crazy about '70s String Synths

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redchapterjubilee
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Re: crazy about '70s String Synths

Post by redchapterjubilee » Wed Sep 09, 2015 8:28 am

I had a bandmate's SCI Prelude for a while. Was kinda fun to have but i got bored with it VERY quick. I love the sound of Solinas and I've off and on over the years bid on RS-09's but I never win. I use a VST plug-in called Stringer that does a really nice approximation (it is sample-based), good enough for my purposes.

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Re: crazy about '70s String Synths

Post by OffYourFace » Wed Sep 09, 2015 7:54 pm

I hear ya, I got bored with my OR400 at first... but what I've come to love about the Prelude/OR400/Orchestra2 is how neutral it is. I found that I can change its 'flavor' very easily with pedals, etc. to fit a song.

The Roland stuff seems to always have 'the Roland flavor'. I don't really like the RS-09.. too lo-fi for me. I liked the RS-202 but it always sounded the same. I'm eager to try the RS-505, though.

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Re: crazy about '70s String Synths

Post by mothershipzeta » Thu Sep 10, 2015 10:32 am

So you say the rs09 is lofi? Hmmm.

Im currently in the process of selling my mopho keyboard after i concluded, that i need poly and i need string(ish). Recently i got to play around with a friends yamaha sk20 and it was magnificent, so its one candidate, but the other one i was thinking about is the rs09 and i cant help but notice how much it gets mentioned ib this thread..

So whats the consensus on them? Can they still be had for relatively cheap or the analog hype infected these as well?
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Re: crazy about '70s String Synths

Post by OffYourFace » Thu Sep 10, 2015 6:58 pm

the RS-09 can be found for cheap. A lot of people like it. I don't hate it but it's not something I found suited for my songs. Lo-Fi might not be the best term.
The Siel OR400 is lo-fi but in a different way. The RS-09 is "Roland Lo-Fi". It sounds more '80s synth-y and organ-y than "lush" strings to me.
This is the best demo I found on YT: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nNdSjUi6Tzo" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

It sounds better there than I remember trying it... the other demos I listened to are terrible. There are no good demos of the OR400 on youtube... not that i've seen anyway. There are so many BAD synth demos on youtube. It's like if you played a '59 gold guard jazzmaster through a $100 Fender solid state amp and put it up there as a gear demo. WTF?
Like this ??? https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6hYxISU7RDk" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;


Oh and I tried a Moog Opus 3 today... Nope, not what I'm looking for. It can do some cool things but I didn't like it.

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Re: crazy about '70s String Synths

Post by eggwheat » Fri Sep 11, 2015 2:54 am

OffYourFace wrote:the RS-09 can be found for cheap. A lot of people like it. I don't hate it but it's not something I found suited for my songs. Lo-Fi might not be the best term.
The Siel OR400 is lo-fi but in a different way. The RS-09 is "Roland Lo-Fi". It sounds more '80s synth-y and organ-y than "lush" strings to me.
This is the best demo I found on YT: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nNdSjUi6Tzo" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

It sounds better there than I remember trying it... the other demos I listened to are terrible. There are no good demos of the OR400 on youtube... not that i've seen anyway. There are so many BAD synth demos on youtube. It's like if you played a '59 gold guard jazzmaster through a $100 Fender solid state amp and put it up there as a gear demo. WTF?
Like this https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6hYxISU7RDk" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;


Oh and I tried a Moog Opus 3 today... Nope, not what I'm looking for. It can do some cool things but I didn't like it.
Yeh, that,s a good description of the RS-09...it's not really lush...it's icy and thin sounding...which is still cool for some stuff. Also it's very reliable and portable, so great for taking out on the road.

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Re: crazy about '70s String Synths

Post by redchapterjubilee » Fri Sep 11, 2015 5:27 am

I don't think they're cheap anymore. It's hard to find one in good working condition for less than $400. It's hard to believe there was a time that I wouldn't buy one until I could find it under $100! (I came close several time 15 years ago when I first went synth crazy.) The RS-09 is more, I dunno, gauzy. It's a product of the Roland chorus so I find that it sounds to me more like the Junos than the warbly warmth of the '70s stringers. But I like the Roland sound (I have a 106) so I don't find that to be a fault. But if you want that Solina/ARP string ensemble thing it doesn't do it.

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Re: crazy about '70s String Synths

Post by mothershipzeta » Sat Sep 19, 2015 1:09 am

Ok, after listening to some demos, including the one you linked, I found the somewhat glassy piercing sound of the rs09 is not for me. A friend stores his non-functional siel orchestra at our rehearsal space, maybe I should take a look inside, and see if its something easily cured. I dont know much about them, are these yay or nay?
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Re: crazy about '70s String Synths

Post by Gav Haus » Sat Sep 19, 2015 1:44 am

I believe the Siel is what Portishead used for the awesome synth part at the end of Machine gun. Love that. I've just bought a Prophet 6, which doesn't really fit the brief, but can certainly make the sounds.
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Re: crazy about '70s String Synths

Post by mothershipzeta » Fri Sep 25, 2015 12:51 pm

Gav Haus wrote:I believe the Siel is what Portishead used for the awesome synth part at the end of Machine gun.
That would be 'The Rip', no?

Anyways, I got the dead synth home, been troubleshooting it for the past few days, and now it's working again. This was just the sound I had in my head, just enough lo-fi warmth, and ridiculously loveable sounds. I'll try to add some pics later.

Thanks OP for this thread ;)
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Re: crazy about '70s String Synths

Post by Gav Haus » Fri Sep 25, 2015 2:07 pm

Nope, Machine Gun
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Re: crazy about '70s String Synths

Post by mothershipzeta » Sat Sep 26, 2015 12:46 pm

Yeah, you're right, that's an orchestra 2, but I'm pretty sure the arpeggio in the second half of The Rip where the drums come in is the piano sound of an orchestra 1.

Anyways, some pics of the above mentioned one:
Image
Image

Needed new filter caps, fuses, housing of the mains fuse, volume pot (temprarily a rotary pot - anyone knows where to source the sliders?), and a thorough cleaning.
I love it dearly.
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Re: crazy about '70s String Synths

Post by OffYourFace » Fri Oct 09, 2015 8:56 am

Forgot about this thread. Congrats! Re: Portishead and Machine gun, it's a Siel Orchesrta 1. I have the same synth but it's called the ARP Quartet.

What size pot did you use for you Siel's volume pot?? I replaced my slider with a 10k and it doesn't work right. The schematic shows a 10k but I think it's wrong. Maybe it's a 100k??

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Re: crazy about '70s String Synths

Post by mothershipzeta » Fri Oct 09, 2015 11:35 pm

Hey, I based my repairs on the Quartet's schematic and I used the recommanded value 10k audio (log) pot for the volume.

I am not sure what's causing your problem, I'll consult the schematic again and get back to you.
In the meantime I am in contact with a guy who's an expert on these and may have a stash of original sliders, I'll PM you with the details.
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Re: crazy about '70s String Synths

Post by maximee » Fri Oct 30, 2015 9:49 am

Hello folks, has anybody of you experience with a Korg Lambda ES-50 string machine?
I got offered one and was wondering if any of you have hands on experience...

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Re: crazy about '70s String Synths

Post by OffYourFace » Mon Nov 09, 2015 8:36 pm

maximee wrote:Hello folks, has anybody of you experience with a Korg Lambda ES-50 string machine?
I got offered one and was wondering if any of you have hands on experience...
I've never played one but it seems to get good reviews. There's a few demos on youtube.

http://www.vintagesynth.com/korg/lambda.php" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

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