Oh man this is awesome. Thank you for the ideas & rundown. It was at the right speed for me - I get how a synth works but you really worked through the patchbay in a way I now understand & can start from. Thanks man.
I picked up one the MS20 minis and I'm so glad I did. I love creating sounds with it. I'm still learning how the patchbay works, and that's what's so fun. I love having so many options to shape the sound. I remember how cool it was when I got my microKorg and started building sounds with it. Making sounds on the MS20 takes it to whole new level.
To use the MS-20 is going back to the building blocks of synthesis, with no presets. I will post a multi-track demo soon showing how versatile it can be. And of course the new Volca Kick uses the MS-20 self-oscillating filter for massive bass drum sounds.
gstormelectro There's so much freedom without presets! I ended up making a bunch of copies of the blank program sheets and putting them in a binder, and keeping it by the synth. I record cool sounds that way. But it's so easy to morph into a new, unique sound.
I used to think about snapping a photo. But then I got too lazy to save them to a computer and categorize them. In this regard another word for lazy is spontaneous haha.
There's me trying to get some tips, and to remember how to use one of these. When he says "Ladytron anyone?" That made me feel quite stupid as I produced/engineered and mixed Ladytron's 604 album...dooh! L
I’m getting the new full sized version of this when it comes out in June. Do I need to plug it into an amp to make noise? If so what amp do you suggest under $200
Thank you for the demo! Now I understand MS20 much more. You mentioned external signal processor in the end, I'm wondering if you can shed some light regarding how to achieve the Goldfrapp sound, where they ran vocal through the ms20 to get that synthy while still human sound? I think judging from their videos they used an ms20, or am I mistaken and it's actually a vocoder?
Ahh yes, Felt Mountain. A lot of folks don't know the MS-20 can sing, think 50s sci-fi/theremin/weirdness! The dual filter can be tweaked along w/ resonance so it produces vocal-like formants. The MS-20 ESP can take Alison's voice to generate pitch/gate tracking for the synth engine. So the synth engine is only following her voice, not really adding effects to it per se. You don't absolutely need the ESP to do this sound, but it is more fun that way when Alison does it. I really need to do a video on this to show how it is done.
does this mechanism produce any bass? i have the mini & fail to see its purpose... the volca bass kick was cool, so took it back & got the mini. now im unsure if i will keep it.
It sounds counter-intuitive, but the highpass filter can boost bass frequencies. Set hp freq cutoff all the way down, kick up the hp res like halfway to start, then slowly sweep up the hp filter cutoff while playing your bass notes.
Where does the sound come out of? Is there a speaker in the synth? Does it need to run through a PC? Special Speaker? I am new, so this probably basic. Help anyone?
There is no built-in speaker on the MS-20. Like many pro synths, it has a headphone output and a line 'signal out' right next to it. The 'signal out' would ideally go to an affordable pro mixer, then the mixer output would go to a set of monitors. However, there are 'keyboard monitors' available to buy which allow you to plug the synth directly in. They have similar size/price/heft as an electric guitar amp/speaker cabinet. You can also plug the synth output to any radio device having an 'Aux' input, but it requires a special 1/4" to RCA cable in most cases.
You can connect directly to a keyboard amplifier monitor. The MS-20 is mono output, so to get the mono signal to a studio monitor pair there will need to be something like a mixer to mediate that. While connecting a synth directly to a powered studio monitor is possible, it needs to be done w/ care to avoid damaging the monitor w/ regard the volume level and turning on the synth first then the monitor.
@@gstormelectro okay that makes sense. I only have one studio monitor right now as the other one is still waiting to be shipped. So if I just have one studio monitor I won’t need a mixer since it’s a mono output correct? Thank you for your help
@@pyrotas It clearly varies from unit to unit. Its a wuite noisy synth given the popular opinion at the very least. Congrats I got a pretty noisy one. Its also very possible that you arent using it right. But noise is very much noise. wish I was as lucky as you.
Dude, 6 years ago! This was a great tute. Still relevent. I dont get enough out of my ms2fs because it hasnt clicked with me yet. Kudos!!!!
Still so relevant after getting an MS20 FS, thanks five years on.
Oh man this is awesome. Thank you for the ideas & rundown. It was at the right speed for me - I get how a synth works but you really worked through the patchbay in a way I now understand & can start from. Thanks man.
I picked up one the MS20 minis and I'm so glad I did. I love creating sounds with it. I'm still learning how the patchbay works, and that's what's so fun. I love having so many options to shape the sound. I remember how cool it was when I got my microKorg and started building sounds with it. Making sounds on the MS20 takes it to whole new level.
To use the MS-20 is going back to the building blocks of synthesis, with no presets. I will post a multi-track demo soon showing how versatile it can be. And of course the new Volca Kick uses the MS-20 self-oscillating filter for massive bass drum sounds.
gstormelectro There's so much freedom without presets! I ended up making a bunch of copies of the blank program sheets and putting them in a binder, and keeping it by the synth. I record cool sounds that way. But it's so easy to morph into a new, unique sound.
