What synth do you actually USE the most in your own music????
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PRODUCTS Ableton Wavetable Presets and Racks AudioRealism Bass Line 3 (ABL3) Corona Discovery Pro Diva Expansion Diva Expansion 2 Omnisphere Explorer - Omnisphere 2 Presets Quarantine - Massive X Presets Repro-1 Pro Expansion (Repro 1 Presets) Repro-5 Pro Expansion - Repro 5 Presets Serum Bass - Presets For Serum Serum Pads - Presets For Serum Serum Synths - Presets For Xfer Serum Universal - Dune 3 Presets Wavetable Hive Presets
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- KVRist
- Topic Starter
- 260 posts since 30 Mar, 2019
I saw the "super synth" thread and "best sounding synth" thread. Sure, Reaktor and Falcon are the most versatile tools and Diva sounds the best...
But what I'm curious is what synth people actually use the most in real productions they do
As of late, I'd say U-He Hive is my most used synth. Used to be FM8 and Massive. It's kind of my FM8 replacement because just like NI's classic software synthesizer, Hive is low CPU and sounds great. It's fast to dial in new sounds, has a good sequencing capabilities, and ultimately is aesthetically pleasing on the eye just like NI's stuff. You can plop 20 instances of it down easily so it's a no brainer to throw it in when for sounds when you don't want to overload the CPU. I think it also actually sounds better than Zebra despite being supposedly lower CPU and less "flagship."
But what I'm curious is what synth people actually use the most in real productions they do
As of late, I'd say U-He Hive is my most used synth. Used to be FM8 and Massive. It's kind of my FM8 replacement because just like NI's classic software synthesizer, Hive is low CPU and sounds great. It's fast to dial in new sounds, has a good sequencing capabilities, and ultimately is aesthetically pleasing on the eye just like NI's stuff. You can plop 20 instances of it down easily so it's a no brainer to throw it in when for sounds when you don't want to overload the CPU. I think it also actually sounds better than Zebra despite being supposedly lower CPU and less "flagship."
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- KVRian
- 643 posts since 27 Apr, 2018
I use Serum the most. Still one of if not the best OSC editor. Unfortunately the standard filters (not the extended ones) are medium-class. It's 8 versatile LFOs and mod matrix are still unreached for me to sculpt out ideas.
- KVRAF
- 21196 posts since 8 Oct, 2014
I don't use synths that much. Most of my music is piano, bass, drums, guitars and orchestral instruments. But when I do use synths, these are the ones I reach for most often.
Omnisphere 2
Dune 3
Synthmaster 2
Legend
Diva
Zebra 2
There are some specialty synths that I use for certain genres, like M-Tron Pro for prog rock and PolyM for 80s. But with all the synths I own, there are relatively very few I use anymore.
Omnisphere 2
Dune 3
Synthmaster 2
Legend
Diva
Zebra 2
There are some specialty synths that I use for certain genres, like M-Tron Pro for prog rock and PolyM for 80s. But with all the synths I own, there are relatively very few I use anymore.
- KVRAF
- 3538 posts since 12 Jan, 2019
Zebra 2 (Diva a close second), but I don't have a ton of synths (besides free ones, I have MSF, Biotek, Harmor, Serum, and the Glitchmachines stuff). But a lot depends on the kind of music people are making.
Doing nothing is only fun when you have something you are supposed to do.
- KVRAF
- 1877 posts since 30 Mar, 2008 from MN, USA
Lately, mostly Rapid.
I have WAY too many synths. As an exercise, I'd like to do my own OSC, and do a track using only one synth (except for drums) with each of the major synths I own. If nothing else, it might precipitate a big sell-off (who am I kidding).
Here's my current list, not counting free synths. Almost everything was purchased on sale, over many years, but still...
Collections:
Arturia V 7
NI Komplete 12 Ultimate — Collector's Edition
Steinberg Absolute V3 (Halion, Padshop 2, etc.)
All TAL synths
All U-He synths
Melda MCompleteBundle (MSoundFactory and MPowerSynth)
Reason 11 Studio Edition
Individuals:
Aparillo
BioTek 2
Diversion
DS Thorn
Dune 3
Fabfilter One
Fabfilter Twin 2
Fathom
Kilohearts One
The Legend
ME80 v2
Xils miniSyn-X
OP-X Pro II
Phase Plant
Pigments
Poly-Ana
Rapid
Serum
Spire
Synthmaster 1
Synthmaster 2
Xils Sin-X 2
Xils PolyKB III
Ultra Analog VA-3
VacuumPro
Voltage Modular
VPS Avenger
Xils 3.2
Xils 4
Plus a couple of rack extensions for Reason:
Korg Mono/Poly
Blackpole Station
I have WAY too many synths. As an exercise, I'd like to do my own OSC, and do a track using only one synth (except for drums) with each of the major synths I own. If nothing else, it might precipitate a big sell-off (who am I kidding).
Here's my current list, not counting free synths. Almost everything was purchased on sale, over many years, but still...
Collections:
Arturia V 7
NI Komplete 12 Ultimate — Collector's Edition
Steinberg Absolute V3 (Halion, Padshop 2, etc.)
All TAL synths
All U-He synths
Melda MCompleteBundle (MSoundFactory and MPowerSynth)
Reason 11 Studio Edition
Individuals:
Aparillo
BioTek 2
Diversion
DS Thorn
Dune 3
Fabfilter One
Fabfilter Twin 2
Fathom
Kilohearts One
The Legend
ME80 v2
Xils miniSyn-X
OP-X Pro II
Phase Plant
Pigments
Poly-Ana
Rapid
Serum
Spire
Synthmaster 1
Synthmaster 2
Xils Sin-X 2
Xils PolyKB III
Ultra Analog VA-3
VacuumPro
Voltage Modular
VPS Avenger
Xils 3.2
Xils 4
Plus a couple of rack extensions for Reason:
Korg Mono/Poly
Blackpole Station
Last edited by teilo on Fri Jan 03, 2020 4:52 am, edited 2 times in total.
