Software Synths VS. Digital Hardware Synths.

[tapper mike]

I have one Digital Hardware - Korg Krome. It's sounds fantastik, just not like all the software, different.

So to I.

Have you been to Krome Heaven?
https://kromeheaven.com/

Many soundpacks for your krome, Almost all free
Krome is a workstation rompler. All the sounds are sampled including the synth sounds which is less flexible then other means or synthesis.

[NatLife]

I have one Digital Hardware - Korg Krome. It's sounds fantastik, just not like all the software, different.

So to I.

Have you been to Krome Heaven?
https://kromeheaven.com/

Many soundpacks for your krome, Almost all free
Krome is a workstation rompler. All the sounds are sampled including the synth sounds which is less flexible then other means or synthesis.

hmm...actually i didnt found alot of good soundpacks for Krome, so i made my own. And you can find it on KromeHeaven too btw, also some free sounds. But as you know most interesting sounds included only in commercial version of bank.

[Tino Fiumara]

its a couple of months away from even behringer being beyond most peoples reach, may as well grab what we can before money dies!

I'm not going to buy anything for now, I'm just gathering information, that's it.

[numbetical]

The answer to the question depends on your workflow preferences. I’d go with a software synth and get a midi controller if I could do it over.

[chaosWyrM]

This is a wrong way to think about synthesizers. You should choose the right synthesizer for the genre you're producing. Your potential listener doesn't care if you're using a hardware or a software synthesizer. Every synth has it's own tone/flavor, try to get as close as you can to the top producers sound.

i think THAT is the wrong way to think about synthesizers

1. there is no such thing as "the right synthesizer for the genre youre producing". every genres "sound" came about by the creators of that genre just using what they had available to them. you can make any kind of genre from any synth. what you should do, is get a synth you like, that inspires you, and that you will enjoy using. dont chase after a specific sound.

2. dont "try to get as close to the top producers sound"...that doesnt even make sense. how is anyone supposed to even know how to do that? no...get as close to the sound you want to make as you can. and when at first its not quite right...make adjustments until it is.

its ok to emulate artists you like to try to figure out how they do what they do...but you wont get very far if you just try to copy others.


now...on to your actual question. it sounds to me (and i may be wrong) that for you...there wouldnt really be much advantage in getting a digital hw synth. whichever one you might get...you could save yourself a boatload of $$ and space by using software, and the home studio integration would be far simpler and more immediate. sure, not all digital hw synths have a software counterpart...but really...theres no synth out there (that you might actually get yourself) that is so over the top unique and great that you cant find a suitable substitute in software. (this includes analogue synths...but sshhhhh people get mad when you say that).

you dont really mention what you want from a hw synth, so its not easy to really offer recommendations. the bottom line is....you can get nearly any sound you want from software synths, at a fraction of the cost and literally no physical space at all.....if what you want is the tactile experience of using hardware....you can get nice controllers.

im not trying to dissuade you from hw...not at all...i love the few that i have. im just saying...take the time to figure out what you really want/need from a hw synth that you miss in software....then take it from there.

for what its worth....as much as i do love my hw synths...the difference in ease of use for software is just so drastic...that i hardly ever use my hw synths. the only time is if im trying to get a very specific sound that i know one of my hw synths does well. which means most of the time the only one i use is the neutron.

these are all my own personal opinions and thoughts...ymmv.

[roman.i]

there is no such thing as "the right synthesizer for the genre youre producing". every genres "sound" came about by the creators of that genre just using what they had available to them. you can make any kind of genre from any synth. what you should do, is get a synth you like, that inspires you, and that you will enjoy using. dont chase after a specific sound.

Your sentences clash into themselves, don't you see that?
I hope if you read this again, you will see that it doesn't make any sense.
A specific synthesizer is one of the attributes of a genre.
Creators of the genre were using a specific audio processors and synthesizers,
so these define the sound of this genre. You can't just take any random synthesizer you like and make any genre using it, simply because it just won't sound like the genre, and won't fit the sound.
This is so obvious.

[vurt]

there is no such thing as "the right synthesizer for the genre youre producing". every genres "sound" came about by the creators of that genre just using what they had available to them. you can make any kind of genre from any synth. what you should do, is get a synth you like, that inspires you, and that you will enjoy using. dont chase after a specific sound.

Your sentences clash into themselves, don't you see that?
I hope if you read this again, you will see that it doesn't make any sense.
A specific synthesizer is one of the attributes of a genre.
Creators of the genre were using a specific audio processors and synthesizers,
so these define the sound of this genre. You can't just take any random synthesizer you like and make any genre using it, simply because it just won't sound like the genre, and won't fit the sound.
This is so obvious.

aside from a few modern edm genres, which genres are defined by a single synth model?

[roman.i]

aside from a few modern edm genres, which genres are defined by a single synth model?

Don't know what EDM or the modern EDM is.
I'm talking about electronic music of any time, take any genre for an example and you'll hear a specific type of sound which can be created with few synths, but not with any random synth.

