Soft synths that really sound 'alive'

[chk071]

Because I can take the most alive synth, according to the OP's "definition" and make it sound like crap.

But that is NOT according to the OP's definition. At least that's not the way i understood it.

Are there any software synths that, in our opinion, sound organic/alive/like an actual, acoustic instrument

I would call it one big sweet spot, very hard to make it sound like "crap" (of course you could always do so, but what's the musical use in making something sound like crap, unless you want to produce crap music).

[ariston]

To make a long story short: I think the difference is in your mind. I don't think you'd be able to hear the difference in a blind test. Especially with synths like Diva, Monark, the TAL stuff, the Xils stuff... not to mention the physical modelling synths. They're all very much "there".

I do know what the OP means with alive though, and I also would agree that Spire is one of the few soft synths which is there. It has something like a permanent sweet spot, while other soft synths are much more limited in that regard.

See, and Spire, to me, sounds particularly stiff and lifeless. Well-suited to modern EDM, which is why it's so popular there.

I'm not saying this is THE TRUTH, but it might show, once again, why these threads are utterly pointless. We all hear things differently, for better or for worse. Your alive is my dead, and your analogue is my digital.

For these discussions to have any merit whatsoever, we would need to define what "alive" means in the context of synths. Good luck with that. I'd rather make music. With a spoon and fork if need be. It'd have to be real silver though, 'cause stainless steel is not quite "there" yet.

[Yorrrrrr]

+1000

[Daru925]

Well check the entries for osc challenges, youll get a good list of nice softsynths.
I like my synth sounding boring and plain digital from the start, that means im 75,56% responsible for the final sound.

[Ghost Dog]

My, somebody is a bit touchy today. You can find Fluffy a few posts up. Great guy but kind of stuck in the 80s musically, not that there's anything wrong with that.

This place really needs to lighten up because life is too short.

I'm not touchy. I meant nothing sinister. I just said what I said because statements like that (like the one you made; the one I reacted to), don't have any real meaning unless everyone involved knows each other.

(On another note, TBH, I myself am stuck in the eighties as well.)

....With a spoon and fork if need be. It'd have to be real silver though, 'cause stainless steel is not quite "there" yet.

IDK, for me the question I came with here today, is an entirely legitimate one.

You say you'd rather make music, but instead you're here .... writing lengthy posts.

As for playing through an amp sim, yeah that sort of goes without saying (that and the EQ). I like the ones from REAPER the best, TBH (they can be downloaded separately, for free, so everyone else can try them as well).

Also, no major input latency issues (128 samples buffer @44.1Khz).

[chk071]

To make a long story short: I think the difference is in your mind. I don't think you'd be able to hear the difference in a blind test. Especially with synths like Diva, Monark, the TAL stuff, the Xils stuff... not to mention the physical modelling synths. They're all very much "there".

I do know what the OP means with alive though, and I also would agree that Spire is one of the few soft synths which is there. It has something like a permanent sweet spot, while other soft synths are much more limited in that regard.

See, and Spire, to me, sounds particularly stiff and lifeless. Well-suited to modern EDM, which is why it's so popular there.

I'm not saying this is THE TRUTH, but it might show, once again, why these threads are utterly pointless. We all hear things differently, for better or for worse. Your alive is my dead, and your analogue is my digital.

For these discussions to have any merit whatsoever, we would need to define what "alive" means in the context of synths. Good luck with that. I'd rather make music. With a spoon and fork if need be. It'd have to be real silver though, 'cause stainless steel is not quite "there" yet.

All true. IMO, there seems to be an average common point though in most cases, at least that's what i read out of many posts here, and also i feel is proved by popularity of the respective synths. Of course, i don't know what defines alive for you, for me, Spire is anything else but lifeless. Sounding alive being for me sounding warm (yes, another of those terms), and sounding versatile/having a big sweet spot where the synth sounds good, also, or especially, using modulation of any kind. Alive doesn't necessarily have to do with pitch instability for me, but also includes some saturation/distortion, which makes it sound interesting. Frankly, there are soft synths which sound like utter crap when modulating the pitch with fast LFO's for example, or which sound unpleasant when modulating the filter with high resonance settings. And then, there's a few synth which absolutely start to shine when doing so. That all adds to what i would call "alive". A small sweet spot with only a few situation where i would say a synth sounds well on the other hand would make a lifeless, dead impression to me.

[pdxindy]

That all adds to what i would call "alive". A small sweet spot with only a few situation where i would say a synth sounds well on the other hand would make a lifeless, dead impression to me.

A violin has a tiny sweet spot... it is so easy for beginners to sound terrible!

[chk071]

Well, a violin (usually) requires skills to play it. A synthesizer, not necessarily. Rather sound design skills in many cases. Of course, if you don't have any idea what you're doing, you will hardly get good results in both cases.

