One Synth Challenge #161: Synth1 by Ichiro Toda (Vospi Wins!)

[FrogsInPants]

Nice track. You do know that you can use commercial paid for plugins this round?

Hi there everyone. Me touching base here. Is this true?

Yes:

**Special Note:**
Commercial fx plugins may be used - subject to all other normal fx rules!

[Double Tap]

Yes so you can use Pro Q3 instead of a stock DAW EQ, but you can't use Efx Fragments, for example.

[MyLoFy]

Hello hello,

here's my submission, hope it will make you smize.
https://soundcloud.com/mylofymusic/mylofy-smize

Made with Ardour 6.9 on ArchLinux
37 instances of synth1 via yabridge and wine.

Effects:
-LSP Parametric Equalizer
-ZaMultiCompX2
-Dragonfly Hall Reverb
-ACE Compressor
-LSP Sidechain Compressor Stereo
-Calf Compressor
-TAP Scaling Limiter
-LSP Sidechain Multiband Compressor Stereo
-x42-eq - Parametric Equalizer Stereo
-TAP Tubewarmth
-LSP Slapback Delay Stereo
-LSP Artistic Delay Stereo
-Texturize
-ADClip7
-Galactic

Master Chain
-LSP Parametric Equalizer
-LSP Multiband Compressor Stereo
-ToTape5
-LSP Limiter Stereo
-ZaMaximX2
-x42-dpl - Digital Peak Limiter Stereo

Analyzers:
-Calf Analyzer
-EBU R128 Meter
-DR-14 - Crest Factor Loudness Range Meter
-LSP Spectrum Analyzer

[gorgorgathgorgorgor]

I have to say I'm not a great fan of the commercial effects being allowed, as it illustrates why we have the rule in the first place... some people just don't have access to commercial fx, for whatever reason. I personally don't see the need to allow them especially considering how many fantastic free fx plugs are available. Maybe it's just for the Mac users... I will however put Sonimus Britson on all my tracks this round

[Taron]

Really, the commercial effects create advantages for mastering and reverbs. Since no modulation effects are allowed, the only quality boost comes in those aspects, but they won't help with sound design nor composition. Thus, with all other rules in place, I don't mind the commercial aspect every now and then.
With things like Auburn Sounds Panagement and Valhalla Supermassive all being free, among a number of other beautiful fx units and great mastering stuff like OTT, LoudMax and many more, the commercial advantage is most likely more marginal than one should be afraid of.

[doctorbob]

I pretty much agree with Mr T. here. The only "advantage" with some of the commercial plugins is the ease with which it is to dial in on the setting you need, and with perhaps a little extra finesse.

A beautifully mastered poor composition, is still a poor composition!!!!!!!!

I think I can say this after 100 mainly mediocre submissions! The better ones did not have any commercial FX advantage that I can think of.

dB

[MyLoFy]

absolutely agree, for the free "bread and butter" effects there is so much quality out there. would be fun if this exception could also go into other directions once in a while, like e.g.
-no external effects at all allowed
-only open source effects allowed
-only effects by $BRAND or $DEVELOPER allowed
-all effects without limits allowed
Especially for synths that already took several OSC rounds that could spice things up, whatcha think?

[Taron]

Totally. We naturally don't emphasize effects, but it could be educational as observation.
I believe, the "worst" synth should always have "all effects" allowed...

[tattiemannie]

Hey ho guys .... just popping in ... been a long time, but just want to wish everyone the best of luck in the new 'one synth challenge' ... which I an delighted to see still going strong ... like even stronger then when I was in charge of the bloody thing .... dunno what to say ... other than ... if music be the food of love ... keep lovin' it .. and keep doin what yer doin'
All the best guys

[tattiemannie]

Don't wish to rock the boat Ah've been watchin' fae dry land here, but .... whilst Ah'm impressed wi' the upsurge in fkn great quality music bein' created, Ah'm seein a discussion re. commercial v free effects.

There should be no such discussion really.

The quality of freely available fx has risen since Ah was the man in charge here ... but not by much! Why? ... because the free fx we were using took some fkn beating!

So ... Whilst I still hold with the idea that OSC should be a low entry level affair ( because I believe, even a fkn crap track might have at least one guy's wee idea/spark which lights a fkn flame .. and might be fanned into a blaze by another) ... therefore, I still believe that all permitted synths, plugs should be free and universally available to download.

