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

[whyterabbyt]

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.

Which samplers dont have all of those particular features?

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

Well, it does have oscillators, filters, envelopes and LFO's...

[whyterabbyt]

Anyway, this discussion is pointless, unless the OP points out what he means exactly.

Not sure that's going to happen, as they almost certainly werent soliciting actual advice; OP seems to be a serial starter of threads which are basically an incitement to 'list every synth evar.'

[chk071]

Damn, it's stuck on me again.

Someone call pest control.

[whyterabbyt]

Ah, right, I remember that pattern.

[FapFilter]

personally, i differentiate between "synths" and "samplers" too (and even "drum samplers" for that matter )
but fully acknoledge if some people think that Kontakt or TAL Samplers (for example) are synths too for those, as they are even technically correct with their assertion, unless these samplers are somehow restricted to only strict playback without any other forms of audio manipulation/alteration.

[chk071]

personally, i differentiate between "synths" and "samplers" too (and even "drum samplers" for that matter )

Let's take the Roland Gaia for example. The oscillators play back samples. I never heard someone call it a sampler, or even a sample based synth. It's marketed as a synthesizer, everyone considers it a synthesizer, and the least people will even know or notice that its oscillators play back samples.

"Authoritive reference", eh? Wikipedia or what?

If a synthesizer is defined by synthesizing its generated tones, then at least half of the synthesizers we know aren't synthesizers, and half of the samplers aren't samplers. Why not define it by their primary purpose? When I search for plugins on the KVR database, I'm happy that there's a distinction, otherwise I simply wouldn't find what I'm after.

[whyterabbyt]

personally, i differentiate between "synths" and "samplers" too (and even "drum samplers" for that matter )

There's no harm in making distincations if you're aware that they're actually more nuanced.

but fully acknoledge if some people think that Kontakt or TAL Samplers (for example) are synths too for those, as they are even technically correct with their assertion, unless these samplers are somehow restricted to only strict playback without any other forms of audio manipulation/alteration.

Always seems a Dunning-Kruger -ish thing to me, folk who dont (and often deliberately wont) understand or accept the technical distinctions and commonalities, trying to claim authority but manifesting an incomplete understanding.

[Michael L]

At the top of this page is a link to "Related Products" and the popup is One Ping Only.
Algowisdom

[BONES]

You realize that Kontakt is just a shell right? A plugin that hosts other plugins? It doesn't "take synthesis" at all.

Are you sure? If that's the case, why are so many Kontakt instruments so similar? e.g. Many of them, from different vendors, have three oscillators and I've never seen one with four, which suggests to me that Kontakt is probably doing a lot of the work and that the third parties who use the platform have hard limitations on what they can do.

Thanx for posting. Great track.

Thanks. It was one of my bandmate's pieces. When he first did it, it was nothing special until we moved from Orion 32 to Orion 64 and had to leave the instruments he'd used behind. Orion automatically loads a Sampler when it can't find a plugin. Loading up a few simple V/A wavecycles was a quick way to get it up and running and it actually worked amazingly well, so we kept the Samplers in it.

[dellboy]

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.

Thanks for the tip about "Max Mathews", I had never heard about him, it will give me something to read about later. Chowning, I of course knew about, but didn't realize that he developed it so early. As far as sampling goes, it seems the first sampler was the "EMS MUSYS", and I have only just found that out by doing some googling. I found this really interesting video about it that I will watch later............
https://www.historyofinformation.com/detail.php?id=2332

[mixyguy2]

No, that's incorrect. Anyone can do it with Kontakt. No special scripts required. Wavetables are especially easy.

ah, no.

and its library dwarfs every other synth or sampler in existence, even Falcon.
Literally not debatable. Quantifiably true.

I agree it wins, but it does not "dwarf" everything else. Halion, for ex, which comes with a ton of stuff.

I actually don't understand what you mean. When you say "It does come with some synths", what synths are you referring to? Maybe that would help me understand you.

When you buy Kontakt, you get the Kontakt Factory library, which comes with various synths...not sure which it comes with in the new version.

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!

ah, my bad on Falcon, was thinking of something else. But while Kontakt can host VIs, it is not itself a VI. But enjoy your giggles. During recess, I take it.

Are you sure? If that's the case, why are so many Kontakt instruments so similar?

Yes I'm sure. Key words there, Kontakt instruments...not Kontakt (the player) itself.

[dellboy]

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

I use a sampler all the time to make my own sounds. Studio One makes it ridiculously easy to route a VST to an audio input. From there a simple Mono sample can be turned into a fantastic polyphonic synth sound with just the addtition of a few of Kontakts tools like envelopes,FX,and filters etc,along with a little tweaking. I just sampled the very first preset in Studio Ones inbuilt mono synth "Mojito", called "default", and turned it into a swirling polyphonic pad in Kontakt. But I agree, in the context of this thread it is not a "synth", but I find it far more interesting than a synth anyway. I guess it has somehow become my main synth of late.

[whyterabbyt]

But while Kontakt can host VIs, it is not itself a VI.

Kontakt cannot host VIs. VIs stands for 'virtual instruments' and the definition of that is intrinsically software which generate sounds.

If you want to insist that that's not the case, do provide very authoritive references, as there are very many which provide that definition.

Kontakt instruments, however are not software, they are data; they do not run inside Kontakt to generate audio, instead Kontakt uses the data they contain to generate audio in exactly the same way as every other audio generating software uses presets; as a source of data that is used by software to determine what the audio output of that software is going to be.

A 'Kontakt instrument' is nothing more than a synonym for 'sampleset' or 'preset' or 'patch'. They cannot generate sound in and of themselves.

You're taking the known definition of virtual instrument, and, having found out that it has one word in common with NI's terminology for a sampleset or preset, have decided to insist that these usages have each other's meanings. But that assertion is completely incorrect.

[Shabdahbriah]

personally, i differentiate between "synths" and "samplers" too (and even "drum samplers" for that matter )

There's no harm in making distincations if you're aware that they're actually more nuanced.

The nuance is important. For example, a wavetable is comprised of 'samples', does that make a wavetable synth a sampler? Along those lines, I can load 'samples' into my Sledge II, but it is definitely not a sampler. Nor is the Waldorf NW1.

[VitaminD]

OnePingOnly. It's the KVR legendary uber synth.