Synth Demos

[Arpangel]

My god
OK, I’m getting a Montage 6, it’s a done deal, I have to do this, if it doesn’t work out, fine, I’ll write it off as an interesting experiment.
It’s an attempt to streamline my studio, one that I’ve been wanting to do for a long time.
What I’m finding is that there are no, not one, zilch, decent demos of this thing, on YouTube, I don’t know what type of person mainly, is buying this, but from what I can see they don’t get beyond funky piano, Rhodes, a bit of techno, and cheesy strings.
It’s got loads in there, for me personally, great FM, especially, and some very nice effects, plus, the ability to sample your own sounds, that’s going to be great for sampling my modular.
I wouldn’t buy this based on any YouTube video, they’re abismal.

[The Elf]

Hope it works out for you. Sometimes you have to do these things based on past experience and trust. I did much the same with my K2700 and no regrets here. It was hard to find an early demo that amounted to more than the acoustic pianos - and sample loading was a forgotten feature.

I did demo the Montage series at Synthfest last year and they didn't do it for me. I found that 'Superknob', or whatever it was called, a bit of a gimmick, and skimming through the presets didn't give me a good impression. Editing seemed obscure, even when I was assisted by a rep.

But a few minutes in a demo room does not a reliable opinion make, so let us know what you think when you have it in your hands. I have a friend who was enamoured at Synthfest, but was swayed a perhaps bit too much by my thoughts on it.

[sonics]

If you can't find a used one why not hire one for a while?

[Guido3]

Arpangel

I have a Montage 6 I used live. It’s fine for what I needed it for at the time. Like most synths/workstations of this type, I didn’t deep dive with regards to programming it. I prefer knobby synths for that!!

I don’t know where you are in the UK but you are more than welcome to borrow it before dropping your hard-earned on one. It’s sat in a case in my garage at the mo!!!

[Arpangel]

Hope it works out for you. Sometimes you have to do these things based on past experience and trust. I did much the same with my K2700 and no regrets here. It was hard to find an early demo that amounted to more than the acoustic pianos - and sample loading was a forgotten feature.

I did demo the Montage series at Synthfest last year and they didn't do it for me. I found that 'Superknob', or whatever it was called, a bit of a gimmick, and skimming through the presets didn't give me a good impression. Editing seemed obscure, even when I was assisted by a rep.

But a few minutes in a demo room does not a reliable opinion make, so let us know what you think when you have it in your hands. I have a friend who was enamoured at Synthfest, but was swayed a perhaps bit too much by my thoughts on it.

Yeah, that f*****g Super Knob, the first thing I’d do is turn that silly light off.
I think it’s the same with all these things. you have to be very suspicious of the obvious, and cut through the bullshit.

Arpangel

I have a Montage 6 I used live. It’s fine for what I needed it for at the time. Like most synths/workstations of this type, I didn’t deep dive with regards to programming it. I prefer knobby synths for that!!

I don’t know where you are in the UK but you are more than welcome to borrow it before dropping your hard-earned on one. It’s sat in a case in my garage at the mo!!!

Thanks very much for the offer, but I’m in Kent, so along way off.
Hiring may be an idea, I’m in London right now, and Studiohire is just up the road.

[Arpangel]

OK, I’m not of this world anymore.
Finally made it to PMT today, with the aim of trying out a few things, not much there, only a couple of controller keyboards too.
Things were on stands placed too far over each other, so I couldn’t see the screens of some keyboards.
Tried a Montage, forget it, a big lump of a thing that was so impenetrable to use it was a joke, I couldn’t even figure out how to adjust an envelope or a filter.
Nord's, very underwhelming, average.
They had a few Sequential synths, awful, the keyboard feel was like a kids toy.
I just gave up, they had music playing in the store, what? in a music shop, where you want to "play" things.
TBH, there was nothing I would have got my wallet out for, I bought a pop shield, cost me eleven quid, the last of the big spenders.
Music shops? I really just can’t be bothered anymore.

[resistorman]

I was thinking about you the other day, turns out you can download an amazingly deep sample library oh Chick Corea's Rhodes free for the Montage.

https://yamahasynth.com/learn/montage/c ... ce-library

[Hugh Robjohns]

I really just can’t be bothered anymore.

I think a lot of us are feeling the same way...

[Arpangel]

Standards aren’t what they used to be, regarding product quality, simple as that.
The people at PMT were sweet, very nice, it’s not their fault things have gone downhill.
They did ask if I wanted to examine my pop shield to make sure it was up to my high standards, and indeed, it didn’t droop, it stayed erect, as it should, and an hour later I pronounced it fit for use at Arpangel Towers, I thanked them, payed them the princely sum of £11.99 and went on my merry way.

[lushman]

I went into two pmt stores recently, very different experiences.
Not naming names, the 1st one the product specialist was helpful knew his stuff and left me to have a good test of what I was looking at. Though I changed my mind, of the synth and decided it wasn’t for me.

The 2nd store, went in on a Saturday the two keyboard reps were stood less than 10 feet from me completely ignored me as they were deep in conversation for 20 mins, when one of them was free he didn’t have a clue about the synth range I was looking at…

[tea for two]

PMT I was like what Post Menstrual Post Menopausal.
I looked up the joint in giggle maps. I've been in that Old Street branch just once, didn't realise it's name. I did go in to have a gander at Guitars, Basses. Didn't realise they did keyboards lol.

[Eddy Deegan]

Tony, if you're after something different to play with then you're more than welcome to borrow my Korg M3 (the Expanded version) which also has the Radias alongside it in the same 73-key chassis.

I don't use either much and if you like them we can probably come to terms but I have a hunch you'll find it a little too 'deep' for your liking even though I equally suspect you'll love a lot of the noises that the combination of the two make so a borrow might be just the ticket in the short term.

