If you could have only one synth, what would you choose?

[machinesworking]

You realize that Kontakt is just a shell right? A plugin that hosts other plugins? It doesn't "take synthesis" at all. It does come with some synths but they are separate from Kontakt itself.

OK you are definitely trolling or mentally challenged.
Normally I would think you were thinking of Komplete Control and got it mixed up with Kontakt but your idiotic statement about Falcon and Kontakt not being VI's makes me think trolling or drunk as a skunk!

[_leras]

Neither are VIs.

yeah? only if you're an anal pedant that doesn't think a sampler is an instrument.

He means virtual synths - to which he has a point given the title of the thread.

Of course samplers can be used as instruments.

[chk071]

A synth is a synth. A sampler isn't a synth.

[FapFilter]

samplers were originally sold as “sampling synthesizers“ back in the day though and the difference between a “sanpler“ and a “synth“ doesn't even necessarily have to be huge, as “synths“ can be based on samples for their oscillators too, and “samplers“ can have “synth features“ like envelopes, filters, LFOs, crossmodulation, etc.
(And not all “synths“ have crossmodulation, or PWM either… and some of those are even “sample“ based on top of that )

yes, samplers can be used for playing back recorded samples (heck, your DAW is one gigantic sampler), but otherwise can easily be “synths“ too if you use more of their functionality than just pure playback (and if you go strictly about what is actually being “synthetic“, i think playback of any kind - regardless if coming from your DAW/phone/CD player, or analog tape - could be considered “synthesized“ too, since they are not coming from “natural sources“ anymore )

[revvy]

One of my fave synths is Wave Alchemy Bassynth.

It’s sample based. It’s no worse because of that. It rocks.

[chk071]

There is a difference between sample based synths and samplers...

[dellboy]

There is a difference between sample based synths and samplers...

For that matter Is a "sample based synth" a synth?

For me its not.

Its an impostor that has sneaked in since the advent of digital sampling in the late 70s. Before then a synth was entirely analogue with zero samples.

[FapFilter]

What about granular “synths“ then?
These are more or less sample players with some “weirdness“ in their playback order and loop points

Wavetable synthesizers?

And “classic“ Yamaha DX FM is sample based too, so a modern sampler with good FM/PM capabilities could be no less of a “fully fledged FM synth“ than a DX7 (+ a lot more)

[whyterabbyt]

There is a difference between sample based synths and samplers...

Explaining it, with authoritive references, would make that assertion more compelling.

[whyterabbyt]

Its an impostor that has sneaked in since the advent of digital sampling in the late 70s. Before then a synth was entirely analogue with zero samples.

Digital synthesis systems have existed since the early 60s. Google 'Max Mathews.'

So for example John Chowning developed his FM algorithms in 1967, licensed it to Yamaha in 1974.

[whyterabbyt]

What about granular “synths“ then?
These are more or less sample players with some “weirdness“ in their playback order and loop points

That's a common implementation, but the grains of a granular synth dont need to be reading an existing sample, or wavetable at all, they can be entirely generated on the fly. Barry Truax, for example one of the first composers to heavily investigate granular synthesis, used sinewave and FM grains.

[_leras]

i am thinking.... massive X. i love the sound and the capabilities of this plugin, but have not yet mastered it. so, in between playing with it, i could spend time learning my way around it.

If only it had two filters and three oscillators... like the original. The routing and sound is great though.

Of all the potential 'one synth to rule them all' listed here, it's amazing that none of them have really picked up from the way the OG Massive allowed you to see so clearly the routings.

Dune 3, Icarus 2, Avenger, Phaseplant even Pigments (though good) - none of them are as nice for programming and being able to clearly see routing and understand patches.

[_leras]

There is a difference between sample based synths and samplers...

For that matter Is a "sample based synth" a synth?

For me its not.

Its an impostor that has sneaked in since the advent of digital sampling in the late 70s. Before then a synth was entirely analogue with zero samples.

If you followed that logic you'd end up asserting that VA synths are not synths...

Maybe they are all synths if they are synthesizing a sound?

Most VA synths, create some kind of wavetable that they use for oscillators...
Which is not far from having single cycle (or multi cycle) loops for oscillators...
Which is not that far from having a longer sampled note as an oscillator...
Which is not that far from having drums in a sampler with envelopes...
Which is not to far from having loops in a sampler with looping tools...
Which is not that far from vanilla playback of samples...

In reality once in digital many things are based on the same building blocks.

[chk071]

There is a difference between sample based synths and samplers...

For that matter Is a "sample based synth" a synth?

For me its not.

I would say a "sample based synth" is a synthesizer which has the usual features you have in a synthesizer (oscillators, filters, envelopes, LFO's), which a sampler usually doesn't have. The overlap being the sample playback by the oscillators, but, not much more than that.

I can't see how something like Kontakt applies as a synthesizer in regards of this thread. The OP clearly asked for a "synth".

[chk071]

Anyway, this discussion is pointless, unless the OP points out what he means exactly. Although, in my eyes, when you ask for a "synth", you mean a synth. I wouldn't recommend Kontakt to someone who's asking which plugin he wants to buy as his first "synth".