No real advantages for the home studio user, but sometimes it can be fun to have a "real" instrument with an integrated control surface, rather than using the mouse or assigning knobs on your MIDI keyboard (and subsequently forgetting what you assigned them to). Higher-end synths also tend to have great keybeds so they can be used as a master MIDI keyboard.
Unless you're just jamming, you'll be using a computer anyway for mixing, arranging etc., though there are standalone workstation/arranger keyboards that let you do everything form the panel (using a tiny touch screen). Also, unless you buy like 15 hardware synthesizers, you'll probably want to use plugins too in order to fill out your tracks.
Software Synths VS. Digital Hardware Synths.
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- KVRian
- 1342 posts since 8 May, 2018 from Sweden
Take a single oscillator, producing a drone. Send it to the wave shaper, altering the tone.
This can be a triangle, Sawtooth or a square. Modulate the pulse width, nobody will care
This can be a triangle, Sawtooth or a square. Modulate the pulse width, nobody will care
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- KVRAF
- 8677 posts since 24 May, 2002 from Tutukaka, New Zealand
It depends entirely in what synths you use.
For example, my all time favourite digital is the Korg Wavestation...soon to be significantly upgraded by the Wavestate. Now...anyone who had the h/w will tell you the VSTi is infinitely easier to program than the h/w, by several million times. It was a nightmare. I could spend a whole day patching a big megasound, literally all day. One wave could be an evolving sound that developed over 30 seconds or so (longer if you want). Multiply that by 32 (or was it 64, can't remember?). All you had was a LCD tiny screen with 4 lines or something stupid, 2 buttons, cursor arrows and a wheel. With something like 78,953 parameters to potentially play with. No competition for the VSTi.
Soundwise even the plugin sounds better simply because the hw DACs weren't particularly amazing, but the plugin is pure sound. Inside my DAW I can record clean ethereal sounds from the WS then add Lexicon, Eventide or wahatever. Pure.
However, if you're using a Virus, or a Nord or somesuch, what you're getting is a synth that sounds identical to a plugin with good modern DACs etc, even that you can maybe record directly into yout DAW bypassing converters completely, but you're getting a whole load of knobbage and playability. Anyone here that's into analogues and the like will generally tell you the A number 1 numero uno primo benefit is the ability to quickly and easily play, alter, patch the sounds on the fly. I can play endlessly with morphing synth lines, often just for the joy of it, not for making a song. I can do that with a VSTi, but it's not much fun, and definitely harder to do. Especially those synths made with dedicated knobs per parameter.
It's playability. Sounds simple but don't underestimate it. I come up with whole riffs that are there based on the sound I made playing with knobs, changing the sound. You CAN do that on a screen, but nowhere near as easily or intuitively or naturally.
Knobbage is a deal breaker on hw for me. Simple as that.
Some hw digital synths are unique, but most have s/w equivalents. But very few plugins have equivalent playability...even with a controller. Soundwise, it depends; new digital hw is indistinguishable from s/w mostly. Some synths are so esoteric that probably they have to be in sw because you can't make a synth big enough with enough knobs on it. It all boils down to how you play...if you don't mind sitting down hunched over a screen breaking your back straining your eyes all day, sw is fine, gets the job done, sounds great. Use selected hw and I can get away from the screen and have fun, and I can create in a way I can't on-screen.
For example, my all time favourite digital is the Korg Wavestation...soon to be significantly upgraded by the Wavestate. Now...anyone who had the h/w will tell you the VSTi is infinitely easier to program than the h/w, by several million times. It was a nightmare. I could spend a whole day patching a big megasound, literally all day. One wave could be an evolving sound that developed over 30 seconds or so (longer if you want). Multiply that by 32 (or was it 64, can't remember?). All you had was a LCD tiny screen with 4 lines or something stupid, 2 buttons, cursor arrows and a wheel. With something like 78,953 parameters to potentially play with. No competition for the VSTi.
Soundwise even the plugin sounds better simply because the hw DACs weren't particularly amazing, but the plugin is pure sound. Inside my DAW I can record clean ethereal sounds from the WS then add Lexicon, Eventide or wahatever. Pure.
However, if you're using a Virus, or a Nord or somesuch, what you're getting is a synth that sounds identical to a plugin with good modern DACs etc, even that you can maybe record directly into yout DAW bypassing converters completely, but you're getting a whole load of knobbage and playability. Anyone here that's into analogues and the like will generally tell you the A number 1 numero uno primo benefit is the ability to quickly and easily play, alter, patch the sounds on the fly. I can play endlessly with morphing synth lines, often just for the joy of it, not for making a song. I can do that with a VSTi, but it's not much fun, and definitely harder to do. Especially those synths made with dedicated knobs per parameter.
It's playability. Sounds simple but don't underestimate it. I come up with whole riffs that are there based on the sound I made playing with knobs, changing the sound. You CAN do that on a screen, but nowhere near as easily or intuitively or naturally.
Knobbage is a deal breaker on hw for me. Simple as that.
