KVR Audio

AdamWysokinski · Post by **AdamWysokinski** » Thu Feb 16, 2017 1:22 pm

Hi all,
I'm new here, so first I'd like to say hello to all of you. After years of listening, last year I started producing my own sounds

I'm in the ambient/ambient house styles (think Biosphere, Global Communication or The Orb). I use Logic X (so my question if limited to Mac AU instruments). I have Alchemy (I'm still exploring its vast abilities) and several free synths. I also have D16 Phoscyon (for some acid house patterns), TAL 101 and some drum synths (Elecktroid and Stacker).

I don't work with presets, rather I prefer to build sounds by myself. I like complex, evolving pads and psychedelic sounds, not too harsh, not too clinical.

What would be your 3 best soft synths for my needs (idealy I'd like them to complement each other)? I'm demoing the majority of them (e.g. from Tone2, Uhe, Spire, Serum, Blue2), but I'm simply getting more and more confused. While many of them seem to be very similar, each has some unique sounds or features and I can't afford all of them

Thanks,
Adam

jobinho · Post by **jobinho** » Thu Feb 16, 2017 1:25 pm

Waldorf Largo is awesome for ambient. I'm also selling my license for it on here.

Zexila · Post by **Zexila** » Thu Feb 16, 2017 1:39 pm

Check out the ones here that Simon covered with his patches:
http://www.patchpool.de/

do_androids_dream · Post by **do_androids_dream** » Thu Feb 16, 2017 1:42 pm

That's an interesting one because I would put Biosphere and Global Communication at quite different ends of the spectrum in terms of the sound they have. Biosphere - colder, more simple waveforms - FM - and GC much warmer, analogue pads and thicker overall production. Biosphere is a heavy sample user too.. Most synths will do well at ambient - it really depends on your taste and how easy it is to get results (interface). It's really hard to recommend anything.. maybe try to find out what hardware they used and find the closest software to it if you really want to emulate the sound of their productions.

nicksohn · Post by **nicksohn** » Thu Feb 16, 2017 1:43 pm

Absynth

asi4 · Post by **asi4** » Thu Feb 16, 2017 1:50 pm

Zebra2, Massive, Absynth

egbert101 · Post by **egbert101** » Thu Feb 16, 2017 1:55 pm

1. Dmitry Sches Diversion
2. Synapse Audio Dune 2
3. Xfer Audio Serum

For me, there is something very special about the sound of Diversion. I suggest listening to the demo on their website to see what I mean. I think the kind of ambient sounds it makes are very soundtrack/cinematic orientated. Only problems for me are the interface, and I would not know where to start in programming the thing. If it's not your cup of tea, then I suggest taking a listen to U-he Zebra2, especially the expansion u-he ZebraHD which is rather expensive but a dream for sound designers.

Dune 2 is pretty well known for its beautiful lush ambient pads, because of its insane unison capabilities. Again, worth listening to demos, especially of expansion packs on youtube to get a feel for its capabilities.

Lastly, Serum, because it's one of the best wavetable synthesizers out there, and you can make very nice complex evolving sounds with wavetables.

http://www.dmitrysches.com/products/diversion
http://www.synapse-audio.com/dune2.html
https://www.xferrecords.com/products/serum

Yorrrrrr · Post by **Yorrrrrr** » Thu Feb 16, 2017 2:10 pm

DUNE 2 is really good for ambient stuff. Unique unison/layers engine and extensive modulation capabilities. It's an overall excellent synth.

wagtunes · Post by **wagtunes** » Thu Feb 16, 2017 2:31 pm

Synthmaster. I am surprised nobody has mentioned it. It has a bank of sounds specifically for house music. It's cheap and sounds great.

Numanoid · Post by **Numanoid** » Thu Feb 16, 2017 2:42 pm

Psychic Modulation Phonec (the melt function is unique)
BigTick Rhino (patches by the late great Tim Conrardy, shows how deep this synth can be for ambient)
WusikStation (as there is no Alchemy anymore, WS can do the job. Lots of beautiful ambient patches included, check especially those from Art Vera)

asi4 · Post by **asi4** » Thu Feb 16, 2017 2:43 pm

The fact is what the choice of the best synth is a matter of taste and convenience. If you have enough experience, you can create music with almost any synthesizer.
Zebra and Absynth are great for sound design, but in my opinion they are a little hard to operate. Massive have a friendly interface, although capacity is slightly less.

wickfut · Post by **wickfut** » Thu Feb 16, 2017 2:57 pm

Linplug Spectral - Amazing synth that does AM/FM/Subtractive, custom waveforms, custom filter shapes etc

Izotope - Iris 2

Halion 6 for granular and wavetable stuff,

Reaktor - speaks for itself

chk071 · Post by **chk071** » Thu Feb 16, 2017 3:04 pm

jobinho wrote:Waldorf Largo is awesome for ambient. I'm also selling my license for it on here.

+1 Best soft synth for Ambient music for me.

SuitcaseOfLizards · Post by **SuitcaseOfLizards** » Thu Feb 16, 2017 6:20 pm

I use Kontakt Player with Heavyocity Evolve and Natural Forces along with Shevannai, Engine2 with Frest Kingdom II and Epic Worlds, Rapture with Westagte Sounds Anomoly Vol 1 that just came out (only reason Rapture is installed at all).

In the past I've used Dark Zebra and Absynth, but had to sell both due to a financial crisis

there are some killer dark ambient banks for Absynth and Dark Zebra.

For me, it's equally about the effects and synths, so make sure to get a top-end reverb and delay as well if you don't already have them!

noddog · Post by **noddog** » Thu Feb 16, 2017 6:33 pm

For me it's:
- Alchemy
- Synthmaster
- Dune2

3 best soft synths for ambient/ambient house music