[A6] modern analogs

[Ken Leonard]

>'How fat is the Andromeda and will it replace synth xxxx?'

I picture analogue synths in a continuum.

Moog modular-like low bass growly stuff
Minimoog like growly stuff
Bassy stuff
Something that does interesting pads (Obies perhaps), drones, or dirty pads 
like a PolySix or polyphonic Moog
Thinner pads (Rolands)
Very bright pads with little low end, sweet stuff (Novation, although 
that's not exactly analogue :-) )
More shimmery or stabbing stuff, bright FM, sharp leads, etc

To me the A6 gets to the "Bassy stuff" level on up to the brighter/sweet 
stuff--even some stabbing shimmery lead stuff--so it grabs the majority of 
the continuum.  It can do the outsides only to a point, yet it can 
certainly do the vast bulk of the middle, which is certainly a lot.  I 
mean, just listen to all the factory presets and the wide variety of 
timbres out of one freakin' analogue box!

As was indicated here earlier---yes, some synths "wrap you" with their 
sound, and I think that about best describes what the Mini and other synths 
have the A6 may lack a little bit of.  It's a little flat.

To me the A6 is a great "universal" type synth---it's got something for 
everyone, but there will always be a few people looking for "that something 
else" the A6 cannot provide well.  I don't think you can go wrong on the A6 
for creating all kinds of stuff, including weird noises.  Will it replace a 
Minimoog?  No--I've tried, but it falls just a little short (maybe I should 
try harder).  Can it replace some of the Roland stuff?  Yeah, but it's got 
a bit more thickness than the Rolands (oh, gee).  Arp or others?  I got a 
squealy Arp-ish sound and even a Richard Kiley Boston Garden Organ sound 
(purely by accident--it's really funny, just like at the old Boston Garden 
at a Celtics game).  So a lot of the sounds are in there just waiting for 
us to coax 'em out.  I prefer to twiddle until I find something I like, not 
trying to duplicate the sound of another synth.

I don't know if I'll ever get a good Mellotron sound out of it, though...;-)

I used some A6 in my tune "Eerie Sunrise" - 
http://www.kleonard.com/kltunes/tunes.htm or
http://www.kleonard.com/kltunes/songs/EerieSunrise.mp3 - when I needed 
"something", I just had something dialed in quickly, which is great.  Can't 
do that on a D-110 without going blind.  ;-)

The depth of the A6, though, is staggering, and I think I've hit only .01% 
of it.  I really appreciate the hints folks have mentioned out here.

...kl...

* Ken Leonard - Web Table of Contents:  http://www.kleonard.com
* Get Outdoors New England:  http://www.GONewEngland.org