NSD (New Synth Day) - Alesis Micron Content

bassman1185 · #1 01-19-2011, 07:47 AM

Last night I happened upon a guy on Craigslist who was selling his Alesis Micron. He said he needed to move it, and was asking $100. It was missing the power supply, so I was able to talk him down to $75. I just ordered a replacement power supply from Music123, so that should be here later this week.

My tentative plan is to run the Micron through the "right" channel of my Line6 M13, into one channel of my Peavey IPR1600 into one of my cabinets. That is, if I am able to actually get any "real world" use out of it.

For those of you who have Microns, is there anything I should know about it? I was skimming over the user's manual, and it seems like it would be fairly straightforward once you get the hang of it.

s_mcsleazy · #2 01-19-2011, 07:52 AM

bassman1185 · #3 01-19-2011, 07:59 AM

I'll see about snapping a couple over my lunch break.

211dave112 · #4 01-19-2011, 08:03 AM

i had one, had to sell it though when i was low on money. It's really cool once you get your head around all the functions, which can take a while. Some cool demo's on youtube. Search for one called sunset (or something like that). It's very programmable and you'll stumble across cool features once you get down to editing patches.

dalkowski · #5 01-19-2011, 08:06 AM

I would score a Micron if the price is right.

bassman1185 · #6 01-19-2011, 08:22 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by 211dave112

i had one, had to sell it though when i was low on money. It's really cool once you get your head around all the functions, which can take a while. Some cool demo's on youtube. Search for one called sunset (or something like that). It's very programmable and you'll stumble across cool features once you get down to editing patches.

Thanks for recommending that video. It's pretty sick what you can do with it. I didn't even realize that it had drum sounds or beats available. I'm definitely going to need to spend some quality time figuring out all the ins and outs of this thing.

cultrvultr · #7 01-19-2011, 09:04 AM

Do a search on tb. There is quite a bit on this synth here including links to the patch editor and instructions on processing your bass through the filters.

superbassman2000 · #8 01-19-2011, 09:10 AM

wow good price! if you don't like it, i'll give you 125 for it

bassman1185 · #9 01-19-2011, 09:39 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by superbassman2000

wow good price! if you don't like it, i'll give you 125 for it

Yeah, it's in pretty good shape, too. Kinda smells like cigarette smoke (blech) but other than that, it looks good. I just had to drop $20 on a power supply, though.

RCCollins · #10 01-19-2011, 09:45 AM

congrats - that's a GREAT deal, as these sell for 200+ all the time

the micron has a GREAT synth engine and with a little time, you can configure the control knobs to work splendidly. They keys themselves could have better aftertouch, but I doubt that will make a difference for your purposes.

The Micron can also do some wondrous things as a signal processor, and with some midi tricks i bet you could get it to "wobble" (not that you want that)

they are likely to keep dropping in price, to the point that almost any home studio should have one!

Floridabwoy · #11 01-19-2011, 09:48 AM

I just got one that I bought here on talkbass. It is unfreakin believable. I have figured out how to do the setups and I am working on figuring out how to program drums. A lot of the OEM sounds are very dance music orientated. So programing your own patches seems essential. There is software's like Hypersynth, MicronAu that you can create patches on your computer and then sysex them into the micron.

Also the FILES section of http://tech.groups.yahoo.com/group/alesis-ion/
is awesome.... they have a lot of really neat patches on there. Like synth from ELP Lucky Man, dubstep sounds, Kraftwerk sounds. I d/l a bunch of them yesterday. I just need to go get a midi->USB cable to load them.

The only thing that I am having a lot of trouble with is getting the Vocoder to work in a setup. Apparently, you have to have FX1 & FX2 set a certain way that I have not mastered.

RCCollins · #12 01-19-2011, 09:56 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Floridabwoy

I just got one that I bought here on talkbass. It is unfreakin believable. I have figured out how to do the setups and I am working on figuring out how to program drums. A lot of the OEM sounds are very dance music orientated. So programing your own patches seems essential. There is software's like Hypersynth, MicronAu that you can create patches on your computer and then sysex them into the micron.

The only thing that I am having a lot of trouble with is getting the Vocoder to work in a setup. Apparently, you have to have FX1 & FX2 set a certain way that I have not mastered.

it's too bad there isn't a definitive software editor for the micron. as for the dance-orientation, I would say that the Micron is far LESS dancey than, say, the similarly priced Roland synths. The Micron does "analog modelling" splendidly as well as abstract digital-synth sounds that analog synths can't do (or can;t do well), has a large number of incredible filter models, and a REALLY BITCHIN batch of phaser options. The Micron EXCELS at abstract, non-dancey electronic sounds - you just have to get into the patch editing a bit.

As far as the vocoder goes, you will basically have to set the envelopes to indefinite hold and hit a key when you begin - at least that's how it worked for me. I DO wish the micron had a standard "hold" switch

Floridabwoy · #13 01-19-2011, 10:01 AM

When I use the Vocoder in a setup, i hear the sound of the underlying vocoder instrument, not the silence like when you are in the programs mode. Not a problem with latching.

superbassman2000 · #14 01-19-2011, 10:39 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Floridabwoy

I just got one that I bought here on talkbass. It is unfreakin believable. I have figured out how to do the setups and I am working on figuring out how to program drums. A lot of the OEM sounds are very dance music orientated. So programing your own patches seems essential. There is software's like Hypersynth, MicronAu that you can create patches on your computer and then sysex them into the micron.

Also the FILES section of http://tech.groups.yahoo.com/group/alesis-ion/
is awesome.... they have a lot of really neat patches on there. Like synth from ELP Lucky Man, dubstep sounds, Kraftwerk sounds. I d/l a bunch of them yesterday. I just need to go get a midi->USB cable to load them.

The only thing that I am having a lot of trouble with is getting the Vocoder to work in a setup. Apparently, you have to have FX1 & FX2 set a certain way that I have not mastered.

if i get a micron, i'd like to try out this editing software
http://www.midictrl.com/