Albino 3 returns.....

[Teksonik]

I just tried Blue3. On paper, it's everything I want in a basic, workhorse synth. And more! In practice, I literally hate everything about its GUI. It's an unusable, unseeable mess (blue, in general, is tricky for us humans to see) that doesn't fit on a 13" screen. With a better GUI layout and treatment of user samples, it would be an instabuy.

So you'd let your dislike of the GUI stop you from using a synth "that's everything you want"?

For the record I'm not a huge fan of BLUE 3's GUI or the GUIs any of the RP plugins. I just don't like the style and they seem outdated in appearance.

But....that hasn't stopped me from using and enjoying the synths themselves. Blue 3 is far from "unusable" here as I've used it in many projects and programmed a bunch of patches on it. Then count the 5000 plus factory presets made by several different sound designers as proof that it's perfectly usable.

But then I use a proper monitor size. I'm not even on 4K yet , still running at 1920x1080 on a 27 inch ISP monitor. A 13 inch screen would be unusable here for any kind of serious music production.

As for layout, learning the workflow of any synth is simply a matter of time spent using the plugin. Some effort is always required.

So it sounds like you're just not equipped to run Blue 3 so sadly you'll just have to pass on a truly great sounding synth.

[Teksonik]

I'd love for Papen to turn Prisma into a copy of Analog Lab. Like an exact functional copy. Like don't even be ashamed that you copied it. Just do it. All presets across all his synths in one browser. They could even sell it standalone for people who just want presets. Those of us who own the synths could fully edit of course, just like in Analog Lab.
ANALOG LAB FOR PAPEN SYNTHS. I WANT THIS.

I just want the latest version of Prisma to be stable. Sadly, after they added support for Blue 3 and Bit 2 it has become very unstable here in several DAWs when making my own Prisma presets. I think it has to do with loading Blue 3 patches that use custom user samples but I can't be sure yet.

I sent Rob some of my Prisma presets and mentioned the stability issue with Prisma but I haven't heard back yet. I imagine he's busy with the new projects and at some point when I have time to dive into the issue further I'll submit a support request through proper channels.

It would help if other people tested the latest Prisma to see if it's unstable for them as well.

I'm not opposed to an "analog lab" for Prisma but let's work on stability first.

I think Prisma is a really overlooked gem. I look at it like a "4 Osc" synth where every Osc is an entire synth deep. Some truly amazing sounds are possible by layering up to 4 of RP's synths and we can add FX, do key splits and so on. Lots of fun.

[dune_rave]

it would be cool to extend the 4 layer to 16 in the future....

[Teksonik]

but somehow I never managed to love blue 3 sounds, they sound to "90s" for me.

And that's where we fundamentally differ in opinion. I love the digital sound of synths from that time period and there are far fewer plugins that do those sounds than strive to emulate dusty old analog sounds or do Skrillex level sonic mayhem.

I still own four rack mount digital synths from that era and while I still love the sounds they make, working with hardware now is like riding a bicycle compared to driving a Ferrari when working "in the box" so they rarely get powered up these days.

Back on the subject of Albino I don't think the point is to compare it to the other modern synths you own but to focus on the actual sound to determine if it's pleasing to you.

It's pretty hard even for more recently released offerings to make in on to my "A Team" of synths that I reach for all the time so I don't expect Albino to accomplish that feat.

However I do expect it to get some use here and it will still be fun to patch and play.

I have about 3000 patches backed up including the entire Pro Sounds collection from one of my all time favorite sound designers Frank Genus and I remember there being some great sounds in that bunch. So getting those back will be something I'm looking forward to not to mention getting my own patches from that time back as well.

No doubt the sound of VSTi synths have changed for the better over the years but the sound of Albino hasn't changed so if it sounded great back then it will sound great now. Maybe not as great as some other more recent synths but I'd urge everyone to try the demo when it's released and make up your own opinion based on that and not based on how "old" it is.

That's what I'm going to do, run the demo and base my final opinion on that. Perhaps I won't find it appealing at all in these times but I would be surprised if that were the case.

[Teksonik]

it would be cool to extend the 4 layer to 16 in the future....

In Prisma? Yes more layers are always welcome here but it would be pretty CPU demanding to run 16 entire synths at the same time.

There is "Unity" which is a similar but expanded concept that allows you to use plugins from any developer. I don't remember who created Unity at the moment but I've been meaning to check it out.

