KVR Audio

wagtunes · Post by **wagtunes** » Sun May 31, 2015 1:46 am

Apostate wrote:
sfd wrote:When I compare my list with most others here I realize that you guys are really professionals with all those very advanced and expensive synths. Myself I'm only an amateur hobbyists. In case any one wonder why I added some freebies.
Nothing wrong with freebies, I actually sold my Phoscyon because I like Venom better. I run my X16 nearly as much as my XILS 4.

True, there are freebies that are nowhere near their paid for counterparts, but more often than not you'll find a one trick pony that does that one trick fantastically well. And it seems the freebies get better all the time.

One of the greatest free synths ever made was Sonigen Modular. And Synth1 is no slouch either.

Just listen to their OSCs.

ImNotDedYet · Post by **ImNotDedYet** » Sun May 31, 2015 3:05 am

wagtunes wrote:
Apostate wrote:
sfd wrote:When I compare my list with most others here I realize that you guys are really professionals with all those very advanced and expensive synths. Myself I'm only an amateur hobbyists. In case any one wonder why I added some freebies.
Nothing wrong with freebies, I actually sold my Phoscyon because I like Venom better. I run my X16 nearly as much as my XILS 4.

True, there are freebies that are nowhere near their paid for counterparts, but more often than not you'll find a one trick pony that does that one trick fantastically well. And it seems the freebies get better all the time.
One of the greatest free synths ever made was Sonigen Modular. And Synth1 is no slouch either.

Just listen to their OSCs.

Synth1 is amazing. You could do a whole lot sonically with just that.

As to synths sounding the same...I can see the cat's point. I can't hear it, but I could see how someone could have that perspective because a synth's primary sound comes from its filter and oscillators - especially the filter. I was recently being taught to solder by a fairly big-wig guy in the hardware synth world while a modular training session was going on. And this guy stopped and said, "that's my filter he's using. I know my filter's sound anywhere."

Now, in regards to pianos...they don't all sound the same! An upright sounds different from a grand, a Yamaha sounds different than a Steinway, which is different from a Fazioli, etc. Hell, the way a piano is mic'd can cause a much different sound. But there's definitely truth behind the content, but not just the content but the playing. I could play a scale and it would sound boring, but adding just a touche of rhythmic change could actually make it sound pretty cool.

So, there's some truth to all these points. But at the end of the day, if someone wants to use some lesser known stuff, good on ya. And if someone wants to use some more popular synths, good on ya. Just make the best music you can and everyone's happy.

Gonga · Post by **Gonga** » Sun May 31, 2015 3:29 am

MarlaPodolski wrote:Reading most of the lists here explains perfectly why so many members here and why so much new music containing synths sounds so SAME-Y, so boringly alike..

So I guess you listen to "so many members here?"

Gonga · Post by **Gonga** » Sun May 31, 2015 3:33 am

Michael L · Post by **Michael L** » Sun May 31, 2015 4:26 am

I read a Japanese book on reducing clutter that said the key is to keep only those things that "evoke joy." That works for me. Some 'outdated' synths give me a great feeling with every sound (eg Tassman, Rhino, Alchemy), while new synths that are truly outstanding achievements (eg Serum, Omnisphere, PPG Wavemapper) leave my heart unmoved even though I really want them (especially Wavemapper!) I am sure it is exactly the opposite with other people.

digitalboytn · Post by **digitalboytn** » Sun May 31, 2015 4:53 am

Michael L wrote:I read a best-selling (1.5M sold) Japanese book on reducing clutter. The author Marie Kondo says the key is to only keep those things that "evoke joy." I use that to guide my synth choices.

What I like about reducing clutter is that it is not just a physical thing...

I find that it leads to clearer thinking and greater creativity...

The long lists of VST and Soft synths are a bit of a wank really

I prefer the 80-20 approach...

digitalboytn · Post by **digitalboytn** » Sun May 31, 2015 4:53 am

Double Post...

JerGoertz · Post by **JerGoertz** » Sun May 31, 2015 6:49 am

My top 2015 synths? I don't even own that many!

layzer · Post by **layzer** » Sun May 31, 2015 7:36 am

got updated this year:
Charlatan
PG8X
OXE

the rest of my CPU light babies:
M1
Z3ta+
Dune BE
Synth1
OBXD
PlastiCZ
MicroTera
Curve v0.5b
RMiV

SLiC · Post by **SLiC** » Sun May 31, 2015 7:52 am

Minibrute! Hardware for software prices,(£240 +VAT) no cpu hit, one knob per function

Serum was the best for me, just love the interface and workflow and it is just getting better and better with the updates (last beta update added text to speach wavetable!)

Omni2 is deep and sounds pretty amazing, but I can't honestly say I clicked with the workflow, everything is buried in tabs and pages....the entire GUI is a bit dated realy.

kokotte · Post by **kokotte** » Sun May 31, 2015 8:07 am

Ace
Bazille
Cycle
Dune2
Electra2
Harmor
Zebra2

goldenanalog · Post by **goldenanalog** » Sun May 31, 2015 9:59 am

wagtunes · Post by **wagtunes** » Sun May 31, 2015 11:23 am

Let me touch on the whole "synths sounding the same" argument.

You really have to dive into sound design to see that they don't. Make about 250-350 patches for a particular synth day after day for a month and then when you're done, start working on another synth.

It will stun you to hear how different they sound and how frustrating it can be to get certain sounds out of synth B that were so easy with synth A. I am having that problem right now programming a library for Blue II after just finishing one for Omni 2. Trust me, those synths sound nothing alike. Each one excels at something above the other.

And I have found this to be true for the 8 libraries I have done so far, with Z3ta+2 and Dune 2 really showing me how different synths can sound.

The reason people don't hear it is because they're not trained to hear it. Everything becomes more or less a blur to them and I blame that on the music, not the synths. And that's simply because a lot of people are TRYING to sound the same in order to conform to the sound that they think the public wants to hear.

In other words, blame the musicians, not the synths.

sfd · Post by **sfd** » Sun May 31, 2015 11:29 am

Regarding thigs sounding the same.
To some extent I think that's true.

All those threads, questions, requests and devotion to the sounds of the past - the 80s ( for instance) tells us something about that.

As well as the remarks of "typhical" sounds of a certian era.

If Roland, Moog et cetera is the answer on "how to sound like tha tera", Perhaps Diva, Dune et cetera is teh answer of teh queztion on "how to sound like" another era or style.

I beleive there's a point in there...to some extent at least.

Cimbasso · Post by **Cimbasso** » Sun May 31, 2015 11:31 am

1. Omnisphere 2
2. Diva
3. Serum

Your top 2015 synthesizer list?