best synth for learning synthesis

Discuss music production with Ableton Live.

what is the best soft-synth to learn synthesis with?

zebra2
6
10%
sylenth1
20
33%
analog (live suite)
11
18%
rapture
2
3%
d-cam synth squad
1
2%
jupiter 8
2
3%
ultra analog
5
8%
alchemy
2
3%
predator
1
2%
massive
11
18%
 
Total votes: 61

stefan-tiedje
Posts: 219
Joined: Thu Sep 17, 2009 3:50 pm
Location: Berlin

Re: best synth for learning synthesis

Post by stefan-tiedje » Fri Oct 30, 2009 3:58 pm

pulsoc wrote:That's ridiculous, a vast majority of users aren't interested in reinventing the wheel, they want to be able to use tools available to them.
I totally agree, but this particular user wanted to learn. And the core of learning is reinventing wheels... ;-)

Stefan
Les Ondes Mémorielles-----x---
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Android Bishop
Posts: 1051
Joined: Sun Apr 12, 2009 1:03 am

Re: best synth for learning synthesis

Post by Android Bishop » Fri Oct 30, 2009 4:21 pm

stefan-tiedje wrote:
pulsoc wrote:That's ridiculous, a vast majority of users aren't interested in reinventing the wheel, they want to be able to use tools available to them.
I totally agree, but this particular user wanted to learn. And the core of learning is reinventing wheels... ;-)

Stefan

thats only true for math.

zalo
Posts: 999
Joined: Sat Jun 27, 2009 9:10 pm

Re: best synth for learning synthesis

Post by zalo » Fri Oct 30, 2009 4:41 pm

Android Bishop wrote:
stefan-tiedje wrote:
pulsoc wrote:That's ridiculous, a vast majority of users aren't interested in reinventing the wheel, they want to be able to use tools available to them.
I totally agree, but this particular user wanted to learn. And the core of learning is reinventing wheels... ;-)

Stefan

thats only true for math.
and wheel building

pulsoc
Posts: 2838
Joined: Fri Apr 29, 2005 7:57 pm
Location: Baltimore
Contact:

Re: best synth for learning synthesis

Post by pulsoc » Fri Oct 30, 2009 10:02 pm

Ok, the OP said he thinks Absynth would be too complex for him. I doubt he would find Reaktor or Max simpler than Absynth.

That's why it should be a fairly simple subtractive synth, I would think with all parameters visually available at the same time.

He's a Mac user, so Automat would offer all that PLUS a modulation matrix to experiment with more complex stuff once he gets proficient.

Assuming he actually wants to spend serious time working with it, not just shooting random questions off into interent space, I recommend Automat! :)



stefan-tiedje wrote:
pulsoc wrote:That's ridiculous, a vast majority of users aren't interested in reinventing the wheel, they want to be able to use tools available to them.
I totally agree, but this particular user wanted to learn. And the core of learning is reinventing wheels... ;-)

Stefan

luzil
Posts: 83
Joined: Thu Jul 16, 2009 3:19 am

Re: best synth for learning synthesis

Post by luzil » Sat Oct 31, 2009 12:46 am

stefan-tiedje wrote: I totally agree, but this particular user wanted to learn. And the core of learning is reinventing wheels... ;-)
He wants to know like many others what synth good for CREATING DIFF. SOUNDS on ur own with available synths. Ur "advice" is to build ur own guitar if u want to learn playing guitar. Learning programming software and inventing a programming language r 2 different things. By building ur own synth u learn pretty nothing about how u create diff. sounds and instruments. A simple example for this is making a pad in an subtractive synth and in an fm synth. In subtractive u would choose layered oscs for a wide spectrum and bring movement in the overtone harmonics by modulation with filters. In fm u can achieve this by some simple sin osc fm modulated by another sin osc and puttin modulation on the amplitude of this mod osc without any filters and lfos. Another example is a physical modeling synth. By building such a guitar synth u learn nothing about why a guitar sounds like a guitar. Its only math functions describing phys objects of ur guitar. There is no link to the sound of the whole guitar.

Thats why most people dont get far away from sub and wavetable synth. The methods of making sounds they learned in sub synths mostly dont work at all with other synth methods. U have to learn how a distinct synth method works to create diff. sounds. And for this u need a clear gui, good presets showing u what this synth is capable of in which way and a lot of practice with this synth and its method. And they r jsut too lazy have no time to read manuals of synths like fm8, abynth, which have pretty peculiar method of making sound. No synth would be sold only showing u the reaktor signal chain but not coming along with a manual and describing presets.

Building ur own pretty modular synth without any presets of pretty diff. sounding timbre u get the flattest learning curve possible. Anyway u cant make synths like fm8 with reaktor on ur own. Too complex, most free simple synths on kvr is pretty useless stuff, i like some nice new effects and modulation guis. But building ur own synths with so good synths already out there is really pointless. After all u want to compose a song and not build sounds from scratch already available. I dont want for every small sound a special vsti i have to search, then its faster to sample ur sounds, just get to grips with an advanced method like fm,additive or wavetable with good modulation and routing options like massive.

sry it got so long, but i really think with so many "what synth" "how to make this sound" thread ppl dont get that u have to learn to program a distinct synth/method like learing playin an instrument. Its trial and error mostly. No way or reinventing around ;-) There is no psychophysical theory out showing u why a spectrum sounds how it sounds besides some general rules like creating warmth with unison detuning, growl with vibrato. Creating sounds is an art and no rocket science

starving student
Posts: 7129
Joined: Thu Dec 09, 2004 6:13 pm
Location: right here

