The most underestimated synths...

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egbert101 wrote:
Cinebient wrote:Not sure if it was mentioned already but after i finally had time to play more with DRC synth.
It´s really a little beast. Available for Windows, macOS, iOS and Android.
I also like the GUI (especially the day version).
I can´t believe i got it once for under 3 bucks (iOS and on sale).
I tryed now the plug-in and it´s really good (but of course i can´t get behind my psychological border to have to pay 30 times more for the plug-in, still 9 times compared to the normal iOS price).
Consider me converted. The tones and sweet spots in this emulation seem pretty diverse. One of the most impressive sounding [software] analogue synths I've so far heard. I wonder what it is supposed to be based on.

Two outstanding presets:

Space Cowboy:
really aggressive Arp.
Silk String: One of the silkiest strings I've heard.
Indeed, there are a lot great patches which shows how versatile this synth can sound.
I also don´t know if it is modeled after anything. I think it´s just a very modern looking GUI with a awesome vintage sounding synth.
If you go on their website you will know more of course.
I also appreciate that the developer seems open to suggestions and stuff (he is more active in the iOS Audiobus forum since this synth seems totally under the radar here).
It´s also a 2 man show (i think just 1 programmer). So it´s look even greater if such a small team can compete with the latest emulations of bigger names but offering a more modern GUI too (which some people might not like of course).
Polyphonic aftertouch is implemented too and some other stuff which might rare in vintage synths.
I wonder how it works on a windows multi-touch device.
This must be brilliant on an iPad Pro for sure. The iPhone version is a but tiny to edit patches.
However, i´m happy that i dived into this. This could straight go into my Top 5 or even Top 3 synth list.

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wagtunes wrote:
egbert101 wrote:Can't believe it was only $25 during the promotion period on release. KVR community dropped the ball on promoting this synth at the time.
You know what? It's a personal use synth and that's it. There is no way to provide 3rd party support. I have no idea what these guys were thinking but I can now see why nobody talks about this thing here.
From what i saw in the iOS forum i think they working on something you might want/need.
I also think there is a cloud sharing thing (not a friend of these cloud things).
But you also could ask the developer. He seems to be a friendly guy.
Maybe it already works (maybe not in the demo). I don´t know.
But i know you also could share patches across platforms which i appreciate too.

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egbert101 wrote:Can't believe it was only $25 during the promotion period on release. KVR community dropped the ball on promoting this synth at the time.
Woah, i could bite my ass now that i din´t bought it then.
I think it was the time the iOS version was promoted too for just 1.99 or 2.99 (can´t remember exactly). What a freaking bargain for a little monster like this.

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<delete>
Last edited by egbert101 on Tue Feb 20, 2018 1:00 pm, edited 1 time in total.
<List your stupid gear here>

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egbert101 wrote:
Cinebient wrote: Indeed, there are a lot great patches which shows how versatile this synth can sound.
I also don´t know if it is modeled after anything. I think it´s just a very modern looking GUI with a awesome vintage sounding synth.
If you go on their website you will know more of course.
I also appreciate that the developer seems open to suggestions and stuff (he is more active in the iOS Audiobus forum since this synth seems totally under the radar here).
It´s also a 2 man show (i think just 1 programmer). So it´s look even greater if such a small team can compete with the latest emulations of bigger names but offering a more modern GUI too (which some people might not like of course).
Polyphonic aftertouch is implemented too and some other stuff which might rare in vintage synths.
I wonder how it works on a windows multi-touch device.
This must be brilliant on an iPad Pro for sure. The iPhone version is a but tiny to edit patches.
However, i´m happy that i dived into this. This could straight go into my Top 5 or even Top 3 synth list.

Well thanks for bringing it to my attention. It perhaps may need its own thread on this forum (if you wish to start one and promote it). If the developers can come and interact with the members here, that would be great.

I think I would also put it in my top 5. I'd really like to use this in combination with the Pulsar 900 Modular, when they release it for windows.
He he, it´s what i have done already. They both running well together.
Yes, i think start a seperate thread....why not. I think it deserve it!
I still have 6 days of try and see what i can do with it.
This thing can create some outstanding strings for sure.
On top the analog chorus, the delay and the good reverb (for a reverb in a synth you can modulate) are great too. I like that they can be modulated too.
The growing reverb decay option is really nice......but handle wit care, otherwise it will creep to infinity db overload.
I also think it´s worth to add to my "collection" since it really brings a new color to the table.
And since i already own the iOS version it´s nice to can create and share patches crossplatform.

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Armagibbon wrote:
KBSoundSmith wrote:Linplug Spectral, easily.

