can one synth really do it all ?

[AnX]

Some synths have more sonic range than others

[DJErmac]

Don't you mention OnePingOnly here please !

[DJErmac]

one-ping-only.png

[vurt]

one-ping-only.png

Don't you mention OnePingOnly here please !

hmmm...

[EnGee]

reaktor.

It is rare that vurt posts "serious" posts and this one is among them

I absolutely agree with vurt, although Reaktor is more than a synth, but as you buy it as a "synth", it can do all! Drums and all kind of synthesis. It sounds great as well, maybe the best sounding engine! Nothing in software really can touch it! (at least inside my computer!).

I spent some time yesterday with its Blocks synths. Man! I don't think there is a better quality sounds than this! The details are awesome in the sound. It is not for the "Serum/Avenger" crowds however. It needs a serious study and lots of time to grasp what's going on there!

[gentleclockdivider]

reaktor.

Nothing in software really can touch it! (at least inside my computer!).

If you mean as vst , then yeah .
I created every possible synthesis method in reaktor , phase distortion , phase modulation , granular ,modal synthesis etc ... and while it can do everything under the sun , it's nice to switch environments once in a while
As a programming environment, max msp and supercollider are equally as powerfull and even surpass reaktor in certain areas

[Teksonik]

sampler is seperate to synth imo anyway
(even if some blur the lines)

I completely obliterate the line.....

synth.png

"The Synclavier, a digital synthesizer made with FM technology licensed from Yamaha, offered features such as 16-bit sampling".

"The Roland D-50 blended Roland's linear arithmetic algorithm with samples, and was the first mass-produced synthesizer with built-in digital effects"

"Korg released the M1, a digital synthesizer workstation featuring sampled transients and loops with over 250,000 units sold, it remains the bestselling synthesizer in history.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Synthesizer

Simply put sampling is a form of synthesis. It may not be the most popular at KVR but a form none the less.

But isn't it great we live in a time where people can have simple subtractive synths if that's what they prefer and complex multi synthesis type instruments exist as well for those who prefer them.

This really is the golden age of synthesis.....

[EnGee]

"The Synclavier, a digital synthesizer made with FM technology licensed from Yamaha, offered features such as 16-bit sampling".

Interesting! So, Synclavier licensed the FM "technology" from Yamaha which licensed it from Stanford University? (was it Chowning at Stanford University? Just from my unstable memory!).

Anyway, I think for simpler solutions (and sounds) than Reaktor, FM8 (Blue2, DX7 V, Bazille or any other FM/PM/PD synth on the same level) can do everything! But it is not easy at all. FM needs a lifetime to master

Bazille is for me the compact Reaktor! In both complexity and sound quality.

[NewStart 2021]

What does the OP want to do exactly ?

I guess as its KVR it can only mean EDM. Everything here seems to default to that genre. That being the case, and it is EDM, then why do you need more than one synth for it ?

theres a lot more than edm to mke with synths
so maybe he doesnt. op?

[LeVzi]

I don't think so. Reaktor maybe able to be programmed to do it all, but sometimes its heavy CPU requirements make it unrealistic.

I think having a plethora of synths that do things in different ways really can add something to your workflow or sound. Or maybe that's just my preferred way of thinking.

I love having the choice to think "I'll use this synth for that, or that synth for this"

[EnGee]

Yes me too! I like to load several different synths and get going, because I like the contrast between analog and digital, soft and harsh, etc. All that make it more interesting. I'm talking about free old style not those songs that have just one volume level and noise the whole time!

[Biome_Digital]

why do we need thousands
which synths can do analog digital wavetable etc

Competition, freedom of choice ... its like asking why is there more than one type of car, brand of beans, etc

Beans is a good analogy - some have more sugar, some more beans, some with preservatives and other additive, some are organic.

My synth selection is the same in terms of features.

[e-crooner]

I don't consider a pure sampler a type of synthesizer.

[Teksonik]

I don't consider a pure sampler a type of synthesizer.

Then your definition of "synthesizer" is incorrect.

Even the first affordable "pure sampler" the Ensoniq Mirage has a "Filter - Analog low pass with 5 stage envelope" and a "VCA - 5 stage digital envelope".

I think the problem is when so many people think of "sampler" they think of real instruments like Piano or Violin etc but anything that can be heard can be sampled. The range of possible sounds is theoretically infinite when using sample based synthesis.

One of the first things I did with my Mirage was sample my Roland Juno 60.

Yesterday I was working with Rapid and loaded up a multi-sample, applied 7 voice Unison, ran it through a Low Pass Filter with the Cutoff modulated by an LFO.

How is that not synthesis? Because it doesn't use a Saw, Square, Sine or Triangle wave?

So by your thinking a VSTi that uses sampled saw waves instead of generated saw waves is not a synth even though it has all the filters, envelopes, low frequency oscillators, etc as any other synth?

So a Wavetable synth that uses single cycle waveform samples is not a synthesizer?

Like I said sampling is a form of synthesis just as Subtractive, Additive, FM, PM, Wavetable etc are forms of synthesis.

Now I get it KVR is more in love with Analog synths but there was a time when no one wanted them and sample based synths like the Korg M1 were all the rage.

[AnX]

The times they are a changing....