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Average rating:
4.3 out of 5
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i'm really starting to love this thing! this is my second review of this synth, and everyday i get on it... i start to love it a little more. yeah the sounds could be better, but for a beginner like myself... it's perfect!
i'm still learning about creating music, and this synth is right in front of me leading the way!
it may not be for everyone... and pros that can afford the big shit... more flunkin' power to ya... but stop knockin' it around!
picture this... a newbie goes out and buys himself a D-50 or JV-1080.... whanna know what? that newbie is funked! what the hell is a newbie 'sposed to do with that?
GREAT PLACE TO START!!!!!!!
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I've had the 305 for about a year now and use it as a controller for my rig of 6 other synths, and a sampler. The 8 channel thing is a pain, but you can easily have your sequencer echo the midi to another channel. They keys are solid, but the pitch bender sucks, having so much play on either side of the center. Most sounds in it seem to me, that they were either programmed to be universal, or very targeted. Tho, editing the sonuds in the 305 is very easy. There are enough knobs to keep tweak freaks happy, and enough strange wav's and effects to keep programming junky's happy also. Add some EQ around 100htz and this thing goes boom.
The sequencer is also the easiest I've ever used. It blows away any other software, hardware, or onboard I've ever played with. You can literally sit down at this thing, and reproduce a song you heard on the radio, or a strange idea in your head in about 2 minutes. Dump it to cakewalk a week later, develop it, send it back to the 305, and then take it live. You can really warp a sound in realtime, and can totally change the arrangement of a pattern in seconds. All of the effects sync automatically, so most of the repetetive stuff is done for you. If you need something to start you out, this is the board to do it with. Couple with it a sampler, and maybe some modules, and it's still usefull years to come.
james Impulse productions, Daytona Beach remove the REMOVEME from my address to email.
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I'm a proud owner of a 305 who wants to add my two cents to the big "groove gear" debate. I once owned a MPC2000 and traded it in towards a 305 and a Proteus 2000. I also have an ASR-X for sampling. Like many out there, I've owned various keyboards, modules, and drum machines over the years, but to me the 305 is the best drum machine I have owned(yes, I said drum machine). My point is with the 305 you have 61 velocity-sensitive keys(pads)available at once(no switching between pad banks)and the sensitivity of the keys is changable(no calibration of pad sensitivity on the MPC). On the 305 you can go in and out of record mode to audition sounds and change tracks to add bass lines etc while the pattern is still looping(total creative freedom). I know on the 305 you have limited tracks and midi channels, but I do hip-hop, R&B, and dance music(listen to the radio)a slammin beat, maybe a bass line and a few other tracks for melody and noises a that's it! Sequences are easy to save (no disks, zips...) I've read some hostile comments about groove gear having "cheesy presets" and not being for original artists, but every drum machine I owned had preset patterns that doesn't mean I'm forced to use them, if the sounds are there, I can use them how I choose. The drums and other sounds in the 305 are made for hip-hop, techno, and other dance styles. Most keyboards must offer a cross section of all types of musical styles(rock,pop,jazz,country)which is a waste of memory if you create dance music. The drum sounds on the 305 are totally alterable(filters, effects, ASDR)and the pattern sequencer is just like on a drum machine only you can add bass, keyboards, sound effects,etc. If my comments don't make any sense to you, please let me know. I can take it! Thanks.
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Just got mine this week...So far it's a pretty nice machine with great edit-able sounds to add to my "arsenal." However, I found that the "Value" knob is quite loose, and can be "popped" off easily. Is this a problem on all models, or did I get a 'dud?' For now, I'll give it a five, because of all the great sounds and good price...
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Very nice. Lightweight, plenty of sounds, sequencer, arpeggiator, SmartMedia. I like this as a songwriting tool. An idea can be whipped up in an instant. It has enough traditional sounds and drum sounds to sequence in any style. It's marketed heavily towards dance, house, electronic, techno but that doesn't mean you can't use it for any style you choose. You can get bogged down in sound editing and tweaking, but I prefer to work on the song. If Trent Reznor had used it on a record, everyone would have bought one. It's not the equipment, it's the person using it. If you think that true professionals stay away from inexpensive gear, you're wrong. This keyboard could be used in any professional setting. Professionals don't judge a good song by which synthesizer was used, and for that matter the buying public doesn't know whether you used a Fairlight or a $39 Casio. So there.
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