Softsynth itch. What to buy?

[rlared]

Have you considered getting a hardware analog synth instead? I just got one and I feel so much more interested, engaged, and wanting to make music with it. There's something about just sitting with the instrument and tweaking knobs and listening to the results. I recommend getting something with little-to-no menu diving. It's more expensive than a soft synth though.

That's is interesting.
What did you get?

I had this idea of hardware synth some time ago.
I demoed kARP, Minilogue and Minibrute 2.
All are good. But even most sophisticated oscillator of all three (MB2) is not very powerful. Yes, several waveform mixer and FM and metallizer are adding more variety. But it's too expensive to use it at raw oscillator sound source. Filter sounds awful to me. Only 1 ADSR, second is very modest AR(AD). I'm truly spoiled by software.

I got the Matrixbrute, but that's expensive. I freaking love it though.

I agree that you will lose some features in buying an analog. But do you really use all the fancy capabilities of the VST synths you have now? What I'm finding is the experience of using it is more important than the list of features, and that's where analog has an advantage because there are knobs for everything right there. For example, a piano doesn't have tons of features but I can sit there and play one for hours because of the sounds and the immediacy. So it's really about is it musical and inspiring for you.

Anyway, just something to consider! I have Falcon and Halion too and love them also so it just depends on my mood.

[layzer]

upgrade your DAW, buy a better master controller... there hasnt been anything in software worth buying for a while

[EnGee]

It depends! Just find the best way to be productive. Once you are producing convincing results (to you), then you know that your setup is OK.

For me, external synth didn't work neither a good (has it all) controller! What it is working for me now is small mini controllers together with my PC keyboard, and of course my DAW of choice and the integration of all these tools together.

Recently I ordered another nanoKontrol because I love it and use it all the time. The first is black for DAW control and the second (white) I hope to be instruments/effects controller You see? Everyone is different, so find your own way

[felis]

deleted - found the manual

[low_low]

For me, external synth didn't work neither a good (has it all) controller! What it is working for me now is small mini controllers together with my PC keyboard, and of course my DAW of choice and the integration of all these tools together.

This was true for me too. I started out with a large complex controller, but in the end what I really needed was a small bank of midi knobs.

[AlesisVi61]

...............

[beater]

Falcon is out of your price range but look for sales ect. Save up a bit more and never ever need the next new fandangled synth. It's a waste of time always looking for the next big thing.

[discoDSP]

Try Discovery Pro. It has some unique features like PADSynth resynthesis and tons of presets to start with.

https://www.discodsp.com/discoverypro/

You can get it for a lower price if there are discount vouchers available at https://www.discodsp.com/deals/

[SMH]

Not just a synth but an effect too!!!!

https://soundcloud.com/smh2600/admiral- ... b-on-strat

The original clean guitar before applying PolyanaFX.....

https://soundcloud.com/smh2600/clean-st ... -polyanafx

http://www.admiralquality.com/product/poly-ana/

[sjm]

I'd recommend Harmor as well. It's a completely different paradigm from anything you have, and there's not much it can't do.

The interface is a possible bone of contention though. There's so much in the synth, that it may seem overwhelming. However, it doesn't need to be, and you should be able to basic stuff (imitate a subtractive synth) in an hour or so of reading the manual and playing around.

The main reason I'd suggest Harmor is this:

Just to broaden horizon, skills and soundwise.

That said, if you have no idea how sound waves work and that you can break down any waveform into a sum of sines (i.e. the very basics of how sound works), you will be completely lost and will have to resort to trial and error (not the best idea IMO) to do the more interesting stuff.

But that's exactly the sort of stuff you should be interested in if you want to broaden your horizons. There's hardly a better way to improve in sound design than to understand sound. And I don't think there's anything that comes close in terms of the ability to manipulate sound. You can pretty much modulate anything you want with any curve (including drawing your own LFOs). You can manipulate individual partials, rather than the composite sound, which is interesting and a very different way of going about things. And Harmor is really CPU friendly for the most part, because it's really just basic addition (it's an additive synth after all).

Anwyay, I won't bore you with more waffle, if you want to know more, check out the reviews here on KVR, that basically all say the same thing (the mother of all synths, crazy deep, not for noobs) while talking about totally different things (because there's no way you could touch on all the possibilities).

I'm sure you don't actually need YASS (Yet Another Subtrative Synth), so I'd suggest getting something a bit different whatever you do if you want to broaden your horizons. A minor variation on the same theme isn't going to give you that.

[greedy.mf]

For me, external synth didn't work neither a good (has it all) controller! What it is working for me now is small mini controllers together with my PC keyboard, and of course my DAW of choice and the integration of all these tools together.

This was true for me too. I started out with a large complex controller, but in the end what I really needed was a small bank of midi knobs.

Agree.
I'm having a blast with Korg nanoKey Studio using simplest script for Ableton.

[greedy.mf]

I'd recommend Harmor as well. It's a completely different paradigm from anything you have, and there's not much it can't do.

I'm sure you don't actually need YASS (Yet Another Subtrative Synth), so I'd suggest getting something a bit different whatever you do if you want to broaden your horizons. A minor variation on the same theme isn't going to give you that.

I've mentioned earlier, I'm on a Mac, so no IL goodies for me

As for YASS, I agree. Don't need it.
That's why I considered Loom, Toxic Biohazard and some more.

At the moment I'm leaning towards Zebra. It looks good after latest v2.8 overhaul, sounds good, quite flexible, CPU light. And as they run out of numbers, there should be v3 around the corner.
Give it another go for couple of weeks and probably pull the trigger. I can always sell if we don't get along. > 9 month of ownership and license transfer is free.

[greedy.mf]

Falcon is out of your price range but look for sales ect. Save up a bit more and never ever need the next new fandangled synth. It's a waste of time always looking for the next big thing.

I considered Falcon some months ago, when it was 30% off and passed. It's probably too cool for me and little intimidating. I didn't connect to it like an instrument. More like a Mathlab. However that's a price for all that powerful features.

[sjm]

I'd recommend Harmor as well. It's a completely different paradigm from anything you have, and there's not much it can't do.

I'm sure you don't actually need YASS (Yet Another Subtrative Synth), so I'd suggest getting something a bit different whatever you do if you want to broaden your horizons. A minor variation on the same theme isn't going to give you that.

I've mentioned earlier, I'm on a Mac, so no IL goodies for me

Isn't that changing though? Not that I pay any attention to what goes on in McWorld.

[greedy.mf]

I'd recommend Harmor as well. It's a completely different paradigm from anything you have, and there's not much it can't do.

I'm sure you don't actually need YASS (Yet Another Subtrative Synth), so I'd suggest getting something a bit different whatever you do if you want to broaden your horizons. A minor variation on the same theme isn't going to give you that.

I've mentioned earlier, I'm on a Mac, so no IL goodies for me

Isn't that changing though? Not that I pay any attention to what goes on in McWorld.

Some synths are available for Mac, like Biohazard and Drummax.
Fruity Loops itself works as of v20.

However most of their plugins have only Win downloads.