KVR Audio

oniram · Post by **oniram** » Mon Sep 22, 2014 11:03 pm

Hi guys, it's my first time here. I am an expert programmer but most of my experience is on hardware. Now, for one particular teaching situation, I need suggestions for a softsynth (I know a few, but none matches all these requirements).

Here's what I would need:

Analog-style, 3 oscillators per voice.
PWM at least on impulse/square.
Sync, ring mod.
Some form of FM welcome.
Multimode filter. 2 Filters welcome.
3 envs. 3 LFOs.
A freely assignable matrix-mod with at least 10 slots and good capabilities (for example, modulating single envelope segments, etc.)
A clear 'front panel' screen would be a bonus.
Stand-alone preferred, but VST or other OK.

Now the important part: As this is for teaching purposes only, a great/pro sound quality is *not* required. For this task, it would be better having more features to demontrate to students rather than pro audio quality.
It might strike you as a bit bizarre, but wait until you read the next requirement:
As cheap as possible. Free would be best.

I've searched a bit, and found a few synths which come close, but none with *all* the features I listed.

Any ideas?
Thanks in advance!!

Halma · Post by **Halma** » Mon Sep 22, 2014 11:43 pm

Propellerheads THOR for iOS. Below 15 bucks. IIRC it only has two LFOs but everything else you mentioned plus more like: wavetable osc, multi osc, hard/softsync, AM, formant filter, comb filter, chorus, delay, a waveshaper, a pretty sick step sequencer, modmatrix, different osc/filter routings, voice and global envelopes with some nice twists... . And some more plus you can use the "THOR Demystified" tutorials from their site which covers some nice stuff

I can only recommend it. I used it in Reason for years and it taught me most of my synthesis roots. You can do mostly everything. Thx to the modmatrix. Though I have not used it on an Ipad.

Cheers
Sebastian

ImNotDedYet · Post by **ImNotDedYet** » Mon Sep 22, 2014 11:57 pm

Zebra2

oniram · Post by **oniram** » Tue Sep 23, 2014 12:40 am

Halma wrote:Propellerheads THOR for iOS.

Thanks Sebastian. Thor seems very well designed, almost overkill for my needs! However, the platform could definitely be a problem.
Anything for PC coming to mind?

oniram · Post by **oniram** » Tue Sep 23, 2014 12:44 am

ImNotDedYet wrote:Zebra2

Thanks for your suggestion, Zebra is a great synth, but *definitely* overkill and too expensive for my purposes.

bmrzycki · Post by **bmrzycki** » Tue Sep 23, 2014 12:45 am

ImNotDedYet wrote:Zebra2

+1

You can add as few or as many modules you want, starting the class with a very simple 1 OSC -> 1 Filter design to a complex OSC + FM + multi-filter array. I've been learning with it since 2006 and it's still my favorite synth.

EDIT: Just saw your last post. I'll say it's not cheap but it's definitely a tool that will stay with you.

Gone soft · Post by **Gone soft** » Tue Sep 23, 2014 1:13 am

Vember Audio Surge has most of this, but doesn't do modulation routings through a conventional modulation matrix and 99 € (EU) / 99 $ (non-EU) may not be cheap enough for you.There's 3 oscs, self-sync within each oscillator in "classic" mode but not the usual sync from another oscillator (a sub osc is used as source), 2 multimode filters (parallell or serial or RM), a few choices for RM and FM routings between oscillators, a width parameter pretty much corresponding to PWM (adjusts phase of dual saws when shape is set to saw), 6 polyphonic and 6 global "scene" LFOs that can function as envelopes etc. It's the closest I could think of, but the lack of a modulation matrix and the excistence of a virtual price tag might be deal breakers for your purpose.

User manual

All the free ones I can think of offers "only" 2 oscillators.

layzer · Post by **layzer** » Tue Sep 23, 2014 1:16 am

check out brainstormer:

one less lfo and env, but seems to fit everything else + its free

http://roazhondsp.storm-mastering.com/

hollo · Post by **hollo** » Tue Sep 23, 2014 1:24 am

I would also say Zebra2, but if is too much for you check out the new Serum.
It's what you asked for:

2 +sub +noise Osc, 3 Env, 4LFO, 1 filter + 1 filter in the Fx section.
Little Fm, Am, Wavetables.
Easy and visual drag and drop modulations + a Mod matrix.

To teach anybody it would be the ideal tool as i never seen such a logical, visual and inviting
ui before.
I guess it will set a new standard.
Intro prize.

JonSolo · Post by **JonSolo** » Tue Sep 23, 2014 1:46 am

Spire comes to mind...from a point of view. I am not a programmer so I am not sure it meets the criteria you have listed.

Zebra is DEFINITELY at the top but is overkill. I just got Serum, and it is wavetable so I am not sure if this fits your design. You could always go with Reaktor and create exactly what you are looking for, heh.

Jon

BBFG# · Post by **BBFG#** » Tue Sep 23, 2014 2:00 am

For less than a hundred, Tone 2 Saurus.

https://www.tone2.com/html/saurus%20syn ... %20au.html

Seems to fit most of your criteria.

Of course, if soft is the most important part, take your pick from these:

http://technabob.com/blog/2011/11/11/sy ... tmachines/

oniram · Post by **oniram** » Tue Sep 23, 2014 2:37 am

Thanks everybody for the suggestions.

Maybe I should clarify those criteria a little bit: The reason why I really need those features is because we have worked for a whole year with an Alesis Ion. Of course, during this time the students couldn't practice at home on the same machine that they had at the lessons. So, in an attempt to unify things a little more, we thought to decide on a softsynth that everybody should buy, and use that for home practice and discuss the patches made by everyone during the week...

We came to a rather advanced level, so I'd like for them to build on what they studied already, rather than learn a new architecture, perhaps with less features.

So I would need a synth with the same approximate basic architecture of the Ion, which is (more or less) the one I described.
Also, I need it cheap because everybody in the group is supposed to buy it. Of course, once we settle on a product, I'll try to obtain a discount with a group buy.

Anyway that's why I really need those three oscs, three envs and three LFOs, etc.

(please refer to the list). Ion also has PW on the saw and sine waves, but this is a rather rare feature on any synth.

A couple of your suggestions came rather close. I'm sure, however, that there's something around which matches all these requirements perfectly.
Repeat, great sound quality is not essential for this application. Keep them coming, please!

Thanks again

arkmabat · Post by **arkmabat** » Tue Sep 23, 2014 2:39 am

DUNE BE is free and starts to fill the reqs. I'm not sure exactly of all the details. Give it a try. I'm thinking it may be the best free synth.

BBFG# · Post by **BBFG#** » Tue Sep 23, 2014 2:54 am

Might help to know the maximum price you would want to set for this?

BDeep · Post by **BDeep** » Tue Sep 23, 2014 5:27 am

I don't know if a mod matrix is the requirement, or the ability to make modulation connections. If the latter, try FAW Circle, it doesn't use a mod matrix but instead works with drag/drop. Oh and I realise now, has 5 slots for individually selectable envelopes or LFO's, so not 3 by 3... hmmmm. It is only €50 though.
Another option might be Cakewalk's Z3ta.

Suggest a soft synth