How would one integrate synthesizers into their music?

[The BurgerMeister]

I'm enjoying this thread while listening to The Soft Bulletin by The Flaming Lips. A great example of electronic/synthesized + analog/organic instruments being used simultaneously, plus lots of creative sonic manipulation. And great mixes where you can hear everything clearly. Recommended!

Also the album California by Mr. Bungle. Excellent stuff! Not to mention, amazing bass playing and amazing musicianship all around!

Definitely out there, but maybe along the lines of what you're asking about. Have fun and don't let no one stop you!

 

[Frank Tuesday]

Its not though. Its a electronic device making electronic noises for electronic music. That's what I'd call a hat trick. Am I human and want to hear a human interact with an instrument with human emotions conveyed through that instrument. I also can't think of anything more boring that watching someone dicker around with a synth or drum machine on stage.
There isn't a single thing a DJ does that I like, so that's really not a good argument for me. At best they are audio engineers, not musicians.

Those are just my feelings on the subject.

It's fine to not like synthesizers, but from your writings, I'm not convinced you understand what synths are. What does a DJ have to do with playing synths in a band setting?

This is a synth player on a Moog:

 

[Frank Tuesday]

All that they can do is jump while pressing the buttons.

Pressing the buttons. That's like saying a bass player is wiggling the strings. Or a drummer is rattling the heads.

 

[socialleper]

It's fine to not like synthesizers, but from your writings, I'm not convinced you understand what synths are. What does a DJ have to do with playing synths in a band setting?

This is a synth player on a Moog:

I know what a synthesizer is. I grew up in the 80s, believe me, I know. Someone else brought up DJs in terms of drum machines\sequencers, which I know aren't keyboards.
The correlation is that they are electronic devices. To my ear, for my preference as a consumer and producer of music, they are cold, empty, and tend to be noodling or dated sounding. For instance, the clip you posted is super dated to my ear. It sounds like something from an 80s porn soundtrack. Throw some sax, a hot tub, and some cocaine in there and you are all set.
Again, that's just me.

 

[socialleper]

Pressing the buttons. That's like saying a bass player is wiggling the strings. Or a drummer is rattling the heads.

Not quite.
The act of playing a guitar or bass allows for movement, which is entertaining to watch. Drums are stationary, but the drummer is very mobile.
Synths, sequencers, and drum machines are small, stationary devices that impossible to make look cool. If you try moving around with one you end up with the keytar. [I think I just threw up in my mouth a little.] If you try to play the keys with any sort of energy you kinda end up looking dopey like this yahoo:

 

[Luke19Boarder]

I know what a synthesizer is. I grew up in the 80s, believe me, I know. Someone else brought up DJs in terms of drum machines\sequencers, which I know aren't keyboards.
The correlation is that they are electronic devices. To my ear, for my preference as a consumer and producer of music, they are cold, empty, and tend to be noodling or dated sounding. For instance, the clip you posted is super dated to my ear. It sounds like something from an 80s porn soundtrack. Throw some sax, a hot tub, and some cocaine in there and you are all set.
Again, that's just me.

Dude, we get it. You don't like synths. Why are you still in this thread?

 

[socialleper]

I must say, I agree with a lot of what you say. Can you please mention some of the bands that you've seen on the talk shows (Despite having cable in my house, I watch Netflix and Hulu about 98% percent of the time). The bands which have picked my interest are Foster the People and Metric. They implement both synths and organic instruments both on stage and on recordings. I will agree that watching someone play a synth live is a bit boring because they can't exactly move around the stage or do much. All that they can do is jump while pressing the buttons. Nonetheless, the sounds that they are getting out of those weird boxes is interesting

Sadly I can't give you any names. I usually can't make it through a whole performance of one of these Urban Outfitter scarecrow bands and then I buffer the information from my head.
However, I can't believe I didn't think of this before. Roddy Bottom of Faith No More is a serious pillar of that band, and I'd say contributes more to their unique sound than the guitar does. His playing is brilliantly blended into the music without be wanky, sackless, or annoying.


Prog band Riverside does a pretty good job with their synths despite having the slightly dated sound that tends to follow around a lot of prog bands.


This local LA band Sugar Fly uses them pretty well, but they are pretty far back in the mix.

 

[Frank Tuesday]

Not quite.
The act of playing a guitar or bass allows for movement, which is entertaining to watch. Drums are stationary, but the drummer is very mobile.
Synths, sequencers, and drum machines are small, stationary devices that impossible to make look cool. If you try moving around with one you end up with the keytar. [I think I just threw up in my mouth a little.] If you try to play the keys with any sort of energy you kinda end up looking dopey like this yahoo:

It is harder to make a spectacle of yourself on keys than other rock instruments, but not impossible.

 

[FilterFunk]

Its not though. Its a electronic device making electronic noises for electronic music. That's what I'd call a hat trick. Am I human and want to hear a human interact with an instrument with human emotions conveyed through that instrument. I also can't think of anything more boring that watching someone dicker around with a synth or drum machine on stage.
There isn't a single thing a DJ does that I like, so that's really not a good argument for me. At best they are audio engineers, not musicians.

Those are just my feelings on the subject.

For me, the problem is you're equating synth, which in most cases is merely a keyboard that generates various tones, with programmed, push-button music.

