Looking for atmospheric synth

[simon.a.billington]

You can also layer simpler pad sounds to get something more lush or to add more motion. The advantage here is the sparse layers can be panned independently or processed differently with eq, compression, reverb delay or whatever. This has scope to create some incredibly complex or detailed sounds that you couldn’t get for a standard plugin.

This is an interesting concept indeed. I have layered bass sounds, snare drum sounds etc in the past, but never pads. In addition to what you state above, they also have the advantage of the included pads being able to change over time via automation, such as going down in volume during verses.

Thanks for the brilliant idea!

In a way it’s an old school idea. Early synths never had the polyphony or layering capabilities. You could track identical sounds, pan one left the other right, but it would never be quite as lush. It works best of there is more of a difference between the sounds, different synths even. It’s a tactic that’s still very viable today.

I use Wave’s Element & Codex quite a lot and it works extremely well with them.

[SparkySpark]

Thanks, great info. I could have done this with my MT-32 then.

When I come to think about it, DM did this all the time (but maybe not for pads).

[Mea Thrills]

Absynth works really well for me with those background sounds.

[jabe]

Thanks, great info. I could have done this with my MT-32 then.

When I come to think about it, DM did this all the time (but maybe not for pads).

Good to hear I'm not the only one that still has one! (The sitar setting made a splendidly twangy bass guitar sound, for anyone who needs one).

[SparkySpark]

Thanks, great info. I could have done this with my MT-32 then.

When I come to think about it, DM did this all the time (but maybe not for pads).

Good to hear I'm not the only one that still has one! (The sitar setting made a splendidly twangy bass guitar sound, for anyone who needs one).

Yeah it was a great unit really (a bit noisy maybe).

[generaldiomedes]

Another angle would be using a free synth (Synth1 or Tyrell N6) and investing in a pro reverb such as ValhallaRoom or ValhallaVintageVerb, both $50 to give it a nice lush sound. Although, TAL Reverb 3/4 also work well.

Dune CM (magware) is also capable of some very lush atmospheric sounds. I was noodling around with the pad patches and ValhallaRoom, and they sounded very lush indeed

It would also help if you gave some examples of sounds in the ballpark of what you are looking for. Things like high quality string/choir pads are probably going to be out of reach for budget tools. The only thing that really makes me cry are choirs ..

[SparkySpark]

Another angle would be using a free synth (Synth1 or Tyrell N6) and investing in a pro reverb such as ValhallaRoom or ValhallaVintageVerb, both $50 to give it a nice lush sound. Although, TAL Reverb 3/4 also work well.

Dune CM (magware) is also capable of some very lush atmospheric sounds. I was noodling around with the pad patches and ValhallaRoom, and they sounded very lush indeed

It would also help if you gave some examples of sounds in the ballpark of what you are looking for. Things like high quality string/choir pads are probably going to be out of reach for budget tools. The only thing that really makes me cry are choirs ..

Thanks! Very good suggestion. I'm actually using TAL Reverb 2, as I think it's so nice to have the two sliders instead of just Dry/Wet, plus the onboard EQ makes the sound so shimmery. Is there a particular reason for choosing the 3 or 4 versions?

Thanks for the Dune suggestion. Didn't know it had a CM version.

Actually I don't know what pad sound I am looking for yet, but I'm thinking something very outerworldy, like a slice of heaven. I agree with a previous poster that Ominsphere would be perfect. If only pluginboutique could do some 1 pound deals on it.

[SparkySpark]

BTW, I just read this in another thread about the free Subspace reverb by Zynaptic:

This reverb is awesome! Lush, full and and... all other positive words.

These presets may work for full track: A and B for Drums, C and D for instruments and pads.
What I like the most is that this reverb do what others can't do well: I can push it to make sounds bigger and fuller while both dry and wet signal merge as one body. For most plugin reverbs it's dry signal + noisy reverb that must be kept on low level to avoid mess.

Maybe that would also work well. I think "lush" is the keyword here, but at the same time, the poster is actually referring to resculpting the sound using reverb. That must be in line with your thinking.

[generaldiomedes]

Thanks! Very good suggestion. I'm actually using TAL Reverb 2, as I think it's so nice to have the two sliders instead of just Dry/Wet, plus the onboard EQ makes the sound so shimmery. Is there a particular reason for choosing the 3 or 4 versions?

3 especially is more diffuse than the other two. 4 I just like the simplicity - I haven't actually used 2 that much. The rest of the time I am just using Ableton's built in reverbs, or Valhalla.

Another suggestion - Korg's Wavestation plugin has some wonderful evolving pad sounds, and goes for around $50. Some patches definitely sound dated, however.

[inkwarp]

Alchemy.

[musicartist]

Actually, you can make some great pads using any free or paid vst, just increase the attack and release settings.

Then it's only about sculpting the kind of sound you need for your project.

[SparkySpark]

Actually, you can make some great pads using any free or paid vst, just increase the attack and release settings.

Then it's only about sculpting the kind of sound you need for your project.

Hmmm, well you're correct of course (though some sounds are obviously better prepared than others for atmospheric sounds). BTW, I am now experimenting with layering up to four pads in XPand!2 (as it's so easy to dial in another pad there). I am basically doing this randomly, and will tell if I find a combo that works better than something else.

(Thanks inkwarp for the Alchemy hint. Plus: you do have a super cool user name!)

[SparkySpark]

Thanks! Very good suggestion. I'm actually using TAL Reverb 2, as I think it's so nice to have the two sliders instead of just Dry/Wet, plus the onboard EQ makes the sound so shimmery. Is there a particular reason for choosing the 3 or 4 versions?

3 especially is more diffuse than the other two. 4 I just like the simplicity - I haven't actually used 2 that much. The rest of the time I am just using Ableton's built in reverbs, or Valhalla.

Another suggestion - Korg's Wavestation plugin has some wonderful evolving pad sounds, and goes for around $50. Some patches definitely sound dated, however.

Thanks for the info! ("Evolving" was one of the keywords I had forgotten but was really after as well.)

[EnGee]

Omnisphere 2... You won't stop crying after your wallet weeps..

I always advise for a Computer Music online issue that comes with great synths and effects for only $5:

https://www.zinio.com/nz/search?keyword ... er%20music

Buy the July issue and you will get the incredible Thorn CM (besides the already great ones like Bazille CM, Dune CM, Zebra CM, SynthMaster CM ... etc).

[SparkySpark]

Sure, would you recommend Thorn in particular?