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#492201 - 03/20/20 11:56 AM A good time to re-explore old gear
cgiles Offline
Senior Member

Registered: 09/29/05
Posts: 6703
Loc: Roswell,GA/USA
Since I am unable to participate in my usual activities (polital action groups, various Veterans groups, various social action groups), I get to spend more time in my studio. At the moment I am having a blast re-discovering some of my old boards and modules. My favorite at the moment is my Motif ES module driven by my Roland A70 controller. The A70 continues to be my favorite controller (76 keys) with far and away the best keybed and amazing flexibility considering it's age (4 separate midi outs (5 pin din), each with multiple zones and almost unlimited programmability. The other three are routed to a voice processor/harmonizer, a SonicCell, and a older Korg module (forget the model). The Motif ES is especially responsive to the A70 and reminds me of all the fantastic sounds in that module; same with the Korg module.

I know that a lot of you have older boards and modules that you no longer or rarely use. You should go back and listen to them again. You may be pleasantly suprised, especially at the 'fullness' (richness??) of some of the voices. As long as you're using them in the studio, they're just another arrow in the quiver. It's like seeing your wife or girlfriend again after a six-month absence.

I noticed that some of you have elected to add older or prior-generation instruments to your arsenal (which gave me the incentive to go back and revisit some of the older gear in my studio). Now I'm inspired to put together some things using only my vintage gear (and maybe some 'live' drum tracks). It may not be an improvement over the more modern gear but it should still be a lot of fun.

chas
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"Faith means not wanting to know what is true." [Nietzsche]

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#492219 - 03/20/20 02:03 PM Re: A good time to re-explore old gear [Re: cgiles]
Fran Carango Offline
Senior Member

Registered: 05/26/99
Posts: 9673
Loc: Levittown, Pa, USA
Chas, you are on the mark(No pun) again..I love to revisit old gear that I use to use. One thing you mentioned I find true.. there is a fullness to some sounds that the new gear lacks. I always thought that analog circuits had something to do with this. I started to notice a thin sound within the Roland gear I have owned..Using the G1000 as my benchmark, I noticed a negative in the VA series, and really noticed in the BK5. They still sound good but not fat like the older stuff..One of the reasons I will not part with the G70..

The BK9 suffered a bit, thankfully it has 22 Supernatural sounds..The EA7 sounds great.. as long as it isn't side by side to the G70.

Chas you have some gear I wish I had.. Starting with the A70 (same keys as the G70). I had a Sonic Cell (I liked the sounds,Roland never continued support for it). I now have my old Roland Prelude back (Sonic Cell based).
Of current gear I am convinced the Integra7 is the best sound module ever.. I think any studio worth calling a studio should havean Integra7 as the center piece.

Well it's been a week in lock up... I mean shut in.... So far I have refrained from buying any new gear, came close a few times grin

Chas if you ever feel like donating the A70 "to me", my kids will pay the shipping (they take after their mother) smile
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#492223 - 03/20/20 02:20 PM Re: A good time to re-explore old gear [Re: cgiles]
cgiles Offline
Senior Member

Registered: 09/29/05
Posts: 6703
Loc: Roswell,GA/USA
FAT, yes Fran, that's the word I was searching for when I said 'full' or 'rich', and yes, I DO think it was the analog circuitry (would like to hear from Bill 'Abacus' about that). Sorry, I won't part with the A70 until they pry it from my cold, dead fingers (I know some folks can't wait for that smile ). I only had the G800 and G1000, but I remember them as also having a great keybed, along with the DX7 (I still have a rack of tx16's or whatever that DX7 module was, but it's stashed away in a storeroom).

YOU have (or had) one of the two pieces of gear that I always wanted and intended to get, but never did; the Integra7 and the Kronos. I do have the last generation Fantom G7 but despite it's great Roland keybed and almost limitless programability, I never really warmed up to it.

