How would you rate Hive for leads?

[pdxindy]

Well, this is a very biased summary. An user wants opinion about Hive, looking for high quality leads, and most people propose analog emulation of old stuff as an alternative. So I say I’m not sure it really fits the request because analog emulations are not the best quality you can find imo. Then a couple of users simply can’t deal with it.

The original poster asked about Hive and suggested Roland Zen-stuff as something he likes... which includes sounds from older Roland synths both analog and digital. So the OP brought the subject in themselves and said they like the Roland sounds from older synths.

As for your ridiculous claim about best quality, you are talking in objective terms, and when someone calls you on it you go hide behind saying it is your opinion. If it is just your opinion, then speak in subjective terms instead of your disingenuous bs.

[DJErmac]

Well, this is a very biased summary. An user wants opinion about Hive, looking for high quality leads, and most people propose analog emulation of old stuff as an alternative. So I say I’m not sure it really fits the request because analog emulations are not the best quality you can find imo. Then a couple of users simply can’t deal with it.

The original poster asked about Hive and suggested Roland Zen-stuff as something he likes... which includes sounds from older Roland synths both analog and digital. So the OP brought the subject in themselves and said they like the Roland sounds from older synths.

As for your ridiculous claim about best quality, you are talking in objective terms, and when someone calls you on it you go hide behind saying it is your opinion. If it is just your opinion, then speak in subjective terms instead of your disingenuous bs.

This is enterely wrong, I’ve spoken in subjective terms the entire time. And btw if I’m the poster how can it be anything but my very own opinion ?
Some people think they’re the ultimate god of music here ? I don’t. I’m a guy with opinions on a forum.

[e-crooner]

I need quality leads to play and to arpeggiate. I think Roland Zenology has excellent leads but is part of the cloud only.

Nice pads and basses are a bonus.

I think a synth that does good basses is also good for leads. Both benefit from a strong sound without much or any stereo width.

[Weasel-Boy]

Ploki wrote:

i know i've participated in a few but these someone VS bones harangues make me physically tired somehow

DJErmac wrote:

Yes, as soon as I saw him coming in I knew what he was here for. Everywhere I meet him he’s fighting with someone.

With Hive in the subject title, it was only a matter of time. He’s been dumping on Hive ever since u-he introduced version 2. Apparently, the new features and GUI changes upset his sense of simplicity... in spite of the fact that none of the controls or features he was used to in version 1 had disappeared (along with all version 1 presets continuing to load and sound exactly the same as they did in version 1).

Seriously, anyone here could start a topic with “Hive” in the title and like Roger Rabbit’s compulsion to complete the end of the “shave and a haircut” riff, Bones will not be able to resist contributing some form of negative response to said topic. Again, it was only a matter of time.

On topic, Hive 2 is perfectly capable of creating high quality lead sounds for all kinds of musical genres, and equipped with an extensive library to get one started in the direction they wish to go.

[mod edit let's stick to the on topic part]

[Ploki]

Hive is still my fav synth, and i have most u-he synths (except zebraHZ and filterscape) and if you cant make a good lead with it or find one in vast selection of stock and third party presets - something else is amiss.

[BONES]

I’d love to hear that.
There are always people claiming ”I could easily remake this with this”...
I’m not really sure their labels would sign your work...

Well, for a start I don't think we'd have any trouble signing to a different label if we were so inclined, given the chart success of our last couple of albums, although we wouldn't be signing to any dance labels, that's for sure. But I never said I could do it, it's not the kind of thing I do. But you can hear that the basic patch being used isn't anything too special. As I said, it's all in the production.

Well, never claimed that, on the contrary I said I only expressed my very own opinion. You’re the one who’s coming to ”teach” me what’s good or not.

You clearly need it. Did you try the Jump thing? Of course not, you're too afraid you might have to change your opinion. Would you like me to do it for you and post the result?

The solo lead you find incredible sounds very old fashionned to me.

Interestingly, I'd say the same about the stuff you linked to. It's the same old krap you hear everywhere. The most memorable thing is that the first one was filmed in Hong Kong (lots of places I've been to many times). It's the kind of generic stuff I'd expect to hear in the lobby of the office building I work in.

Well, the artist I’ve linked, Alan Walker, has been covered a million times, even in The Voice. But it seems you lack the depth and breadth of musical experience to appreciate stuff like that.

Of course I know who Alan Walker and Youngblood Hawke are, it's the kind of commercial crap you can't avoid. OTOH, you had clearly never heard of any of the bands I linked to so who do you think really has the greater breadth and depth of musical knowledge? That you seem unable to appreciate something for what it is shows how narrow your experience is. You've put a link in to The Voice, FFS!

I was born in the early 80’s you know, 1982 exactly.

Right, a year after I bought my first synth. Wow!

But I haven’t stopped listening to what’s new.

Me neither. I just picked up Whispering Sons new album this morning, fresh off the presses, and last week I got the brand new Perturbator album. They are both acts that weren't around 10 years ago. you gotta keep finding new stuff but you're never going to do that watching The Voice.

There are millions of new songs available everywhere ! Give them a listen !

