How many synths do you need?

[DCrown]

With synths it's similar to soccer stick albums. Goal is to have a full collection, you want to have all popular players in the album, but also the less famous - you want a complete album.

[Gam456]

One big exception is DS Thorn. This synth is absolutely a premium synth in every way but sell for below 50usd.... A mystery....

Thorn is one of those I got, but could never get along with it for whatever reason. I do however like using it and its spectral filters occasionally to make weird wavetables to import into other synths.

Same I used only once.
It sounds too harsh for my taste

[Lutin mutin]

How much synths ?

At least, one of each kind of oscillators...
One substractive, one additive, one wavesamples, one FM, etc...
Or for reducing that number of totally different synths, synths combining various different kind of sources inside it.
My 'final' target is to have at disposal, the access to the "physical" existing osc sources. And the different other "modules" as filters, modulators (LFO, enveloppes, EQ ...) can be eventually added "outside" the proper synth...

My 2 cents

[stoopicus]

I had thought I was all done, and especially all done with hardware (for over 20 years), and then I gave in to the Temptation of Uli and now I have three new hardware monosynths.

[Y3K]

If a VST synth implied, I use only one. At first, I was using multiple synth VSTs, because, I was looking for "built - in presets". Next, I started using preset banks. At the end, I stopped at only one VST.

It took me time to understand basics of sound synthesis, and configuring oscillators, so, If I need something, I am capable of making simple sound, with backup of guides.

If "real" (physical) synth implied, I don't have any, just six years old Yamaha electronic piano and tiny MIDI keyboard.

[kvotchin]

4, for me. Between them, they (comprehensively) cover subtractive, additive, FM, physical modelling, sampling/granular, “west coast”, and a bit of this and that.

[ChanceB]

Many. Between the the ones I’ve purchased,the free ones ,the ones in Logic and Fl Studio,and the ones i have for iPadOS/ios, something like 120 and I’m sure I’ll get more soon enough .I just like collecting them aside from making music with them

[neverbefore]

You really only need a few - perhaps only one - depending on what sounds you want to use and make.
A plugin like Falcon has more than enough capability to keep someone busy for quite a while. Same for something like crusher-X or one of the main u-he synths or Reason's Objekt - which is ridiculously versatile.

[HAL76]

With synths it´s pretty much like with women, you know?

Wait, are you saying that they let us think that we're controlling them, but in reality, they're actually controlling us?!

That´s just how it is. But that is exactly why you can´t really say that more or less is better. It just depends. I know that for sure, I´ve learned hard lessons. Got a Pulse2, M, an OB-6 afterwards, lately am MKS-80, lent a Juno, a MonoPoly and an SE-02. My new MKS-50 arrived today. I initially felt that I needed something, while now I feel just overwhelmed somehow. From todays perpctives it´s easier to stay with one synth, just like it is when your wife finds out about your affair or versa vicae. But I guess that this insight won´t change the feelings you sometimes have

[HAL76]

With synths it´s pretty much like with women, you know?

But synths are capable of so much more warmth

Have you ever really tested an other one?

[rj0]

Hmm, one more than you have.

[eLawnMust]

ImpOSCar & Xphraze covers everything in musical fashion>>>

[rj0]

Hmm, one more than you have.

Buy that one additional synth and you're totally set. Promise (heh, heh, heh).

Until that next one ...

[HAL76]

Lesson 1: It´s not about what you need, it´s about what you want.

[chk071]

With synths it's similar to soccer stick albums. Goal is to have a full collection, you want to have all popular players in the album, but also the less famous - you want a complete album.

Naaah... It's rather that you notoriously think the next purchase will actually finally ignite and unleash your creativity.