Is it me or is there a a stigma of inflated ego's and pretentiousness that surround synth's and electronic music. Don't get me wrong there are some wonderful people in this world but to be honest in the day of unmoderated self promotion and spam i think its almost to much to take.

Maybe this post itself is pretentious but after 19 years of dealing with inflated ego DJ's and Synth elitists makes me want to take up knitting or something of the sort.

You think?

https://www.gearslutz.com/board/5816926-post17.html


Well, sure, there's quite some elitism and who-has-the-biggest-private-parts bragging going on. My synth has oscillator xxx-mod and batman filters and my dad can kick your dad's ass.

But at the end of the day, I think most GS members love all synths and are well aware that the quality of the music mostly lies in the musician, not in the instruments. Most people simply tend to defend their own choices.

At first, it seemed odd to me that, in MuffWigglers, a modular-synth forum where people with some of the biggest, baddest, and most expensive synths gather, no one seems to care if you make music with a Monotron and a cheap Behringer delay pedal, or if you use a system full of macbeth, cwejman, and wiard stuff, as long as it sounds cool. They even seem to actually embrace digital gear: everyone's crazy for those digital modules from harvestman and tip top audio. I'm relatively new there, but I have yet to see someone making up reasons to justify a purchase.

Here, instead, some people seem to think we all live in the same place, with the same income, same markets, and same taste. Someone asks for a synth around $500 and people recommend an Andromeda. Someone buys a Mopho because that's what's available to them, and people say he should have bought a Model D, and now his music will suck.

Unfortunately, it seems that some people are actually affected by these comments and become unable to fully appreciate and enjoy what they have.

Well, I've enjoyed every synth I've used. And most of them, I've bought blindly. No stores here carry synths (other than Korg, Yamaha, and Roland romplers), so the only way I have to try them is buying them. And I've tried quite a few, and never have been disappointed. My economic situation has allowed me to buy more expensive synths, but I wouldn't say my music has improved. It has certainly evolved, but I listen to my old records and can't help feeling that something is now missing from my current stuff. Maybe it was the gear, or maybe it was only that I had more free time back then. But I've read many comments about people who feel they made better music when they had only a few cheap pieces of gear.

Ok, what was the topic, again?

LOL. I can't really tell wtf he's trying to say with his grammar, but I'm getting the jist that a minimoog XL and professional processed samples makes a #1.

If you have the means, an XL would be cool, but for hip hop and a first synth, is it really necessary? Along with thinking that owning an XL = getting a hit.

Anyways, as for as ego and synths, I find this mostly only applies to DJ's. Becoming "famous" with Djing doesn't have much to do with mixing skills, but selling yourself as a brand.

Can't remember who posted this on this forum, but it made me LOL
www.youtube.com/watch%3Fv%3DlVmmYMwFj1I
"I PLAY SYNTH
Doo doo doo doo doo
WE ALL PLAY SYNTH
DOO DOO DOO doo doo"

Personally, I'm too broke to buy much, so my only hardware synth is an Alesis Ion. I've certainly and played with other synths and higher end equipment, thanks mostly to friends, but as much as I'd like to own more, I enjoy what little I do have.

The whole elitism and bragging thing just seems to come with the territory of making music. I'm about to buy studio monitors, for example. My financial situation is pretty dire these days, so as much as I'd love to buy acoustic treatment and expensive monitors, I simply can't. So instead, I'm looking at cheap stuff that most people on GS would probably laugh at.

I admittedly do get a little down about it, but there's always something better and more expensive out there, and at some point, you just have to stop worrying about it and make music with what's in front of you.

You can't just walk around with it unless it's a keytar, so you're stuck at the same spot, intently staring at the box you're working with. The synthesizer always hides your playing, unless you tilt 'm forwards like Rudess did. You don't actually need anyone to help you in the studio; the choice to invite someone is entirely yours.

Our devices can all be remote controlled. They do not move air by themselves. While a device is running, we can leave it to its task while we do something else; they'll dutifully continue.

I don't know of any other instrument that allows you such a degree of freedom; but it comes with a risk. If you don't need anyone else to play with you, your ideas are never shot down or criticized; criticism over the internet is something different and not as immediate. You can create your own bubble and never get out of it.