Physician heal thyself. It's pretty much impossible to avoid the shit you seem to be into, you actually have to go and look for the really good stuff.

Now take a listen to Gojira’s last hit, that was released a couple of months ago and tell me it’s not amazing.
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=B4CcX720DW4

What's amazing is that they managed to fit every single cringe-inducing metal cliche into one song, in much the same way Youngblood Hawke managed to put every EDM cliche into that other thing you linked to. Spinal Tap couldn't have done it better. If you like metal, try something a bit more interesting -
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vsG_S_reHu8
Or if you prefer something more recent, here's one from 2019 -
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7zxUZ2c47Dw
As you can hear, music doesn't have to be one thing or another. It can take a little of this and a dash of that and do something better than either, although that last track is nowhere near Die Krupps' best. For that, you need this one from 2014, with the guitars pushed back into a supporting role. It's as cheesy as hell but all with tongue firmly in cheek (I hope) -
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4x5YDCj-wiE

[DJErmac]

OK, super !

[Ploki]

i only started to appreciate the 80s because the weeknd, dua lipa and chvrches.
but i much prefer the revival over the original, can't stand the original 80s, the sound sends shivers down my spine

also die krupps have coldth sound

[imrae]

Well, now that this has descended into an argument about people's taste in music (in which, remarkably, I mostly agree with Bones)... I'm going to take this as supporting evidence for my claim that "good lead sounds" are a matter of taste

(I think Hive 2 is a very good synth capable of most traditional "lead" synthesis techniques. But currently I'm more interested in West Coast waveshaping/feedback stuff which it isn't built for.)

[loungepanda]

i only started to appreciate the 80s because the weeknd, dua lipa and chvrches.
but i much prefer the revival over the original, can't stand the original 80s, the sound sends shivers down my spine

also die krupps have coldth sound

Still dreading the thought that they might revive eurodance eventually, what with the 90s being the new 80s. May god have mercy on our souls if that ever happens.

[] Peter:H []

Poster ask "How would your rate Hive for leads". My approach of rating something includes Demoing, waiting until GAS is over, then demo again, sleep another night, then compare to my other synths and find a rating like - I need, because my collection has a blank spot where Product xyz fits in, or not. Is this a valid approach for how to rate something?

i only started to appreciate the 80s because the weeknd, dua lipa and chvrches.
but i much prefer the revival over the original, can't stand the original 80s, the sound sends shivers down my spine

Being Boild 1979
Blue Monday 1987
Fade To Grey 1980
Kraftwerk Computerwelt Album 1981 - simply listen to "it's more fun to compute".
And I think DM and OMD had a few releases as well in the 80ties...

I think I coverd some bands most reknown for sound theat"can't be stand"

Better not come close to anyone who is into electronic music... and repeat your claim

[pdxindy]

Well, now that this has descended into an argument about people's taste in music (in which, remarkably, I mostly agree with Bones)... I'm going to take this as supporting evidence for my claim that "good lead sounds" are a matter of taste

(I think Hive 2 is a very good synth capable of most traditional "lead" synthesis techniques. But currently I'm more interested in West Coast waveshaping/feedback stuff which it isn't built for.)

For me, leads are about simple sounds with some expressive capability. Whether I like it is mainly about the music.

I can take a saw wave, filter it a bit, add a bit of expressive modulation and play this completely simple sound with my Linnstrument and have it sound pleasing to my ears cause of the melody and nuance of playing.

I find Hive readily makes pleasing lead sounds. It has plenty of sonic variety with the wavetables and osc unison. Hive has good facility for nuanced modulations that make the sounds dynamic. The GUI is also super fast to work with.

That said, Bazille is one of my favorite lead synths. All the facility for audio rate modulations and the ability to do feedback into the filter etc, brings sounds that for me have a very organic and slightly unstable tonality like 'real' instruments. Those sorts of sounds just do it for me.

RePro is also satisfying for leads. It saturates well, has the per voice distortion and also does high rate modulations beautifully. I wish RePro had a few more modulation slots to add a bit more variation via velocity and pressure.

[biscuitdough]

Almost every reply in the thread is OT and the thread is OT for the forum (Beginner Questions, not Instruments).

[Ploki]

i only started to appreciate the 80s because the weeknd, dua lipa and chvrches.
but i much prefer the revival over the original, can't stand the original 80s, the sound sends shivers down my spine

also die krupps have coldth sound

Still dreading the thought that they might revive eurodance eventually, what with the 90s being the new 80s. May god have mercy on our souls if that ever happens.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qM5W7Xn7FiA

I think I coverd some bands most reknown for sound theat"can't be stand"

Better not come close to anyone who is into electronic music... and repeat your claim

i think i can give credit and acknowledge good releases and good music and still have a subjective general distaste for a specific era of music.

[zzz00m]

As you can hear, music doesn't have to be one thing or another. It can take a little of this and a dash of that and do something better than either, although that last track is nowhere near Die Krupps' best. For that, you need this one from 2014, with the guitars pushed back into a supporting role. It's as cheesy as hell but all with tongue firmly in cheek (I hope) -
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4x5YDCj-wiE

Robo Sapien. Well done!