Does anyone ever use Live's built-in synths?

[TheNobleNemesis]

I feel like I should probably get to learn Live's built in synthesizers (i.e. Tension, Operator, Analog, etc.) but I never get around to it.. That being said, does anyone ever use Live's synthesizers, and MORE importantly, does anyone actually prefer them over third-party plugins?

[TomViolenz]

Operator is very special, so light on the CPU so straight forward in it's GUI (that never covers anything in Live with a window!) and yet so powerfull. So yes I prefere it over most 3rd party FM synths!

But don't forget Sampler as a Synth. You can use your own samples or single cycle waveforms for further FM or AM synthesis. If you use the single cycle waveforms as 128s, you have 128 knob browsable oscillators in position one, and 21 browsable oscillators from the Osc section for the second position. All with very detailed envelopes including an Aux envelope and 3 LFOs! The GUI is also very straight forward.
Sampler is actually my synth of choice!

[BoddAH]

Ableton's built in synths are probably interesting for Push users due to their tight integration with the hardware.

Got other users however, VSTs are simply miles ahead.

Like the previous user said Operator and Sampler are pretty unique and interesting in their own way but the other synths like Analo and Tension are from another age...

[Johnisfaster]

Operator and Sampler are fantastic I use them in everything. The rest have always disappointed me.

[Michael Hatsis]

Sampler and Operator are amazing...The other ones I don't consider ableton synths and don't really have much use for them. Analog, I pretty much despise everything about it except for the diff glide modes.

[tintala]

you do not know what you are missing out on son ... perhaps they are beneath your capabilities?

[jestermgee]

I keep skipping over using them mainly because I have access to other synths. I have heard some really awesome work done on the native synths and one of this years missions is to focus on a few projects using only native Ableton synths to get more into what they can do.

[doghouse]

It's funny when you think about it. Every year DAW makers add more factory plugins to "sweeten the deal" but outside of Reason owners I never hear anyone talk about using the included instruments! In other words it's not just Live.

Ableton seems to understand this to some extent, unless you buy Suite all you get is Simpler and Impulse. While some users might need samplers with more features, you can still get a lot of mileage out of those two.

I upgraded to Suite to get M4L. Browsing the presets to the Ableton instruments left me unimpressed. Some Live packs sound excellent, I'm sure I'd use the Ableton instruments more if they came with a few thousand sounds programmed by top notch sound designers like third party VSTs do

Seriously, some VSTs come with so many presets that if you love just a quarter of the sounds they would be a bargain even if you never created a single patch of your own. For $59 I can buy the preset-only version of Predator and get a library of 4000 sounds How many years would it take to create that many sounds of my own with Operator and Analog?

So it's just easier for most people to buy a VST with a usable library and start recording some music.

[Theo Void]

I agree with everyone above. Sampler and Operator are some of my most used and loved instruments and I have a metric shit ton of 3rd party vst's. Analog is OK too. Have never really used the others/.

Now Ableton stock FX are also among some of my MOST used devices.

[astromass]

I use 100% native ableton. Love every bit of it.

[ilya.soloviev]

I'd love to use Analog instead of Sylenth1 but it doesn't have voice spread function in unison mode. The funny thing is Operator has voice spread but don't have unison mode.

[re:dream]

I must confess to a fondness for Collision. Set the two resonator to modify each other and you have very nice FM possibilities, and automating the inharmonic parameter can give you some really interesting effects.

And, like others in this thread have said, Operator is fabulous.

I find as I delve deeper into sound design, I am less interested in acquiring more and more synths with more and more presets. My current aim is knowing one or two synths well enough so that I can make my own... And with Live's devices, I can do most of that, while using much less processor resources than required by most VSTs.

[rluk]

Operator is amazing.
Such a small footprint, it is simple to start with yet can do very complicated sounds.
Does even drums!

[mosca]

After years of VST hoarding all i use now are a couple of NI synths and the Live synths. Operator and Analog are spot on for my needs.

[Martin Gifford]

Just about presets:

I was using Ableton synth presets. I liked the idea of keeping everything simple and in-house.

But then I heard Sylenth and was amazed. After using it for a few weeks, I went back and listened to Ableton synths, and they sounded laughably thin in comparison. But there are still some great Ableton sounds, and if you start with one sound and make a good riff with it, then you often can't find a better alternative - funny about that - happens with all synths.

As for CPU usage, some complex Operator sounds use a heap of CPU for results that are not that impressive - thinking of some preset packs you can buy where single pad sounds use like 50% CPU.

Huge Sylenth fan now. Fantastic, current, usable presets. But I'm going to have a listen to a few other synths too. Especially want to find a non-subtractive synth so I have a balance of types.

Just on other Ableton plug-ins: I love Glue and the EQ. Use most of the other FX for simplicity. Hate the Ableton distortions - NEVER find a setting I like.

Of course, I love Ableton overall, and I'm an amateur, so my opinion probably doesn't mean much.