I love synths like Alchemy, SynthMaster, Massive and DCAM that have controllers that any parameters can be assigned to for uber twiddling. But is there a synth that integrates a sequencer that can record parameter changes over time?

I was thinking that maybe Absynth does this but in quite a hard to understand way so that's beyond me. I know it's possible to record parameter changes using a DAW but if a synth had this kind of sequencer then preset designers could create incredibly evolving presets that I just wouldn't be able to create in Reaper.

Not quite my cup of tea, but you may find Scythe useful. Nowhere near as complicated (or "deep", if you prefer) as the ones you mentioned and no dedicated this and that controllers beyond the standard knobs but extremely to use for adding handtweaked movements to a patch. Just press the "bend" button and tweak away. Effectsparameters and basically everything can be treated in this manner. It's even free for Mac and Windows alike. It's more or less a plugin version of a iPad softsynth.

Thread from it's maker: http://www.kvraudio.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=348493&start=0

Or just head straight to the website: http://www.plastaq.com/scythe/

That's really interesting and in the direction I was thinking of. I wonder if there's a synth that goes beyond this and can sequence parameter changes over time? So that, for example, when a key or chord is pressed the preset can be pre-programmed to add more chorus after 4 seconds, then alter cut-off and resonance after six second or morph the sound into another etc. etc.

Perhaps I'm half remembering a Korg hardware synth that could do that years ago?

Tattoo can sequence any parameter.

http://www.audiodamage.com/instruments/product.php?pid=AD024

But I was thinking of something more versatile than that for a synth.

Rapture also has a parameter step sequencer of some kind but it looks a bit daunting.

If i understand your request, Dune hss this feature.

You can do that on Poly-Ana just by flipping between two or more versions of the same sound saved in separate programs. Changing programs doesn't reset the voices as happens in some softsynths (at least not as long as the Polyphony and Unison mode settings stay the same between the sounds).

I believe there are several synths like Blade and romplers like Wusik Station that can use an arp to modify parameters. This wouldn't be exactly what you are asking for, but it is similar.

Speaking as someone who is more interested in making music than programming synths, I have to say that I am not sure how useful this feature would be. What are the chances that the piece of music I am working on needs a filter opened at a particular time or the chorus increased at another? When I am working, I want more flexibility, not less. If these things are already present in the sound, I am kind of handcuffed in how I can use it. If I want the filter opened or the chorus modulated, it is far easier to do it in my DAW so I don't have to learn yet another way of doing the same thing. I can also record it in real time and edit it in my DAW without ever opening up the synth.

Just my humble opinion.

One example I often think of is say I want a short release time during a part, but I want the last chord I play to die off with a long release time (that would have muddied up the previous part). On synths that allow it, you could just switch to another version of the almost exact same patch, just with longer release time(s) dialed in. (Why not just grab the release knob and turn it higher? Maybe you have more than one envelope and don't have time to change them both.)

Plenty of other examples too. Not all changes to a patch need to be heard immediately. You could change modulation destinations of the wheel or velocity between notes or while the wheel is down. Stuff like that.

On most classic analog polysynths with program memory this technique worked. But relatively few modern softsynths emulate this behavior, most will reset the voice state when you change programs, killing any voices that were going.

Not a sequencer but a highly flexible lfo with drawable waveforms:
Cableguys MidiShaper.
Simply assign the desired knob in your synth to a midi cc (midi learn)and then let it modulate by MidiShaper. It has 4 lfos and 4 additional envelopes. There is also LFO Tool by Xfer Records which has 12 lfos.

Here is an example: modulating the XY-pads in Zebra with the lfos from MidiShaper.(sorry for bad video quality)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Iy9GYEGHf3U

Cheers,
Gerald

Most of my hardware synths reset on program change. That made certain things a serious challenge. I was in a Pink Floyd tribute band and the Dark Side of the Moon required 9 different setups from beginning to end. The timing required precision or there would be audible results. Not something you want at stage volume.

Try Progress Audio Kinisis - very underrated synth with powerful parameter automation sequencing

http://www.progressaudio.co.uk/Kinisis/KinisisMain.html

I was thinking of Kinisis too whan I read the OP.

On Xils-Lab SYnthix, you can use the output of the internal sequencer to control any of the Synthix parameters, in all layers .......

The (polyphonic) sequencer can record in real time. And each of its tracks can adress a different layer. Pretty powerfull tool.

Which ones? Most true analog programmable poly-synths I can think of offhand let the voices continue to run when programs were changed. (Assuming of course the note or damper pedal is still held down.)

(P.S. Isn't Dark Side of the Moon mostly wah-wah-Wurlitzer, piano, Rhodes and Hammond C3? Obviously there's On The Run, and some bass drones in various places, but I can't recall a whole lot of other synth on that album. Wish You Were Here was chock full of synths though.)

Thanks for the interesting suggestions. I think Kinisis is closest to what I had in mind.

I was demoing Spectral Shapers and really liked the ability to make the LFO oscillate like the controls in FXpansion's Etch. So I wondered if there was a synth with more control over the sound over time.

I was thinking about dubstep and grime bass lines that have quite extreme sound sculpturing and FX and build-ups used in a lot of dance music that evolve over a number of bars. Imagine if sound designers could create presets that evolved over 1, 2, 4, 8 or 16 bars. Huge build-ups that might not occur to or be possible for some of us who aren't as experienced in sound design. These could be tweaked to fit the track or completely changed by the user.

When I use Massive for example there are some great bass presets and preset banks for sale and they can be controlled but the user has to do this through trial and error. But it's the way the preset is twiddled that brings it to life in different ways and a sound designer could program this into the patches in the type of synth I'm thinking of. If a synth had a sequencer where it was possible to program a patch over one bar or more then it would be possible to not only buy static patches for it but also evolving ones created by a sound designer.

A kind of integrated sequencer like this would really open up opportunities for sound designers and preset tweakers as well.