How many synthesizer are enough?

[MarlaPodolski]

... it's a matter of love ...

There we go. That probably should be all there is to it.

Of course, I do retire and dismiss some softsynths about as easily as I've got rid of certain loser boyfriends. Serum came along, it was true love, so, yes, my Sylenth1 was finally consigned to the archive folder, which is right next to the former Bf folder on my main storage disk. Even Spire right now is tottering on the edge of, It's time to move on .. we're just not right for each other anymore .. I need to grow .. I'm sure you understand .. No, I don't think we should text anymore, either. Have a nice life ....

[DJ Warmonger]

I thought that 1 synth give me 1 "kind" of sound... so, a minimum of one very good synth by kind of "tech" :
- 1 of the best synth for subtractive synthesis (sound + workflow) : example -> Diva...
- 1 corresponding to FM synthesis : example -> FM8
- 1 for additive synthesis --> ...
- 1 for wave synthesis : example -> SERUM
- 1 for a mix of different synthesis : example -> ALCHEMY
- 1 for granular synthesis... etc...

Well yes, but it's not that simple. Some synths can perform more than 1 function. Some has more or less features you like - bulit-in arpeggiators, sequencers, envelopes. Built-in distorion. Sync, unison, exotic filters, layers. Sometimes you run out of modulation slots (Sylenth1, Operator).
Then, if a synth has too many features, it takes too much time to program and also consumes a lot of CPU

Some are just difficult to operate. Some are just very different. I now own Harmor and Loom - both additive synths, but their principle of operation is totally different. Both are difficult to operate / automate, but in different ways

[.jon]

Guess it depends what you use synths for.

Well, I've already discovered that they don't make very good doorstops.

I suppose jon is going to tell us what other "uses" there are, aside from the obvious of using them as the instruments they are, for making music and sounds?

Many people just collect plugins to feed their digital audio hobby, which isn't so much about making music as it is about the tech. Same thing with hardware synths, there's tons of collectors and synth tech fans out there. I'm not saying there's anything wrong with this, I love audio tech very much myself and check out new synths with joy, they just don't seem to find their way in my small setup.

Just that their synth needs differ massively from someone more focused on the music, who has found hers or his sound and established a setup to achieve those sounds.

[foosnark]

In my opinion, what is the interest in having a lot of synths in the same kind of synthesis

The kind of synthesis is not the only important thing about a synth.

My Microbrute and Atmegatron are nothing like each other except that they're both monophonic, subtractive hardware synths. They both have knobs, they both have MIDI ports and audio outputs and a power jack and there the similarity ends. There's basically zero overlap between them in terms of sound.

With less extreme examples, there can be some overlap but rarely 100%. I can probably make some similar sounds in Arcsyn and Monark for instance, but I can easily do things with Monark that aren't possible to imitate in Arcsyn and vice versa.

[MarlaPodolski]

Hi !

I thought that 1 synth give me 1 "kind" of sound... so, a minimum of one very good synth by kind of "tech" :
- 1 of the best synth for subtractive synthesis (sound + workflow) : example -> Diva...
- 1 corresponding to FM synthesis : example -> FM8
- 1 for additive synthesis --> ...
- 1 for wave synthesis : example -> SERUM
- 1 for a mix of different synthesis : example -> ALCHEMY
- 1 for granular synthesis... etc...
- etc...
I don't really understand (and I don't really ear big difference sounding), In my opinion, what is the interest in having a lot of synths in the same kind of synthesis ...

Well, there is actually TWO important problems with this post. First of all, since it was started with The List, if you are careful to have only those listed, you will sound just like 99% or more just like everyone else, especially like here at KVR. With the return of Alchemy to the scene via Apple-Logic, this list is once again spot-on for most used synths (maybe add Sylenth for good measure, right?). Want to sound like everybody else? Want to be boring? Here is the recipe.

To the other part, probably lots of players don't listen very closely all the time, but I tend to buy softsynths because of the sound and quality of their Oscillators, followed a bit lower by other features. I have plenty of subtractives, but they all have their own distinct sounds. There are a small few out there that go wildly overlooked by the trendy, in-the-know masses for whatever reason, and these synths sound just awesome (and I'm not talking about which ones). Go hunt. I did.

[Synthman2000]

Not really sure I agree with owning the "top" 5 synths and you will sound the same as everyone else. Especially when you take in the different music genres that people are working in. Musical ability and style, personalized effects chains, saturation/warming and of course synth programming ability are easily complex factors enough to outweigh any similarity in synth character as a few examples.

I have some synths that are thinner, some fatter terms used to dilute their wider differences and they occupy different spaces. Not all synths can be up front and in your face so different sonic textures can occupy different spaces. It can be easy to write off synth X because it's filters are not as good as X or waveforms are not as fat as Y.

Positioning these different characters in the right space in a mix can add interest.

[wagtunes]

Hi !

I thought that 1 synth give me 1 "kind" of sound... so, a minimum of one very good synth by kind of "tech" :
- 1 of the best synth for subtractive synthesis (sound + workflow) : example -> Diva...
- 1 corresponding to FM synthesis : example -> FM8
- 1 for additive synthesis --> ...
- 1 for wave synthesis : example -> SERUM
- 1 for a mix of different synthesis : example -> ALCHEMY
- 1 for granular synthesis... etc...
- etc...
I don't really understand (and I don't really ear big difference sounding), In my opinion, what is the interest in having a lot of synths in the same kind of synthesis ...

