can one synth really do it all ?

[pdxindy]

There never was a synth with more than six OP FM until FS1R. And that was a unique piece of gear, that (unfortunately) was abandoned pretty soon by Yamaha.

There are a number of 8 operator FM synths... the new F'em is 11 operators

You should have read the whole sentence: "... until FS1R". That's what I wrote.

Yes, I know. I was adding to what you said, not disagreeing with it.

[EnGee]

I think Yamaha did a great job with the DX7. Six operator is ideal and best balanced between usability and flexibility. The 32 algorithm were done smartly to cover most every sound.

Anyway, if we see the algorithms, many of them are using 2 carriers and the rest are modulators. What I mean is it is kind of layering of. So, you can achieve most of the algorithms by two or three instances of 4 Op synth. I have played with FM4 in Bitwig and it is not bad! I could make some DX7 metalic sound that I liked from scratch. The factory presets are not so great though, so it is better to make your own, which a great way to learn FM

I have tried the demo of F'em (what a stupid low name!) and I hated it just before using it!! The demo require an account of course (I already have one), but never the less, I need to apply for it (like NI demos), then when I installed it, there is no sounds bundled by default and this f*em white noise every few seconds!! Really? is that your demo? Pathetic! I uninstalled it immediately. I purchased "MODX Performance Editor" instead which make it much easier to program my sounds than the unsensitive touch screen of MODX!

[syntonica]

The FS1R only has a couple of algorithms with more than 4 operators stacked. I'm not sure how useful they are since many dual-operator stacks can be replaced by a single operator with a non-sine waveform, such as a saw or square. When I programmed Yamaha FM, a stack of three sine ops was all I could barely grok. I can't imagine trying to wrangle 4 or more feeding into each other.

So, 4op FM with additional waveforms will be plenty to layer and sound like the big boys with 8+ ops.

[EnGee]

So that, FM8 is my ideal FM synth! I just use what I need and I can do my own algorithms and save them. It also comes with enough wave forms to shorten the number of operators. It's a masterpiece synth IMO

[killmaster]

So that, FM8 is my ideal FM synth! I just use what I need and I can do my own algorithms and save them. It also comes with enough wave forms to shorten the number of operators. It's a masterpiece synth IMO

I'm in agreement!

[Azbest]

So that, FM8 is my ideal FM synth! I just use what I need and I can do my own algorithms and save them. It also comes with enough wave forms to shorten the number of operators. It's a masterpiece synth IMO

It's my fav FM synth aswell, which doesn't say much since fm synthesis to me is about as exciting as filling out an excel spreadsheet. I did get some ridiculous neuro-ish noises out of it though, it feels excellent for this kind of sounds.

[Spring Goose]

The idea of dozens of synths in my folder is a nightmare I would waste time wondering which synth to use for which sound.

Use any of them, it doesn't really matter which.

[Spring Goose]

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!

I'm not usually one to complain about GUIs, but what gets me about Reaktor is the tiny little buttons and knobs. I would use it more often if that wasn't the case.

[wagtunes]

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.

I couldn't have said this any better. Wish I could give this 10 likes.

[jclosed]

Like so many other said here - I think there is simply no way only one synth covers the complete sound palette you want to use.
Personally I use Omnisphere and HaLion 6. These two cover about 95% of my needs. And then there is still 5% left.
I was thinking about Zebra and maybe one of the Tone2 synths (Icarus, Gladiator or Electra) to fill up that small gap. At the other hand - Is it worth to buy one of these relatively expensive synths just to fill that 5% gap? Maybe - Maybe not.
Anyway - I still have some synths I use now and then (FM8, Absynth, Voltage Modular), but with all the stuff that's present in Cubase and Bitwig it already feels like overkill.
So there you have it. In my opinion there is no way only one synth covers it all...

[BONES]

HALion is cheating, you can buy whatever sounds for it you want. It's not fair to think of it as an instrument, it's more of an environment, like an empty Eurorack case.

can one synth sound like them

It's an interesting question and sort of like something I was thinking about the other day. If I could only have one VSTi, it would be DUNE but if I could only have 5 or only have 10, DUNE wouldn't be any of them. It sounds weird because you'd think if you could only have one, it would be your favourite or the one you use most but, if you think about it, you tend to reach for something you think will get the job done with the least amount of effort. In my experience, that's never DUNE. But if I had to rely on just one instrument to do everything I need, then the stuff that makes DUNE annoying to use also makes it that synth that will do everything I need it to do.

why do we need thousands

They each have their strengths and weaknesses.

which synths can do analog digital wavetable etc

All of them. If you know what you're doing, you can make a digital synth sound plenty analogue and an analogue synth sound completely digital.

Opinions. The curse of the internet.

Certainly true in the case of yours. (Sorry, you put it out there, someone had to hit it.)

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

What's a pure sampler? Windows Media Player is the closest I can think of and even it has EQ settings you can apply to sounds. But the instruments we think of as "samplers", like HALion or Kontakt, are actually extremely powerful synthesisers. Look at things like Output's Substance or Heavyocity's Mosaic Tape and see what they are capable of. It's amazing and wonderful! If you are writing products like that off, you are missing out on some seriously good stuff.

The times they are a changing....

Not in your vicinity, I'd wager.

What would be more complicated to use, five different synths each with their own form of synthesis or one synth under one interface with a unified workflow that could do five types of synthesis?

That will depend on the synths. TRK-O1, for example, offers five different forms of synthesis and it's just about the easiest synth in the world to use. JP6K only offers one type of synthesis and it's even easier, yet possibly more versatile.

A better question might be would I get more work done with one complex synth that has five different forms of synthesis or with 5 different, simpler synths and I'm pretty sure the answer, for me, would be five different synths. I kind of proved it last night when I was trying to emulate a patch from Hive (so I don't have to use Hive). I found the complexity of Viper made it too hard - too many things to tweak and balance, one against the other - but with JP6K I was able to get really, really close in a few minutes.

The idea of dozens of synths in my folder is a nightmare I would waste time wondering which synth to use for which sound

Use any of them, it doesn't really matter which.

Exactly! Use whatever you feel like using. There is no good or bad choice.

[tehlord]

which synths can do analog digital wavetable etc

All of them. If you know what you're doing, you can make a digital synth sound plenty analogue and an analogue synth sound completely digital.

Ok. Show me how to make a contemporary wavetable dubstep sound with Tyrell6.

Your assertation that skill overrides reality is just a poor cop out statement by somebody who either a) doesn't actually understand what they're talking about or b) makes a statement which is designed to imply expertise to somebody who doesn't know as much, without actually backing up the woefully inaccurate claim in the first place.

Also, calm down a bit.

[AnX]

I can do everything I need with one synth
and everything else with one sampler/sample player and drumrack

more often than not, I use a variety of stuff tho

I'm sure many ppl could do everything with one synth, I doubt many actually do tho

there is no "one size fits all" imo

[AnX]

The times they are a changing....

Not in your vicinity, I'd wager.

We don't like change...

[PieBerger]

which synths can do analog digital wavetable etc

All of them. If you know what you're doing, you can make a digital synth sound plenty analogue and an analogue synth sound completely digital.

Ok. Show me how to make a contemporary wavetable dubstep sound with Tyrell6.

Your assertation that skill overrides reality is just a poor cop out statement by somebody who either a) doesn't actually understand what they're talking about or b) makes a statement which is designed to imply expertise to somebody who doesn't know as much, without actually backing up the woefully inaccurate claim in the first place.

Also, calm down a bit.

We've been waiting quite some time for Bones to come up with goods, I expect we'll have to wait again. In the meantime, something something grr, something something you're all idiots.