KVR Audio

Introspective · Post by **Introspective** » Fri Dec 07, 2018 5:24 pm

Yes, it's a tired old question, but I'd still like to hear which synths you found yourself reaching for in the past year.

...Bonus question: which synths did you stop using this year? Or even [GASP!] ... UNINSTALL?!? (The horrors!)

wagtunes · Post by **wagtunes** » Fri Dec 07, 2018 5:37 pm

Recorded 7 CDs this year.

Synths I used the most

Omnisphere 2
Dune 2
Legend
Spire (because of my Trance CD but otherwise, not much)
Zebra 2
Synthmaster 2

But truthfully, most of my music this year was created using:

Kontakt Libraries (drums, guitars, orchestral)
Music Labs Real Guitar Collection (Acoustic, Les Paul, Strat, etc)
EWQL Orchestral Libraries
VSL Orchestral Libraries
MODO Bass (my absolute go to for electric bass)

In short, synths now make up a small part of my musical projects unless I'm doing a dedicated EDM or synth based genre track.

Synths I sold

Discover Pro
Hive
Blue II

Cinebient · Post by **Cinebient** » Fri Dec 07, 2018 5:41 pm

Mainly P900 and Logic‘s included synths.
(Almost)Everything is covered here for me.

Introspective · Post by **Introspective** » Fri Dec 07, 2018 5:57 pm

wagtunes wrote: ↑Fri Dec 07, 2018 5:37 pm Omnisphere 2
Dune 2
Legend
Spire (because of my Trance CD but otherwise, not much)
Zebra 2
Synthmaster 2

It's a conspiracy to use Version 2 of as many synths as you can!

...With the exception of Synthmaster, which I find to be awful, that is a spectacular list, though!

Introspective · Post by **Introspective** » Fri Dec 07, 2018 5:58 pm

Cinebient wrote: ↑Fri Dec 07, 2018 5:41 pm Mainly P900 and Logic‘s included synths.
(Almost)Everything is covered here for me.

Man, I wish I could get P900 to work. It looks stellar.

wagtunes · Post by **wagtunes** » Fri Dec 07, 2018 6:05 pm

Introspective wrote: ↑Fri Dec 07, 2018 5:57 pm
wagtunes wrote: ↑Fri Dec 07, 2018 5:37 pm Omnisphere 2
Dune 2
Legend
Spire (because of my Trance CD but otherwise, not much)
Zebra 2
Synthmaster 2
It's a conspiracy to use Version 2 of as many synths as you can!

...With the exception of Synthmaster, which I find to be awful, that is a spectacular list, though!

Synthmaster is a deceiving synth. It sits in the mix easier than just about any of the others. Something about the dull sound engine. On its own it doesn't sound that great, but when you process it with everything else, honestly, you really can't tell the difference in sound. The difference, for me, is the ease at which I can fit it into a track. But yeah, it is far from the best sounding synth that I own.

Out of my over 100 synths, yeah, I don't really use a ton of them. Even Diva and Bazille, which I love, get very little use. I just can't seem to ever find a place for them. I used to use Diva for synth bass until I got the Legend. Now, that is my go to for synth bass.

U-o · Post by **U-o** » Fri Dec 07, 2018 6:14 pm

Synth I used:
Harmless

Synth I re-found:
Zebralette

Synth I bought:
DUNE (oldie but goodie /bought this year to replace DuneCM/)

---

Synth I sold: 0

Synths I wanted to buy, but changed decission:
Sylenth1 (decided to buy "light version" - DUNE)
Synthmaster One (little buggy and sometimes eats too much CPU)
Alpha

Synths I stoped using this year:
Harmor (asked IL team to delete it from my account/.reg file - done!)
ZebraCM (still in my backup folder)

Synths on my wishlist:
Go2 (easy-to-use and sounds good)
GlassViper (all QuikQuak plugins instead this one have been updated)
Noisemaker (commercial version if ever will be released)

---

Songs composed this year:
0 (lot of ideas/loops but nothing complete/done)

BBFG# · Post by **BBFG#** » Fri Dec 07, 2018 6:21 pm

Not a synth, but most reached for plugin is Pianoteq and quite often loaded into BC Patchwork for layering with Alchemy 1 and/or Zebra 2HZ.
Almost equally use Halion 6.