Well, there is actually TWO important problems with this post. First of all, since it was started with The List, if you are careful to have only those listed, you will sound just like 99% or more just like everyone else, especially like here at KVR. With the return of Alchemy to the scene via Apple-Logic, this list is once again spot-on for most used synths (maybe add Sylenth for good measure, right?). Want to sound like everybody else? Want to be boring? Here is the recipe.

To the other part, probably lots of players don't listen very closely all the time, but I tend to buy softsynths because of the sound and quality of their Oscillators, followed a bit lower by other features. I have plenty of subtractives, but they all have their own distinct sounds. There are a small few out there that go wildly overlooked by the trendy, in-the-know masses for whatever reason, and these synths sound just awesome (and I'm not talking about which ones). Go hunt. I did.

Marla, I was going to PM you and ask you this in private but I see you either have PMs turned off or have me blocked for some reason. So I have no choice but to ask publicly.

I own close to 100 VSTs. I think I pretty much have just about everything out there. But I am curious as to which ones you think are these overlooked ones.

Feel free to PM me privately. I promise I won't share this information with anyone.

Looking forward to hearing from you.

[recursive one]

I'm feeling myself the most productive when I use no more than two synths in a track. And since my latest productions are in the same style, they are always the same two synths. Granted that one of them is extremely versatile and the other does few things but does them well, I don't feel myself limited anyhow. I feel so sorry for my other synths that are sitting here unused but I'll unlikely go back to them until I exhaust the possibilities of these two.

[Gribs]

If my wife asks "how many guitars do you need" or "how many synthesizers do you need" my answer is always "just one more".

[Firebird]

5 No..

12 No...

Blue No....

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_7iXw9zZrLo

[ATN69]

Just picked up Lush-101 in Pluginboutique, all though I first decided not to. So why did I do it? Did I really need it? Of course not. The offer was good and that's one reason. But the way I see it is that I buy myself some musical freedom. With all my vst synths there are few limitations when I want to make sounds and I can make it exactly the way I want it. Not just satisfy with Close enough.

[MarlaPodolski]

Not really sure I agree with owning the "top" 5 synths and you will sound the same as everyone else. Especially when you take in the different music genres that people are working in. Musical ability and style, personalized effects chains, saturation/warming and of course synth programming ability are easily complex factors enough to outweigh any similarity in synth character as a few examples.

I have some synths that are thinner, some fatter terms used to dilute their wider differences and they occupy different spaces. Not all synths can be up front and in your face so different sonic textures can occupy different spaces. It can be easy to write off synth X because it's filters are not as good as X or waveforms are not as fat as Y.

Positioning these different characters in the right space in a mix can add interest.

Good points, all of them.

I want to say, really, that I was only generalizing, or maybe an attempt at humor. But then I'll go listen to the latest released posted on YouTube or any other site and, immediately, I can start picking out which softsynth they used. It's so bad some days that I can even tell which preset. So, I wanna say, No, everybody won't end up sounding the same with that most-used list, but I get proven wrong all too often. I swear they are even starting to recycle those little synth melody motifs in EDM, so not only sounding all the same but lately all starting to sound like the same song. I suppose I shouldn't pick on EDM, since we know that stuff really isn't music or art, but I can't help it.


@wagtunes. Just forgot to turn the PM thing on i guess. Always in a hurry. Thanks for the reminder. Hey, with 100+ synths you must have all the good ones by now!

[wagtunes]

Not really sure I agree with owning the "top" 5 synths and you will sound the same as everyone else. Especially when you take in the different music genres that people are working in. Musical ability and style, personalized effects chains, saturation/warming and of course synth programming ability are easily complex factors enough to outweigh any similarity in synth character as a few examples.

I have some synths that are thinner, some fatter terms used to dilute their wider differences and they occupy different spaces. Not all synths can be up front and in your face so different sonic textures can occupy different spaces. It can be easy to write off synth X because it's filters are not as good as X or waveforms are not as fat as Y.

Positioning these different characters in the right space in a mix can add interest.

Good points, all of them.

I want to say, really, that I was only generalizing, or maybe an attempt at humor. But then I'll go listen to the latest released posted on YouTube or any other site and, immediately, I can start picking out which softsynth they used. It's so bad some days that I can even tell which preset. So, I wanna say, No, everybody won't end up sounding the same with that most-used list, but I get proven wrong all too often. I swear they are even starting to recycle those little synth melody motifs in EDM, so not only sounding all the same but lately all starting to sound like the same song. I suppose I shouldn't pick on EDM, since we know that stuff really isn't music or art, but I can't help it.


@wagtunes. Just forgot to turn the PM thing on i guess. Always in a hurry. Thanks for the reminder. Hey, with 100+ synths you must have all the good ones by now!

Thanks. Still kind of curious what your personal favorites are. If you ever want to let me know, I'm all ears.

[ATS]

the correct answer is 37

[Kumi_27]

Well, of course the answer is 42
The Answer to the Ultimate Question of Life, The Universe, and Everything - including synthesizers