Considering a Purchase - Tired of workstations

[Averagebear6]

Greetings,

2 the point: Am I able to get good piano and string sounds from the MatrixBrute?

My last synth was a Yamaha Montage.  Piano’s & Strings were amazing, but the synth sounds were not moog like...  plus thousands of patches to scroll through is tiresome. 

I am all hardware, no DAW.

Other considerations are Nord Lead A1 and 4, Roland JD-XA, Roland System 8, Deep Mind 12, Yamaha MODX6. 

Thanks!!

[standingwave]

You realize that the Matrixbrute is a mono synth I hope. Piano patches playing full chords are not possible; only one note at a time (or 3 if you play in douphonic mode)
 If I were in your shoes, i would wait until Arturia fix the firmware in the Matrixbrute. There have been some serious issues with it and it has been abandoned for 2 years. They have promised an update this spring, if they come through, buy one then. If they don't,  you can dodge that bullet.

 Once they fix it the matrixbrute will be a terrific mono synth, until then...
 Just my 2 cents.
 Cheers

[Averagebear6]

Hey Standingwave,

Thanks for responding and the helpful info. You confirmed the piano question.  I saw there were samples for sale that had piano's but only 3 notes/keys at a time won't do. 

The MatrixBrute is so inspiring.  Maybe I will get an older rack unit Motif or something for Piano to play via midi through the MatrixBrute. 

The tip on the firmware is great to know.

Thank You!!

   

[Chromat1c]

Yeah get a Kurzweil piano module, MxB not a piano type weighted keyboard and does not have 88 keys.

You can make some pretty good emulations of acoustic instruments on the MxB. I made a quite good trumpet sound for example and with some big long verb on it had fun playing Fanfare for the Common Man for 20 minutes but that is missing the point. It is a brilliant analogue synth and makes brilliant analogue synth sounds. Don't listen to us moaning on here about firmware, its nowhere near as serious as we make out, and certainly not a reason to not buy a MxB today! It works great already.

When the firmware update turns up (it will it will) I am hoping for even greater things. That said it is already my favourite mono synth of all time. Its "sound" sits in the mix in a magical way and is elegant, dynamic and as you said inspiring. I know I moan on here about stuff but just saying. Its a really great analogue mono synth.

MxB is not a "workstation" its a "funstation"

[endreola]

I concur, if you have budget, get a weighted MIDI controller plus a sound module to play piano and strings or a full polyphonic synth that has built-in sounds.  Then and add a MB to you your stack.

KE R.I.P.

[Averagebear6]

Thanks for the responses!   I would be able to play a Kurzweil Piano module via midi with the MxB correct?  I know it’s only 49 keys, but I think that would work for me.

Something like the Yamaha modx has great piano, strings and pads, but I can’t get both a MxB and modx, so I’m hoping the piano module played on a MxB will work.

Are the E-mu piano modules good too?

Really appreciate the responses guys.

[standingwave]

Yes the Matrixbrute will control your Kurzweil just fine, the keys actually feel pretty good.

 Some people downplay the firmware issues though. Arturia have promised new firmware and not came through already; if I were you, I'd wait until spring if the new firmware is released.
 

[Chromat1c]

Just saw a Kurzweil Micro Piano module for 125 quid on eBay.
MxB in paraphonic mode > MIDI OUT > Piano Module = Piano and er some strings
Ha ha now you should have some money left over to get an Eventide
Space pedal to put it though some lush reverbs.

Go on get a MxB you can blame me later if you don't like it 

[Averagebear6]

Great stuff. I am supposed to get a few bucks in a couple of days, so I’m real close to taking the plunge. Real happy about the module midi factor. That means I’m no longer tied to getting workstations. Plus, I like to stay minimal with as little gear as possible.

Mega Thanks!!!

[endreola]

One area I'd like to explore more is connecting MB with open-source eurorack software like https://vcvrack.com/ or something equivalent.  Albeit workstation-related but it will provide a wealth of expansion capabilities.