A lot of people think Im an egotistical pretentious prick, but in actuality, I am just really passionate about what I do, and therefor have a lot of opinions on how I do things. My biggest gripe with this board, is the fact that so many people try and tell others whats right and wrong, whats good or bad, when in reality, its one of the most personal choices ever. I dont understand that someone thinks their opinion matters to someone else in regards to instrument selection, and whatnot. If that makes me pretentious, then Im guilty as charged! I do things differently then 99 percent of people on this board, and Im constantly trying to tell others about it, so that they realize they have options when selecting things like how to work, what to work with, and so on. At the same time, I go through all sorts of changes myself, and like to share those experiences with other members, in hopes that it may inspire them to do something different. Going modular, Eliminating my DAW, all these things are things I want to do to recapture the purity of what Im doing. That is of course my opinion, but I like to share those experiences in order to maybe inspire someone to start using a hardware synth, or to pull out that old sequencer or drum machine and USE IT!!! A fully ITB artist was unthinkable 10 years ago, and its wild that a lot of people are doing amazing productions this way. Everyone knows that, but not a lot of people know about trying to get data into an old MSQ sequencer, or getting an MC4 to triggger a minimoog or whatever. I am passionate about what I do, and I like to talk about my passions! Ego? Probably. Pretentious? It could come across like that. But I make every effort to respect other people on this board. It wasnt always like that, but GS has taught me that I can co exist with laptop artists, and whatnot, and that doesnt make them any less musically talented. Everyone on here loves electronic music. My thing is to show others some different techniques they can use themselves.

Its all about inspiration.


alexP

it's all 1's and zero's. i'm number 1 and you are zero heh

i think there is a difference between having an opinion and not understanding the fundamentals of the technology at play. what makes a certain synth's characteristic sound has to do with it's circuit design and compromises with regard to manufacturing process and price point. a great deal of the music that brought techno to the mainstream was done with low budget pawn shop finds. these guys were creating with what they had at hand that they could get for the money they had. full stop, end.

art can't sidestep physics or electronic theory. when personification is applied to inanimate objects, pretentious flags go off. applying emotion driven hyperbole to explain how something works or why it sounds good is another flag. while i love the dynamic sound qualities of VCO based synths, i know they aren't organic. they simply are not as precise and sterile as digitally controlled or manufactured sources. there is life to the sound because the device is flawed and our human hearing is flawed.

i doubt anyone has a PhD in Moog Filters, but the way some people talk, you'd think they did. this by no means is limited to the synth world. look at the collectors of guitars. or look at the entirety of the audiophile market.

This post and the whole thread reminded me of one of my very first songs, back when I had only a few low-end pieces (ESQ-1, ESI-2000, Korg ER-1, Zoom SampleTrack, Wavestation SR). It's called "Binary" and it was actually sequenced on the ESQ-1:

http://facproductions.net/music/unre...FAC_Binary.mp3

Those were the times.

good stuff. i loved the sequencer on the ESQ-1. i used that and an MMT-8 to great success. wait, i'm not allowed to say i was successful.

anyway, interesting track. i need to go buy some soy milk. bbl.

Screw everyone I AM A SYNTH GOD I can twist knobs and loop ****. ARgggggggg dfegad

but can you hold a mouse button and move it at the same time?

No, it's not just you. There are definitely some inflated egos around here, though perhaps not so much pretension. Behind most of these egos I believe is fairly legitimate knowledge and expertise, so there's little need for pretense. Now whether or not that knowledge justifies the egos in question is open for debate.

I've yet to find the "perfect" forum for electronic music on the net (or any where, for that matter). I'm sure I never will. Things at KSS seem a bit more open and friendly, and you're less likely to get trounced on if, say, you post that you think the Roland Gaia rocks. The EM forum at Gearslutz is a bit less forgiving, and it does seem to have a clear bias towards older hardware, vintage analogues, etc... but that's actually what I like about it.

As for the whole DJ ego thing, that's a tough one. The fact is, the emancipation and glorification of the DJ has occurred. It is fact. It is music history. They are considered artists and musicians now, just like any other artist or musician. So for me, it all boils down to personal choice. As an artist, would I prefer to focus my energy on learning to play a traditional instrument like a keyboard or a guitar, or would I rather perfect the art of slicing and dicing samples and loops with a groovebox or Ableton Live? I've chosen the former route, not because I think it makes me a greater artist, but rather because it suits me. It's how I want to spend my precious little time on this crazy planet. But I do have to work hard to keep my own ego in check when I encounter arrogant DJs. Interestingly, the greatest artists I have ever worked with have also been the most humble.