BTW, your kids ("they take after their mother") got lucky smile.

chas
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"Faith means not wanting to know what is true." [Nietzsche]

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#492226 - 03/20/20 02:40 PM Re: A good time to re-explore old gear [Re: cgiles]
captain Russ Offline
Senior Member

Registered: 01/02/04
Posts: 7285
Loc: Lexington, Ky, USA
Talk about early....I'm doing a recording tonight with a 59 Wurlitzer piano (I bought it new, smart ass) played thru a 60's Ampeg flip-top amp (also bought new).

First time I heard "What'd I Say", I had to have one.

Last week, I did a job with a 1953 ES 295 (the Scotty Moore guitar) thru my 59 Fender Bassman.

For the right gig, old stuff is COOL! Like older women. I mean, country ham is wrinkled and a little ripe, but people dig the hell out of it.


Same thing!

Russ (burp) Lay


Edited by captain Russ (03/20/20 02:41 PM)

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#492229 - 03/20/20 02:54 PM Re: A good time to re-explore old gear [Re: cgiles]
travlin'easy Offline
Senior Member

Registered: 12/08/02
Posts: 15556
Loc: Forest Hill, MD USA
smile
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PSR-S950, TC Helicon Harmony-M, Digitech VR, Samson Q7, Sennheiser E855, Custom Console, and lots of other silly stuff!

K+E=W (Knowledge Plus Experience = Wisdom.)

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#492234 - 03/20/20 03:09 PM Re: A good time to re-explore old gear [Re: captain Russ]
cgiles Offline
Senior Member

Registered: 09/29/05
Posts: 6703
Loc: Roswell,GA/USA
Originally Posted By captain Russ
Like older women. I mean, country ham is wrinkled and a little ripe, but people dig the hell out of it.


Same thing!

Russ (burp) Lay


Not quite. I can handle a few wrinkles but if they're 'ripe'......uh, I don't know.

smile

chas
_________________________
"Faith means not wanting to know what is true." [Nietzsche]

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#492293 - 03/21/20 06:12 AM Re: A good time to re-explore old gear [Re: cgiles]
Dnj Offline
Senior Member

Registered: 09/21/00
Posts: 43703
First off has anyone looked in the mirror?

second I can see revisiting old gear but that could also become a depressive trigger of soughts too in many ways...
reliving the past can be good & bad.

That said,...... I am glad I weened myself off the hoarding Old gear
addiction from my room and moved on with a clear mind.

There are a few exceptions to this but not many...

just my opinion...

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#492301 - 03/21/20 06:48 AM Re: A good time to re-explore old gear [Re: Dnj]
abacus Offline
Senior Member

Registered: 07/21/05
Posts: 5345
Loc: English Riviera, UK
Originally Posted By Dnj
First off has anyone looked in the mirror?

second I can see revisiting old gear but that could also become a depressive trigger of soughts too in many ways...
reliving the past can be good & bad.

That said,...... I am glad I weened myself off the hoarding Old gear
addiction from my room and moved on with a clear mind.

There are a few exceptions to this but not many...

just my opinion...


The arranger keyboard is used (And built) primarily to replicate the past (How much modern music do you ever hear played on them) not the future, and I have not seen any problems with the players getting depressed by the old content and operation of the arranger keyboard.

Bill
_________________________
English Riviera:
Live entertainment, Real Ale, Great Scenery, Great Beaches, why would anyone want to live anywhere else (I�m definitely staying put).

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#492302 - 03/21/20 06:50 AM Re: A good time to re-explore old gear [Re: abacus]
Dnj Offline
Senior Member

Registered: 09/21/00
Posts: 43703
Bill not only arrangers but OLD GEAR in general...
have you ever played on stage for years for a living and now its gone?....and you look at the walls of old gear laying around just dreaming of the past?.....it can certainly depress you mentally..

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#492305 - 03/21/20 06:59 AM Re: A good time to re-explore old gear [Re: Dnj]
tony mads usa Offline
Senior Member

Registered: 01/16/02
Posts: 14376
Loc: East Greenwich RI USA
Yes, but I think it totally depends on the outlook of the individual ... I look at it like " wow, was I ever fortunate to have lived that life with many really good musicians" ... Far more people have never experienced that ...
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