Behringer System 100

[paula at synth.net]

> Hmm.  Music wouldn't be what it is today if musicians handn't been 
> copying each other.  It costs nothing for musicians to copy each others 
> works, and it pushes things forwards.  So I'm not sure things are so 
> absolute, here.
> 

That's why i say reimagining, improving, building on, etc is good.
Remember the sample lawsuits of the 80s?
There is a point at which a copy is just, well, a copy.

> Commercial musicians suffer because their industry is run by 
> non-musicians who seek to wring every single penny out of their victims 
> - the music industry is corporatised mafia, imho.  Musician's aren't 
> getting paid fairly, not because people copy their stuff, but because 
> there is an entire industry dedicated to ripping musicians off, and its 
> called "The Music Industry".
> 

I agree.

> You can't own sound.  It always slips through your fingers when you 
> try.  You can copy it, though.  That seems to be a natural order of the 
> physical universe, since music is energy.
> 

you can own a copyright for notes though.

> The only reason I don't use MOOG also, is because I just can't afford 
> to build a setup out of their instruments.  So many other, better, 
> cheaper options are available.  And when I see people buying MOOG, its 
> mostly on the basis of brand recognition - not because they know what 
> to do with the instrument.  Sure, the MOOG sound is unique and distinct 
> - but it has been copied to death, in the Eurorack market as well as 
> the workstation/synth segment.  I'm happy that those sounds are 
> available without such a huge investment, personally - it makes it 
> easier for me as a musician to copy the musicians I like, and extend 
> the state of the art by adding my own flavour.
> 

The same is true of something like watches, or cars, or even mobile 
phones..
People will often be swayed by brand.. How many knock Rolex's are in the 
world?


>> Korg Copying ARP feels uncomfortable for me, but at least they have 
>> sought involvement with some of the original design time, I still 
>> wouldn't buy one.
> 
> How about that Korg DX7-clone/FM synth, eh?  FREAKY!

yup, I agree, a step too far.
But, if they've added to it, different waveshapes, filters, etc? then it 
falls under 'improving on'.
But from the raw pictures I've seen, yeah, I wouldn't buy one because I 
feel it's just a rip off.

> 
> Moving to a slightly more positive topic - who do you feel is 
> innovating these days, Paula?  Seeing some great things in your 
> universe that the -bar would gain from knowing about?
> 

I wrote a blog after superbooth last year - 
http://dove-audio.com/2019/05/30/interesting-developments-in-modular/

> My eye is on the ARGON8.  I don't know how you're feeling about Modal 
> these days, Paula, and I can understand if its a matter of discord, but 
> I feel like they're finally making affordable, great instruments.  I 
> have all the budget Modal thingies, and the ARGON8 is going to replace 
> an ol' Virus I've had too long .. so how do you feel about what they've 
> done there?
> 

I'm impressed with the Argon8, and I hope things go well for the 
developers. I bare them no ill will and they're a great bunch of people. 
Clearly their new coder is a talented person.
I wasn't keen on the keyboard version, but it's nice they're released a 
desktop/rack version.

But for me, it doesn't "excite" me in the way things have (see my blog 
post), it's been the same for many years. But it's nice for me, from a 
technology point of view, to see that people are now more accepting of 
pure digital synths like the argon8, hydrasynth, etc.

Given the choice, I'd go for the hydrasynth, but for now I'm happy with 
the minilogue XD I bought.

Paula