Hi, about 4 weeks ago i purchased a Nord Rack 3, and i love it.
I love the workflow of it, and some of the sounds.

But the sounds is good for Pads, strings and some leads.
I really want a synth that can do bass and heavy leads (I'm into electro house).

So now you know what i'm gonna use the synth for, what do you think is the best choice for me?
Slim phatty og virus ti2 desktop?

Anyone?

Here goes:

I used to own the TI2, but I've come to appreciate the immediacy of things like the Moog LP (I own it).

It really depends on what you desire. The TI2 does a whole lot, and does it very nicely. It's good at everything, but it's deep and has a learning curve. Go to the site and learn by watching the videos... Virus support is excellent. However, I found the board to be a bit clumsy and it's almost TOO 'tweakable.' I didn't like the physical layout. I was always using it as a plugin.

If you want a nice portable setup, you could get by fine with a laptop, DAW, and a TI2. Remember, the TI2 is also a USB interface. You can use it to record, etc.

I'd consider the Virus to be more of a studio/writing tool. The Moog is more for jamming, and going mad with knobs. The Moog is gorgeous for leads and bass lines. However, I have separate converters, effects, other keyboards, etc.

If you're starting out. I'd go with the Virus. Then, you got everything covered. However, if your digital pads/blips/converters/effects are fulfilled, then, I'd suggest getting an analog board.

Think bass & leads for the Moog (generally speaking). It's a one-trick pony. The Virus does everything well (even Moog analog emulations!)... However, I'd take a Moog any day of the week for messing with bass and leads.

I hope this helps.

-Phil

Do you want a Swiss Army Knife or a Kbar? Something that does a million things pretty well, or something that does ONE thing very well?

The guy said Bass and Leads. Moog, no contest. A lot cheaper too. The Virus is a sham at it's current price. There are VSTi's that can do as much and a lot more for a fraction of the cost.

Moog Slim Phatty = Sick bass and lead tones.

So the moog can do leads to?
Can you get those new electro house leads from it?
And if you listen to deadmau5 new track "there might be coffee", can you get something like that from the virus or moog?

Thanks alot for answering me!

Yes, I think the LP could do those lead sounds, they're not very complex.

That said, the Virus can integrate into your computer and send knob positions to act like a USB midi controller, right? So all those gradual filter sweeps and changes in timbre on the percussion/bass elements would be more straight forward. I think if this is the kind of thing you're after, the Virus is much more flexible. Hold off on the LP until you've done some work and you know you need the fatness and attack of real Moog filters.

Most electro house is just kids using software. Your Nord 3 will be able to create all of those kinds of sounds. You just need to explore it more.

Got both, have there own fields

Both can work as synths and also as filters for external.

One is mono and has superior sound for mono within its fields

One is not as sonically pure but can do a hell of a lot more

Get both

Thanks!

Yeah, about that, the slim phatty is mono, right?

Wish i could afford both, but i cant :(

And the NR3 comment, you cant say it's good for bass!
It's good for everything besides bass, i love my NR3 and wont ever sell it!

If I could only have one, I'd pick the virus as Moog's monopolyphony is simply too limiting in many cases.

**** me!

The thing is, i can afford the Moog now, but for the virus i have to wait at least 1 month, maybe 2..

If i order the Slim phatty, i can forget chords because of the mono, right?

Right, no chords (until you buy more slim phatties ), but you can always layer tracks. Honestly limitations are more inspiring than overkill anyway.

Can you try before you buy? Your ears will tell you if it is worth waiting for the virus.
-e

Unfortunately i cant.
The music shops in norway is really bad!

I've heard the virus has more a software sound than hardware, is this true?

And do you recommend any other synths in the same price range?

Yes the virus does not have as powerful basic waveforms but it adds lots of other waves ,digital noize osc etc.

The moog had no white noize which is a drawback but its filters do a great job, you have full sounding waves and all the konbs and keys right in front.

You can great flowing sounds, fast attacking, bass, leads but its all mono

I would argue that the moog may be a second choice unless you really going for synth FX , bass and some good leads.

Pads, chords etc are great on virus as are bass sounds although not as punchy as moog.

Virus has more osc,white noize, more filter choice ,on board fx and stacking etc of waves

But moog is very much just twiddle a knob and see what kicks off

It is not however it big Daddy

Again decide on what you really want from this unit terms of sounds

Thanks alot guys!

I think i'll choose the virus because i need it to be poly.

Again it would be cheaper just to buy 2 phatties..

Software bass for 2 more months..
damn

you realize that the virus is software bass, too?

Yep, but not in the same way as an actual sowftware synth as NI massive for example.

Maybe you should try Moog software versions for bass and see what you can get out of it and buy a Virus to create other sounds. Not TI , TI is too expensive. Look for some used B or C

Maybe you should buy Omnisphere and save yourself a lot of money.

Is it the same as having a hardware synth? Hell no, but it has a lot of waveforms and sounds from both the Virus and Little Phatty lineage.

You know you can order a used virus from the states for little more than an LP (for example on Ebay)? The other thing I'd do if I were just starting out is consider IOS devices. You can get some killer synths for Ipod for $1, an interface so you can use a midi keyboard for control and you've got a universe of sounds!

Thanks, i've tried the demo version of omnisphere, it was ok.

Hmm, maybe the virus is a little to expensive.

But what i can do with the phatty is just use abletons sampler in to get it poly, right?

Do you mean multi-sampling the Phatty? Or multiple recordings of a performance with different notes?
Anyway, if you want a poly synth, use a poly synth. There are no easy (or good) tricks to make a mono synth poly.

Or software synths to replace the Virus & a real Phatty.

Ableton comes with a plugin called sampler.
If i play a note and put it in the sampler, i can play poly.
But im not sure how that will sound.

But you can't change anything to the sound anymore once you sampled it. And unless you sample a lot of notes, deviating from the sampled note will deform the sound - from mild to extreme....

If you use any envelopes or LFOs on the Moog then the samples will sound bad when you play chords. This is because the speed of the LFO or envelope modulation will speed up or down depending on the pitch of the note you play, and all the notes in the chord will be out of sync.

Hmm, thats true.
The reason why i want hardware is because of the workflow.
I do have a NR3, maybe i dont need 2 poly synths.

jeje.. Yea, exacltly.. He have a lot of options really.
Sometimes having less options is better.