Seems like I've gone to check it out in the past and something put me off. Don't remember exactly what it was though. I should look into it again.

[Jac459]

but somehow I never managed to love blue 3 sounds, they sound to "90s" for me.

And that's where we fundamentally differ in opinion. I love the digital sound of synths from that time period and there are far fewer plugins that do those sounds than strive to emulate dusty old analog sounds or do Skrillex level sonic mayhem.

I still own four rack mount digital synths from that era and while I still love the sounds they make, working with hardware now is like riding a bicycle compared to driving a Ferrari when working "in the box" so they rarely get powered up these days.

Back on the subject of Albino I don't think the point is to compare it to the other modern synths you own but to focus on the actual sound to determine if it's pleasing to you.

It's pretty hard even for more recently released offerings to make in on to my "A Team" of synths that I reach for all the time so I don't expect Albino to accomplish that feat.

However I do expect it to get some use here and it will still be fun to patch and play.

I have about 3000 patches backed up including the entire Pro Sounds collection from one of my all time favorite sound designers Frank Genus and I remember there being some great sounds in that bunch. So getting those back will be something I'm looking forward to not to mention getting my own patches from that time back as well.

No doubt the sound of VSTi synths have changed for the better over the years but the sound of Albino hasn't changed so if it sounded great back then it will sound great now. Maybe not as great as some other more recent synths but I'd urge everyone to try the demo when it's released and make up your own opinion based on that and not based on how "old" it is.

That's what I'm going to do, run the demo and base my final opinion on that. Perhaps I won't find it appealing at all in these times but I would be surprised if that were the case.

We differ in tastes but I actually fully agree with your logic and would I have the same tastes, I'll probably have the same conclusion.

For old school digital sounds, I do appreciate Layers (there are 2, 80s and 90s) from reason studios, did you try it?

[Teksonik]

No, I've never been a fan of Reason despite its rackmount paradigm which I'm comfortable with having grown up on rackmount gear.

[Choikdoi]

it would be cool to extend the 4 layer to 16 in the future....

In Prisma? Yes more layers are always welcome here but it would be pretty CPU demanding to run 16 entire synths at the same time.

There is "Unity" which is a similar but expanded concept that allows you to use plugins from any developer. I don't remember who created Unity at the moment but I've been meaning to check it out.

Seems like I've gone to check it out in the past and something put me off. Don't remember exactly what it was though. I should look into it again.

Unify, I think you're referring to, by Plugin Guru.

I avoided it too, for a while. I only just purchased it fairly recently so I'm still trying to find time to learn it more extensively. The developer has lots of great YouTube tutorials though, which helps.

But it is actually a fantastic bit of software, I'd definitely recommend giving it another look.

[syntonica]

I just tried Blue3. On paper, it's everything I want in a basic, workhorse synth. And more! In practice, I literally hate everything about its GUI. It's an unusable, unseeable mess (blue, in general, is tricky for us humans to see) that doesn't fit on a 13" screen. With a better GUI layout and treatment of user samples, it would be an instabuy.

So you'd let your dislike of the GUI stop you from using a synth "that's everything you want"?

Not just dislike. There are many GUIs I dislike, but slog through using them to get my work done. I cannot use Blue at all. I have vision issues and have great difficulty seeing the blue on blue it uses. On top of this, I could use a slightly higher resolution on my screen, but then everything becomes too tiny for prolonged usage. It's fatiguing for my eyes.

Then, user samples just make zero sense in how they are implemented. It's bizarre and painful to load a sample. The oscillator sections are so tiny and cramped, then scads of room is wasted in the panel below. Awful use of space. I have Predator 2, which pretty much crams everything into one screen, but fairly evenly. The red they use is difficult to see on black, of course, but I can muddle through with that one, which I use rarely because of the GUI. Their designer seriously needs to get out of the 90s and learn a few things about color, sight and usability.

RP GUIs are generally bad to begin with, but Blue is especially so.

[Teksonik]

it would be cool to extend the 4 layer to 16 in the future....

In Prisma? Yes more layers are always welcome here but it would be pretty CPU demanding to run 16 entire synths at the same time.

There is "Unity" which is a similar but expanded concept that allows you to use plugins from any developer. I don't remember who created Unity at the moment but I've been meaning to check it out.
Seems like I've gone to check it out in the past and something put me off. Don't remember exactly what it was though. I should look into it again.

