Does anyone actually use this synth? It got good reviews, but I don't like the sound. I probably don't know how to work it right. Do you have any presets or songs you used it on?

Kenny,

Look at the top of the page where it says "Banks/Patches". There are two banks there and you can also go to...

Oops...They also used to have a bunch of them on the CM website, but I can't seem to find them?

i think its kinda rubbish.
i love sr202....use it all the time

i have experience on many real analog synts and i have realized that it is possible to find a use also of the more simple ones (tb303, sh101, ms10, wasp, mxr, poly800, etc).
So i like simple VSTis like CM101, steinbCS40, tau, vivaldi, neon ( i can see some people vomiting!!), vb1........ in a song is not possible to use huge, complex evolving sounds for everything.
(((for this i am not a big fan of Absynth, too much work to obtain a simple and solid techno bass, everything seems to lead to "ambients")))

Here's some patches I did for the CM101.Let me know what you think. CM101 Patches

You can find a tutorial on getting into synthesis with CM-101 here:

http://www.computermusic.co.uk/tutorial/cm101/cm101.asp

Hi Dave,Thank you very much for the kind words.I'm glad you liked UniSyn,the CM101 is such a joy to program.I will indeed drop you an e-mail.

CM101 is a simple synth, designed to introduce beginners into analogue subtractive synthesis. It isn't a preset-player :-)

My recommendation would be to get tweaking, and don't forget to put some interesting FX on the sound. Try delays, choruses and my favourite, phaser.

HTH
Dave
Muon Software Ltd
www.muon-software.com

BTW - I ought to do a poll "presets, good or bad?"
I tend towards the former camp myself, but then again I've got 15 years of synth programming experience. Discuss

Marc555 - nice patches, I like UniSyn. Drop us a mail sometime!

Also, the patches on the CM site can now be found at:
CM site/about us/about our VSTi

Regards
Dave

Thanks, I will be checking out those presets, and using the effects.

This world of synths is new to me. Who could afford to spend thousands on all that electronic gadgetry a few years ago. Now with this explosion of software or virtual synths...it is amazing.

Where do you go to learn about synths? And changing the sound.

Kenny_b, go to the Tweakheadz Lab website. There is a link to the site under "Other Links" on theis page. There are many good examples on how to make simpler synths like CM101 sound more complex, as well as more advanced tutorials on synth programming. There is no longer any excuses! Get tweaking!

...minimoog, arp odissey, roland sh101, juno106, tb303, all time classics, are more simple that cm101.......to be simple is not a bad thing

Dave frae Muon quoth BTW - I ought to do a poll "presets, good or bad?"
I tend towards the former camp myself, but then again I've got 15 years of synth programming experience. Discuss

Presets good. Sticking to presets bad.

(Tree pretty, fire bad!)

I think providing a synth with a good range of presets is always a good idea. Not just because it demonstrates capability, but because it provides a shortcut for those less willing, able or comfortable to construct a sound from scratch. If they have a good starting point to tweak, then they get where they want faster, and learn about the synth doing so. The bigger the range of presets, in fact, the less I think they're likely to get frustrated and just give up; they're more likely to be able to start from close to where they want to go.

I think its a shame, though, when people rely purely on presets, though. Although these days, when changing the character of a sound by routing it through fifteen different effects is easy, and doesnt have to cost a penny, then there's much less of likelihood of hearing the same damn sounds all the time.

most of KVR contributors seem to have some difficulties doing something more than exchanging presets or loading a new plugin..... I remember an old forum, speaking about "voice ambience", i was telling that in professional work often "voice reverb" means, reverb(heavily tweaked)+multitapdelay+gate+comp+everything routed in a regular channel than eq, not simply exchanging presets on a Lexicon. But people were only suggesting the names of a new plugin.
And everyone is speaking about Absynth with these ( i call them ) "shop sounds" complex evolving, very nice demoing, but, when buyed, anyone will never use them in a song because, to accomodate them, everything have to go away, song included.
I remember checking some Korg keyboard in shops, with the obvious "shop sounds".

the most and best electronic music is done with basic instruments!!!, think about tb303

(of course it is not a big problem, maybe i have not so much nuances in my english to seem less dramatic!!!!)

Presets are showcases and good guidelines.

Showcases, because pure osc sound sucks. Only presets made by the manufacturer or tweakagurus can give a realistic impression of the synth's capabilities. The specs tell a lot, but not how the thing really sounds like at it's best.

Guidelines or "Help"; I think the best way to learn to "tweak" (I think I'm gonna start hating that word soon...) a particular synth to produce a specific sound is to look how a similar preset is made.

Using presets, however, is quite a personal choice. There are so many synths & so many presets that there will be no more "303ineverypublishedtune"-type of problems that have roots in people using the same presets.

And some synths (soft&hard) come with incredible presets, which obviously took some time & creative skill to make them... if some abSynth presets inspire people, I don't mind hearing them in produced composition?

I reckon that a tremendous amount of excellent music has been made with the same "presets": fender, marshall, tama & tidjian.... what counts is the final result, the means of getting there matter only to other musicians, not so much for the audience.

Personally, I'm teaching myself to create my own sounds. I find it rewarding to produce something that I had in mind. And when the sound is something that I know I haven't heard on a record before, I find it hard to stay in my pants ;-)

...sorry if I bored you with an overly long post, I'm new to this forum and unaware of your habits.

:jii:

Sometimes I'll find myself using presets because I just want to get my latest work of genius(!) down as quickly as possible. Then sometimes I'll tweak a little, sometimes not. I don't tweak for the sake of tweaking, just if the sound needs it. It's whatever floats your boat.