KVR Audio

@midnight · Post by **@midnight** » Thu Nov 22, 2012 4:04 am

I really like that heavy tines epiano sound the DX7 and FM7/FM8 have, and that's what I use for that sound, but has anything come out since that has surpassed those? Is the FM8 still the must-have?

Interested in synthesis based VSTi's only not the sample based.

ScottZ · Post by **ScottZ** » Thu Nov 22, 2012 7:26 am

have you demoed zebra especially this free patch in this thread that's in hollo's sig at the bottom http://www.kvraudio.com/forum/viewtopic ... c&start=75 lounge lizard 3 might be worth demoing too if you haven't LL4 is supposed to be coming out end of the year which will be free if you buy 3.

GeckoYamori · Post by **GeckoYamori** » Thu Nov 22, 2012 9:26 am

From what I've heard, the earlier FM7 sounds notably closer to the characteristics from the actual DX7. I'm a total FM freak, but the difference is really negligible to me personally.

Lotuzia · Post by **Lotuzia** » Thu Nov 22, 2012 11:48 am

@midnight wrote:I really like that heavy tines epiano sound the DX7 and FM7/FM8 have, and that's what I use for that sound, but has anything come out since that has surpassed those? Is the FM8 still the must-have?

Interested in synthesis based VSTi's only not the sample based.

You can make good, or interesting E Pianos in a lot of synths, but nothing will get you as close, detailed, complex as the FM7/FM8 duo when it comes to approach the character and richness of these DX patches, or program new ones.

Some examples of Keys from our Gloss Spells soundbank for the FM8

Gloss Spells FM8 Keys

Multiple other FM8 sound demos on our site, like this one.

LtZ

Arrested Developer · Post by **Arrested Developer** » Thu Nov 22, 2012 4:04 pm

Lotuzia wrote: You can make good, or interesting E Pianos in a lot of synths, but nothing will get you as close, detailed, complex as the FM7/FM8 duo when it comes to approach the character and richness of these DX patches, or program new ones.

I really like the FM8, but I think that you can get even closer to the DX-sound with Zebra 2.

SLiC · Post by **SLiC** » Thu Nov 22, 2012 4:09 pm

Arrested Developer wrote:
Lotuzia wrote: You can make good, or interesting E Pianos in a lot of synths, but nothing will get you as close, detailed, complex as the FM7/FM8 duo when it comes to approach the character and richness of these DX patches, or program new ones.
I really like the FM8, but I think that you can get even closer to the DX-sound with Zebra 2.

+1

(have both)

Aroused by JarJar · Post by **Aroused by JarJar** » Thu Nov 22, 2012 4:15 pm

You know, that DX-7 tines sound... we hear it in "classic productions" and we hear it in our memories, but if you play an actual DX-7 nowadays, you might very well find yourself thinking, hey, that's not how I remember it...

Play your FM7 tines out through a keyboard combo. Play a real DX-7 tines through a combo. Make sure your impedances are okay. Heh...

The reason Zebra makes for a better tines is that it sounds more like we imagine tines should sound like. I bet if you had a tines programming contest and no one was allowed to listen to the original during the course of the contest, the patch that would be voted as most authentic would be pretty far off, and much thicker and sweeter than the original.

Arrested Developer · Post by **Arrested Developer** » Thu Nov 22, 2012 4:28 pm

Aroused by JarJar wrote:You know, that DX-7 tines sound... we hear it in "classic productions" and we hear it in our memories, but if you play an actual DX-7 nowadays, you might very well find yourself thinking, hey, that's not how I remember it...

Play your FM7 tines out through a keyboard combo. Play a real DX-7 tines through a combo. Make sure your impedances are okay. Heh...

The reason Zebra makes for a better tines is that it sounds more like we imagine tines should sound like. I bet if you had a tines programming contest and no one was allowed to listen to the original during the course of the contest, the patch that would be voted as most authentic would be pretty far off, and much thicker and sweeter than the original.

As an owner of a "real" DX7 (in addition to FM8 and Zebra) i don't think you're right about the sound...
Anyhow, if it comes to blind tests, everything is possible.

@midnight · Post by **@midnight** » Thu Nov 22, 2012 6:39 pm

yeah what I like is that really deep, sweet heavy tines epiano sound. whichever software gives me the thickest syrupiest version of that is what I want.

Aroused by JarJar · Post by **Aroused by JarJar** » Thu Nov 22, 2012 6:55 pm

Arrested Developer wrote:
Aroused by JarJar wrote:You know, that DX-7 tines sound... we hear it in "classic productions" and we hear it in our memories, but if you play an actual DX-7 nowadays, you might very well find yourself thinking, hey, that's not how I remember it...

Play your FM7 tines out through a keyboard combo. Play a real DX-7 tines through a combo. Make sure your impedances are okay. Heh...

The reason Zebra makes for a better tines is that it sounds more like we imagine tines should sound like. I bet if you had a tines programming contest and no one was allowed to listen to the original during the course of the contest, the patch that would be voted as most authentic would be pretty far off, and much thicker and sweeter than the original.
As an owner of a "real" DX7 (in addition to FM8 and Zebra) i don't think you're right about the sound...
Anyhow, if it comes to blind tests, everything is possible.

Did you use the same amplifier for both? You can't directly compare a sound on "digital black" to a sound taken through DA to an amplifier.

glokraw · Post by **glokraw** » Thu Nov 22, 2012 6:57 pm

zynaddsubfx being 16 part multi-timbral, with a few
types of synthesis available, is great for epianos,
and any ambience to surround them, all in one patch.
Cheers

(the yoshimi linux variant, in it's latest 1.x release,
is rumoured to have drastically reduced cpu usage, in some
critical situations. And linux Hexter (DX sysex bank player)
latest release, now adds some basic editing features to the sysex)

Aroused by JarJar · Post by **Aroused by JarJar** » Thu Nov 22, 2012 6:58 pm

@midnight wrote:yeah what I like is that really deep, sweet heavy tines epiano sound. whichever software gives me the thickest syrupiest version of that is what I want.

I really love FM synthesis in all its many varieties. DX7 is a great machine, a historical landmark, but it's just an introduction to what frequency modulation can do.

waltercruz · Post by **waltercruz** » Thu Nov 22, 2012 7:19 pm

Aroused by JarJar wrote:I really love FM synthesis in all its many varieties. DX7 is a great machine, a historical landmark, but it's just an introduction to what frequency modulation can do.

What can you cite as great FM synths after DX-7? FS1R?

Aroused by JarJar · Post by **Aroused by JarJar** » Thu Nov 22, 2012 8:10 pm

waltercruz wrote:
Aroused by JarJar wrote:I really love FM synthesis in all its many varieties. DX7 is a great machine, a historical landmark, but it's just an introduction to what frequency modulation can do.
What can you cite as great FM synths after DX-7? FS1R?

The last Casio CZ/VZ flaships, the FS1R and Cyndustries Zeroscillator (as the FM module in a modular). But even these do not offer the vast possibilities of the various kinds of frequency modulation- as far as I know, no commercial synthesizer has or does.

aMUSEd · Post by **aMUSEd** » Thu Nov 22, 2012 8:16 pm

SLiC wrote:
Arrested Developer wrote:
Lotuzia wrote: You can make good, or interesting E Pianos in a lot of synths, but nothing will get you as close, detailed, complex as the FM7/FM8 duo when it comes to approach the character and richness of these DX patches, or program new ones.
I really like the FM8, but I think that you can get even closer to the DX-sound with Zebra 2.
+1

(have both)

Even more with Bazille

Or a Nord G2

Is Native Instruments FM8 the best for DX7 epiano sounds?