Unify, I think you're referring to, by Plugin Guru.

I avoided it too, for a while. I only just purchased it fairly recently so I'm still trying to find time to learn it more extensively. The developer has lots of great YouTube tutorials though, which helps.

But it is actually a fantastic bit of software, I'd definitely recommend giving it another look.

Ahhh it's Unify not Unity. Yes I should have another look at it.

[Teksonik]

I cannot use Blue at all. I have vision issues and have great difficulty seeing the blue on blue it uses.

How about on a larger screen? Even though my eyes are horrible and I do have a special set of glasses just for working with computers that I'm wearing right now I am blessed to be able to see and use Blue 3 without problems.

Then, user samples just make zero sense in how they are implemented.

I've done many patches with user samples. I agree it could benefit from some improvements but sometimes we just have to put up with things and learn to use what is instead of focusing on what isn't.

RP GUIs are generally bad to begin with, but Blue is especially so.

I can't argue against the idea that RP GUIs are generally bad especially compared to other synths in my arsenal but I find BLUE 3 the most pleasant to use and Predator 3 one of the least because of the red color.

So once again we see how personal preferences can vary wildly from one user to the next.

[dune_rave]

it would be cool to extend the 4 layer to 16 in the future....

In Prisma? Yes more layers are always welcome here but it would be pretty CPU demanding to run 16 entire synths at the same time.

There is "Unity" which is a similar but expanded concept that allows you to use plugins from any developer. I don't remember who created Unity at the moment but I've been meaning to check it out.

Seems like I've gone to check it out in the past and something put me off. Don't remember exactly what it was though. I should look into it again.

No!!! I mean Albino currently has 4 layers and this could be extended to 16. In ALbino!

[syntonica]

So once again we see how personal preferences can vary wildly from one user to the next.

I'm sorry that I don't like something that you keep trying to convince yourself that you do like, but once again, we see that you cherry pick to prove your point, whatever that may be. You pointedly ignore the fact that I cannot see half of the GUI due to incredibly bad color choices. This in not a "personal preference".

[hurricaneaudiolab]

One of the problems with Papen's GUIs is that he, like Richard from Synapse, insist on basing their designs to fit into Reason Rack extensions. They're killing two birds with one stone, and yeah, that's convenient, however, you have to follow certain rules, you have to do it a certain way to make your design RE friendly, and, as a result, the end designs are a direct result of this compromise. That's why Legend and Obsession's GUIs are so....elementary. DUNE 3, which is not available as a RE, is the one that is free from these RE constraints which is why it looks how it looks.

(The following is just my educated conclusions based on evidence - I have no inside knowledge.)

-------------------
Papen had his RE guy do the GUIs for GO2, Quad, Vecto, BIT, SubBoomBass, Punch - and that's Hans Van Even.

Shaun Ellwood did the GUIs for Predator 3 and BLUE III - the worst Papen GUIs in my opinion. These obviously did not start off being REs first - and so far they have not been ported over to the RE format, most likely because several of the graphical VST elements would not translate well.
-------------------

I'd personally like to see Hans Van Even give Predator III and Blue III a makeover. His designs are better, however he DID do Blade 2, which is...like late 90s geocities. Like this lol: https://www.cameronsworld.net

Anyway, this GUI thing is all up to Papen, and when he released Predator as a RE, the GUI was truly horrible. And so I wrote him about it, basically asking him why it looked so boring and simple and dated. And he responded:

"The looks suffer a bit, but users will forget this if the features and sounds are there and the synth is versatile. Then ‘practical use’ is more important IMO and we did not want to the grafics overrule the synth features.

Other ‘simple synths’ have more options…but this option we did not have.

Of course for user that have lack in ‘synth knowlegde’ will pick other synthesizers. But maybe that is not our public.

In the end it is about the sound it producers and the features you have. Somebody that does listen to music is not thinking about the knobs and looks of the synth." - Rob Papen

I don't know how you take that, but to me, it's clear he doesn't place that much importance on GUI. Granted, this was a long time ago, however, his GUI problems persist today.

So apparently, according to Papen, if you care about how a synth looks, then you "lack synth knowledge" and you think too much about knobs.

[Teksonik]

No!!! I mean Albino currently has 4 layers and this could be extended to 16. In ALbino!

OK !!!!!! I agree. More layers in Albino would be welcome.