[ariston]

IDK, for me the question I came with here today, is an entirely legitimate one.

I'm sure it is. But see, the problem here is that your mind is already set. You didn't really come here seeking synths that are "there" yet. You answered your own question in your OP - there aren't any. Which is how these threads usually start. Do you really think you'll read something here that will change your mind? I'm avoiding the words "bait" and "troll" here, because I do believe your intentions are good. But that's what it comes down to, in the end. I gave you a list of synths that sound "alive" to me.. whatever that means. What about them? Diva doesn't sound alive to you? Xils4? Monark? I say you've got to be joking, or you haven't really worked with these synths. Maybe your opinion was formed by watching youtube vids, who knows.

I still believe you wouldn't pass a blind test.

I post on KVR while bouncing tracks, by the way. Or playing Rocket League (and really sucking at it, but I'm getting better).

[Michael L]

I suggest finding a preset in Spire (your synth of choice) that feels very alive to you, then open another instance of Spire with an init preset, and try to copy or recreate the first preset in the second instance.
There are many points in the signal chain where one can increase the complexity of a sound, how it changes over time, and responds to a midi controller, but learning from the presets of a masterful sound designer will reduce the time spent in trial and error.
Also, try the tutorial series "Syntorial."

[fischkopf]

Diversion by far sounds the most alive to me. Which is ironic, considering it will KILL your CPU. I can imagine you could make some pretty 'realistic' acoustic guitar in that synth. Strings are also nice, check out "PAD Orchestral" preset from the Pavel Vakhrushev bank. MPowerSynth can also produce some pretty realstic sounds.

[dune_rave]

IMHO Korg, U-He, Rob Papen stuff sounds alive,
plus FM8 and Massive from N.I.,
ImpOSCar from GForcesoftware,
and Synthmaster and Sylenth1

[highkoo]

Metaphysical Function
Skrewell
etc..
That stuff, and other Reaktor monsters (Cal Scott), are alive!
Sound making beats with their own ideas.
Also, the two generative things from xoxos I cant recall the names of.
Im sure this is not the kind of thing OP is talking about...

To go with the ol' boring 'best hardware emu' answer, I can only +1 Diva and Monark. Those two stand in a special place to my ears...

[db3]

In regard to the OP's comment on Spire, I would assume the OP is talking about the ability to create organic pluck type sounds. I think Spire is great for typical EDM stuff, but not particularly anything else which sounds "alive".

Specialist physical modelling synths, such as Logic's Sculpture, by design sound pretty alive. For other synths, I think there are a number of factors which contribute to an "alive" sound....and it can be as simple as preset design.

I think Roland's Analogue Circuit Behaviour (at the expense of CPU) is the closest yet in achieving an "alive" VA sound in the digital realm. Many of my VAs (even those claiming to model circuits) seem to come "alive" only after adding additional analogue circuit modelling effects.

[Ghost Dog]

I'm sure it is. But see, the problem here is that your mind is already set. You didn't really come here seeking synths that are "there" yet. You answered your own question in your OP - there aren't any. Which is how these threads usually start. Do you really think you'll read something here that will change your mind? ....

Ok, I don't really like the term "set". I most definitely do have a position here, but it doesn't mean my mind is "set".

I don't think I'll read anything here that "will" change my mind, but maybe something could change mind. I am most definitely interested in hearing what synths the other people consider "alive"/"fluid"/"organic" (I don't like these terms either, but since we can't use telepathy they'll have to do).

.... I'm avoiding the words "bait" and "troll" here, because I do believe your intentions are good ....

How wonderfully perceptive!

.... I gave you a list of synths that sound "alive" to me.. whatever that means. What about them? Diva doesn't sound alive to you? Xils4? Monark? I say you've got to be joking, or you haven't really worked with these synths ....

Your input is appreciated.

Yes, Diva doesn't feel like a real vintage synth to me. I already said it and it is how it is.

Have no experience with XILS or Monark, TBH.

.... Maybe your opinion was formed by watching youtube vids ....

Haha, no it wasn't.

.... I still believe you wouldn't pass a blind test ....

I don't find that even remotely relevant (but, to be fair, I think I'd have difficulties passing a blind test).

And since I also believe your intentions aren't bad (and since you were kind enough to explain how you spend your time on your computer ..... very useful data ), let me explain myself a bit more ....

Yes, I most definitely didn't start this thread in any kind of troll fashion, but the question isn't deadly serious for me either. I also like to play synths and mix a bit, more than I like yapping about synths (I've been dabbling with music for some time .... since the late nineties, but unfortunately, it's always been just a hobby for me), but sometimes I do just like to talk shop.