It's one of those synths that suffers because of bad presets. And because you really have to dig to make use of its capabilities -- it's not like Diva, where you can turn one knob and get a good result. Spectral is NOT an instant gratification synth.

It may have the best FM/AM/RM/filter modulation available, IMO, at least as far as implementation goes -- I'm sure you can find some mad-scientist project out there that does more (but is comparatively unusable...). Then the ability to additively design and crossfade between your own custom waveforms, design your own filter curves... very powerful. And if you don't want to deal with the complexity, you can treat it as a subtractive synth.

It's a synth for people who really like to tinker and get crazy, utterly unique results. It's a one-of-a-kind synth, it sounds fantastic, and despite the complexity, the design is as ergonomic and deceptively simple as possible -- very mature design.

The only thing I wish it had that it does not is MSEGs -- of course, you can use the arp/sequencer as a modulation source...but that's not quite the same as an MSEG.
I was taking a look at Spectral the other day after a visit to Linplug's site to pick up a new-old copy of Albino3. Now I'm not all that keen on additive synthesis, a drawbar synth is about as far as I'll go in that direction because the results are always good and easy to get. Spectral, well, leans hard on cpu and using it as a plain ol subtractive synth feels like a waste.

So how do you approach the more complex stuff and make use of all that? Start with a fundamental and plop in specific harmonics around and above it? Is there some formula or starting point you always grab for certain sounds? I'd love to know how you come to grips with that kinda thing and make it fly. Just seems a tad tedious to do it all by hand... maybe that's why it's underestimated huh!
Hmm. Well I'd split programming sounds into three areas:

1) Knowing exactly what you want to make
2) A general idea of what you want
3) No clue what you want

The approach for each is totally different.

1) Knowing exactly what you want to make
#1 doesn't require much -- just make what you want, lol. You're also probably operating in known territory.

2) A general idea of what you want
#2 I outline the things I know I want to have -- whether that be the sound of the oscillator, or if it's the modulation settings (for example, if I know I'm going to use an arp/sequencer, I might start there rather than fiddling with oscillator settings -- those can wait).

I always consider the other sounds in the project. It has to fit with everything else. And not every feature has to be used for every preset -- using the complex parts just for the sake of it just isn't necessary.

But, sometimes you do want something advanced/complex/[insert adjective here]. Start there.

Also, having preset templates is a good idea. If you know you want a brassy sound, having a vanilla brass patch that can be loaded and tweaked can be a nice time-saver. No need to reinvent the wheel every time.

3) No clue what you want
#3 Sometimes it's within the context of a project. Other times, it's just good to learn how to use your gear. Or explore a sonic concept.

I'll choose a particular synth feature or sonic concept I really want to learn, then just experiment with that -- I'll keep everything else simple or unused, then gradually add in components to see how they affect the sound.

For example, Spectral has a nice feature where you can turn off keytracking on the oscillators, allowing you to do FM with fixed frequencies -- and that's per oscillator, so you can have some be keytracked, others not, etc. It's interesting to explore how that interacts with an oscillator that IS keytracked. Then other things, like if the modulator has a higher/lower/same frequency as the carrier, whether the ratio is an even number or not...


Summary
In short: choose ONE thing out of the options available to you, tweak it, then make something about it permanent. Then piece by piece, explore how other parameters interact with that permanent feature. Also, design and use templates.

It's slow, doesn't always yield good results -- but it does give you an experiential catalogue of what's possible. Then, when you program sounds in the future, you can get to results much faster because you've built up an intuition of how you might achieve it. Essentially, you'll be able to offload ideas in #3 into #2.

Maybe if I have time later, it might be fun to design a preset and walk through the process.

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I have to add Dagger Synth to this since there is also not much talk about this.
I recently played with it again more and i find it has more juice as Repro-1 (without FX).
It can really sound massive, maybe my favorite synth for bass.
I do wish now Beepstreet would make his new coming (soon) iOS synth Zeeon also as plug-in.
It´s Dagger on steroids and polyphonic etc.
But he says intel cpu´s are too weak so iOS/ARM only first.....whatever that means :D
Maybe time to buy me an iPad soon again to use it.

