Obxd synthesizer

[zzz00m]

Suggestion: What about implementing a proper preset and bank management, with a place in the GUI where we can monitor which bank is loaded and which preset is in use? We have been requesting this for ages.

Yes, that would be nice, especially for the bank loading! That right-click context menu could be transitioned to a visible display within the synth UI.

I have observed that the active preset display and selection is host dependent. OB-Xd does share the current bank preset list with the host. In DAWs like Ableton Live and Studio One, and others, you can see and/or select the current preset in the host UI for the plugin device.

[george]

Also, for suggestions, bug reports, etc. Free free to post at our support forum viewforum.php?f=276 or by e-mail contactus@discodsp.com and as always I'll be glad to help you out.

This is the OB-Xd "official" thread since it was born. So, why not posting the bugs, and suggestions, and discussing them here? This is the right place, IMO.

Regarding bugs, I already wrote about OB-Xd not saving banks in Windows 7 in its current state. It reads the FXB banks, but if we make changes and try to save the bank again, the file gets corrupted.

Suggestion: What about implementing a proper preset and bank management, with a place in the GUI where we can monitor which bank is loaded and which preset is in use? We have been requesting this for ages.

It’s very hard to keep track of bugs considering the thread length. Anyway I will take a look at the Windows bug and also, this goes for everyone, send me a email so I can get a proper flag of the suggestions.

Cheers,
George.

[Giova942]

Great synth but the presets management is awful (Windows).

[Giova942]

Any good recommended preset bank to create synthwave music?

[Mutant]

Any good recommended preset bank to create synthwave music?

Not sure if the Oberheim sound is best for that genre - it is a bit too "rich" in my opinion.
I would rather use affordable Roland synth emulations like PG-8X or TAL-U-No-LX.
Or general analog emulations like Xhip...
Synth1 is good for Synthwave too:

[crimsonwarlock]

Not sure if the Oberheim sound is best for that genre

... because obviously nobody used Oberheims during the 80's

Actually, the two most iconic synths that where used in the period that defines the synthwave genre, where the Jupiter 8 and the Ob-X/Ob-Xa. Besides those two where of course the Prophet 5 and eventually stuff like the MemoryMoog and the PPG Wave. But none of those where as 'center stage' as the Jupiter and the Ob. You want strings, grab a Jupiter, but for any brass-like patch the Oberheims where king of the hill.

All for free, get OB-Xd, PG-8x, Dexed and if that isn't enough then also SQ-8L, and you have a synthwave dream-setup right there.

[Mutant]

Not sure if the Oberheim sound is best for that genre

... because obviously nobody used Oberheims during the 80's

It is not about what was used in the 80s, of course an 80s (late 70s) synth was used in the 80s.
When i think Oberheim i just don't think synthwave - more like rock and pop, both of which have almost nothing to do with synthwave.

But of course you can do synthwave with OBXD, it is just not the best tool for that genre.
It will sound "too good/epic", not "cheesy" enough.

[biscuitdough]

Not sure if the Oberheim sound is best for that genre

... because obviously nobody used Oberheims during the 80's

It is not about what was used in the 80s, of course an 80s (late 70s) synth was used in the 80s.
When i think Oberheim i just don't think synthwave - more like rock and pop, both of which have almost nothing to do with synthwave.

But of course you can do synthwave with OBXD, it is just not the best tool for that genre.
It will sound "too good/epic", not "cheesy" enough.

The Outrun cabinet used a Yamaha 4op chip. That's a pretty minimal gear list to restrict yourself to if you're going to be a purist. The other big influence on the genre is Jan Hammer's Miami Vice soundtrack - Moogs, Jupiter-8, Fairlight. I don't think the OB sound is much of a stretch.

Edit: I will say that an early-Oberheim-centric attempt at synthwave might be too bright sounding because of the 2-pole filter. The reason that sound is associated with rock and funk is because it cuts through a mix well.

[crimsonwarlock]

The other big influence on the genre is Jan Hammer's Miami Vice soundtrack

Actually. the 'other' big influence is rather John Carpenter's movie soundtracks (like e.g. Escape from New York but many others as well). A pretty big part of current established synthwave acts are mainly inspired on Carpenter's work like the obvious one being Carpenter Brut but also Dancing With The Dead, Perturbator, NightCrawler, Dan Terminus, just to name a few. As John Carpenter used mainly a Prophet 5, it is no surprise that several touring synthwave acts have prophets or at least Dave Smith synths on stage. And I would say the Prophet 5 sound is much closer to the Oberheim sound than to Roland sounds.

The popularity of synthwave even made John Carpenter do a stage tour with his soundtrack work.

[crimsonwarlock]

Just listen to a few tracks on Meteor's Inner Demon album, you hear Oberheim-ish brass-pad like sounds everywhere.

[biscuitdough]

The other big influence on the genre is Jan Hammer's Miami Vice soundtrack

Actually. the 'other' big influence is rather John Carpenter's movie soundtracks (like e.g. Escape from New York but many others as well). A pretty big part of current established synthwave acts are mainly inspired on Carpenter's work like the obvious one being Carpenter Brut but also Dancing With The Dead, Perturbator, NightCrawler, Dan Terminus, just to name a few. As John Carpenter used mainly a Prophet 5, it is no surprise that several touring synthwave acts have prophets or at least Dave Smith synths on stage. And I would say the Prophet 5 sound is much closer to the Oberheim sound than to Roland sounds.

The popularity of synthwave even made John Carpenter do a stage tour with his soundtrack work.

There are micro-genres within synthwave, I guess, and I'm more aware of the so-called "Outrun" stuff, despite being a horror film fan.

Anyway, if Giova942 is still looking for free synths with libraries that are synthwave-friendly, you're absolutely right that something Prophet-ish would be suitable. There are synthwave banks for synth1, which is Nord-inspired, and the Nords were originally Prophet-inspired, so that's a good place to start. FM basses will be crucial, so Dexed is probably a good one to check out, too. Vintage Drum Elements or something Drumulator or Linndrum-like would also be a wise choice.

Kavinsky and (recent) John Carpenter both use Logic's included synths a lot, too.

[zzz00m]

Not free, but check out the demo of u-he Repro-5 (and a few of the demo tracks on the site). This thing sounds insanely good for a software emulation of the Prophet 5:
https://u-he.com/products/repro/

[zzz00m]

Here are a few commercial SynthWave preset banks for 3 free synths:

Synthwave for OBXD
OBXD https://thepatchbay.co.uk/product/?product_id=206
Arcade Summer - Synthwave Allsorts for Synth1
Synth1 https://thepatchbay.co.uk/product/Arcad ... L-U-NO-LX/
Timecop1983 - Deckard's Dream - PG8x Patchbank
PG8X v2 https://thepatchbay.co.uk/product/timec ... patchbank/

[george]

I'm considering using the iOS GUI for desktop build with the main advantage of being scalable and retina compatible.

What do you guys think about this?

[fmr]

I'm considering using the iOS GUI for desktop build with the main advantage of being scalable and retina compatible.

What do you guys think about this?

A still screenshot, please. I can't see anything with the image constantly resizing.

EDIT: OK, I managed to create a still image. I don't like it. The layout isn't logical. The original followed the hardware layout, with the oscillators at the left, followed by the filter, and with the envelopes at the right. This one has the oscillators at the upper right, the filter at the bottom left... What's the logic of this layout? I can't see one. Everything is mixed, as if it was thrown there randomly.