This is a demo for the new GBA 16-step sequencer STEPPER. It features an intuitive workflow inspired by Elektron instruments with per-trigger parametrization that allows access to the 4 DMG sound channels in the console (2 square waves channels, 1 custom wave channel and 1 noise channel). Supports 4 banks of 8 patterns that can be queued for live performance.
Here is a list of other good reference books:
https://sdiy.info/wiki/Synth_DIY_books
Also, if you don't mind digital - have you seen the daisy ecosystem?
From the ACIDS for at IRCAM - Official implementation of RAVE: A variational autoencoder for fast and high-quality neural audio synthesis (article link) by Antoine Caillon and Philippe Esling.
It is mostly practice. You don't become less awkward, you learn it, and if you don't use it, then you'll lose it too. This is important because however you choose to practice engaging, needs to be sustainable for you. Drastic things that you can't keep up are probably not going to give you lasting results.
I recommend taking a bar job, maybe part time. I did that for some time and found my ability to deal with these situations improved dramatically, through the practice of talking with folk at the bar.
In celebration of 50 years, Roland have collaborated with sound designer Yuri Suzuki to create Roland50 Studio, a digital reworking of some of their most famous and influential devices.
Wonder how it compares to "Rebirth", an earlier Steinberg (later
Propellerhead) take on the classic analogue production deck? Surely
the Roland version is the most accurate to date?
Long time 808/606/303 owner and the Roland emulations are ok. The best 303 emulation I’ve used is the Audiorealism bassline. https://www.audiorealism.se/
Keep in mind I’m not a huge 303 fan personally.
I’ve got a Roland cloud subscription and I definitely think it’s useful and way more convenient than vintage gear approaching 50 years of age. I also have the arturia v-collection and think this last update made the Roland synths (Jupiter and Juno’s) sound way more alive and better imho than the Roland versions. They are both pretty good though. You can get the same dsp emulation in the Roland boutiques/Aira as well if you want hardware knobs to twiddle.
Iirc the 808 and 909 in rebirth were sample based. The 303 was nice and squelchy but not quite a perfect emulation. Lots of fun to play with though. I remember spending hours in college playing with rebirth.
I had been eyeing that Arturia V collection. The cost isn't too bad at all! I had a demo a few years ago and I really only messed with the grand piano and the DX-7. I'd love to do some nice warm pads on a Juno-106!
I picked it up on Splice starting around Christmas. Great low-cost way to try it, seems fairly catch-free. (The only real downside I could tell, was if you stop subscribing, and they no longer offer it, then you could lose out on your "investment" vs completing the purchase. Perhaps licensing across computers or running their software, but it doesn't seem worse/more invasive than any typical audio DRM.)
The Vocoder is so fun to play with! A lot of great sounds in there, I gotta spend some more time with it!
I can't speak to the accuracy, I only have a few bits of hardware, but V collection sounds really good on its own. As for the DX-7, Dexed is really popular.
If you have an iOS device, KQ Dixie is a pretty good DX7 emulation. It’s an audio unit, so you can load it into a host (“DAW”) and add an effects chain, even though it’s on a mobile device
I've owned a couple DX-7s. I just can't get into the original. The DX7 mk2 was a really cool instrument and I'm glad the V has some of those sounds. I messed with FM7 a bit too. I've seen mention of Dexed for years but haven't tried it out.
Sometimes accurate is good, but my vst favourite 808 clone of recent times was this one: https://rc-808.com/ which is similar but more with a focus on a more flexible drum synthesis engine than the original.
I think the joy of the roland 50 is how approachable the sequencing is though, with the sounds everyone is familiar with
