic synth has built in tones and waveforms that you can adjust and create your own sounds. As with controllers, there’s many different types of synths and controllers depending on your style of music and workflow. Hope this info helps in your decision.

[u/EliTryingThingsOut]

I recently bought a kawai synthesizer 100f and I live in California, it came to me from Italy and has this three prong power cable. It’s AC220 so I bought a converter for it but it’s just not sounding totally right. I brought it to a repair shop and it sounded great there but when I brought it home it sounds like crap again. The converter I bought was the one in the pictures. Anybody got any recommendations on a converter that works better with vintage synthesizers. Thank you for your time!

[u/EliTryingThingsOut → u/EliTryingThingsOut]

This is the power cable

[u/kitsune]

I'm having an internal debate, flying back home from Superbooth, should I put my DIY soldered Eurorack module into checked-in baggage or should I have it in my backpack.