Do big name producers still use hardware synths?

[SupaSandeep]

Hey guys, I'm a noob here but love the idea of this forum!

I try to watch/research what the big name guys use as much as possible... A lot of videos online as well vids such as Future Music's "In the Studio With..." series and I can't help but wonder about the hardware synths in these guys' studios... Some videos like Funkagenda's & D. Ramirez's ones show them actually using their hardware and talking about them, but others like the video i posted below don't even mention it.

In the vid below, Chris Lake has a whole track and shows him using nothing but VST's, while he uses a prophet 08' as just the controller, I also see a Virus TI, Nord, & Moog Voyager in the rack as well that aren't touched... I'm kinda confused why you would have so much expensive (what I see is about $10K) worth of newer synths lying around, but then swear by soft synths. Deamau5's studio also showed a lot of newer hardware synths, but he claims to swear by soft synths too.

So what gives? Why spend so much money in synths and not use them? or do they just use them, but not admit to it in the videos so they save their studio secrets? I'm from the soft synth generation and tried to get into some hardware units later on, but it's too much of a hassle. I settled w/ a Virus TI which kinda gives me the best of both worlds, but I've seen enuff to know why a Moog costs a couple thousand whereas a soft synth is a couple hundred...

Anywho, I'd love some insight on this matter.


http://www.youtube.com/v/h_r-gCJICng&amp

[TheSqueezer]

Like Joris Voorn said on his In The Studio: I look at my hardware and i get inspiration...
Joris admited that didnt used hardware, he only had it to inspire him...weird..

Some big producers use hardware, others use software, others use a mix of both and some of them use the hardware to nail the sound they really want and them emulate it on the software version cause its more easy to automate and control.
Important thing..you dont need hardware to make good music, or a really expensive vst...!!
Theres a diference on the warmth of the sound between an analogue hardware and a soft synth, but only very well trained ears can figure it out..and as years pass by its becoming more easy to acheive a hardware analogue sound with a soft synth. So you ask, ´´why people buy hardware if they can buy software and do the same with more possibilities?`` The answer is FEELING! touching the knobs and faders, playing the keyboard while messing around with the wheel...turning the wrong knob and get a wicked sound..using both hands to control whats coming out..thats the spirit behind hardware.

[djArtwerks]

...The answer is FEELING! touching the knobs and faders, playing the keyboard while messing around with the wheel...turning the wrong knob and get a wicked sound..using both hands to control whats coming out..thats the spirit behind hardware.


Amen, brother!:D
Hardware makes me feel all warm and fuzzy inside. Truly visceral.

[jon_fisher]

These days i don't really worry about what other producers are using, if you get caught up in what everyone else thinks are great bits of hardware or software you could end up with a studio full of gear you don't really want or have no idea how to use. if you're a noob then its best to keep things simple, learn the basics and most important learn what you like and what you want from your studio.

the best thing to do is take a day trip out to one of the big music stores and play around with the hardware you are interested in or try and find a place that rents equipment. find what works for you, try not to be persuaded by reviews or sale's men. sales men are there to make you think you can't do with out it and the score in a review is usually dependent or how big the advert in a magazine the company has paid for.