Have Modern VST Instruments Replaced Your Hardware Synths ?

[PAK]

when i was a kid, my brother had a lot of hardware synths (my faves: the obx, which KILLED the ob-xa

That was my opinion, about the OBX vs OB-XA, too. Seems like it's not unusual that, the earlier the Oberheim you were exposed to, the less time you had for the later ones. Though my attitude, towards the later ones, "softened" in recent years

With the improvements that have been made vs the early days of VST's, I think it's more a question of good control surfaces these days, in terms of the main advantage dedicated hardware might have. Hopefully we might finally see some nice (large) software ones when (if? ) MIDI 2 gets going properly..

[Cepheus]

I use my old trusty Korg M1 to control the Korg M1 VSTi. The Vsti is not hissing like its hardware counterpart, has resonant filters, wide screen editing instead of these clumsy red buttons, small led screen and data slider (…) and better preset handling. The hardware version has definitely a better keybed.

[_leras]

I used Repro A LOT this year with some outstanding results, but felt I could hear the difference. It's small.. but I think still material.

The more I use RePro 5, the more convinced I am that there is absolutely nothing at all special about it. And yet it is capable of making some amazing sounds. It kind of does my head in because it shouldn't be able to sound as good as it does - the oscillators are nothing special and the filter is actually quite poor. And yet...

It's weird.

I agree with that. It is a pretty limited synth in some ways and I always seems to be fighting with the envelopes, and filters are only really good to set and forget - but - it's got a nice solid, even chunky, sound, and when it works it can sound great.

It's definitely one where you have to work with the instrument and coax out what it will give you, but what it gives you *can* be great. Once I've found a good start point, it takes me 3-4 versions of a patch to get it just right. Half the time I can't even get quite to where I want it to go and maybe even choose a different synth.

Weird. I still can't say I really like it, but I'm really pleased I used it so much this year and I can't argue that it's given me some amazing sounds!

[_leras]

As good as modern synths may sound, they won't bring back good music, I'm afraid...

C'mon... don't be closed minded. There tons of good modern music!

.

[fisherKing]

when i was a kid, my brother had a lot of hardware synths (my faves: the obx, which KILLED the ob-xa

That was my opinion, about the OBX vs OB-XA, too. Seems like it's not unusual that, the earlier the Oberheim you were exposed to, the less time you had for the later ones. Though my attitude, towards the later ones, "softened" in recent years

With the improvements that have been made vs the early days of VST's, I think it's more a question of good control surfaces these days, in terms of the main advantage dedicated hardware might have. Hopefully we might finally see some nice (large) software ones when (if? ) MIDI 2 gets going properly..

he had them both, briefly. the X was fatter, richer, deeper. by comparison, the XA was reedier, thinner. no contest really (he sold the XA, kept the X... for years...)

[BONES]

Still, if I was in the hardware market, it would probably be my fav of the digital synths, because it's a great package for the money. Very few controls though and lots of menu diving. And "only" 25 voices compared to Largo's 256 with a single instance...

I read that Blofeld was very unreliable. i.e. That it crashes all the time. Is that not the case?

[DJMaytag]

Yes and no. I have a great mix of hardware synths and VSTi’s... and some of that hardware are the things my VSTi’s have emulated (Korg MS-20M, RE-303, Minimoog, JP-8000) that I’ve acquired in the past 5 years.

I am at a point now where I don’t feel like I need anymore hardware synths (aside from Eurorack stuff) and have enough of my bases covered that I don’t think I really need anymore plugin synths either. With both hardware & software, it’s really about maintaining what I’ve got and trying to appreciate & utilize it to the best of my ability.

[stillshaded]

I don't get why people, especially producers, are still using hardware, if they already need the DAW to control them? For the price of many "good" vintage or modern hardware, you'll get several of the best available VSTs on the market and if you can progam them, you'll never miss your hardware stuff. I started with and had many of the vintage and modern "popular" Hardware Synths, Drum Machines, Hardware Sequencers and so on, but since years I can do everything and much more with my VST and DAW setup. Endless voices, endless instances, endless synthesis, endless modulation possibilities, endless everything!

A few reasons, I still think analog does analog best. Play with an original ms-20 for a while and you’ll see what I mean. (BONES try not to clench your butthole too hard).

Secondly, it’s a great limiting factor for me. I have only so many machines, and when they’re all being used, the track is probably at a good point to move into the mixing phase. I will also throw in a lot of filler sounds with vsts tho.

Third: muscle memory. The longer you work with a particular setup, the more you can just impulsively reach and grab a particular knob when you want a particular sound to change. It feels very different from clicking over to the track you need to open and clicking one parameter at a time.


Also, I have worked all software more often than not in my music making career. I am very familiar with both approaches. I could definitely go all software if necessary, but it just doesn’t have the same mojo for me. what would aphex twins SAWII sound like if it was all software? *shudder*

[SneakyBeats]

Still, if I was in the hardware market, it would probably be my fav of the digital synths, because it's a great package for the money. Very few controls though and lots of menu diving. And "only" 25 voices compared to Largo's 256 with a single instance...

I read that Blofeld was very unreliable. i.e. That it crashes all the time. Is that not the case?

