MS2000 or Alesis Ion for hip hop

Q

Quiet Storm

Guest
I had the alesis ion for a few weeks and I didn't like it a whole lot. Maybe it's because I was unexperienced with analog synths, but I can sense it has alot of potential. It was the lcd screen that upset me. I was wondering if the alesis ion has any type of advantage over the korg ms 2000B? I know both of em could do well but which one do you guys think is the strongest performer in the genre of hip hop? And i mostly make dark moody type beats, not upbeat dance music. Yall know what Im talkin about?
 
korg has dope ass sound. but it always sound kinda sameish (well, in a good way) and i think is great for the sound you want (to cover bass and noise) or maybe you should try with rompler. also, get fx box for ion and you will feel lot better about it.
 
Rizman, I was looking for an effect box for the ion. What do you recommend ?
 
i use vst when producing and behringer virtualizer with phat boy knob box for live act. if i had more money at the time i would buy tc electronics box .
 
I was looking at the TM300 (I think) for $200 to go on the end and use the wave platinum bundle I have for further processing
 
You should've learned how to program the Ion. It is THE best VA for hip-hop. It is miles ahead of the Korg. It is no comparision. The Ion is a hot synth. Should've stuck with it. Once you learn to program, you'll regret getting rid of the Ion. Start with a freebie software synth like the Synth1 to learn the basics of subtractive synthesis...and then make your purchase decision after you have gained experience.
 
^^^
Agreed, the only synth I like as much as the Ion is the Nord Lead.
 
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yeah, i had no idea how to program the ion. All I could get from it were these high pitched robotic sounds, which were a little annoying, and they didn't "inspire" me. Im real careful before I buy something, so I might just save up and get that new virus. Im sure i cant go wrong with that. The triton extreme was a good choice, but the presets get a little repetetive. You can make good music with it, but im looking to expand my studio, and I dont want more of the same. I need something different, like a synth. Im gonna sell my mpc. It seems a little useless right now. Im good with the keyboards though. My fingers seem to flow more easily over the keys than they do the mpc. I was so close to buying the ion today but all that was left was the floor model. I think i'll just save a couple thou, and buy the access virus with the keys. I only want the best.
 
Quiet Storm said:
yeah, i had no idea how to program the ion. All I could get from it were these high pitched robotic sounds, which were a little annoying, and they didn't "inspire" me. Im real careful before I buy something, so I might just save up and get that new virus. Im sure i cant go wrong with that. The triton extreme was a good choice, but the presets get a little repetetive. You can make good music with it, but im looking to expand my studio, and I dont want more of the same. I need something different, like a synth. Im gonna sell my mpc. It seems a little useless right now. Im good with the keyboards though. My fingers seem to flow more easily over the keys than they do the mpc. I was so close to buying the ion today but all that was left was the floor model. I think i'll just save a couple thou, and buy the access virus with the keys. I only want the best.

Ummm....if you couldn't program the Ion, then there is no way in hell you will be able to program the Virus.

In my opinion, the Ion actually sounds better and is better suited for reproducing the vintage timbres found in hip hop songs (plus it sports a more accessible interface than that of the Virus). The only advantage of the Virus is polyphony, but how many synth voices does a hip hop track really need?

Seriously though, I wouldnt recommend buying ANYTHING until you get the basics of subtractive synthesis down. I would strongly recommend looking over Gordon Reid's "Synth Secrets" articles, which can be found here:

http://www.soundonsound.com/search?...reid&session=19bfff7551430bb041ff4e06102cde70

After you read some of those, practice a little bit with a free synth like Synth1 or , better yet, the free G2 demo. This will really give you a better idea of what kinds of features you want in a synth.

Plus, if you REALLY want the "best" synth for hip hop, you should be looking into an Alesis Andromeda.
 
i was tryin to get someone in guitar center to teach me about synths but the only thing they were concerned about was tryin to sell me stuff. It's funny though because I only go in there to look at stuff, and then I turn my back on em and get it tax free off the internet.lol. But i'll take a second look at the alesis for sure. Someone mentioned gettin the moss board for my triton extreme which sounds like a good idea.
 
Quiet Storm said:
i was tryin to get someone in guitar center to teach me about synths but the only thing they were concerned about was tryin to sell me stuff. It's funny though because I only go in there to look at stuff, and then I turn my back on em and get it tax free off the internet.lol. But i'll take a second look at the alesis for sure. Someone mentioned gettin the moss board for my triton extreme which sounds like a good idea.

The people in Guitar Center don't make good teachers. Or anyone from any music store, for that matter. They just want you to buy their equipment. And you don't learn in one sitting. Try the advices given to you in this thread, or get a book on synth programming. It will take some time to learn and a lot of practice.
 
I kow what youre sayin, thats why I love this site so much. Iv'e learned almoest everything I know from here.
 
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