Modular softsynths

[tanabarbier]

I mean if a good sounding buchla-modular-like VST comes out, I won't be able to come out of my studio myself for a year or two.

Theres nothing to stop you creating a modular synth from various VSTs and wiring them together in a modular host.

As an example Melda have a high quality Oscillator, run that through The Drop inside Mux and you can create youre own shit.

Fruityloops is one of the older hosts that allow you to do modular routing with various deep native modulation plugins you can eaily hook up to any parameter.

Why wait for someone else to create your dream synth?
Its been possible to mix and match modules in the hardware world from various devs for a long while, its just taking a while for users to realise you can do the same in software, probably due to a limited mindset and philosophy IMO.

Of course, but like pdxindy said, no audio rate modulation. It is actually what I do, in Usine (wich is my main host, so I do dig modular philosophy). This is really why I look for an audio path modular soft, because modulation wise, if it is well implemented on the VST side (and by that I mean that parameters react well to external modulation, not all do) it is a pleasure to do it in Usine.

I have been demoing MUX a bit, so far I am not a big fan of the sound (not speaking workflow or anything else, just pure sound). Don't know why, but I'll give it another go anyway.

So thanks to your help, my list has become:
ACE
AlsaModularSynth
ARP 2600 V
AudioGL
Audulus
Bazille
Formant classic advanced
Kamioooka
KarmaFX
KX-synth-X16
Modular V
Mux
Sonigen modular
Tassman
TimewARP 2600
VAZ modular
VOID
Virsyn Tera
XILS 3

And the modular visual programation (well not Csound or Supercollider) interface environments:

Reaktor
PD
MAX
CSound
Supercollider
CPS Bonneville
Blok
AnalogBox
DarwinArts's cambrian suite

I'll keep digging and demoing. Thank you!

[Synthbuilder]

Vaz Modular is the King!

+2

It's excellent sounding and very flexible. And you can sneak in other VST plugs into the patch too.

Not 64-bit yet though.

Tony

[Wormhelmet]

Just tried Kamioooka and Damatriks which are both freeware. Damatriks or sometimes listed as Datmatriks is a semi-modular Doepfer style two-shelve modular with matrix grid. Both if these were very nice sounding.

I love these threads. After work will get demo of Void, but it better be outstanding at 29,820 Yen or around $320 US dollars. That's pretty expensive for a softsynth although it does host vst's too.

[tanabarbier]

Yeah, I like those threads too, and like you said VOID is pretty expensive, specialy since it is a 2004 VSTI, if I'm correct. They do have an academic discount though.
Thanks for Damatriks, wich I had not heard of either!

[secretkillerofnames]

Yeah, I like those threads too, and like you said VOID is pretty expensive, specialy since it is a 2004 VSTI, if I'm correct. They do have an academic discount though.
Thanks for Damatriks, wich I had not heard of either!

You have to fax them with your details for academic discount

[tanabarbier]

Ahahah, I first have to find my time/fax-machine.

[Debutante]

....

So far I've thought of Bazille, ACE, Mux, AudioGL, Sonigen Modular, Kamioooka, and things like Reaktor, PureData, Max, Csound, Supercollider...

...thats actually 90% of it. Not too many cabling synths around. The complete modular IMO is VOID from PSoft. Cabling with vst support - it is that ultimate synth.

Why aren't there more reviews on this one? It looks pretty sweet. Gonna try the demo. I've been using Sonigen Modular Beta and love modulars like this. Thanks for the tip.

..this kind of modular isn't really popular. I never even bothered with it until Kamiooka opened my eyes to it. I wrote to the dev, cause it's from 2005 (very stable on my system so far) asking if it was dead, if he would drop the price if it was.. They said they'd consider dropping the price AND updating it a little bit. Bother them a little. The GUI is a tad small, and up to Win8 support would be welcomed... ALMOST as much as a price drop

I think it's a fantastic piece of software

[Wormhelmet]

Thanks for the reply. I've got Kamiooka now and it's pretty good but lacking some module options. If I like the sound of the filters I'll probably purchase Void. To be honest, I never got these types of modulars myself until I got a hardware modular, then tried Sonigen. Now it seems to make a lot if sense to me without having to sub patch 5 modules together to make a simple lfo, like some of the other modulars. I don't want to get that technical, but building a synth from pre-built modules like a Eurorack is a lot if fun to me and still offers up tremendous flexibility plus I'm getting more ideas in my next hardware modular. I'm off now to get the demo...

