Need a software synth...

Verbal · Post by **Verbal** » Thu Dec 06, 2007 8:30 pm

Which is better-- Operator or Analog?

Poster · Post by **Poster** » Thu Dec 06, 2007 8:35 pm

Verbal wrote:Which is better-- Operator or Analog?

there's no 'better'
they're different..
one is FM the other Subtractive..
maybe demo them both so you get the feel of the sonic spectrum..

personally I like Analog more as Operator..

Poster · Post by **Poster** » Thu Dec 06, 2007 8:39 pm

but don't only look at the synths everybody raves about..

these less known are killer synths as well..

http://www.sugar-bytes.de/content/produ ... hp?lang=en
http://www.fabfilter.com/products/twin.php
http://www.vemberaudio.se/surge.php

soundwave · Post by **soundwave** » Thu Dec 06, 2007 8:46 pm

If you buy REAKTOR 5 you get a ton of Synthesizers,drum machines etc, and there are many user built synths, (that you download free on their site) and banks and samples for VSTIs.
If you go with 1 virtual synth you pay $150 and up,(for a good one) and you get tired of it soon.
Reaktor evolves....
I think if you have LIVE 7 and Reaktor5, you don't need much else...

Verbal · Post by **Verbal** » Thu Dec 06, 2007 9:21 pm

soundwave wrote:If you buy REAKTOR 5 you get a ton of Synthesizers,drum machines etc, and there are many user built synths, (that you download free on their site) and banks and samples for VSTIs.
If you go with 1 virtual synth you pay $150 and up,(for a good one) and you get tired of it soon.
Reaktor evolves....
I think if you have LIVE 7 and Reaktor5, you don't need much else...

Reaktor looks great, but there's a lot to learn with it. It seems almost like a programming language.

If I only had a job, I'd get reaktor. But with a job (actually unemployed, but searching), girlfriend, and 8 month old daughter, I don't have the time to learn reaktor.

Part of my reasoning for only wanting one synth is to limit myself. In the past I've had way too much on my plate and didn't know how to go about actually producing something. I think if I limit myself to Live and one synth, and maybe a drum machine, I won't feel so overwhelmed with too many options and actually produce something.

thefool · Post by **thefool** » Thu Dec 06, 2007 9:25 pm

Poster wrote:
thefool wrote:i know somebody is going to complain, but try vanguard from RefX. Simple and easy to learn. Try the demo version
complain..

a company that actually tries to sell skins for their plugin?
customer support is probably $1,- per minute..

I like refx though. NO complains at all, and the products are of good quality.
I do agree the skins thing is a bit hmhm, but then again, I suppose if you feel like donating to them you could buy one of them instead of just donating like you do to others

The email support is good, everytime I emailed them because i threw out my licenses it didn't take many hours till their supporter sent them to me.
The forum is friendly, and Mike spends a lot of time there reading and replying to customers/members.

And remember, this is not kvr

Sleep Tyght · Post by **Sleep Tyght** » Thu Dec 06, 2007 9:58 pm

Verbal wrote:
soundwave wrote:If you buy REAKTOR 5 you get a ton of Synthesizers,drum machines etc, and there are many user built synths, (that you download free on their site) and banks and samples for VSTIs.
If you go with 1 virtual synth you pay $150 and up,(for a good one) and you get tired of it soon.
Reaktor evolves....
I think if you have LIVE 7 and Reaktor5, you don't need much else...
Reaktor looks great, but there's a lot to learn with it. It seems almost like a programming language.

If I only had a job, I'd get reaktor. But with a job (actually unemployed, but searching), girlfriend, and 8 month old daughter, I don't have the time to learn reaktor.

Part of my reasoning for only wanting one synth is to limit myself. In the past I've had way too much on my plate and didn't know how to go about actually producing something. I think if I limit myself to Live and one synth, and maybe a drum machine, I won't feel so overwhelmed with too many options and actually produce something.

I feel you on the being job, girl, and kid ordeal....

