What's that one synth that you find never sounds bad?

[YesYeah]

Indeed, Olga is relatively obscure but I knew I'd unearth a few gems if I continually checked this thread. idk about any supposed rivalry with MX and I think that line was sarcasm anyway, but they seem to have big sound and insane GUI in common. The kind that will make a "modern clean animated gui" user freak

The Reaper discount is unfortunately also non-commercial. But it has a full evaluation version, like Reaper. I know I'd seen the name Schwa somewhere

[EnGee]

Hmmmm! I have demoed now and I must say I didn't find anything interesting in its sound! It sounds rusty as it looks ok I admit I don't have the same ears as BONES.

[soundmodel]

Synths don't sound bad; people sound bad.

Some synth designers intentionally limit the parameter ranges so that they produce mostly listenable sound.

[BONES]

I remember there was a special discount of Olga for those who own Reaper license. Not sure if it exists still. I don't even know if I bought it in the past or just demoed it! I need to check it out!

Yes, there is. But the thing is, you never need to buy it all if you don't want to. You get a 10 second countdown before you can use it if it's unregistered but, otherwise, it is fully functional. I kind of miss the countdown animation since I bought a license.

It sounds rusty as it looks

You say that as though it's a bad thing.

[EnGee]

I remember there was a special discount of Olga for those who own Reaper license. Not sure if it exists still. I don't even know if I bought it in the past or just demoed it! I need to check it out!

Yes, there is. But the thing is, you never need to buy it all if you don't want to. You get a 10 second countdown before you can use it if it's unregistered but, otherwise, it is fully functional. I kind of miss the countdown animation since I bought a license.

Yes, this one I demoed. I would buy the Reaper's version if I like it, which is half price (I have checked their website).

It sounds rusty as it looks

You say that as though it's a bad thing.

No, not a bad thing, but I can't imagine how useful that character for me except for very limited kind of effects.

Also, how do you change presets? I have played with the parameters, but couldn't come with anything I might use.

[BrokenTrance]

Synapse Antidote.

Heard a little bit of this vsti. I like very much what i heard!

It's no VSTi. It's a Rack Extension for Reason.

And, it's kind of a side product from the development of Dune 2, so, if you want something which sounds similar, check Dune 2 or 3.

Yeah sorry i know it is a RE. Software synth was maybe better wording. Also i like the interface.

[foosnark]

Aalto.

Strega, albeit for what is probably an uncommon definition of "good" but that happens to include mine.

[funky lime]

i think they all sound awesome in their own ways, really. i'm not too picky about synth tone i guess.

my problem is more that i haven't found a single software synth (yet) that is actually FUN to use. clicking a mouse to turn fake knobs to build sounds feels lame. especially when the interface has multiple tabs/pages ... transports my brain right into ms excel work mode. give me something that feels like play, not like work.

give me a fun synth and my brain will automatically classify it as sounding "better," if only because it gets out of the way between me and my goal: music.

[Nug Wrangler]

Full Bucket Mono/Fury. I love that one

[vitocorleone123]

If you find yourself using a synth you can't get to sound bad, creating amazing sounds with the sun on your face, do not be troubled. For you are in Elysium, and you're already dead!

[vurt]

i can live with that, feels like being high

[sQeetz]

Filterscape VA? It's simple and complex at the same time.

[BONES]

No, not a bad thing, but I can't imagine how useful that character for me except for very limited kind of effects.

That's what I thought when I first started using it but it's amazing how versatile it can be. e.g. I have used it to play piano parts in a few 80s covers, like Ultravox's I Remember (Death in the Afternoon), and it does a surprisingly creditable job.

Also, how do you change presets? I have played with the parameters, but couldn't come with anything I might use.

Yes, the lack of preset management is annoying but the VST2 version at least lets Studio One see the presets, so you can change them from the instrument toolbar.

my problem is more that i haven't found a single software synth (yet) that is actually FUN to use. clicking a mouse to turn fake knobs to build sounds feels lame. especially when the interface has multiple tabs/pages ... transports my brain right into ms excel work mode.

I think that is a problem with your brain more than with the synths. I find the exact opposite - after 25+ years of battling with hardware, softsynths are an absolute joy to work with. The immediacy is so much better, the ease-of use when compared to hardware is light years ahead and for the price of a basic hardware synth, I can have a folder full of softsynths. I do all the patching with my hardware using the VSTi editors/librarians, I never touch the front panel controls. If a hardware synth doesn't come with a VSTi, then I won't even consider it. It's way too much hassle for no benefit.

give me something that feels like play, not like work.

But music production is work. If it's not, then you are doing it wrong.

give me a fun synth and my brain will automatically classify it as sounding "better," if only because it gets out of the way between me and my goal: music.

Except it doesn't, not even close. You have to find somewhere to put it, you need multiple cables to connect it up to power and your audio set-up. If you have more than one, then you need a mixer and all these things create multiple points of failure, so you spend an inordinate amount of time and money replacing cables and chasing down hum/noise and all the rest of that shit that gets in the way of any fun you might be looking to extract. It's all so f**king annoying compared to firing up a softsynth and playing.

We've had a rehearsal space to ourselves for around a year now and setting up my hardware is so much hassle that I still haven't got around to doing it. My Analog Keys, Ultranova and even my Uno Synth Pro are all still in their carry bags, stacked neatly in one corner of the room. OTOH, I bring my laptop and Erae Touch in from home every week and it's all set up in a matter of a minute or two, ready to go. At the end of the session, it's all back in my laptop bag and ready to go home in even less time.

Full Bucket Mono/Fury. I love that one

Yeah, me too. It is so much better than you expect it to be and its sound stands up to the big boys easily. I wish it had some decent patch management, then I'd use it even more.

[jancivil]

"Olga [...] Not sure if it exists still."
it does. [edit: redundant] I never heard of it before today.

I didn't like the sound demos even a little bit. Not that I'm in the market for a synth (of any type) or I'd evaluate it my own self.
Fully functional trial.

[Nug Wrangler]

Full Bucket Mono/Fury. I love that one

Yeah, me too. It is so much better than you expect it to be and its sound stands up to the big boys easily. I wish it had some decent patch management, then I'd use it even more.

i agree on that one