[Wormhelmet]

PSoft Void Modular System I demoed:

GUI is small for sure. Had some latency issues with the standalone demo, but they were inconsistent. Some patches would have keyboard latency and some would have none. Even going to the same patch again, the next time would have none while first ad latency from key press to sound. None on the virtual keyboard, none while using the arpeggiator.

Sound is great. Really good selection of modules. Because the GUI is small, you can put a lot of modules in place with it all being on the same screen and no scrolling. Filters sounded very good. As good as Kamiooka's, if not better. Emphasize again - really good selection of modules. Most like a Eurorack I've encountered so far. If you understand patching a hardware modular, you will understand this with the exception of needing multiples because you can run two patch cables out or in to single jack.

Demo can't save patches, has noise burst every few seconds, no audio input.

Multiple oscillator types. Multimode, formant, dynamic filters available. Too many modules to list. Demo patches show capabilities good. Good sequencer and fx.

I like it, but that's still pretty expensive. Have to think on it a bit, but would purchase it for sure if $100 less. Since version 1.6 is latest and from 2005, I can't really see the justification for the price, but it does hold sort of a unique slot here by being the closest to hardware Eurorack with that many modules and standard cabling.

Hmmmm. Tough decision. The company also makes iOS apps, but not music apps that I saw. This would be a great iOS app candidate, but they obviously couldn't sell it for the same price at the App Store.

I'll keep checking out the demo, even with that annoying noise burst.

[V0RT3X]

Might be worth waiting to check out what Bitwig studios modular synth has to offer.


Not Native but there is this..



http://sonic-core.net/joomla.soniccore/ ... 27&lang=us

I don't think I would buy this, after hearing some of the audio demos of the product I am really not that interested.

If you want true Analog style synthesis build a eurorack system.

[Wormhelmet]

Checked out Karmafx demo too. Need more time with it. Got to sleep now, but first impression of sound was really good. Not used to this style. No virtual cables but instead a right click drop down of routing to choose from. You can see the routing behind the modules.

This one really does sound nice. More time tomorrow morning with it maybe.

[Jesse J]

I have Reaktor, Sonigen Modular and a 12U hardware euro modular.

I feel that this pretty much covers everything I need for sound design, specially with Five12 Numerology as the sequencer and a bcr2000 as a controller for numerology.

[Wormhelmet]

A couple days now playing with Karmafx Synth demo. This has got to hit the bang for the buck winner. The sound is spectacular.

Biggest complaint was having to look in the manual on how to connect the envelopes to a generator, but made perfect sense when I read how.

Next complaint would be one that really makes zero sense - they have made the modules where they are easy to stack next to each other and put the cables behind the modules out of the way. While this is the more efficient way to put things together and not have a grip of cables in your way, I prefer the traditional look and messy cabling all over the place for authenticity.

Like in Void or Kamioooka or Sonigen.

The sound of Karmafx and those visual oscilloscopes are perfect. I always patch one in on Sonigen. I see why it has such a high rating in KVR database though.

Was going to try VAZ 3 but encountered ASIO error immediately and have posted on their support forum. The standard windows driver works but latency kills it. I prefer Karmafx way to route over VAZ though and the multiple window thing is a little weird for me to get used to, but I can see how one could get used to it rather quickly.

[secretkillerofnames]

In case any of you are interested, I tested a bunch of different VA's making a Didgeridoo sound from Welsh's Synth Cookbook. First 5 examples in this set.

https://soundcloud.com/secretkillerofna ... h-workshop

[Jesse J]

Interesting! Here's my Didgeridoo patch. Made on my Eurorack modular:

https://soundcloud.com/top10/2012-04-07-drone

...no cookbook used.