Got the inspiration from a very nice thread in the effect section.
Instead of simple basic synths recommandations, would you mind sharing with us why you love THAT synth so much and what you’re able to do with it ? Maybe provide audio examples ?
For example, if you’re doing all your basslines with one specific synth, which one and why THIS one ? If some synth has a very specific feature no other has, please explain why it can be so useful... What technical aspects or what allows you to get that sound that other synths can’t in your opinion ?
Let’s go deeper...
Advanced-users tips : why do you love THAT synth so much ?
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- KVRAF
- Topic Starter
- 2281 posts since 25 Apr, 2009 from Doritos Land where no goblins are allowed
Let’s start.
Resynthesis talking.
Nothing can beat Tone2 Icarus and NI Form imho. Image Line Harmor used to be full perfection, but eh... mono samples afaik...
In a few words, let’s say you have only a sample of an instrument, and want to make it fully playable : those synths can do it, with quality.
Sometimes one will produce unrecognizable s#it, sometimes the other one will. Harmor almost never fails.
For example, try a supersaw synth with Icarus or Form : (presumed) fail. Harmor will work.
But for most tasks, they will work flawlessly. Icarus is especially good at short sharp sounds.
Other synths can do resynthesis (Halion, Rapid...), but imho they’re not as clean. Avenger also makes a very convincing mimic of resynthesis by using granular.
Why would you want to do resynthesis ? If you only have one sample of course, if your percussion track sounds WTF (you can gain power by linearizing your percussion track), you’ve "prepared" a synth and want it to stay exactly the way it is (export a sample, resynthesize), or if you want to double-track easily for example. This can also be used to obtain a 99% "clone", a new version of a sound you already have, not exactly the same but nearly...
My 2 cents.
Resynthesis talking.
Nothing can beat Tone2 Icarus and NI Form imho. Image Line Harmor used to be full perfection, but eh... mono samples afaik...
In a few words, let’s say you have only a sample of an instrument, and want to make it fully playable : those synths can do it, with quality.
Sometimes one will produce unrecognizable s#it, sometimes the other one will. Harmor almost never fails.
For example, try a supersaw synth with Icarus or Form : (presumed) fail. Harmor will work.
But for most tasks, they will work flawlessly. Icarus is especially good at short sharp sounds.
Other synths can do resynthesis (Halion, Rapid...), but imho they’re not as clean. Avenger also makes a very convincing mimic of resynthesis by using granular.
Why would you want to do resynthesis ? If you only have one sample of course, if your percussion track sounds WTF (you can gain power by linearizing your percussion track), you’ve "prepared" a synth and want it to stay exactly the way it is (export a sample, resynthesize), or if you want to double-track easily for example. This can also be used to obtain a 99% "clone", a new version of a sound you already have, not exactly the same but nearly...
My 2 cents.
Last edited by DJErmac on Thu Aug 18, 2022 2:50 am, edited 1 time in total.
Please don’t read the above post. It’s a stupid one. Simply pass.
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- KVRAF
- 3539 posts since 12 Jan, 2019
Aparillo has the coolest graphical orbiting parameter modulating thing. I wish my DAW had one I could use to assign parameters from varius plugins to nodes. It is so much fun to play with. It's great for special effects, changing and moving pads and sequences (I bet it would come in handy with trance music).
Doing nothing is only fun when you have something you are supposed to do.
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- KVRAF
- 3539 posts since 12 Jan, 2019
I enjoy and like Zebra's oscillator effects. MSoundFactory seemingly copied that (or maybe it was a thing before Zebra?). Waverazor has it's own interesting approach, but I found it somehow tedious to use. The oscillator effects in Zebra take some learning (I found best to do this with some graphical plugins to learn what each does). Once learned, they are cool to use in tweaking waveforms.
Zebra also has some nice effects, and I find its comb filter to be my favorite effect of any virtual synthesizer I own. The filter options are great--that one can mouse-wheel to scroll through filter types is excellent. The Frequency Modulation Oscillator effect and cross-modulation effect are nifty--I'm not sure what other synths have similar set-ups for such effects.
The routing of the four tracks jibes with me, with the neat ways to cross from one track to the other. MSoundFactory also seemingly copied this, but, again, I'm not sure it is unique to Zebra.
Plenty of other stuff is good in Zebra, but I'm not fond of its reverbs and delays.
Zebra also has some nice effects, and I find its comb filter to be my favorite effect of any virtual synthesizer I own. The filter options are great--that one can mouse-wheel to scroll through filter types is excellent. The Frequency Modulation Oscillator effect and cross-modulation effect are nifty--I'm not sure what other synths have similar set-ups for such effects.
The routing of the four tracks jibes with me, with the neat ways to cross from one track to the other. MSoundFactory also seemingly copied this, but, again, I'm not sure it is unique to Zebra.
Plenty of other stuff is good in Zebra, but I'm not fond of its reverbs and delays.
Doing nothing is only fun when you have something you are supposed to do.
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- KVRian
- 576 posts since 30 Jan, 2021
I tend to use a lot of pads from different synths as I compose ambient music. When it comes to smooth, creamy, and warm, my go-to is always MonoPoly. Its attack and release are deliciously long, modulating the filter is a dream, and it doesn't suffer from note stealing like some synths do.
If you can't dazzle 'em with brilliance, baffle 'em with bullshit.
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- KVRian
- 597 posts since 8 Jan, 2022
I love the basic tone of Newfangled Audio's Generate for plain sine wave/organ sounds.
It's probably better known for it's more chaotic antics but there's something about the basic tone with a hint of the chaos oscillator shifted a little tuning wise that just hits the mark for me.
The effects are also really good. The Chorus sounds super lush.
I absolutely love the jitter effect in Sugarbytes' Factory on the wavetable Drone oscillators. It has a lovely cloudiness. Great for breathy grainy pads.
It's similar to the jittter on Aparillo. Speaking of which...one of my all time favourites for that netherworld between arpeggiator and drone. That thing is also useful and not just a nice concept. I've used it a good bit in projects and styles of music where you wouldn't think it fits. It definitely has that 'Organic" thing going on.
It's probably better known for it's more chaotic antics but there's something about the basic tone with a hint of the chaos oscillator shifted a little tuning wise that just hits the mark for me.
The effects are also really good. The Chorus sounds super lush.
I absolutely love the jitter effect in Sugarbytes' Factory on the wavetable Drone oscillators. It has a lovely cloudiness. Great for breathy grainy pads.
It's similar to the jittter on Aparillo. Speaking of which...one of my all time favourites for that netherworld between arpeggiator and drone. That thing is also useful and not just a nice concept. I've used it a good bit in projects and styles of music where you wouldn't think it fits. It definitely has that 'Organic" thing going on.
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- Banned
- 7624 posts since 13 Nov, 2015 from Norway
PG8X. it just sounds amazing.
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