Mine hasn't crashed even once. Couple of times my ambient patch has maybe ran out of hands a little, so the limitations became quite clear.. The filter knob felt like there were honey inside. Sticky, then stuttering and then started jumping Same patch with Largo didn't show any issues but that's mostly because my pc has quite alot more raw power than Blofeld has.

But works great with "simple" sounds like bass, leads, plucks..

[AcrossTheSky]

...just curious ...If Largo is very similar to Blofeld -

what would be 2nd best VSTi - the closest to Waldorf Blofeld - spec/modulation/multi-timb.. wise ??

[mladi]

Soundwise my Korg EX-8000 beats all the VSTi i have and i have a few..

[clipnotic]

I don't get why people, especially producers, are still using hardware, if they already need the DAW to control them? For the price of many "good" vintage or modern hardware, you'll get several of the best available VSTs on the market and if you can progam them, you'll never miss your hardware stuff. I started with and had many of the vintage and modern "popular" Hardware Synths, Drum Machines, Hardware Sequencers and so on, but since years I can do everything and much more with my VST and DAW setup. Endless voices, endless instances, endless synthesis, endless modulation possibilities, endless everything!

A few reasons, I still think analog does analog best. Play with an original ms-20 for a while and you’ll see what I mean. (BONES try not to clench your butthole too hard).

Secondly, it’s a great limiting factor for me. I have only so many machines, and when they’re all being used, the track is probably at a good point to move into the mixing phase. I will also throw in a lot of filler sounds with vsts tho.

Third: muscle memory. The longer you work with a particular setup, the more you can just impulsively reach and grab a particular knob when you want a particular sound to change. It feels very different from clicking over to the track you need to open and clicking one parameter at a time.


Also, I have worked all software more often than not in my music making career. I am very familiar with both approaches. I could definitely go all software if necessary, but it just doesn’t have the same mojo for me. what would aphex twins SAWII sound like if it was all software? *shudder*

Well, I'm really old and I started with hardware at a time, as no alternatives were available and I had many of the "most praised" vintage machines, two 303, 808, 909. SH101, MonoPoly, Jupiter 8, AN1x ... and I'm still producing oldschool music, but I don't miss them, because plugins meanwhile can do the same and much more!

[Jkist]

Third: muscle memory. The longer you work with a particular setup, the more you can just impulsively reach and grab a particular knob when you want a particular sound to change. It feels very different from clicking over to the track you need to open and clicking one parameter at a time.

This is a good point, but let me offer a counterpoint here. Most softsynths have midi-learn capability now, so you can very quickly map the filter cutoff to a knob on your midi controller. The nice thing about this is that, thought the synth may change, your muscle memory of your midi controller remains consistent. As long as you map the same things between different synths, you will develop an instinctive workflow the same way you would with a hardware synth.

However this is obviously limited in a few ways, but still.

[BONES]

I've said it before, but for me the big deal with hardware is the approach and the inspiration, not some undefinable quantum physics fairy dust sound quality thing. (But it's true that software hasn't caught up with feedback loops, and is still a bit behind with audio rate modulation.)

I used to think that, then I bought a Roli Seaboard and everything changed. I get way more inspiration today from playing softsynths with my Seaboard than I ever got from hardware. To be fair, it's taken me quite a while to accept this fact but I've recently decided to get rid of most of my hardware. I'll probably only keep Uno and Rocket, the rest can go. I might hang onto the Ultranova, if only because my chances of wresting it from the hands of my bandmate are slim.

The realisation came to me this week, via a combination of factors. After stumbling on a thread about MicoMonsta 2, I decided to set my hardware up to work with Studio One, instead of it all just being standalone, because MicroMonsta is a great synth and deserves to be used. Except it's a royal PITA by comparison and offers absolutely nothing I can't get from my softsynths. Then I looked at Analog Keys, whose main function is as a platform to put Uno and the Seaboard on (I have a Decksaver for it) and wondered why I have it. I've never ever used it for anything and it's been so long since I switched it on, I forget how to use half the stuff in there. So f**k it, it's going. Ditto for Skulpt and Craft Synth 2.0, both a waste of time in the face of my VST folder.

It's a really tough decision, though, because I've had hardware synths for almost 40 years and it feels like I really should have them, especially when we get up on stage. But then it dawned on me that the instrument, the thing a musician plays, is the keyboard, not the synth. The synth is like a guitarist's amp - it's an important, integral part of the set-up but not what defines the owner as a guitarist. And I'm a "keyboard" player, not a "hardware synth" player so, again, f**k it, they are going. I'll keep my Seaboard and my KeyStep, along with my Rocket and Uno, which are the only hardware instruments I ever switch on. Everything else can go.

[zerocrossing]

...just curious ...If Largo is very similar to Blofeld -

what would be 2nd best VSTi - the closest to Waldorf Blofeld - spec/modulation/multi-timb.. wise ??

Very similar when you match feature for feature, but Largo doesn’t have all the features of a Blofeld. If memory serves, Largo is missing the sample import abilities and the PPG filter emulation. The effects on Largo are a bit better as well. Someone once posted a side by side and frankly I felt like Largo sounded a touch better, but very close. Also, they never got LFO MIDI sync right on the Blofeld, but it’s fine on Largo.