To: analogue@hyperreal.org,
From: Horton horton.andrew@gmail.com,
cc:
Subject: [AH] Modern shit is too expensive.
Date: Mon, 18 Feb 2008 15:23:26 -0600

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I don't want this to be a manifesto - that will come laster - but
modern analog gear is too expensive. It's too "boutique." It's
inflated in price and it's inaccessible to the people on the
ground-level, the hungry people that are actually out there making
great music and who are in need of quality gear but instead use
Microkorgs and VSTi's.

I looked at one of these modern modular manufacturers the other day,
and this nigga had an oscillator for $800. I laughed out loud at my
desk. I'm sure some middle-aged Emerson fan will enjoy buying it and
not making art with it, hoarding it in his rec room.

Somebody needs to make a line of functional and attractive modern
synthesizers and noisemakers that are cheap and accessible to artists
and musicians. I'm talking small, fun, cute, and maniacal, and still
cheap. I'm talking basic 555 IC's-->LM386 designs with touch places,
photocells, 1/8" patch points. 40106's. Everything runs on 9V
batteries. Cute and professionally-manufactured cases and panels, and
it all comes in for like $100 or $150 for a little hex-schmitt synth
with a few knobs and a one-octave touch keybaord. I'm talking NOS
membrane buttons.

The first person to do this and do it well will make a ton of money
and earn the respect of all of the ground-level foot soldiers out
there that are alienated by $800 oscillators, $1,000 empty cases with
power supplies that have to be ordered from Europe, and $2500
"minimoog old schools." They're sick of $750 SH-101's on Ebay.

I'd do this if I wasn't more concerned with making music and had some
startup cash.

AH