The offer is open, let me know.

[tea for two]

Tony, if you're after something different to play with then you're more than welcome to borrow my Korg M3 (the Expanded version) which also has the Radias alongside it in the same 73-key chassis.

I don't use either much and if you like them we can probably come to terms but I have a hunch you'll find it a little too 'deep' for your liking even though I equally suspect you'll love a lot of the noises that the combination of the two make so a borrow might be just the ticket in the short term.

The offer is open, let me know.

Eddy I know you are doing this from goodess of your heart.
But just give it to some school.

What is needed is to detach from all such things as keyboard synths such that one can Take Flight.
As ultimately such attachments keeps one a prisoner.

[Eddy Deegan]

... But just give it to some school.

It's OK TFT ... I know Arpy, we're due a catch up in person again at some point & I'll probably be heading his way in the next month or two anyway. If he'd like to borrow the M3 it's trivial to put it in the back of the car and if I need to repurpose the space it's currently occupying I'll pass it on to my wife who has a small studio of her own now

[Arpangel]

Tony, if you're after something different to play with then you're more than welcome to borrow my Korg M3 (the Expanded version) which also has the Radias alongside it in the same 73-key chassis.

I don't use either much and if you like them we can probably come to terms but I have a hunch you'll find it a little too 'deep' for your liking even though I equally suspect you'll love a lot of the noises that the combination of the two make so a borrow might be just the ticket in the short term.

The offer is open, let me know.

Eddy, you’re a gent!
I’ll check this out, trouble is, I’ve got to be a bit "space aware" you know my place, yes, I could fit anything in if I wanted to, but it’s preserving that "cockpit feel" that’s important.
On another note, we’ve got the piano permanently miked up now, no messing about, so, if you fancy getting a few things down?
I’ve also rigged up a talkback in that room.

[ajay_m]

If you want a synth as opposed to a synth/rompler then the Hydrasynth keyboards are simply the most ergonomic design I've ever seen in my life and stuff like tweaking filters is just absolutely intuitive because there's a button marked 'filter' and lots of displays and encoder rings to actually show you exactly what's going on. But the hs products are pure synths.

If you want decent sampled sounds as well then I'd say the Akai MPC61 has the most intuitive display, it's touch sensitive and the inbuilt synths have obvious and easy to use layouts. Plus the sampled sounds are superior in my opinion to the competition.

I do agree about the current generation of Yamaha products. They are not easy to use and built to a price (eg no aftertouch AFAIK) whereas both the Akai and the Hydrasynth have aftertouch and in the case of the HS true poly aftertouch.

I have found Andertons in Guildford and GAK in Brighton to be pretty helpful and there's also a PMT and DV247 in Romford which might be worth a visit.

[Arpangel]

If you want a synth as opposed to a synth/rompler then the hydrasynth keyboards are simply the most ergonomic design I've ever seen in my life and stuff like tweaking filters is just absolutely intuitive because there's a button marked 'filter' and lots of displays and encoder rings to actually show you exactly what's going on. But the hs products are pure synths.
If you want decent sampled sounds as well then I'd say the akai mpc61 has the most intuitive display, it's touch sensitive and the inbuilt synths have obvious and easy to use layouts. Plus the sampled sounds are superior in my opinion to the competition.

I do agree about the current generation of Yamaha products. They are not easy to use and built to a price (eg no aftertouch afaik) whereas both the akai and the hs have aftertouch and in the case of the hs true poly aftertouch.

I have found Andertons in Guildford and GAK in Brighton to be pretty helpful and there's also a PMT and DV247 in Romford which might be worth a visit.

Thanks, I did try the Akai, and I found it far from intuitive, it was weird, like I was watching a video on that screen, the keyboard feel was a bit strange, and the sounds didn’t inspire.
I’m not looking for synth sounds in particular, I’m more into samples, electric pianos, strings, acoustic stuff.
I may visit Andertons, I think at least, they have a large display of things to try out.

[BigRedX]

The last time I went into PMT here in Nottingham I was specifically looking for a controller keyboard to use with my DAW. The shop looked very sorry and neglected with a significant reduction in the number and variety of guitars compared with last time I was in. The keyboard section was closed off for no apparent reason. I asked a member of staff if it would be possible to have a look around and was told that someone would be with me shortly. I spent another 10 minutes browsing guitars and basses and when it became obvious that no-one would be coming any time soon, I left.

I bought a Novation Launchkey37 off Amazon instead.

[Guido3]

I do agree about the current generation of Yamaha products. They are not easy to use and built to a price (eg no aftertouch afaik) whereas both the akai and the hs have aftertouch and in the case of the hs true poly aftertouch.

The Montage does have aftertouch.

[ajay_m]

I stand corrected, apologies. Aftertouch went missing for a while on so many products I mistakenly thought the Montage was one of them.
It's tricky here. The HS deluxe would give you an unbeatable keybed and synth unless you wanted a weighted keyboard of course. You could in days gone by purchase a module version of most of the leading romplers which works for most sample based stuff unless you want to creatively mangle them easily, and drive that from the master keyboard.
But then I'm not sure if you want sequencing capabilities as well. Hmmm.

[Arpangel]

The shop looked very sorry and neglected with a significant reduction in the number and variety of guitars compared with last time I was in. The keyboard section was closed off for no apparent reason.

You’ve just described my experience uncannily.

The Montage does have aftertouch.

If it could pour me a pint I’d still be unimpressed.

[Arpangel]

Double post.

[ManFromGlass]

have you been drinking and double posting?

[Arpangel]

have you been drinking and double posting?

You’re so perceptive,

[Folderol]

I just thought you'd been posting and double drinking