Have Modern VST Instruments Replaced Your Hardware Synths ?

[toonertik]

The main difference between the analog and digital synths AFAK is that the analog synth doesn't alias. So, with analog synths, you don't care how extreme you go while in the digital world you need to be careful.

I have 5/6 analog OSCes (5/6 because one module is kinda 2 OSCes.. but.. on never mind0 Point is .. they don't sound the same.. nothing to do wirh aliasing.. they are built differently.. and have different character..

I also have 3 digital HW OSCes.. but thems for special tricks...
ps.. one is the Waldorf nw1.. the OSC from naive.. hmm..or maybe it's nave

Which can do silly things like this
https://soundcloud.com/toonertik/wantlolli

Which was a reply to that whiter than white warebitty thingy.. you know.. the "quoth" guy.. who asked some one if their synth could talk.. I guess mine can

[EnGee]

Well, aliasing is not the main factor in deciding which oscillator or filter we prefer especially in other synthesis other than subtractive, but usually this is what exist in the digital world.

My favourite synth is actually the DX7. I don't have it, but I have a similar hardware and couple of digital emulations (which is just other flavours IMO). In this case, I'm happily using the software or hardware almost interchangeably

For analog, well, I have just sold the only hardware I bought and had. Not sure I want to buy another one. I mean, as digital FM and PD synthesis is my favourite, I don't mind using Diva, Repro ... etc for my analog needs

[4damind]

To my knowledge, the king of FM synthesis at Yamaha was the SY series. There you had the combination of AWM and FM + quite good effects. There was also a rack version (at least for the SY77).
I started with a DX21 and finished my FM experience with a SY99... and I don't see any advantage to plugins at the moment.
If I would still buy hardware today, it might be a Prophet 6 or even the System 8 from Roland. But also the Nord Lead 4 (or a successor). Maybe also a Modularsystem....

[vurt]

Isn't modular in the virtual world far less messy, takes up far less space and cheaper than what you would otherwise have in the real world though when you compare with separate modules, you wire up by hand ? Propellerheads Reason, Voltage Ignite, Native Instruments Reaktor ect... on a laptop and 61 key keyboard setup if for any reason you want to take it out of the studio, or else if one is happy to use a desktop system at home ?

First up.. I'm 66.. started recording bands in 1967..
that means all hardware environment...
Although not a gearslutz forum member .. I am a Gear Slut through and through. Dare I mention some of the real kit I either owned or worked with.. Neve.. Studer , OMG the B62 valve 2 track... MIDAS,, DBX, Raindirk mixers Klark Technik etc etc )
First synth I got to touch was back stage at an Arthur Brown "all nighter" gig in seedy Kings Cross London in either 1972 or 73 An EMS VC3 . Got shown how it worked and told to patch it.. loved it.
I got to program a few VC3's for others and an ARP.. never a minimoog.. different kinda user..
Got a Roland System 100 in 1978... semi modular.. regret .. selling it in 1985.. but hey..

Second..
In 2018 I went 100% VCV.. no timeline.. FREEDOM from that cursed effing DAW time line.. yay

The 9 months on VCV was a tester for going real...

Third..
and I have not been so productive or inspired since my mad crazy youth.

I have this wonderful collections of modules, that I can patch to create the most amazing and fun instruments upon which to express my musical/sound ideas with.
I stand over this machine and flick switches... turn knobs and vibe with this thing that I create..
What more can I say

[pekbro]

Physical instruments offer an appreciation that (personally) I think can't be matched in software.
Honestly I don't get what the big deal is anyway, use which ever you like, that's fine. I'm not
going to be-little you or try to say your choice was wrong or stupid. It's too bad that not everyone
can say the same.

[risome]

I think a combination of some hardware and software is the obvious choice as software lets you go to places hardware doesn't otherwise your just buying more pies but with slightly different flavours if its all hardware.You won't find the misty ghost world in vanilla hardware and wood ends don't make sound.Esoteric "hardware synths" that do granular etc are just VST's in a metal box.After all the freedom of musical expression is the goal, not arguing about what tools you use to get there.Have fun make music.

[BONES]

You miss my point. As I said, I used "the simplest settings" .. The subtlety comes from the synth it's self. The organic quality is baked into the synth and it's always there.

If it is, it was well hidden in the clip you provided.

I also disagree with what you said about it sitting in a mix. In some situations, for sure, it doesn't matter. But if it's a prominently featured part, that extra warmth and character can go a long way for my tastes. It's about all the little fractally hairs coming off the sound that I'm after. All the odd little ways it saturates and beats against it self.

I'm pretty sure it's all in your mind. It certainly isn't anywhere to be heard in that clip.

Third..
and I have not been so productive or inspired since my mad crazy youth.

I have this wonderful collections of modules, that I can patch to create the most amazing and fun instruments upon which to express my musical/sound ideas with.
I stand over this machine and flick switches... turn knobs and vibe with this thing that I create..
What more can I say

That's exactly how I'd describe my last two or three years of working with three different hosts, although I sit and "flick switches... turn knobs" using my mouse, because it feels so much more natural to me than standing over some Victorian looking box of potentiometers and it allows me to flick between a dozen different pieces in a session, wherever my creativity takes me. 2017 to now has been my most creative and productive time since the mid-80s. It clearly has nothing at all to do with the tools - it started when I was still using Orion, survived the moved to Cubase and now I am powering ahead on Studio One. It's all about me and my stupid, fat head and it survived my best friend's battle with cancer and death last year, which makes it a strange, fickle thing that really defies any kind of logical source or sense.

