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

[Greenstorm33]

There's Llamas in his biome already
Mom's Serengeti

[Jafo]

For me, expression is paramount, so I could use pretty much anything that really responds to touch. Not just velocity modulating volume or filter cutoff, but something that lets you dig in and get a different tone -- like how a guitar or piano responds.

[Uncle E]

Guitar has so many variables. Pick attack, pick angle, scrapes, harmonics, stops, slides, vibratos, bends, etc etc etc. It’s why I personally don’t enjoy guitar synths, they don’t track any of that.

Scripts, arpeggiators, or velocity can be used to add those things semi-randomly. ROLI, Linnstrument, Nord Leads, PolyBrute, and K2500/2600 have expression controllers that help. We used to sell a bassoon-like midi controller where every key was an expression controller in addition to the wind controller, that was pretty amazing. I’m surprised that iPads aren’t being better utilized, it seems like there’s a lot of expression available there.

[Boy Wonder]

MSoundFactory just got thisclose to being the most full-featured synth out there by adding a granular sampler to its other sound generators (additive, string, FM, wavetable, sampler, etc). Then, when you factor in all those tons of effects including a spectral morpher, powerful and versatile arp, RatioMulti that can crossfade between six instruments, filters, building blocks and downloaded instruments galore, I can see MSoundFactory being my one and only tool in the shed.

Now, all I have to do is hit the lottery to buy me one, and I'm good to go.

[Scotty]

I’ve got a pretty decent pedal steel guitar app for iOS which makes good use of the touch screeen.

Acoustic guitar models often sound like harpsichords. NI strummers are useable but extremely limited. Ample Sounds acoustics are almost always buggy. Easier to play the part. We guitarists are a dime a dozen.

Guitar has so many variables. Pick attack, pick angle, scrapes, harmonics, stops, slides, vibratos, bends, etc etc etc. It’s why I personally don’t enjoy guitar synths, they don’t track any of that.

I’m surprised that iPads aren’t being better utilized, it seems like there’s a lot of expression available there.

[machinesworking]

I’m surprised that iPads aren’t being better utilized, it seems like there’s a lot of expression available there.

I think what kills iPads and smartphones etc. for MPE style play is afterouch, because it's just a fake size of imprint thing that doesn't feel the same at all. It's super quick action for pitch though. a couple good controllers for MPE. So far the Linnstrument for guitar style playing and the Roli for CC74 filter action etc.

[machinesworking]

Just to say it again, I would choose Falcon. IMO unless you're using Live, ReNoise or Bitwig a your DAW, having a solid sampler with synth capabilities is going to give you a lot more possibilities than a really great subtractive synth etc. Despite the great songs people come up with in the One synth challenge, sonically its not going to compare to Falcon or Kontakt with a few libraries and your own samples etc.

[LFO8]

MSoundFactory just got thisclose to being the most full-featured synth out there by adding a granular sampler to its other sound generators (additive, string, FM, wavetable, sampler, etc). Then, when you factor in all those tons of effects including a spectral morpher, powerful and versatile arp, RatioMulti that can crossfade between six instruments, filters, building blocks and downloaded instruments galore, I can see MSoundFactory being my one and only tool in the shed.

Now, all I have to do is hit the lottery to buy me one, and I'm good to go.

Horrific UX in my opinion. But to each their own of course.

[DCrown]

I have found the last synth I will ever need

[BONES]

Just to say it again, I would choose Falcon. IMO unless you're using Live, ReNoise or Bitwig a your DAW, having a solid sampler with synth capabilities is going to give you a lot more possibilities than a really great subtractive synth etc. Despite the great songs people come up with in the One synth challenge, sonically its not going to compare to Falcon or Kontakt with a few libraries and your own samples etc.

I've been thinking along similar lines but Kontakt feels a bit like cheating, in that's it's more of an environment than an instrument in itself. OTOH, a good ROMpler like Triton or Triton Extreme doesn't feel like cheating at all, so that's probably where I'd end up if I needed a good all-rounder. But I don't feel like I would need a good all-rounder, I feel like I'd rather just have a competent V/A. Something like Vacuum Pro would be enough to keep me going for years.

[vurt]

if i can also have "all of the fx!!!" then any synth will do.

[DCrown]

Just to say it again, I would choose Falcon. IMO unless you're using Live, ReNoise or Bitwig a your DAW, having a solid sampler with synth capabilities is going to give you a lot more possibilities than a really great subtractive synth etc. Despite the great songs people come up with in the One synth challenge, sonically its not going to compare to Falcon or Kontakt with a few libraries and your own samples etc.

I've been thinking along similar lines but Kontakt feels a bit like cheating, in that's it's more of an environment than an instrument in itself. OTOH, a good ROMpler like Triton or Triton Extreme doesn't feel like cheating at all, so that's probably where I'd end up if I needed a good all-rounder. But I don't feel like I would need a good all-rounder, I feel like I'd rather just have a competent V/A. Something like Vacuum Pro would be enough to keep me going for years.

AIR TE is the reason why it's hard for devs like Arturia to impress me, none of Arturia's synths come even close to Vacuum Pro or LoomII imo, AIR's sound is light-years ahead and even super light on cpu, so whenever someone tries to tell me that a synth is high on cpu because of high quality algorithms, I start laughing.
If a dev is not able to make a good sounding synth with a decent cpu usage, his skills simply are not good enough. These two synths are definitely in my Top 3 of synths for many years.
I could have my fav three synths only and would be fine, I use them about 90% anyway.

[pdxindy]

If I truly could have 1 synth and only 1 synth, it would be Bazille

[El°HYM]

Arturia PolyBrute.

[Lectropunk aka influx808]

Dune 3 for me