If you just don't like the sound of any synth, that's cool, but I've never seen great keyboardists "dicker around with a synth...on stage" or anywhere else. They simply play keyboard synths - quite well and quite musically, I might add. Does the fact that they can't move around much mean that they're not worth listening to or watching?

 

[Frank Tuesday]

For me, the problem is you're equating synth, which in most cases is merely a keyboard that generates various tones, with programmed, push-button music.

If you just don't like the sound of any synth, that's cool, but I've never seen great keyboardists "dicker around with a synth...on stage" or anywhere else. They simply play keyboard synths - quite well and quite musically, I might add. Does the fact that they can't move around much mean that they're not worth listening to or watching?

I see way more (as a percentage) guitarist get on their knees in front of their large pedal boards and diddle their knobs than keyboardist that do the same.

 

[socialleper]

Does the fact that they can't move around much mean that they're not worth listening to or watching?

If we are talking about just entertainment value, yes.
Whatever the device is, someone hunched over one pressing buttons isn't fun to watch. You don't have to run around like your hair is on fire, but the size and non-appearance of the device doesn't give the audience much to look at.
If you just stand there and stare at your shoes while you play a guitar, bass, or drums, and don't give the audience any energy, people are going to get bored with that too.
We are in the business of putting on a show you know.

 

[Luke19Boarder]

Here are a bunch of live bands that I've either seen or would like to see. All utilize synths along with "traditional" instruments, and all put on a fantastic show:

 

[FilterFunk]

If we are talking about just entertainment value, yes.
Whatever the device is, someone hunched over one pressing buttons isn't fun to watch. You don't have to run around like your hair is on fire, but the size and non-appearance of the device doesn't give the audience much to look at.
If you just stand there and stare at your shoes while you play a guitar, bass, or drums, and don't give the audience any energy, people are going to get bored with that too.
We are in the business of putting on a show you know.

I see keyboard synth players who are every bit as into it as piano players. Maybe not quite as demonstrative as, say, Little Richard, Jerry Lee Lewis or Elton John (who've shown that you can put on quite a show while behind a big, stationary instrument), but the joy and energy are obviously there (Stevie Wonder is a prime example of that). Of course, some are livelier than others, but keyboard synth players aren't just "hunched over pressing buttons", not to mention the fact that many of them play and sing at the same time. They're not just staring at their shoes.

You've never seen a keyboardist put on a show?

 

[socialleper]

I see keyboard synth players who are every bit as into it as piano players. Maybe not quite as demonstrative as, say, Little Richard, Jerry Lee Lewis or Elton John (who've shown that you can put on quite a show while behind a big, stationary instrument), but the joy and energy are obviously there (Stevie Wonder is a prime example of that). Of course, some are livelier than others, but keyboard synth players aren't just "hunched over pressing buttons".

You've never seen a keyboardist put on a show?

In a more classic sense, yes. My mom took me to see Michael McDonald when I was a kid, I've seen Stevie Wonder, and I've seen Faith No More twice. I think I only saw Opeth once when they had a keyboard player. In most cases what the keys are doing is ancillary to the rest of the band.
I've seen wonderful classical and Gershwin style pianists. That's a whole different level of talent.

 

[10cc]

If we are talking about just entertainment value, yes.
Whatever the device is, someone hunched over one pressing buttons isn't fun to watch. You don't have to run around like your hair is on fire, but the size and non-appearance of the device doesn't give the audience much to look at.
If you just stand there and stare at your shoes while you play a guitar, bass, or drums, and don't give the audience any energy, people are going to get bored with that too.
We are in the business of putting on a show you know.

Sounds like your worried about what you look like. Anyhow Greg Allman just kinda sits there and god knows Derek Trucks is a stick in the mud on stage but the two have done pretty good for themselves. Not to mention all the funk bands in the day that rocked it and still do much harder then yourself I'm sure of.

DEVO

 

[10cc]

And this crowd is obviously bored as hell, probably all about to just go home.

 

[10cc]

Same scene here as well:

 

[socialleper]

Sounds like your worried about what you look like. Anyhow Greg Allman just kinda sits there and god knows Derek Trucks is a stick in the mud on stage but the two have done pretty good for themselves. Not to mention all the funk bands in the day that rocked it and still do much harder then yourself I'm sure of.

DEVO

Any band that doesn't want to be forgotten cares what they look like. That's kinda musician 101. Be entertaining. If you aren't going to give the audience any energy then why should they come see you live?

Not to mention all the funk bands in the day that rocked it and still do much harder then yourself I'm sure of.

You don't know $#!+ about me or my music. Keep your arbitrary musings to yourself.

 

[10cc]

I've heard of those other guys and not your music. So that says a lot right there.

 

[eb0248]

Its not though. Its a electronic device making electronic noises for electronic music. That's what I'd call a hat trick. Am I human and want to hear a human interact with an instrument with human emotions conveyed through that instrument. I also can't think of anything more boring that watching someone dicker around with a synth or drum machine on stage.
There isn't a single thing a DJ does that I like, so that's really not a good argument for me. At best they are audio engineers, not musicians.

Those are just my feelings on the subject.

Umm.....synth players and "DJs" are not even in the same ballpark, IMO