Looking for a good 80's sounds synth plugin

[Krakatau]

double post

[AnX]

any sampler

let me gently disagree...

As far as i know, 16 bit samplers (and all the reactualised laws related to copyrighted samples ) came to the market during early neinties, 8 bit (and later in this decade 12 bits modules like Akai S900 ) samplers like Ensoniq Mirage or Roland S10 might have contribute te the sound of the eighties from the beginning 1985, right after FM synthesis introduced mainly with the DX7 a few years ago

not the point

want a ppg sound? grab a sound font or sfz

want an orch hit? load it in a sampler

get the idea?

[gentleclockdivider]

The only freeware synths worth having on your hd
-dexed
-pg8x
-disco dsp (2-dat ) OBxd

Not true at all. Charlatan, Tyrell and Oxe FM are just as worth having as those, if not more. Synth1 is still good as well.

Charlatan is nice , so is tyrell
But I don't agree about oxe fm , the feedback implementataion is totally wrong .
The feedback is implemented post gain (meaning the feedback amount is not effected by the operator's envelope )
With OXE fm an operator with self feedback and a decaying envelope ( going to zero sustain ) will not go from saw to sine , it will stay a saw and only the operator's gain output will lower in volume .
On a dx7 feedback , the decrease in operator gain output also affects the feedback amount ( since this is routed back to the operator's input )
With just one operator and feedback , you could mimic a filtered saw wave , which is not possible on oxe fm

[chk071]

I don't know... with freeware synths, it's either inferior sound, or inferior features. I don't know any freeware synth which can compete with well featured, good sounding payware synths.

Not that some of them are bad, it's just that... you get what you paid for. If Karrikuh built a more complete synth around the Charlatan synth engine, we would probably not have this discussion. Because it sounds great. But, the way it is now, it's very limited.

[kvotchin]

Not sure if Arturia’s V Collection is still half price - or lower, if you have for example some of their hardware (as I do ) - but that certainly has the goods.

Freeware, there’s the free version of U-No LX: U-No 62. Also Dexed, of course. And PG8X, OB-xD, SQ8L, etc. (most or all upthread).

And then there’s all the many, many softsynths that aren’t pimped as 80s instruments, so to speak, but are totally capable of doing that thing. Take your pick there, free or paid.

[SparkySpark]

any sampler

let me gently disagree...

As far as i know, 16 bit samplers (and all the reactualised laws related to copyrighted samples ) came to the market during early neinties, 8 bit (and later in this decade 12 bits modules like Akai S900 ) samplers like Ensoniq Mirage or Roland S10 might have contribute te the sound of the eighties from the beginning 1985, right after FM synthesis introduced mainly with the DX7 a few years ago

I bought a Casio FZ-1 sampler in 1989, and as I recall it, it was a 16MB sampler with 32kHz max and 1MB of memory.

[SparkySpark]

Is there such a thing as a free or cheap almost-PPG (=say Depeche Mode-sounding)?

Waldorf Edition 2 LE for 19,90 € has a little limited version of PPG Wave 2.V

Thanks!

[tcrano]

I'd say Diva or Repro by U-he. They're excellent analog emulations. As it happens I have an extra copy of Diva for sale. PM if interested.

[LoveEnigma18]

Might be worth considering NI Super 8.

https://www.native-instruments.com/en/p ... s/super-8/

[RexBanner]

I'd say Diva or Repro by U-he. They're excellent analog emulations. As it happens I have an extra copy of Diva for sale. PM if interested.

Repro 5 is just the most beautiful, warm sounding emulation I've ever heard. Too bad my 8-year old laptop can't handle it lol.

[onerob]

Might be worth checking out Beatskillz' 80s based sample stuff.

Synthwave Keys
Retro Keys

and their new thing, RetroVolt: https://www.beatskillz.com/retrovolt/

[zammo]

So, it seems you're looking for the late 80's digital sounds.
Tons of emulations around, as other members have already suggested, but I have a question:
What kind of music do you make (or do you want to) exactly?
We tend to talk about the 80s as a long infinite time with its distinctive own sound, but, actually, it isn't: new wave/synthpop/disco tunes of 1981 sound nothing like the same genre's tracks from 1987- just saying.

Great question, I guess mainly i was starting looking at OMD, depeche mode, Ultravox etc.
But would also like to create something like those classic 80's movie song soundtracks styles like karate kid, Teen wolf etc. So i guess it's a bit of a mixed bag!

[Pacific05]

Great question, I guess mainly i was starting looking at OMD, depeche mode, Ultravox etc.
But would also like to create something like those classic 80's movie song soundtracks styles like karate kid, Teen wolf etc. So i guess it's a bit of a mixed bag!

Well, any of the above suggestions are worth listening to.
I would start with inexpensive emulations, or even free (like VK-1 Viking, excellent monophonic for analog style, and Dexed, best free option in digital playground).
Don't forget the drums; you can choose between samples or recreations (the usual suspects: Roland, LinnDrum, Simmons, Oberheim and so on). And some effect, especially a good (room and gated) reverb on drums.
In the end, it depends on how much you want to invest, in terms of money and time, in this "back to the future" trip.

I can add my two cents to the long list:

- Phonec 2.4 for instant 80's sounds with the typical VHS tape flavour
- Arp 2600 (Arturia or TimeWarp/Sonivox)
- Korg collection, which includes vintage classics like Mono/Poly or Polysix.

Good luck!

[BBFG#]

Just grab AnalogLab and see where that leads you.

[KingofBeers]

Fairlight CMI (Series I - III) - big Sampler for the film and pop industries (1979-1992) featured in many soundtracks.

It has been used by Jean-Michel Jarre, Heaven 17, Hardfloor, ABC, Hall & Oates, the Buggles, Supertramp, Thomas Dolby, Jon Astley, Michael Jackson, Yes, Trevor Horn (Art of Noise), Geoff Downes, Stevie Wonder, Vince Clarke (Yazoo), Peter Gabriel, Paul McCartney, Devo, Julian Lennon, The Cars, Yellow, Lindsey Buckingham, Jan Hammer, Herbie Hancock, David Gilmour, Elvis Costello, Scritti Politti, Starship, Teddy Riley, Brian Wilson, Foreigner, Madonna, Debbie Gibson, Jane Child, Eurythmics, Mike Oldfield, Prince, OMD, Steve Winwood, Duran Duran, John Paul Jones, Paul Hardcastle, Kate Bush, Queen, Keith Emerson, Alan Parsons, Fleetwood Mac, B-52's, Pet Shop Boys, Depeche Mode, Soul II Soul, and Stewart Copeland.