Typical use of your synths aka what kind of music do you make with a synth?

[thecontrolcentre]

for pop/hiphop something like korg triton, or any other rompler, should be ideal.
+1 to what wassup said too ...

[zzz00m]

I would say that the Korg Triton would be a good bread and butter synth for all things pop/hiphop.
The Korg and Roland romplers were used on countless hits.

[DJDJ]

For example, a JV-1080 wouldn’t be a great choice for someone wanting to do dark, twisty DnB or Dubstep basses.

There is a LOT of JV1080 all over drum and bass land (and more than likely dubstep too).. I know more than a few folks (myself included) that use a 1080/2080 or an XV of some sort along with the samplers that handle the drums and bass duties. A lot more to it than its namesake going on in every tune..

I figured that would be brought up. I'm well aware of that, but typically the use of the 1080 in DnB or Dubstep is going to be what you expect: Pads, leads, possibly 'string' or 'piano' patches, etc. And since I was already aware of that, thats why I specifically mentioned "twisty DnB or Dubstep basses". I've been a member of DOA since 2002 or so. I've poured over the threads there and everywhere else when it comes to how to make twisty reeces, as well as how to make legit 'intelligent dnb' pads. I've never heard anywhere online about someone using a 1080 as their main tool for making heavy basses. There are better tools for the job when it comes to harsh, nasty, aggressive tones, and so, those happen to be the synths (and samplers) that were often used. If you are that exception, well then good on you, but lets not pretend like this is what the synth specializes in.

[zzz00m]

I've never heard anywhere online about someone using a 1080 as their main tool for making heavy basses. There are better tools for the job when it comes to harsh, nasty, aggressive tones, and so, those happen to be the synths (and samplers) that were often used. If you are that exception, well then good on you, but lets not pretend like this is what the synth specializes in.

I own a JV-1080 rack, as well as the KORG Collection Triton. I would have to agree that you are not likely to get modern aggressive tones with these vintage sound sets, but they are well suited to standard pop/hip hop bread and butter sounds of the past.

Plenty of modern soft synths out there to discover harsh, nasty, aggressive tones with! Have fun!

[BONES]

I'm not sure you guys understand what "aggressive" is. Aggressive isn't in the sounds, it's in how you use them. You can take some quite innocuous sounds and use them very aggressively, just as you can take some very heavy, distorted sounds and use them innocuously.

I've never heard anywhere online about someone using a 1080 as their main tool for making heavy basses.

That's probably because the people who do are too busy making music to post how-to videos on YT. You know what they say - "those who can do, those who can't teach."

[_leras]

I'm not sure you guys understand what "aggressive" is. Aggressive isn't in the sounds, it's in how you use them. You can take some quite innocuous sounds and use them very aggressively,

Yeah. I like to make wind chime and Tibetan bowl German industrial music.

[DCrown]

I am not really bound to a specific genre, I expect a softsynth to inspire me and Avenger gives me the most inspiration at the moment, I also dig Arturia Minifreak.
Diva and Xpand sometimes bread & bother synths for composing, just to capture an idea or a first addition to an idea.
Omnisphere quite often my synth when I feel like playing for fun.

[DCrown]

To say that a synth is genre specific is not true. There is always hype around stuff that is used tons in certain genres. But apart from the legendary HardPunk synth OneSuperSawOnly no synth is genre specific. All others are allowed to be used in Jazz, Metalcore, Fusion and Country.
What's the typical use of a piano? Jazz
what's the typical usage of an acid bassline? Jazz
And don't tell me otherwise.
Or the Tarnce police will get you!

I had in mind if any synth is better meaning that it'd be easier or faster to get certain material.. eg. some hip-hop/pop sounds, what would be your thoughts on this?

For hip hop I would use Xpand2 exclusively or maybe 90%, it's a bread & butter and hip hop synth.

[revvy]

I'm not sure you guys understand what "aggressive" is.

It’s what you say it is, clearly.

You can take some quite innocuous sounds and use them very aggressively

Absolutely agree.

Conversely, you can take ostensibly aggressive musical styles and sounds and produce totally bland ‘aggressive’ cliches (more than truly innocuous, which would be fine in and of itself).

[FAS122]

I tend to make glitchier electronic stuff, so I lean towards synths with real "mangling" potential if you catch my drift (Thorn, Phase Plant, MSoundFactory). If I suddenly wanted to become a dance pop or hip hop producer though I doubt I'd have any gear issues, almost no synth is that specific.

[jamcat]

I will use synths for a string pad or maybe a melodic part. When used, they will be just another instrument in the song.

I tend to use more physical modeling synths: Pianoteq and SWAM solo strings. In that case I may use SWAM for anything from a solo cello to a full string section.

[BONES]

The album I'm working on is downtempo/psychill/psybient stuff. I lean heavily on synths with arpeggiators - Diva, Diversion, Thorn, etc.

It would be shorter to list synths without arpeggiators, I think.

[Boy Wonder]

This is the part where synths and FX overlap.

Because of Twin 3, I've been exploring synths with audio follower inputs like Predator 3, SurgeXT, ARP 2600, Vacuum Pro, etc. Side-chaining kicks into synths wasn't something I'd considered till the Twin 3 demo. Yeah, as usual, I'm late to that game, but it may prove useful in the psybient/psychill/downtempo stuff I do.

[BONES]

I'm always happy to be late to any game that complicates the process. I'm always looking for ways to make things easier, not harder. Sidechaining anything is something I'll consider only as a last resort, after all else has failed.

[SeBaer]

Yeah. I like to make wind chime and Tibetan bowl German industrial music.

Hmmm, metallic clanks.... sound like 'Die Krupps' to me...