Re: best synth for learning synthesis

Post by starving student » Sat Oct 31, 2009 2:04 am

luzil wrote:
stefan-tiedje wrote: I totally agree, but this particular user wanted to learn. And the core of learning is reinventing wheels... ;-)
He wants to know like many others what synth good for CREATING DIFF. SOUNDS on ur own with available synths. Ur "advice" is to build ur own guitar if u want to learn playing guitar. Learning programming software and inventing a programming language r 2 different things. By building ur own synth u learn pretty nothing about how u create diff. sounds and instruments. A simple example for this is making a pad in an subtractive synth and in an fm synth. In subtractive u would choose layered oscs for a wide spectrum and bring movement in the overtone harmonics by modulation with filters. In fm u can achieve this by some simple sin osc fm modulated by another sin osc and puttin modulation on the amplitude of this mod osc without any filters and lfos. Another example is a physical modeling synth. By building such a guitar synth u learn nothing about why a guitar sounds like a guitar. Its only math functions describing phys objects of ur guitar. There is no link to the sound of the whole guitar.

Thats why most people dont get far away from sub and wavetable synth. The methods of making sounds they learned in sub synths mostly dont work at all with other synth methods. U have to learn how a distinct synth method works to create diff. sounds. And for this u need a clear gui, good presets showing u what this synth is capable of in which way and a lot of practice with this synth and its method. And they r jsut too lazy have no time to read manuals of synths like fm8, abynth, which have pretty peculiar method of making sound. No synth would be sold only showing u the reaktor signal chain but not coming along with a manual and describing presets.

Building ur own pretty modular synth without any presets of pretty diff. sounding timbre u get the flattest learning curve possible. Anyway u cant make synths like fm8 with reaktor on ur own. Too complex, most free simple synths on kvr is pretty useless stuff, i like some nice new effects and modulation guis. But building ur own synths with so good synths already out there is really pointless. After all u want to compose a song and not build sounds from scratch already available. I dont want for every small sound a special vsti i have to search, then its faster to sample ur sounds, just get to grips with an advanced method like fm,additive or wavetable with good modulation and routing options like massive.

sry it got so long, but i really think with so many "what synth" "how to make this sound" thread ppl dont get that u have to learn to program a distinct synth/method like learing playin an instrument. Its trial and error mostly. No way or reinventing around ;-) There is no psychophysical theory out showing u why a spectrum sounds how it sounds besides some general rules like creating warmth with unison detuning, growl with vibrato. Creating sounds is an art and no rocket science

told these cats a juno, doesn't get any simpler while still being inspirational, plus they are vintage sounds that we are all familiar with so that helps alot to make things 'click' in ones head when they're trying to learn.

3dot...
Posts: 9996
Joined: Tue Feb 20, 2007 11:10 pm

Re: best synth for learning synthesis

Post by 3dot... » Sun Nov 01, 2009 9:15 am

starving student wrote:
luzil wrote:
stefan-tiedje wrote: I totally agree, but this particular user wanted to learn. And the core of learning is reinventing wheels... ;-)
He wants to know like many others what synth good for CREATING DIFF. SOUNDS on ur own with available synths. Ur "advice" is to build ur own guitar if u want to learn playing guitar. Learning programming software and inventing a programming language r 2 different things. By building ur own synth u learn pretty nothing about how u create diff. sounds and instruments. A simple example for this is making a pad in an subtractive synth and in an fm synth. In subtractive u would choose layered oscs for a wide spectrum and bring movement in the overtone harmonics by modulation with filters. In fm u can achieve this by some simple sin osc fm modulated by another sin osc and puttin modulation on the amplitude of this mod osc without any filters and lfos. Another example is a physical modeling synth. By building such a guitar synth u learn nothing about why a guitar sounds like a guitar. Its only math functions describing phys objects of ur guitar. There is no link to the sound of the whole guitar.

Thats why most people dont get far away from sub and wavetable synth. The methods of making sounds they learned in sub synths mostly dont work at all with other synth methods. U have to learn how a distinct synth method works to create diff. sounds. And for this u need a clear gui, good presets showing u what this synth is capable of in which way and a lot of practice with this synth and its method. And they r jsut too lazy have no time to read manuals of synths like fm8, abynth, which have pretty peculiar method of making sound. No synth would be sold only showing u the reaktor signal chain but not coming along with a manual and describing presets.

Building ur own pretty modular synth without any presets of pretty diff. sounding timbre u get the flattest learning curve possible. Anyway u cant make synths like fm8 with reaktor on ur own. Too complex, most free simple synths on kvr is pretty useless stuff, i like some nice new effects and modulation guis. But building ur own synths with so good synths already out there is really pointless. After all u want to compose a song and not build sounds from scratch already available. I dont want for every small sound a special vsti i have to search, then its faster to sample ur sounds, just get to grips with an advanced method like fm,additive or wavetable with good modulation and routing options like massive.

sry it got so long, but i really think with so many "what synth" "how to make this sound" thread ppl dont get that u have to learn to program a distinct synth/method like learing playin an instrument. Its trial and error mostly. No way or reinventing around ;-) There is no psychophysical theory out showing u why a spectrum sounds how it sounds besides some general rules like creating warmth with unison detuning, growl with vibrato. Creating sounds is an art and no rocket science

told these cats a juno, doesn't get any simpler while still being inspirational, plus they are vintage sounds that we are all familiar with so that helps alot to make things 'click' in ones head when they're trying to learn.
juno is great for learning... so is the minimoog... and the evolver as well...
hands on is the best way to learn...
but today's computers have more advantages in this field as well...
like built in spectrum analyzers
also you don't have to 'limit yourself' to a hardware synth's predefined routings...
and there are also some great FREE plugins with which to experiment...
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