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

[sporkles]

I definitely prefer Live's plain GUI to flashy VST's. Sure, you can describe it as 'boring', but I would rather say 'non-intrusive'.

As far as Live's synths go, I love Operator, but I quite like Analog as well; I think it's great for adding a bit of analogue flavour to your tracks. It has all but replaced Sylenth1 for me; like I already mentioned, I prefer visual simplicity. Not that S1 is confusing, but I can't stand the whole skeuomorphic look. Also, Sylenth1's preset system must be the worst out there. It's time to leave behind the hardware nostalgia and focus on usability.

I wish the Abes would just add more macros to racks, all ready, so that we can hide these huge VST windows.

Electric, Tension and Collision: I only remember that they even exist when topics like this one pop up.

[pencilrocket]

live's synth GUI is just too small.

[Willyum]

The synths are not the problem!
The patches are pure crap to me. I've seen people make amazing sounds with 100% Live Synths and fx on youtube and I've used a couple of 3rd party Live packs that were awesome, so I know the Synths are more than capable. Other Libraries come with about 70% great sounding presets, but for me, Ableton comes with about 5% (and that 5% is usually only good for electro).

Even Lives basic drum kits suck ass compared to Reason's Drum kits. Almost every Kong kit I load is clean and powerful, ready to go out of the box... There are maybe 3 Live drum kits that I would use, and even then it would only be because I'm being lazy. At one point I was actually sampling Reasons kits into Live (I prefer Lives workflow over all other DAWs). If Ableton used good sound designers, Lives sounds would be just as amazing as anything out there.

Write to Abes so we can get better more versatile sounds.

[camoz]

operator is for me new. i like it very much. i also use simpler too.
it would be nice if operator would have inputs or more then 2 lfos.

[BoddAH]

operator is for me new. i like it very much. i also use simpler too.
it would be nice if operator would have inputs or more then 2 lfos.

If you have Live 9 suite or M4L you can use the M4L LFO on pretty much anything!

[massenmedium]

Don't forget Operator has looping envelopes (including the assignable pitch envelope) and the OSCs can be used as pitch LFOs as well.

Shout out for Electric, pretty flexible beyond E-Piano sounds and not too bad at those either.

Also Collision is excellent for what it does. I like it a lot.

[pencilrocket]

The synths are not the problem!
The patches are pure crap to me. I've seen people make amazing sounds with 100% Live Synths and fx on youtube and I've used a couple of 3rd party Live packs that were awesome, so I know the Synths are more than capable. Other Libraries come with about 70% great sounding presets, but for me, Ableton comes with about 5% (and that 5% is usually only good for electro).

Even Lives basic drum kits suck ass compared to Reason's Drum kits. Almost every Kong kit I load is clean and powerful, ready to go out of the box... There are maybe 3 Live drum kits that I would use, and even then it would only be because I'm being lazy. At one point I was actually sampling Reasons kits into Live (I prefer Lives workflow over all other DAWs). If Ableton used good sound designers, Lives sounds would be just as amazing as anything out there.

Write to Abes so we can get better more versatile sounds.

All Live's patches are made for beep and bloop hipsters music.

[Willyum]

All Live's patches are made for beep and bloop hipsters music.

I wouldn't go that far with it... There are plenty of good sounds in Live and even more in suite. But compared to other premium libraries, Live falls short... very short... but not Beep bloop quality. I've made great songs with Live, just gotta do a lot of searching for sounds that are inspiring for genres like pop, hip hop, r&b, funk, raggea, deep house etc... I usually end up having to tailor every sound. When I use other DAWs like reason, it feels more like I'm getting on a proper Keyboard with sounds just ready to play instead of sounds ready to shape. Designing sounds is a good skill to have, just shouldn't have to feel like almost every sound NEEDS to be tweaked. I wish my favorite DAW was more genre flexible.

[sparklepuff]

I use them when performing live every night. Knowing you're using something that won't potentially crash Live with an update or something is a nice piece of security. They sound fantastic and work. Don't require much else.

[Schmidi]

^What he said! I've battled 3rd party instability quite a lot over the years and am now going with the Suite plugs whenever possible. They are VERY capable tools if you like to do sound creation. Add racks into that equation and you have unlimited possibilities.

I do feel what people are saying about the presets not being the best though.

Schmidi

[sparklepuff]

I understand what people are saying about Live's presets leaving a lot to be desired. I make all my own sounds so it doesn't really matter to me, and ultimately I think everybody should. I get that people want instant gratification, but there is something so incredibly satisfying crafting your own sounds to get what you want. Live's instruments combined with all of Live's effects, and racks, there isn't anything that can't be made. I'm certainly not the first person to say this so it isn't anything new. But yes, people use Live's own synths. With great success.

[Sage]

It is incredible that people will complain about a synth or DAW not having good presets.

[pencilrocket]

Because Steinway never charge for the preset when they sell their product.

[re:dream]

@ Sage. I agree. I am a bit baffled by these complaints about presets. The preset is not the synth. If you don't like them, make your own. I mean, am I missing something here? It's like saying you don't like the new Honda because it only drives around in the suburbs. Drive it into the ghetto, for fuck's sake. Or off a cliff. There's a steering wheel

[rluk]

rofl@steinway,
Thanks Sage, made my day