Takes up a helluva lotta time doesn't it? Unemployed or not.

If you could afford a synth or two I'd tell you to of course use Reason

And Nexus. All expansions included.

Both are pretty idiot proof to figure out, and you'll have a huge assortment of pianos, leads, drums, and especially pads and strings to choose from to produce pretty much anything within your creative limits. I don't even both with complex synths simply because I have neither the time or patience to deal with them. Thor can be challenging though it is semi-modular. You can make it as complicated as you want it to be....and it sounds great. Nexus on the otherhand is actually pretty DAMN LIMITED as far as editing patches...you can't even layer. What's GREAT is that it sounds like a hardware workstation right out of the box without any tweaking of your own involved. You will want to tweak though...believe that.

Some of the expansions could use a bit more variety though...more drums and guitars especially.

thefool · Post by **thefool** » Thu Dec 06, 2007 10:20 pm

Nexus won't let you down, and they are holding holiday season at Refx, so you
are able to get it for a quite good price.

Of course seems like you are looking for a synth, and there is a few good answers in this thread.

I also seem to remember a certain Sylenth1 from lennardigital or something like that

littlepig · Post by **littlepig** » Thu Dec 06, 2007 10:48 pm

If you want to get a good synth cheaply buy a copy of Computer Music. On the cover disc there is a synth called Zebra CM which is a simplified version of Zebra. There are other synths on the cover disc as well but Zebra CM is my favourite.

It is awesome for something on a cover disc.

radib · Post by **radib** » Thu Dec 06, 2007 10:59 pm

zebra massive thor and sorts are awful to get into, you´ll become just another preset switcher like all those around here.

to feel a synth starts with something easy and compact, i´d recommend polyvoks (freeware) or zebralette (the little sister of zebra 2 and also freeware, but harder to get). next step could be a efficient (means a paradox: less options, though more impact and possibilty) classic as imposcar, oddity or the ms 20. then you should have an idea of synth organisation and how to tweak them for the sounds you like. after that all this newer "more is more" hypercomplex-toy bunch as reaktor or thor make a bit more sense and you´ll programm it with style.

djastroboy · Post by **djastroboy** » Fri Dec 07, 2007 2:02 am

Moody wrote:Imposcar

Yeah, impOSCar, as soon as you're ready to spend money.

BLynx · Post by **BLynx** » Fri Dec 07, 2007 3:00 am

djastroboy wrote:
Moody wrote:Imposcar
Yeah, impOSCar, as soon as you're ready to spend money.

+1 here

It's very cheap and versatile. And I read on Access website that Depeche Mode uses it live. :O

soundwave · Post by **soundwave** » Mon Dec 17, 2007 8:34 pm

Did you try MINIMONSTA?
Watch their video...

http://www.gforcesoftware.com/ins_minim ... o.php#tut1

polyslax · Post by **polyslax** » Mon Dec 17, 2007 9:08 pm

Poster wrote:but don't only look at the synths everybody raves about..

these less known are killer synths as well..

http://www.sugar-bytes.de/content/produ ... hp?lang=en
http://www.fabfilter.com/products/twin.php
http://www.vemberaudio.se/surge.php

These are good suggestions.

Surge is an incredible synth. Very full featured. Also my favourite UI.

Twin has a lovely modern sound and the no-frills UI translates into pretty quick programming.

I don't know Unique well enough yet to comment other than to say it does some great warm saturated sounds and the vowel filter is pretty flexible.

I'd also throw Minimonsta out there for consideration. Very fat sounding, dead simple to program basic sounds. Surprisingly deep once you dig in.

What else... oh, Cakewalk's Rapture does some beautiful sounds as well. Powerful, flexible synth from the maker of z3ta+. *Caveat, non-transferable licence.

kuniklo · Post by **kuniklo** » Mon Dec 17, 2007 9:09 pm

Start with free synths.

Then impOSCar or maybe the whole GForce bundle for only $199.