Ableton Forum

I just wanted to hear some feedback from other Live users who produce trance. Currently I use Operator, Absynth, and a couple of free VSTs on occasion. I am always looking for new synths though. My favorite producers are Tomcraft, M.I.K.E. and Ferry Corsten. Any one know of any software synths that they might be using?

Freeware - SuperwaveP8 , PolyIblit , Lallapalozza Lite

Donationware - Antii's Asynth & KarmaFX Modular Synth

Payware - ReFX Vanguard , RGC Audio's Z3ta or Z3ta+ ,Gmedia's ImpOSCar.

A decent Sample Based VSTi like Kontakt also.

Throw in Microtonic on drums for good measure.

Would be a good place too start.

Though I don't produce trance.
I'd imagine they'd all be well suited to your needs.
However I use to do ambient remix's of a mates Psy and Goa workouts as he always liked my spin/take on his material.

Spectrasonics Atomsphere

atmoshphere is intense but if you're looking for something cheaper I'd go with vangaurd. or is it vanguard? whatev...

softsynths suck

how helpful

Johnisfaster wrote:how helpful

it's probably some of the best advice i could give him...or her...

sweetjesus wrote:softsynths suck

Yeah get a Hardware Virus and sound like every other Trance out there .

Go on you know you want too .

Excuse the sarcasm I couldn't resist.

Come one sweet Jesus if he already uses Live and has a notebook a virtual/soft synth is going to be the way cheaper alternative as an extra synth.

PPS: Z3ta+ is still the one I feel you should go for and it sounds as good as any hardware equivalent any day of the week.

Mind you I don't even write/compose dance tunes so what the hell do I know .

FaX-01 wrote:

sweetjesus wrote:softsynths suck

Yeah get a Hardware Virus and sound like every other Trance out there .

Go on you know you want too .

hehe, I sincerely doubt that SweetJesus is talking about a virtual analogue.

Personally I've had great results with a lot of synths, and the meetiest, funkiest sounds have *always* been from analogue synths.

There are a lot of good ones for Reaktor - 3x and SIAC spring to mind.

Machinate wrote:

FaX-01 wrote:

sweetjesus wrote:softsynths suck

Yeah get a Hardware Virus and sound like every other Trance out there .

Go on you know you want too .

hehe, I sincerely doubt that SweetJesus is talking about a virtual analogue.

Personally I've had great results with a lot of synths, and the meetiest, funkiest sounds have *always* been from analogue synths.

There are a lot of good ones for Reaktor - 3x and SIAC spring to mind.

Amen Machinate.

If you want to hear how thin Virus sounds in Trance.. just listen to Armin Van Buuren, great music and wicked beat sounds but thin synths.

As far as digital goes for trance, I think the JP8000 is a great unit and could be had for the cost of many high end VSTi's, especially the rack version (8080).

Fax-01 I was just being a smartarse with my comment, but since you took my bait I don't think any VSTi's hold a candle to nice analogue hardware and most VA's even have unique D/A's in there which give them certain sounds and tones that software can't.

Although with tweaking, I've got some cool sounds out of 3 layers of Operator.

Thanks for the feedback so far. I am gonna try out the Vanguard and maybe even the Atomsphere when I get some more cash. The Virus is way out of my price range right now though. I am still saving for a new computer as it is. I really hope this post doesn't start a hardware synth vs. soft synth war. Aren't we all sick of the Mac vs. PC, Live vs. Logic, Pro-Tools, Cubase, Reason, etc. posts anway? I have no preference between hardware or software it's more of a pricing thing right now.

DJSK wrote: I really hope this post doesn't start a hardware synth vs. soft synth war.

Hey DJSK,

I was just throwing a spanner in the works... as a joke mainly. To be honest it's important that for many new users, they truely understand what makes everything different.

Ignoring my "softsynths suck" comment, im sure that I make a good point or two.

As for softsynths, seriously try playing more with Operator.

For Trance, most things are about the reverb and how you detune and spread your sounds, or just basic oscillator sounds which Operator will let you do quite well.

Learn how the synthesis techniques work and you won't need something like Vanguard or Atmosphere which give you temporary satisfaction, because you would be able to dial up any sound you can imagine using something like Operator.

With Operator I use it as a multi timberal synth, because unlike some of my hardware toys, a single patch won't cover the full spectrum of sound. So what I tend to do is make one instance for mids/lows, another instance for grit and bite and another instance for squelch and control them all from the one midi channel.

sweetjesus wrote:As far as digital goes for trance, I think the JP8000 is a great unit and could be had for the cost of many high end VSTi's, especially the rack version (8080).

yeah, it's pretty decent. I also like the free emulator,Superwave P8

sweetjesus wrote:With Operator I use it as a multi timberal synth, because unlike some of my hardware toys, a single patch won't cover the full spectrum of sound. So what I tend to do is make one instance for mids/lows, another instance for grit and bite and another instance for squelch and control them all from the one midi channel.

Audio or STFU

DJSK wrote:Thanks for the feedback so far. I am gonna try out the Vanguard and maybe even the Atomsphere when I get some more cash.

yes and definitely, without a shadow of a doubt, the z3ta+. for sure
.

who cares??!!