And one other thing, I think the point made about a lot of electronic musicians working alone is significant. Many of us spend hours and hours alone in the studio, not unlike a scientist working in his or her laboratory. This can have an adverse affect on our egos, as we can become totally self-absorbed in this environment. We become the center of our own little universe....

My master thesis is on the Minimoog.

Personally speaking, the best forum that ever existed for electronic music was the mailing list for the original Nord Modular. Tons of excellent information, exchange of patches, questions, answers. Awesome stuff - I owe a lot to that community.

Agreed. I tend to have the social skills of a sponge.





alexP

But you have an atari.That tames everything.

which revision? or don't you admit to liking the Donnie Moogs.

@maisonvague - I didn't really have this forum or anyone in particular in mind when writing my post. Iv had several friends who became some of those Ego inflated dj's and am just frustrated to see how some of them act. And as far as the synth elitist's there is some justification of there antics thru years and years of study and experience. Although if someone thinks the Gaia is the best synth ever and just saved there penny's for 6 months to pick one up it would be nice if some of us older more experienced types could just support and be happy for them rather than tell them how much better a Jupiter 8 is. Right well nice discussion guys.

i have no social skills. i don't need them, i have synthersizers.

Its showing.You need a jp8 to totally desintegrate into forum bits tho.

I think the Roland Gaia rocks. heh

No, really, I do. It's my cheapest piece of synth gear, but its fired my creative juices no end. And I think it sounds great. To read some of the things the analogue snobs say about it on this board you'd have thought it was Satan's favourite harmonica or something. Who gives a **** if you play a bontempi for keys-if you've got imagination and talent you'll come up with something brilliant because you played it on a bontempi.

Proof? The main synth pads on Joy Division's 'Atmosphere'. Now there was a group who created fantastic music with bargain basement gear. Though they did have a visionary producer, mind...

at the risk of committing heresy, i have to admit that i really don't like the Jupiter 8. it's too musical.

To a certain extent this is true, but not always. People enter that "bubble" for different reasons - breaking the bubble might offer some criticism and a different perception of things but it's not always desirable, attainable or even good. Over the years, I have found that musicians are "weird" people and despite the fact that some of them socialize that doesn't mean that they don't love being in that "bubble". It's an extension of their idiosyncrasy, if you ask me and it's not necessarily bad. Painters have been painting alone for years, no-one really criticized them for not having 3-4 other people over their heads, trying to discuss or, even worse, impose their ambiguous/capricious ideas which is quite common in music groups.

For my own part, I have chosen to work alone because I don't want to discuss ideas and I know that this definitely sounds egoistic and.. it is. In fact, some years ago, I had an ad looking for a singer and the most important criterion was that he/she shouldn't have a clue about music.heh

"The Internet enables pompous blowhards to interact with other pompous blowhards in a big circle jerk of pomposity." - Bill Maher

Kind of fits on most forums with some individuals whether it be music related, car or whatever.

Me neither i think its the ultimative boring synth.

This forum sometimes makes me feel that there's something wrong with me because:

- I don't worship analogue synths (although I do use some). i don't consider the Jupiter 8 to be some kind of divine presence on Earth.

- I honestly don't understand why someone would spend 10,000 pounds on a thirty-year-old piece of electronic equipment that could die at any moment.

- On a perfect forum I would rather discuss a synth in the context of making music - in other words as a means to an end rather than as an end in itself.

- I was blown away by the Korg Radias.

There, I said it. the ultimate heresy.

i don't think it's just you.. although i haven't been in this "scene" for that long, i've been in the metal and rock scene for years and around the fast / nice looking cars enthusiasts...

it doesn't really matter where you are and what you are doing, there is always a **** load of people doing the same that are so full of themselves that they probably **** their own portraits.. there's always one guy in a group of 5-10 that thinks he's the best because he owns better equipment than the rest or went to a better school than the rest or whatever

If people spent more time working on music this probably wouldn't be as big of an issue on this forum