So, what's next in the world of virtual synths?
To be honest, I would like to see (hear, that is) improvements
in sound quality itself. It's pretty much clear that VSTis (and
soft synths in other formats as well) can do just about any
type of synthesis, subtractive, wavetable, FM, etc, they can
do hundreds of voices, envelopes, LFOs using up-to-date
computers. But... there are only few virtual instruments that
give the sound with much adittude and character. There are
only few that I would actually use. The list could count FM7,
VAZ2001, Wasp, and, oh, the troubles already. Mercury-1
is great, but aften sounds so glassy. NI Absynth is for Mac
only at the time of writting, so beeing a PC user I haven't tested
it myself, Kontakt looks promissing but is not released yet.
Emagic EXS24 has a brilliant filter, but unfortunatly the EXSP24
is totally cripled. One of the latest 10/10 virtual synths is
definitelly the ES2 - damn, Logic only. Halion really is a mighty
piece of software, but it sounds kinda fluffy and filter is really
very thin. Anyway - there is no point in huge number of
parameters and quasi-programmability, like on Pentagon,
when the raw sound of virtual instrument is like it's coming
from a plain calculator. Give me one oscillator, but make it
move my brains out. Hey, remember that silly little machine,
TB-303? Noisy, no MIDI, etc, but ReBirth is like a toy compared
to a real thing. That's why I still use it, as MS-20, System-100m,
Juno-60 etc. There are so many virtual junos and no one has
the chorus unit reproduced properly! So, let me explain myself.
I expect the DSP engineers and developers to finally do "that
sound" on our bloody PCs. When I hear the virtual MiniMoog,
I want to hear all those charactheristics of the sound. Then I'll say
that digital has reached analog. You can't just put three oscillators
and call it virtual MiniMoog! Forget Model-E. Forget Pro-52. I gave
my favourites. They must be VAZ as VA, FM7 as FM, for sampler
I'm totally undecided. Wavetable - PPG is nice, but it's just not
enough fat. I guess that it's not economic to make a serious
sounding VSTi, because if you make hardware synth you avoid
problems of pirated sowftware, etc. Really serious machines:
JP-8080, Nord Lead 3, XV-5080, to name a few. They all can be
wrapped as VSTis because they're totally digital. But it would
be a possibly big lost for these synth companies. Yes, we saw
the Access Virus TDM. That's nice. Let me finish. I think that
only a few years divide us from the real analog imitations and
seriuos instruments like JP or XV on our screns. So I'm a big
optimist then. Let's just wait and see...

mate...you need paragraphs

I got dizzy just reading about all the possibilities

it is looking good though

Haven't you heard of "stream of consciousness" in Dublin!

Let's encourage creativity.

sorry guys

didn't that post give YOU eyeache though?

and wookie...

sweetie....i'd never tell anyone to get their hands wet unless they wanted to

Just for the record VCF, VAZ 2001 can do wavetable synthesis and limited (no velocity splits) multisample playback.

Fitch - I agree with you 'bout the eye-ache! <-- there really should be a crosseyed smiley!

[ 19 March 2002, 17:28: Message edited by: Collusion ]

hihi.. sorry guys, so many words I wrote...
but I want your opignions on the topic I was
writting about, and that's the sound quality
of most VSTis, not if it's hard four you to
read my post, er.
I know that VAZ has wavetable mate, but that's
crappy wavetable. So ModelE has 3 oscs, but
its not coming near ModelD. Waldorf implemented
their Microwave wavetable osc in Pulsar modular synth. Now, that's what I want to see in VSTi!
But, they will not do it. Not yet.

From what i've heard the Minimoog-emulation on the Pulsar/Noah-platform by Creamware called Minimax is frighteningly close to perfect.

Also, the Pro-One on the same card really is as close to the original as I for one would ever desire.

I would say we're already "there", but it costs a whole lotta money.

[QUOTE]Originally posted by calamus:
[QB]Haven't you heard of "stream of consciousness" in Dublin!

Hmm I seem to remember that it was a certain Mr James Joyce of Dublin who invented said genre of literature!

sorry, couldn't resist!

yeh but at least

yer man VCF was using punctuation and capitals

there didn't seem to be many of them the last time i saw a joyce book

VCF: I agree, better sound quality is the only way it can go for VSTi. Vaz sounds more like realy analog than my waldorf microQ, the only problem is the osc alaising. But for bass it is unoticable. I agree that sound quality realy needs to be improved. I have tried most VSTi and very few sound convincing imo. The only ones i use are Vaz and Junglist. FM7 is exelent just havnt got round to buying it.

I dont even think that the hardware VAs have got the sound nailed yet. Born out by the fact that Waldorf have just anounced the Q+ with 16 discrete analog filters onboard. CPU/DSP cycles are still in short suply for the desired increase sound quality.

The economics are not as good for VSTi because firstly hardware can demand a much higher price tag and with the indie VSTi developers giving out freebies and budget priced VSTi people expect to get everything for next to nothing. At least i could not believe people complained about the price of FM7. Mabey they dont understand what has to go into programing somthing like that.

On a plus note cubase SX is shipping with a new Waldorf VSTi. I just wish emagic would not cripple there VSTi for other hosts.

I am very optimistic aswell. You can get an F'in shitload of gear for very little money compared to what you would have had to pay 5 or 10 years ago. Vaz 2001 is about 100 quid and whacks out 40 voice polyhony on my 700mhz pc. The same would have cost many thousands of pounds 10 years ago.

chris

Wookie

quote:

---

Careful... she'll have us all doing the washing up..

---

Fitch

quote:

---

and wookie...

sweetie....i'd never tell anyone to get their hands wet unless they wanted to

---

....As Fitch passes Wookie a pair of Marigold
gloves

[QUOTE]Originally posted by fitch:
yeh but at least

yer man VCF was using punctuation and capitals

there didn't seem to be many of them the last time i saw a joyce book

Didn't he once right a whole book without the letter 'e' ?

Yes, 'e did.

.....and this thread has gone totally off topic.

Sorry Collusion but...

quote:

---

Originally posted by Raven:
....As Fitch passes Wookie a pair of Marigold
gloves

---

Everybody knows they don't make paw shaped Wookie sized marigolds ... cor.. daft idea or what .. besides, my nails would just rip through them

Not Joyce, Perec.

ahhh, was it a long work?

Not too long, it's been translated into english (by Gilbert Adair) as "A void".

Creamware are doing some really amazing
emulations. U know 007 is so close to
the real 106/60! The only thing they've
missed is chorus...
I like junox2. Let's wait for the pro version.