Physical instruments offer an appreciation that (personally) I think can't be matched in software.

I used to think that, before I bought a MIDI controller and started playing my softsynths in exactly the same way I'd play any hardware synth. For me that totally blurred the line between the two, all the way back in 2004, and since then softsynths have pulled way ahead of hardware synths for me, although I still like to have both around.

[pekbro]

Physical instruments offer an appreciation that (personally) I think can't be matched in software.

I used to think that, before I bought a MIDI controller and started playing my softsynths in exactly the same way I'd play any hardware synth. For me that totally blurred the line between the two, all the way back in 2004, and since then softsynths have pulled way ahead of hardware synths for me, although I still like to have both around.

Fair enough, likely I will take your advise in regard to the keystep at some point, though
I am not a big fan of Arturia.

-Cheers

[foosnark]

Isn't modular in the virtual world far less messy, takes up far less space and cheaper

Yes it is. Just like a guitar in Kontakt is less messy, takes up far less space and is cheaper than a real guitar. And yet, some people like playing actual guitars...

[BONES]

That's a rather poor analogy as the process of playing a real guitar is quite different, not so with hardware modulars, which are pretty much exactly like Reaktor Blocks or SynthEdit.

[THE INTRANCER]

Physical instruments offer an appreciation that (personally) I think can't be matched in software.

It really depends on the context of what you define appreciation as though...

[excuse me please]

I'd say that 1TB pianos still sound very limited. And digital. Almost forgot that.

[machinesworking]

Physical instruments offer an appreciation that (personally) I think can't be matched in software.

I used to think that, before I bought a MIDI controller and started playing my softsynths in exactly the same way I'd play any hardware synth. For me that totally blurred the line between the two, all the way back in 2004, and since then softsynths have pulled way ahead of hardware synths for me, although I still like to have both around.

I think these conversations always find me wondering a bit. I started off using a computer and a sampler to write, sometimes a TX81Z and the Moog. I hated using the sampler. It was far too many steps setting up a song, loading discs etc. When Reason hit and you could hook it up to a real DAW I wrote primarily in Reason, ended up selling the sampler.

For years the big selling point of hardware synths was actual hands on controls, recording of this without using a mouse, but now modern DAWs like Logic, Studio One, Bitwig etc. have at least 8-16 controls pre mapped, it's not a big journey to getting the same level of real of hardware. At this point to me anyway hardware remains just a flavor, a particular synths sound, the moog as a timbral source VS Pigments etc.

I appreciate the physical object of a synth, the Memorymoog is hellishly old, this last Sunday I opened it up and replaced the rubber key contacts, it's got brass hinges to move voice cards out of the way to do work on it, crazy stuff. But it's still a 6 voice analog synth with limited controls. I use it all the time, maybe because I'm good at getting sounds I like out of it, maybe because they designed it well, but in the end I don't need it to make music.

Maybe because I started off using a computer, and have never had to use one in a day job I've never been hostile towards them, I don't know? But to me I'm far from trying to avoid using the computer, I don't get it at all? I think people fetishize hardware because of the hands on aspect, but most of the time that added extra steps to the process of writing music, and we now have conversations about the amount of steps a particular DAW takes to perform a particular function etc. and how hardware is better..

[machinesworking]

The earth doesn't revolve around the sun "most of the time."

It has been for the past 4 billion years and more according to all the scientific evidence, if you can prove otherwise there's a Nobel prize that awaits.

I think you know what I meant, maybe not? maybe joking? the internets weak area here..

Anyway in case you were serious, I meant some things are facts, the earth revolves around the sun, it's not an arguable point. Although there's a lot of science and skillful technical ability that can be applied to music, your personal taste in music, the opinion on any music really, is always an opinion.

Which is better? VSTs or hardware synths? this is always an opinion based argument, even if someone could pull out facts to make their point. Sound is art, art is always subjective.

[EnGee]

To my knowledge, the king of FM synthesis at Yamaha was the SY series. There you had the combination of AWM and FM + quite good effects. There was also a rack version (at least for the SY77).
I started with a DX21 and finished my FM experience with a SY99... and I don't see any advantage to plugins at the moment.

Well, the new Montage/MODX are using FM-X (synthopia.com) which has 7 spectral forms instead of just the sine in DX7 and 8 operator, 88 algorithms, ...etc. The software in the MODX is exactly the same like in the Montage except Polyphony for the FM-x engine is 64 for MODX and 128 for Montage. The main difference is the hardware and number of controls, audio interface, keyboard ... etc.

To be honest, I can live only with the MODX as it has also excellent drums and of course AWM2 sounds covering all instruments with good quality sound (more than enough for me that I don't feel a need for samplers like Kontakt). So, it is a perfect all in one solution. I wished they have a VSTi editor for the FM-X! That would be amazing really, but it is not bad editing/designing sounds with it as you can use the touch screen to enter values (you can also double tap to enter the value by writing the number).

It is a great external instrument and I'm not seeing myself letting it go soon at all