However ..... as a working musician, I would always encourage users of free synths/fx to part with the odd couple of quid here and there to support the work of those who create the software which supports our creativity

[tattiemannie]

... and anyway .... good to see Synth 1 revisited ... anyone spending any cash on commercial fx ..... errrr ..

1. has cash to throw away
2. has not fully explored Synth 1
3. does not understand the purpose of One Synth Challenge

[L-EctroBit]

Hey ho guys .... just popping in ... been a long time, but just want to wish everyone the best of luck in the new 'one synth challenge' ...

Hi man. Glad to be able to read comments from the founder of this contest. Thank you for having this great idea that has allowed many of us to learn new things and have fun while we make music.

[hockinsk3]

12x Synth1, Airwindows Console8, Airwindows EQ, Airwindows Pressure5, Airwindows Tube2 & Airwindows Galactic. Ran out of time as usual, but got it to a rough mix, but needs more time to flesh out. Started out as a minimal techno tribute to my hero Derek Carr, but ended up a clubby house track somehow? I quite like the melodic core of it though, so will come back to it with other instruments and finish properly hopefully.

https://soundcloud.com/hockinsk/sam-hoc ... al_sharing

[] Peter:H []

... and anyway .... good to see Synth 1 revisited ... anyone spending any cash on commercial fx

Hm, over the time Synth1 lost ground to Surge XT, Vital and other free/OSS synths...
And it cannot compete with comercial stuff like Parawave Rapid, Avenger, Icarus. Not only feature wise, I'm afraid sound wise. My opinion.

3. does not understand the purpose of One Synth Challenge

What is the purpose in your eyes?

[IV!]

Don't wish to rock the boat Ah've been watchin' fae dry land here, but .... whilst Ah'm impressed wi' the upsurge in fkn great quality music bein' created, Ah'm seein a discussion re. commercial v free effects.

There should be no such discussion really.

The quality of freely available fx has risen since Ah was the man in charge here ... but not by much! Why? ... because the free fx we were using took some fkn beating!

So ... Whilst I still hold with the idea that OSC should be a low entry level affair ( because I believe, even a fkn crap track might have at least one guy's wee idea/spark which lights a fkn flame .. and might be fanned into a blaze by another) ... therefore, I still believe that all permitted synths, plugs should be free and universally available to download.

However ..... as a working musician, I would always encourage users of free synths/fx to part with the odd couple of quid here and there to support the work of those who create the software which supports our creativity

As a young participant of One Synth Challenge, I greet the legend and founder of this wonderful community and bow my head as a sign of respect and appreciation!
I would like to share my point of view on this issue:
I, like many here, believe that in terms of quality (and sometimes convenience) among free FX there will always be a worthy competitor to any (or almost) commercial plug-in. So the advantage is minimal. The same experience, skills, work in a related industry, etc. give much more advantages for creating a high-quality track. But we can't prevent professionals from coming here, or vice versa, beginners?)
Also, these two statements may seem contradictory to each other:

However ..... as a working musician, I would always encourage users of free synths/fx to part with the odd couple of quid here and there to support the work of those who create the software which supports our creativity

... anyone spending any cash on commercial fx ..... errrr ..

But participants with commercial FX tend to buy them first, and then ask for permission to use them in rare OSC rounds, since many create music only for this competition. And these rounds are usually enliven the challenge for some without trampling on the interests of others, since, according to my observations, for most OSCers, creating music as such has become more important than fighting for victory - for example, a lot of experimental tracks and different (including unpopular now) genres every month speak about this.
Just imagine - One Synth Challenge continues for 14th year! For a monthly competition with full-length tracks and full-ranged voting, 161 rounds is cosmically a lot! Only Synth1 gets the sixth round already!) By the way, thank you for such a strong foundation, on which so many floors are built!
In my opinion of a person who came here just three years ago, such freer rounds (Any Synth, Hardware, Commercial FX, Any types of FX) are one of the components that allow OSC to remain interesting and relevant for new participants to this day!
But everything between them is strictly within the rules and it continues to give incredible results over and over again, so you can be absolutely calm for the Purpose and The Spirit of One Synth Challenge!