[Passing Bye]

aside from a few modern edm genres, which genres are defined by a single synth model?

Don't know what EDM or the modern EDM is.
I'm talking about electronic music of any time, take any genre for an example and you'll hear a specific type of sound which can be created with few synths, but not with any random synth.

So you can't make Vangelis like music without CS80?

[eivind]

They are both great.

However - hardware synths may last you a lifetime, and your very nice software synth may end up unsupported by future OS developments, end of life and the general speed of computer tech development. Spending time on learning how to get the best out of your instrument, master it fully, only to see it vanish down that drain is a drag. My Yamaha TX816 paired with my DMP11 digital mixer can still compete with many of the best software digital synths. It was made before the www.

[chaosWyrM]

You can't just take any random synthesizer you like and make any genre using it, simply because it just won't sound like the genre, and won't fit the sound.
This is so obvious.

but...you can literally do exactly that.

[solar28]

I think digital hardware synths sound 20% better than software synths.

[goldenanalog]

[tapper mike]

They are both great.

However - hardware synths may last you a lifetime, and your very nice software synth may end up unsupported by future OS developments, end of life and the general speed of computer tech development. Spending time on learning how to get the best out of your instrument, master it fully, only to see it vanish down that drain is a drag. My Yamaha TX816 paired with my DMP11 digital mixer can still compete with many of the best software digital synths. It was made before the www.

Hardware breaks, Parts are hard to come by. Repair technicians are becoming even harder to find than replacement parts.

With regards to OS. Should have got a pc. I've got software titles dating back to Y2K which ran on windows 98 that still run on windows 10. I rarely run them. There are better products now.

My father was an avid reader. He would spend his disposable income on book. He had a vast personal library. It was impressive to look through his collection. In later years he simply ran out of room for physical books. He bought a kindle and spent considerably less for the same volume of books purchased.

There are a few key principles at work here.

Disposable income is what money you have left over to spend on non-essential things. It's money you can throw away. If you can't afford to throw money away on hardware or software... Don't. Get of the consumerism train of thought that says you have to buy something to feel good about yourself. I know people who have buried themselves in debt are frustrated trying to figure out how to pay it off and the act of buying other stuff they don't need is their only escape valve...which continues the cycle.

So lets move on to the physical vs the virtual. I love physical things specifically guitars. While I'll never be convinced that a virtual guitar can replace an actual one. I have guitars I rarely play. This would make sense in 1985 when I was a paid session musician and showing the cool guitar off to a producer might make him more inclined to hire me for paid session work. It did. It doesn't anymore. As well I have guitars that I don't play regularly. Like in a few months. If you want furnishings to fill up your place it may be prudent to invest in something other than a synth. Synths, guitars. Not really chick bait also when if/when you have kids you'll quickly be reminded of why you can't have nice things.


Finally ask yourself one question before you buy your next hardware or virtual instrument. What have I done recently with the products I already own? And remembering that sometimes the wanting is more pleasurable than the having.

[jlgrimes11]

In 2021 the difference in sound is not always that big or always noticeable.

Software has made plenty of strides in the last 10-15 years.

I go to Guitar Center and play alot of Hardware synths and while they do sound impressive, I'm always thinking I can pretty much get this sound with xxx softsynth.

That said hardware has advantages especially if playing live.


1. Easier to setup and get going. Live shows can be demanding when needing to quickly switch sounds and setting up. A hardware synth can be fired up and running in no time (in most cases). A software rig can require plenty of prep time before hand. If you have a band leader that switch the script mid show or if you didn't do your homework pre show, you can fumble trying to get the right VST/Sound loaded up. With hardware even with a wishy washy band leader, I can usually make quick changes much faster
That said, it is much easier now with software with the right programs but this can sometimes get just as expensive as buying a dedicated hardware synth (eg laptop stands, SSD drives, dedicated midi controllers, specialized software like Studio One show, learning how to use these rigs). But nobody wants to be waiting for all of your VSTs to load.

2. Dedicated knobs, sliders etc. Sometimes even a simple task of turning up/down the volume can be tricky with a software rig.


That said software has it's advantages in the studio:

1. Instant recall.
2. Flexibility (ok you made a nice track with a hardware setup. Now see how fast you can get stems created).
3. Sound (especially if you are going for more modern sounds, there is usually a software package that can get you close pretty quickly. An older hardware synth from the 90s might not have certain up to date patches requiring you to get your hands dirty.). Plenty of times if you are looking for a certain type of patch on xxx VST chances are someone already created a patch online. It can be harder and more tedious to get this in hardware depending on the device and how easy it is to get sounds in it. If you want that quick, I want this sound right now workflow, softsynths can be beneficial. Now if you want more older type stuff or want to adventure and create sounds yourself that's a different story.


That said it all comes down to preference and workflow in the end neither is better or worse for studio work. With proper prep work, I can do some great live shows with a laptop as well, but usually I still would give an edge to hardware here especially if you need a bunch of good bread and butter sounds at the press of a button.