Soft synths

summersc2002 · Post by **summersc2002** » Sun Aug 14, 2005 5:38 pm

pro 53 for leads and basses

abysnth 3 for crazy soundscapes and weird ass noises

Meffy · Post by **Meffy** » Mon Aug 15, 2005 12:11 am

The Tassman is hard to beat for physically modelled sounds. Very organic. I also enjoy using Cameleon 5000, Moog Modular V and ARP 2600V, Ultra Analog, Oddity, and minimonsta:melohman, z3ta+, B4 Organ, AAS String Studio, SampleTank, FM7... For drums there's DR-008 and GURU. Got more but those are what I've been using most of late.

But don't overlook the power of what you've already got. Even with a largish collection of plug-ins, I still come back over and over to Reason. Nothing else I have gives that CV-gate-trig routing ability.

FaX-01 · Post by **FaX-01** » Mon Aug 15, 2005 12:46 am

Hmmm pretty subjective this one and I don't use many VST instruments myself.
Currently saving (very slowly) for Operator and should have enough cash for it in 3 more months

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I don't use a heap of payware either so this list is what I'd recommend in the lowerbudget payware/donationware/shareware field.

Concrete FX - Kubik V2 & Vectrik

Karma FX - KarmaFX Modular (this thing is amazing - great filters btw)

Antii (SMEX) - Asynth

Doogs (SMEX) - Foorius

DashSignature - DaHornet

Those are the only ones I use bar Impulse & Simpler in Live 5.

Reason 3 I tend to use Custom Combinators and nothing else now.
Rewire's well to Live and I get full sequencer control within LIVE.

P5 V2 - I tend to use for programming beats and intricate midi editing/groove quantisation etc etc. Also use Npulse , PsynII (based on Z3ta) ,Velocity (great drum sampler with up to 8 velocity layers per pad) and the incredibly huge sounding DIMENSION.

If Dimension was a VSTi I would have too rate is as the No.1 synth I own . Superb string and pad machine , killer bass and leads great piano's (1 or 2 of which are some 200meg in size) etc etc....
Dimension really needs to be heard and played with in person.
Up to 4 layers - 20 LFO's + 20 multi breakpoint envelopes per patch.
3 independent parametric eq's per layer.
Plus 1 insert effect + lo-fi + amp sim + degrader per layer.
And a dual buss send effects architecture that allows for 2 master effects (usually delay and verb) to be sent via send&return per layer in patch.
Can program splits/layers/velocity cross switching also.
Does hardcore sample and sythesis using an advanced SFZ engine.
Loads .ogg/.wav/.aif/sf2 files.
Does wavetable synthesis.
Also capable of physical modelling by loading instrument impulse responses into it for "waveguide" synthesis.
So it's pretty much a hybrid subtractive/sampling/physical modelling synth.
Easily up their with Z3ta.
Both have been designed by RGC audio I might add.

Tarekith · Post by **Tarekith** » Mon Aug 15, 2005 1:03 am

Absynth 3.02
z3ta+

milfbait · Post by **milfbait** » Mon Aug 15, 2005 1:46 am

If your on PC, check out Wusikstation.

neomodo · Post by **neomodo** » Mon Aug 15, 2005 2:30 am

I kinda dig thge Korg Wavestation/Legacy Collection

Machinesworking · Post by **Machinesworking** » Mon Aug 15, 2005 3:18 am

<<Native Instruments>>

Reactor 5

Absynth 3

FM7

<<Uh-He>>

Zebra

Filterscape VA

<<Alphacanal>>

Automat

Buzzer 2

If I didn't own a moog, I would be all over the Moog Modular, and the Arp 2600!

Uh-He makes some really organic ( for lack of a better term ) sounding synths that always seem to work well with the NI cold feel.

Flowbee · Post by **Flowbee** » Mon Aug 15, 2005 7:49 am

I'm loving me some Operator.

raapie · Post by **raapie** » Mon Aug 15, 2005 7:52 am

Reason is a classic, no doubt. Subtractor is a great synth with an unique tone. Malstrom is an unique synth. Both super low on CPU.

Symthom Melohman, great sounds and filters. ADSR on all parameters! But a little aliased when using sync-mode on upper keyboard range.

Tassman 4, super sounding synth. Analoge-like, very warm and fat sound.

Reaktor 4 is great for some clean things, but filters are digital and thin.

Ableton Operator, simple to use, great sounds, but some aliasing and the picthing of samples makes the lowend sound a bit dull (Operator uses a sample and pitches it up and down, reason for aliasing).

Anubis · Post by **Anubis** » Mon Aug 15, 2005 5:10 pm

For the craziest, most futuristic sounds, at a ridicuously low price... check out NI's Electronic Instruments 2XT. These are some of the wildest Reaktor ensembles that you'll ever fiddle with. Without having to buy Reaktor as they are stand-alone.

djastroboy · Post by **djastroboy** » Mon Aug 15, 2005 7:08 pm

For zero dollars, you can have bucketloads of fun at KVR.
Start here: http://www.kvraudio.com/ratings/9.html