I used to think about snapping a photo. But then I got too lazy to save them to a computer and categorize them. In this regard another word for lazy is spontaneous haha.
There's me trying to get some tips, and to remember how to use one of these. When he says "Ladytron anyone?"
That made me feel quite stupid as I produced/engineered and mixed Ladytron's 604 album...dooh!
L
Sweet! Sorry about the vid quality, it was before I went 720p. The Ladytron albums and hearing Mira w/ her MS-20 at a Dallas concert made want one.
Just started watching and I know this is going to be great.
No synths were harmed in the making of this demo.
I understand this instrument 95% better now.
Nice vid of a beginner exploring the MS20..Cheers..
really detailed info on patch bay. Thanks you
I’m getting the new full sized version of this when it comes out in June. Do I need to plug it into an amp to make noise? If so what amp do you suggest under $200
You do not need an amp.
Thank you for the demo! Now I understand MS20 much more. You mentioned external signal processor in the end, I'm wondering if you can shed some light regarding how to achieve the Goldfrapp sound, where they ran vocal through the ms20 to get that synthy while still human sound? I think judging from their videos they used an ms20, or am I mistaken and it's actually a vocoder?
Ahh yes, Felt Mountain. A lot of folks don't know the MS-20 can sing, think 50s sci-fi/theremin/weirdness! The dual filter can be tweaked along w/ resonance so it produces vocal-like formants. The MS-20 ESP can take Alison's voice to generate pitch/gate tracking for the synth engine. So the synth engine is only following her voice, not really adding effects to it per se. You don't absolutely need the ESP to do this sound, but it is more fun that way when Alison does it. I really need to do a video on this to show how it is done.
Here ya go! th-cam.com/video/VJl9wGMZmOQ/w-d-xo.html
Thankyou so much for this video, i got the ms20ic.
Glad it helped
Informative demo and very nice looking patch cables?
What brand are these?
Found them used at Gear Exchange, a local music store here in OKC.
you rock best teacher yet fun too
wicked i often considered buying one of these.
Thanks man. Good stuff!
How can I by the KVP MS 20 converter is it on Reverb
Thank you for your interest, I just listed more for sale in my Reverb store.
does this mechanism produce any bass? i have the mini & fail to see its purpose... the volca bass kick was cool, so took it back & got the mini. now im unsure if i will keep it.
It sounds counter-intuitive, but the highpass filter can boost bass frequencies. Set hp freq cutoff all the way down, kick up the hp res like halfway to start, then slowly sweep up the hp filter cutoff while playing your bass notes.
yes it does, you just have to adjust the cutoff and the levels of frequency, with this baby , anything is possible.
Thank you for posting this. However, you know what this means, don't you. You're going to have to buy a Moog Mother-32 and post a similar video.
oh it ended too soon
This was fun.
Where does the sound come out of? Is there a speaker in the synth? Does it need to run through a PC? Special Speaker? I am new, so this probably basic. Help anyone?
There is no built-in speaker on the MS-20. Like many pro synths, it has a headphone output and a line 'signal out' right next to it. The 'signal out' would ideally go to an affordable pro mixer, then the mixer output would go to a set of monitors. However, there are 'keyboard monitors' available to buy which allow you to plug the synth directly in. They have similar size/price/heft as an electric guitar amp/speaker cabinet. You can also plug the synth output to any radio device having an 'Aux' input, but it requires a special 1/4" to RCA cable in most cases.
@@gstormelectro can you hook it up directly to studio monitors? Without an audio interface?
You can connect directly to a keyboard amplifier monitor. The MS-20 is mono output, so to get the mono signal to a studio monitor pair there will need to be something like a mixer to mediate that. While connecting a synth directly to a powered studio monitor is possible, it needs to be done w/ care to avoid damaging the monitor w/ regard the volume level and turning on the synth first then the monitor.
@@gstormelectro okay that makes sense. I only have one studio monitor right now as the other one is still waiting to be shipped. So if I just have one studio monitor I won’t need a mixer since it’s a mono output correct? Thank you for your help
Same as the mini, with one difference. The mini has a loud, LOUD white noise on every key you press.
I played two minis (one of them's mine), and none of them had a loud hiss.
I also disagree. My mini has no such noise unless you dial in noise.
Mine has subtle but noticable key thump
Use the hold knob on ENV 2 to get rid of the thump. It doesn't take much.
@@pyrotas It clearly varies from unit to unit. Its a wuite noisy synth given the popular opinion at the very least. Congrats I got a pretty noisy one. Its also very possible that you arent using it right. But noise is very much noise. wish I was as lucky as you.
Nice!!!