Alternative to Hive

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this is ridiculous, where is the need for this nonsense? If you dont have anything on topic to contribute then dont post, last time I'm gonna say it.
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I must confess something...Because Hive was made as an "alternative" to Sylenth1 and people were still saying its way too different i never even had suspision people would want Hive altnernative and this synth came out just a little over 2 years ago :D

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greedy.mf wrote:
I suppose pointless-ness of that requirement really depends on your synth programming approach.
I like to see what contributes to a sound at a glance, so I can tune it and carry on.
As for Hive - yes, it's tabbed. But it makes sense. I don't need keyboard, when I tweaking matrix. I don't need effects when I adjust arp.

Most synths are tabbed, beside the simplest ones. But some are tabbed with greater consideration.
And some have a lot less tabs than others.

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Try harmless: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-6whFMK6wg4

It's a subtractive synth powered by an additive engine under the hood -- so even though it's a one pager, that underlying engine gives it a ton of sonic breadth in a very compact package. Probably nothing else out there let's you dial in as wide a range of sounds as quickly.

What it's missing from your requirements is a "ton" of presets. It has maybe a 50-100 or so. However, it makes up for that, perhaps, with outstanding tweakability. It's also absurdly light on the CPU, and is 100% aliasing free unless you truly brutalize it in the distortion section.
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Yes, Harmless is a beauty! I think I like it more than it's big brother Harmor.

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-=double post=-
Last edited by greedy.mf on Wed Sep 20, 2017 7:19 am, edited 1 time in total.

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aumordia wrote:Try harmless: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-6whFMK6wg4

It's a subtractive synth powered by an additive engine under the hood -- so even though it's a one pager, that underlying engine gives it a ton of sonic breadth in a very compact package. Probably nothing else out there let's you dial in as wide a range of sounds as quickly.

What it's missing from your requirements is a "ton" of presets. It has maybe a 50-100 or so. However, it makes up for that, perhaps, with outstanding tweakability. It's also absurdly light on the CPU, and is 100% aliasing free unless you truly brutalize it in the distortion section.
Looks interesting, but Windows only.
Guess I should've mentioned I'm on a Mac.

Actually it seems kind of strange to me that FL don't offer AU version for all their plugins.
Go figure.

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that's just because it's mostly coded in delphi, and porting that stuff to mac ranges from way complicated to impossible.

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Surprisingly, there is one more option
Thorn by Dmitry Sches, released just yesterday.

Guys in dedicated thread comparing it to others spectral synths, like Linplug Spectral, which is fair, I think.
But to me it could easily be one of those workhorse VA bread and butter synth.
It got everything I need - sleek one page-ish scalable UI, 2x modelled filters, 3x flexible OSCs with unison, simple ADSRs, plenty of FX. Drag'n'drop and right-click assign modulation for dessert. Glitch sequencer is fun too.
Probably an overlap with Serum to some degree. But it got +1 OSC, +1 filter, arp and dedicated env knob for filter. So it can be mapped to controller without convoluted workaround.

Evaluating at the moment. File size is strangely big for for "synthesizing" synth, not WT or sample based.

Introduction pride is more then modest - $69. You won't find Hive for this price even used.
Probably to early to be sure 100%, but if it clicks with me, I'm set. No need for ANA 2 or Saurus 2.

As for Wiggle, I got it on Thomann sale recently. Wonderfully strange little synth.
Last edited by greedy.mf on Thu Oct 19, 2017 9:11 am, edited 1 time in total.

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I sont like wiggle. It sounds too muffled.
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Caine123 wrote:I sont like wiggle. It sounds too muffled.
Sure, highs nothing like Serum. Some distortion help is needed. Still got it's use, for pads.

Probably wouldn't buy it if I knew about upcoming Thorn release, but I'm no psychic :hihi:
What's done is done, another tool in the box.
Besides I don't have a dedicated FM synth, so it could fill that place with 4 operators.

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Igro wrote:
chk071 wrote:
greedy.mf wrote:Envelops have strange feel, and despite adjustable curve it's not easy to find sweet spot. Call it my poor skills, I don care. However Hive or Sylenth don't give me that issue.
That's what i'm saying here, since years. Some synths simply have very strange envelopes. The counter-claim is usually that "you can shape, and make them sound the way you want with MSEG", or, as you said, adjustable curves. Well, nope, not really. Some just will always sound soft, won't give you any punchiness, or "bang". Or what i'd call a organic, "round" sound.

Was one of the first thing i noticed with the full Synthmaster. The filters and envelopes just won't give me the kind of punch that Spire, or Sylenth1 produce, e.g. It always sounds soft, and weak. Like a (typical) soft synth.
SM1 one uses analog envelopes by default. And they ARE clicky. But as far as u remember SM1 doesn't use zero attacks by default. Also, if you don't get clicksy attack, you probably don't how to use synths. Change the phase of the waveform and don't use free running oscillator. If this is not enough, use a kikck sample in every note press. Phahaha. What's the point of having mega clicky attacks? Is it like the loudness war? SM attack is natural, it allows to stack voices without having too pronounced click, otherwise it would be overkill.
the envelope durations in SM1 are based on the moog subphatty. Minimum attack duration was around 1.5 ms
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