[Koshdukai]

2 the point: Am I able to get good piano and string sounds from the MatrixBrute?
My last synth was a Yamaha Montage.  Piano’s & Strings were amazing, but the synth sounds were not moog like...  plus thousands of patches to scroll through is tiresome. 
[...]
Other considerations are Nord Lead A1 and 4, Roland JD-XA, Roland System 8, Deep Mind 12, Yamaha MODX6.

I was a bit surprised with your post/question, speaking of Piano & Strings sounds in the same sentence as MatrixBrute, a mono/paraphonic analog synth.

Meaning, like it was explained in this thread, you're basically comparing oranges with apples here, when seeing the synths you listed, some mono-timbral analog polys, others mono-timbral digital (VA) polys and multi-timbral pure digital polys, none having much to do with a  MatrixBrute (or a Moog Mini/Sub37/etc).

I'm also surprised with you mentioning

I saw there were samples for sale that had piano's but only 3 notes/keys at a time won't do.

Not sure where you were planning to place those samples with the MatrixBrute, since, again, it's an (mono/paraphonic) analog synth.

That means I’m no longer tied to getting workstations

If you're used to workstations and are tired of the 1-unit-does-it-all, then be prepared to get the opposite experience: 1-unit-does-one-thing-(hopefully)-extremely-well so... you'll need multiple units

Which means, you'll be getting various instruments/modules, if you're expecting multi-timbral playing (multiple sounds/presets at the same time) either split or layered... like you've already realized, when mentioning pairing it with an additional rack module (Kurzweil, ...).


So, keep in mind, MatrixBrute will get you amazing bass and lead sounds but don't expect to get lush chord sounds out of what's essentially a monophonic synth with some clever paraphonic capabilities (which is more interesting than many pure mono 3 OSC synths).

[Averagebear6]

Hey Koshdukai,

"I was a bit surprised with your post/question, speaking of Piano & Strings sounds in the same sentence as MatrixBrute, a mono/paraphonic analog synth."

Is that a nice way of calling me a dumbass?  LOL.  I have long accepted my learning disability (yes, seriously...  I am a combo of learning disabled and gifted.  I learn very slow but once I get it I excel)  I asked the question because I was trying to learn what I don't know or understand. 

"Meaning, like it was explained in this thread, you're basically comparing oranges with apples here, when seeing the synths you listed, some mono-timbral analog polys, others mono-timbral digital (VA) polys and multi-timbral pure digital polys, none having much to do with a  MatrixBrute (or a Moog Mini/Sub37/etc)."

Yes, I have learned that just this week from wisdom from you guys 

"I'm also surprised with you mentioning"   (I saw there were samples for sale that had piano's but only 3 notes/keys at a time won't do.)
"Not sure where you were planning to place those samples with the MatrixBrute, since, again, it's an (mono/paraphonic) analog synth."

Again, learning.  I have no experience with anything other than workstations, and synth/keys are another instrument I play after guitar, vocals, bass, and drums.  I am not very technically advanced.  I sue digital recorders Roland VS to record.  A DAW would literally take me years to get proficient at.  I play everything, programming is way beyond me.  I am all hardware, but I do pretty well in the end...   

(That means I’m no longer tied to getting workstations)
"If you're used to workstations and are tired of the 1-unit-does-it-all, then be prepared to get the opposite experience: 1-unit-does-one-thing-(hopefully)-extremely-well so... you'll need multiple units     Which means, you'll be getting various instruments/modules, if you're expecting multi-timbral playing (multiple sounds/presets at the same time) either split or layered... like you've already realized, when mentioning pairing it with an additional rack module (Kurzweil, ...)."  So, keep in mind, MatrixBrute will get you amazing bass and lead sounds but don't expect to get lush chord sounds out of what's essentially a monophonic synth with some clever paraphonic capabilities (which is more interesting than many pure mono 3 OSC synths)."

Yes,I couldn't agree more.  This exact realization/conclusion came to last night after the help from you guys.  I had thought and hoped the MxB would have more than bass and lead sounds. 

So, at the moment I am leaning towards a Yamaha modx6 and a synth like MiniBrute or module like a Moog Minotaur. I don't really have space for more than one synthesizer, so it will be 1 + a module.

I am beyond grateful to you guys for helping me figure what I need.

Bleesings!