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Cinebient wrote:I have to add Dagger Synth to this since there is also not much talk about this.
I recently played with it again more and i find it has more juice as Repro-1 (without FX).
It can really sound massive, maybe my favorite synth for bass.
I do wish now Beepstreet would make his new coming (soon) iOS synth Zeeon also as plug-in.
It´s Dagger on steroids and polyphonic etc.
But he says intel cpu´s are too weak so iOS/ARM only first.....whatever that means :D
Maybe time to buy me an iPad soon again to use it.
I don't get that either. I mean, mobile processors are weaker than desktop processors, right? 8)

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fluffy_little_something wrote:
Cinebient wrote:I have to add Dagger Synth to this since there is also not much talk about this.
I recently played with it again more and i find it has more juice as Repro-1 (without FX).
It can really sound massive, maybe my favorite synth for bass.
I do wish now Beepstreet would make his new coming (soon) iOS synth Zeeon also as plug-in.
It´s Dagger on steroids and polyphonic etc.
But he says intel cpu´s are too weak so iOS/ARM only first.....whatever that means :D
Maybe time to buy me an iPad soon again to use it.
I don't get that either. I mean, mobile processors are weaker than desktop processors, right? 8)
Maybe not anymore? I have no clue. Maybe it´s more easy to optimize synths there?
Whatever, he should have some reasons.
At least Zeeon will be an AU too for iOS :D
In some months/years i maybe trade my plug-ins all and go iOS only again :D

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Seems ARM is the thing of the future...

http://en.yibada.com/articles/197619/20 ... ce-new.htm

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fluffy_little_something wrote:Seems ARM is the thing of the future...

http://en.yibada.com/articles/197619/20 ... ce-new.htm
Who knows, with apps like BeatMaker 3 i even could ditch Logic. It looks so much better and modern.
I just wish U-he, 2CAudio and N.I.and a few others would make iOS apps :D
I bet in some years they have to anyway if they won´t be the next "dinosaurs". :hihi:
Add 3d touch on iPads and i also ditch my Seaboard Rise.
It´s not perfect and not for extra large productions but otherwise i consider to switch back soon because i don´t need all the desktop bloat and unoptimized plug-ins i need a supercomputer for.
I could save some bucks too and heal me from the G.A.S.
The future looks bright.....

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Cinebient wrote:Who knows, with apps like BeatMaker 3 i even could ditch Logic. It looks so much better and modern.
I just wish U-he, 2CAudio and N.I.and a few others would make iOS apps :D
I bet in some years they have to anyway if they won´t be the next "dinosaurs". :hihi:
Add 3d touch on iPads and i also ditch my Seaboard Rise.
It´s not perfect and not for extra large productions but otherwise i consider to switch back soon because i don´t need all the desktop bloat and unoptimized plug-ins i need a supercomputer for.
I could save some bucks too and heal me from the G.A.S.
The future looks bright.....
That may work for you... but doing music stuff on my iPad is a most un-inspiring experience. If iPad type devices are the future, then I would go all hardware.

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fluffy_little_something wrote:
Cinebient wrote:I have to add Dagger Synth to this since there is also not much talk about this.
I recently played with it again more and i find it has more juice as Repro-1 (without FX).
It can really sound massive, maybe my favorite synth for bass.
I do wish now Beepstreet would make his new coming (soon) iOS synth Zeeon also as plug-in.
It´s Dagger on steroids and polyphonic etc.
But he says intel cpu´s are too weak so iOS/ARM only first.....whatever that means :D
Maybe time to buy me an iPad soon again to use it.
I don't get that either. I mean, mobile processors are weaker than desktop processors, right? 8)
Yes, massively (ARM in a server is not "mobile").

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pdxindy wrote:
Cinebient wrote:Who knows, with apps like BeatMaker 3 i even could ditch Logic. It looks so much better and modern.
I just wish U-he, 2CAudio and N.I.and a few others would make iOS apps :D
I bet in some years they have to anyway if they won´t be the next "dinosaurs". :hihi:
Add 3d touch on iPads and i also ditch my Seaboard Rise.
It´s not perfect and not for extra large productions but otherwise i consider to switch back soon because i don´t need all the desktop bloat and unoptimized plug-ins i need a supercomputer for.
I could save some bucks too and heal me from the G.A.S.
The future looks bright.....
That may work for you... but doing music stuff on my iPad is a most un-inspiring experience. If iPad type devices are the future, then I would go all hardware.
Maybe DRC, and similar cross-platform apps, are the future. At very least, they allow our desktop productions to translate to a streamlined live rig. 1-2 MIDI-friendly iOS apps with a good interface is arguably more portable, straightforward, and reliable than a fragile laptop rig. Add cloud-based patch portability, and a AU/VST/iOS synth that sounds really good, and it's an end-to-end solution. Can't wait for Repro-5, but also Zeeon and Synthmaster One (iOS)! These new component-modeled apps are definitely raising the bar for sound quality, and workflow!

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Curve 2
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