To a lesser extent, MusicLabs and two AAS plugins (VS-2 & Strum 2)

What I most notably have been ignoring are the ones where the company has effectively made them not worth the hassle. Those include IK plugins and Native Instruments. Both have managers that kill any desire to even have them. And the companies themselves have become "indifferent" at best to deal with.

sleepcircle · Post by **sleepcircle** » Fri Dec 07, 2018 6:29 pm

TAL-Sampler by Togu Audio Line — For the interesting ways it can bring old samples to life. As well as random bits and bobs I put in of my own accord, I like to use it with a titanic sample pack of all the samples ever released for the old Ensoniq ASR-10
Repro 1 & 5 by u-he — 'nough said.
Dexed by Digital Suburban — For keenly digital noises. lots of interesting harmonics possible and, of course, it is very full of A E S T H E T I C
Deputy by Full Bucket Music — Spacy string machine noises b/w lots of chorus.

Neon Breath · Post by **Neon Breath** » Fri Dec 07, 2018 6:29 pm

Steinberg Neon.

Introspective · Post by **Introspective** » Fri Dec 07, 2018 6:34 pm

BBFG# wrote: ↑Fri Dec 07, 2018 6:21 pm What I most notably have been ignoring are the ones where the company has effectively made them not worth the hassle. Those include the Cakewalk synths, IK plugins and Native Instruments. None of them work right on my single v3 Xeon and both have managers that kill any desire to even have them. And the companies themselves have become "indifferent" at best to deal with.

I do so hate the NI patch manager. I just don't use it, full stop.

(Unless you mean the installer, in which case I have to disagree: the NI manager is actually pretty awesome IMO ... aside from the lack of "uninstall," which seems asinine.)

Introspective · Post by **Introspective** » Fri Dec 07, 2018 6:38 pm

sleepcircle wrote: ↑Fri Dec 07, 2018 6:29 pm TAL-Sampler by Togu Audio Line — For the interesting ways it can bring old samples to life. As well as random bits and bobs I put in of my own accord, I like to use it with a titanic sample pack of all the samples ever released for the old Ensoniq ASR-10
Repro 1 & 5 by u-he — 'nough said.
Dexed by Digital Suburban — For keenly digital noises. lots of interesting harmonics possible and, of course, it is very full of A E S T H E T I C
Deputy by Full Bucket Music — Spacy string machine noises b/w lots of chorus.

Wow, respect, man. That's a tight list, and makes me want to hear your music.

(UPDATE: Ahhh, found it: here

Introspective · Post by **Introspective** » Fri Dec 07, 2018 6:39 pm

U-o wrote: ↑Fri Dec 07, 2018 6:14 pm Songs composed this year:
0 (lot of ideas/loops but nothing complete/done)

HA! Yeah. That happens.

U-o · Post by **U-o** » Fri Dec 07, 2018 6:46 pm

Introspective wrote: ↑Fri Dec 07, 2018 6:39 pm
U-o wrote: ↑Fri Dec 07, 2018 6:14 pm Songs composed this year:
0 (lot of ideas/loops but nothing complete/done)
HA! Yeah. That happens.

I know...

Stokely · Post by **Stokely** » Fri Dec 07, 2018 6:47 pm

I'm just getting back into music (well, other than live playing) and am trying to force myself into really learning the Logic synths (For better or worse) before going on a spending spree. Alchemy being the main one here. I have to keep reminding myself I already have a powerhouse, before I get excited over every other plugin I should see what it can/can't do.

The reality: that rule has NOT stopped me from getting a bunch of highly-impressive free and might-as-well-be-free synths (From CM):
Dexed
Tyrell N6
Zebra CM/Zebralette
Bazille CM
Thorn CM
Obxd

It also has NOT stopped me from downloading demos for Repro and The Legend, both of which I found pretty amazing

In other words, my rule has not managed to stop me from spending more time trying a bunch of plugins vs making music--it has managed to keep me from spending a bunch of money though!

I did pick up Scarbee's EP88s and no regrets there, I much prefer it to Logic's vintage electric piano.

What were your go-to synths for 2018?