Thursday, September 3, 2009

How To Buy A Synthesizer

By Brady Carlson

Perhaps you are good at composing and playing music. You have a real talent and are keen on making a career as a musician. Naturally you want to play your own compositions. You might be a drummer, a guitarist or you may prefer to use a synthesizer. You might have learned to play an instrument of your choice quite well. But unless you understand your instrument thoroughly you will never make the grade a good professional musician.

If you settle on buying a synthesizer you must first learn about the instrument. You should be knowledgeable about its parts and features, the various brands that are available, and their prices. Let us consider how best to go about buying a synthesizer.

This is going to be one of your most important and expensive purchases, so you'll want to shop around quite a bit and take your time before buying. These guidelines may help:

First of all synthesizers come in analog and digital. We can't say for sure which is better because it depends on your needs. For personal use, a good basic machine may be best. For studio use, you might want to look at digital or even a software synthesizer. Let your budget and your needs work together.

When possible, go for moderation in price. You may not be able to go too high, but you don't want to look for the lowest price either. What if it has a horrible keyboard or a sound that just isn't right? What if it isn't made well and won't last a long time?

So it's important to really listen to any synthesizer you're thinking of buying. Select a store with a knowledgeable salesperson, or better yet bring an expert with you. The sound needs to be appropriate for the style of music you're going to be playing. Compare and don't just buy the first one that sounds good to you.

You might decide to look at used synthesizers, thinking you can get a better one for less money. That's possible, but you have to be even more wary here. Some instruments make finer music as they get older, but that's not true with a synthesizer. So you have to listen and look, making sure there are no uneven notes or flickering displays because of an old battery.

Especially for a studio, or for the practiced musician who also composes, the workstation may be the best bet. Still a synthesizer, it includes many voices, special effects, drum kits, and a sequencer. You can create studio sound with just one piece of equipment if you choose this option.

About the Author:

0 comments:

Post a Comment