CLAP Software Database: https://clapdb.tech. KVR Discussion Topic.
- KVRAF
- 7691 posts since 11 Jun, 2006
The old M1 vst somehow always makes it into my tunes for one thing or another
HW SYNTHS [KORG T2EX - AKAI AX80 - YAMAHA SY77 - ENSONIQ VFX]
HW MODULES [OBi M1000 - ROLAND MKS-50 - ROLAND JV880 - KURZ 1000PX]
SW [CHARLATAN - OBXD - OXE - ELEKTRO - MICROTERA - M1 - SURGE - RMiV]
DAW [ENERGY XT2/1U RACK WINXP / MAUDIO 1010LT PCI]
HW MODULES [OBi M1000 - ROLAND MKS-50 - ROLAND JV880 - KURZ 1000PX]
SW [CHARLATAN - OBXD - OXE - ELEKTRO - MICROTERA - M1 - SURGE - RMiV]
DAW [ENERGY XT2/1U RACK WINXP / MAUDIO 1010LT PCI]
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an-electric-heart an-electric-heart https://www.kvraudio.com/forum/memberlist.php?mode=viewprofile&u=182734
- KVRAF
- 2505 posts since 13 Jun, 2008 from Napier,New Zealand
I'm an FL guy, so Sytrus mostly, but also Diva and Rapture. I recently got Syntronik and it's been getting a fair bit of use. I don't understand synthesizers, I'm a preset guy, so Syntronik's been really good for me.
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- KVRAF
- 8802 posts since 7 Oct, 2005
Used to be FM7/8, Absynth 2-5 and Wavestation, then Massive and Blofeld, but recently I'm using several (RePro, Legend, Massive X, Razor, Form, Super 8 and Reaktor blocks), but still FM8 is used, so I think it must be FM8 after all.
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- KVRAF
- 8414 posts since 4 Jul, 2012 from Alesia
I keep finding myself using TAL-Sampler quite a bit for most of my Lo-fi stuff.
Actually... I find myself running Tal-Sampler through Wavesfactory Cassette quite a bit.
It's tough choosing sometimes. I own the entire U-he lineup, Arturia V Collection 7, Komplete 12, All the TAL stuff, Reason 11, Fxpansion Strobe2, Serum, Cypher2, Waldorf Edition2, Largo, PPG Wave 2, and quite a bit more so trying to find a favourite is hard.
I like each one for their own workflow or sound.
I often find myself using Hive2 a lot though, something special about that one.
Actually... I find myself running Tal-Sampler through Wavesfactory Cassette quite a bit.
It's tough choosing sometimes. I own the entire U-he lineup, Arturia V Collection 7, Komplete 12, All the TAL stuff, Reason 11, Fxpansion Strobe2, Serum, Cypher2, Waldorf Edition2, Largo, PPG Wave 2, and quite a bit more so trying to find a favourite is hard.
I like each one for their own workflow or sound.
I often find myself using Hive2 a lot though, something special about that one.
- KVRAF
- 7624 posts since 21 Dec, 2002 from MD USA
I always use quite a few Tone2 synths in my songs. Couldn't live without them.
my music: http://www.alexcooperusa.com
"It's hard to be humble, when you're as great as I am." Muhammad Ali
"It's hard to be humble, when you're as great as I am." Muhammad Ali
- KVRAF
- 7624 posts since 21 Dec, 2002 from MD USA
an-electric-heart wrote: ↑Fri Jan 03, 2020 5:06 am I'm an FL guy, so Sytrus mostly, but also Diva and Rapture. I recently got Syntronik and it's been getting a fair bit of use. I don't understand synthesizers, I'm a preset guy, so Syntronik's been really good for me.
Syntronik is amazing. I don't understand why it doesn't seem to get much attention on here.
my music: http://www.alexcooperusa.com
"It's hard to be humble, when you're as great as I am." Muhammad Ali
"It's hard to be humble, when you're as great as I am." Muhammad Ali
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an-electric-heart an-electric-heart https://www.kvraudio.com/forum/memberlist.php?mode=viewprofile&u=182734
- KVRAF
- 2505 posts since 13 Jun, 2008 from Napier,New Zealand
For sure! I find it pretty hard on the cpu, so I can't use it for every synth in a song, but one or two, then the quieter/less important elements can just be Cytrus... because Cytrus is super light on cpu.ATS wrote: ↑Fri Jan 03, 2020 6:01 aman-electric-heart wrote: ↑Fri Jan 03, 2020 5:06 am I'm an FL guy, so Sytrus mostly, but also Diva and Rapture. I recently got Syntronik and it's been getting a fair bit of use. I don't understand synthesizers, I'm a preset guy, so Syntronik's been really good for me.
Syntronik is amazing. I don't understand why it doesn't seem to get much attention on here.
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intermissionnexus intermissionnexus https://www.kvraudio.com/forum/memberlist.php?mode=viewprofile&u=393859
- KVRer
- 24 posts since 15 Feb, 2017
I find myself reaching for Omnisphere 2 for just about everything in many of my tracks. If I need some random percussive pattern or hit or long drone sound its the first thing I go to. I think Sylenth1 is a close second, but with the sheer scope of sonic possibilities in Omni it's usually my go to.