Some hw digital synths are unique, but most have s/w equivalents. But very few plugins have equivalent playability...even with a controller. Soundwise, it depends; new digital hw is indistinguishable from s/w mostly. Some synths are so esoteric that probably they have to be in sw because you can't make a synth big enough with enough knobs on it. It all boils down to how you play...if you don't mind sitting down hunched over a screen breaking your back straining your eyes all day, sw is fine, gets the job done, sounds great. Use selected hw and I can get away from the screen and have fun, and I can create in a way I can't on-screen.
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- KVRian
- 1091 posts since 12 Jul, 2004
I have one Digital Hardware - Korg Krome. It's sounds fantastik, just not like all the software, different...with amazing 90' vibes feelings i think. I use all Soft+Digital Hardware+analog Hardware+Virtual Analog Hardware. Softsynths sounds same exelent nowadays so i can say that the best way - complement each otherTino Fiumara wrote: Sun Mar 08, 2020 11:42 pm I'm planning to buy a polysynth in the future and before making a decision or making a post asking for recommendations I would like to gather information to clear my mind of doubts.
I'm not a live performer, I make music mainly at my home studio so I would like to know what are the advantages of having a DIGITAL hardware synthesizer over a software one and viceversa (especially in terms of sound). Logic tells me that they would sound similar because they are digital, but I don't know, never tried a digital hardware synth before, I'm a novice when it comes to hardware synthesizers.
Thanks.
VST & Hardware presets, FL Studio templates, samples and MIDI from NatLife & friends -www.natlifesounds.com
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- addled muppet weed
- 111242 posts since 26 Jan, 2003 from through the looking glass
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- KVRAF
- 26931 posts since 3 Feb, 2005 from in the wilds
I enjoy hardware... just one thing... I do not hunch over, my back is comfortable and my eyes don't feel strained when I am doing sound design and playing with my soft synths.kritikon wrote: Sun Mar 22, 2020 9:00 pmIt all boils down to how you play...if you don't mind sitting down hunched over a screen breaking your back straining your eyes all day, sw is fine, gets the job done, sounds great. Use selected hw and I can get away from the screen and have fun, and I can create in a way I can't on-screen.
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- KVRAF
- 7823 posts since 20 Jan, 2008
is it really wise to make this type of purchase as the world goes under lockdown? You may need the money / credit for other things.
Dell Vostro i9 64GB Ram Windows 11 Pro, Cubase, Bitwig, Mixcraft Guitar Pod Go, Linntrument Nektar P1, Novation Launchpad
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- KVRAF
- 2070 posts since 5 Oct, 2005
^ Grab ‘em while you can. There’s already queues outside Guitar Centre at opening time with people stock piling all the Moogs.
At my local branch the Korg shelves are empty. Even the display models are gone.
At my local branch the Korg shelves are empty. Even the display models are gone.
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- addled muppet weed
- 111242 posts since 26 Jan, 2003 from through the looking glass
its a couple of months away from even behringer being beyond most peoples reach, may as well grab what we can before money dies!
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- addled muppet weed
- 111242 posts since 26 Jan, 2003 from through the looking glass
and id like to see you slap a zombie with a softsynth.
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- KVRian
- 763 posts since 23 Dec, 2011
I just spit my soda all over my pc keyboard.
Thanks for the (much needed) chuckle... and best hardware vs. software synth argument.... EVER.-
- addled muppet weed
- 111242 posts since 26 Jan, 2003 from through the looking glass
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- KVRAF
- 2070 posts since 5 Oct, 2005
This is why you should always have a back up on cd or dvd.
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- addled muppet weed
- 111242 posts since 26 Jan, 2003 from through the looking glass
Acid Mitch wrote: Mon Mar 23, 2020 7:56 pmThis is why you should always have a back up on cd or dvd.
just be careful you dont accidentally make a cenobite.
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- KVRAF
- 7823 posts since 20 Jan, 2008
Meanwhile prices are dropping on the used market even for super expensive high end vintage gear.
Delivery companies and the post office are overloaded with work handling basic necessities.
Which reminds me my new damper pedal is due to arrive today. Time to check the mailbox
Delivery companies and the post office are overloaded with work handling basic necessities.
Which reminds me my new damper pedal is due to arrive today. Time to check the mailbox
Dell Vostro i9 64GB Ram Windows 11 Pro, Cubase, Bitwig, Mixcraft Guitar Pod Go, Linntrument Nektar P1, Novation Launchpad
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- KVRAF
- 2312 posts since 9 Jun, 2002 from East of Santa Monica
Can't tell if you're joking... People are also stockpiling toilet paper, but there is nothing to lead anyone to believe TP will become unavailable anytime soon. Bottom line, you can't stop people from panicking and doing all kinds of crazy things when there are uncertain times ahead.Acid Mitch wrote: Mon Mar 23, 2020 5:56 pm ^ Grab ‘em while you can. There’s already queues outside Guitar Centre at opening time with people stock piling all the Moogs.
At my local branch the Korg shelves are empty. Even the display models are gone.
Yes, the pandemic will be bad, and yes, it will take its toll on a segment of the world population, but stockpiling Moogs is about the oddest reaction I've heard yet (One can at least understand the logic with stockpiling toilet paper).