The "I don't get it" or your 3 overrated synths thread

[eduardo_b]

by the way.....I can't be bothered to go through all the pages but did Oddity ever make it on this list?

It's one of my favs and I just wanted to make sure someone hates it.

I don't like Oddity at all. Feel better?

Devon

Oddity is indeed odd. I don't think I could like it even if six instances were running in a host.

[foosnark]

I don't think of Oddity as overrated -- I think of it as irrelevant to what I want to do.

[bmanic]

You never hear this kind of discussion when it comes to traditional musical instruments, do you? "Ah, that Steinway is rubbish. Can't do a thing with it!"

And I don't like the Steinway all that much. I'll take a Yamaha C7 any day. Much brighter sounding. (And yes, I'm being serious.)

Devon

.. but the action is MUCH worse than the Steinway (says me who has about 300 hours of playing Rachmaninow's piano arrangement of "Flight of the Bumblebee"). And yes, I'm being serious as well.

Cheers!
bManic

[Klemperer]

Nothing comes close to a Bechstein!

There is this thread over at NI-forums, where - to be honest, quite without Trolls, only one claims that "all the flies say X so it must be X" ) a few people speak about which of the piano (emulations) is the best. Forgot the link, but it isn't that important too

If a synth I bought doesn't suit me I sometimes think I'm overrated, by me

aah, Rachmaninow...anyone who can play Rachmaninow must be a piano-hero...

[bmanic]

Nothing comes close to a Bechstein!

I don't like em either..

aah, Rachmaninow...anyone who can play Rachmaninow must be a piano-hero...

Yes that's why the "I can play Rachmaninow's arrangement of flight of the bumblebee" is such a good pickup line. I just hope nobody notices the word 'arrangement'.

Seriously though, I love that piece. I so wanted to learn it after watching that movie.. mmm what was it called.. "Shine" I think. The one with the crazy pianist. Good movie too.

Too bad I never could learn any of Rachmaninow's own pieces. They owned me.. totally.

Cheers!
bManic

[MotorMind]

After reading most of the replies I can only way one thing: if a synth sounds bland, bad or boring, it's because the programmer of that synth sucks. If you have anything like Absynth, Massive or the Arturia ARP 2600 and you still can't make anything good happen, than you just suck and should stick to using samples only. Period.

[neverfall]

Interesting thread indeed!

Since it seems that nearly every major synth out there has shown up on this list, can we conclude the following:

"Every synth feels overrated to someone or to a certain group of users."

How about we conclude that because being overrated = "not worth the hype"....


That no Spectrasonics VI should have made this list to begin with?




I think being overrated should apply to how well the sounds fit into the mix, the usability of the synth, and of course hype Vs. actual worth of the product itself. If Atmosphere were being marketed as the go to synth for popular hip hop music then yes it would be overrated. The primary user would use Atmosphere for ambient, electronica, and film music...I couldn't imagine how anyone using it for those genres would find it overrated.


Although I actually do use it for hip hop and pop so what do I know?

[advaya]

After reading most of the replies I can only way one thing: if a synth sounds bland, bad or boring, it's because the programmer of that synth sucks. If you have anything like Absynth, Massive or the Arturia ARP 2600 and you still can't make anything good happen, than you just suck and should stick to using samples only. Period.

Well now... With quality posts such as that, I think this thread has pretty much out-lived its usefulness.

I think the common consensus here was that if a synth's sound didn't inspire the user early in the game, it was unlikely that they'd invest more time learning its 'complexities'...

But I'm sure with the intelligence you've demonstrated, you'd already surmised such a thing.

[neverfall]

After reading most of the replies I can only way one thing: if a synth sounds bland, bad or boring, it's because the programmer of that synth sucks. If you have anything like Absynth, Massive or the Arturia ARP 2600 and you still can't make anything good happen, than you just suck and should stick to using samples only. Period.

You'll probably catch a lotta flack from that post, but you were pretty much spot on until you mentioned samples. Sampling takes a helluva lotta talent in itself.


I don't think you can say a synth is overrated if you're aware that a helluva lot of people are using it for tv/film work or even regular pop music. If so many individuals are the recipients of a cut check for using that synth then yeah......



Obviously it really isn't as overrated as you might think.

[eduardo_b]

After reading most of the replies I can only way one thing: if a synth sounds bland, bad or boring, it's because the programmer of that synth sucks. If you have anything like Absynth, Massive or the Arturia ARP 2600 and you still can't make anything good happen, than you just suck and should stick to using samples only. Period.

You'll probably catch a lotta flack from that post, but you were pretty much spot on until you mentioned samples. Sampling takes a helluva lotta talent in itself.


I don't think you can say a synth is overrated if you're aware that a helluva lot of people are using it for tv/film work or even regular pop music. If so many individuals are the recipients of a cut check for using that synth then yeah......



Obviously it really isn't as overrated as you might think.

But now we're talking about professionals who most likely have the innate talent to have gotten where they are, versus the hobbyist/prosumer who may or (more often) may not have such talent. Then a synth can be overrated in their mind because they can't figure it out or get it to work for them.

[seamoss]

by the way.....I can't be bothered to go through all the pages but did Oddity ever make it on this list?

It's one of my favs and I just wanted to make sure someone hates it.

I don't like Oddity at all. Feel better?

Devon

Oddity is indeed odd. I don't think I could like it even if six instances were running in a host.

now that's just plain crazy talk there

[mckenic]

So someone sell me Oddity and Zebra2 cheep please

[bluedad]

You never hear this kind of discussion when it comes to traditional musical instruments, do you? "Ah, that Steinway is rubbish. Can't do a thing with it!"

And I don't like the Steinway all that much. I'll take a Yamaha C7 any day. Much brighter sounding. (And yes, I'm being serious.)

Devon

.. but the action is MUCH worse than the Steinway (says me who has about 300 hours of playing Rachmaninow's piano arrangement of "Flight of the Bumblebee"). And yes, I'm being serious as well.

Cheers!
bManic

I much prefer the C7 also (says me who has 32 yrs of sitting at a piano all DAY)

[neverfall]

After reading most of the replies I can only way one thing: if a synth sounds bland, bad or boring, it's because the programmer of that synth sucks. If you have anything like Absynth, Massive or the Arturia ARP 2600 and you still can't make anything good happen, than you just suck and should stick to using samples only. Period.

You'll probably catch a lotta flack from that post, but you were pretty much spot on until you mentioned samples. Sampling takes a helluva lotta talent in itself.


I don't think you can say a synth is overrated if you're aware that a helluva lot of people are using it for tv/film work or even regular pop music. If so many individuals are the recipients of a cut check for using that synth then yeah......



Obviously it really isn't as overrated as you might think.

But now we're talking about professionals who most likely have the innate talent to have gotten where they are, versus the hobbyist/prosumer who may or (more often) may not have such talent. Then a synth can be overrated in their mind because they can't figure it out or get it to work for them.

There is definitely truth in what you speak.


And with that said, then wouldn't the real issue be with the hobbyist and not the synth? Maybe it's not the synth...but the user overrating his programming skills. I say calling that synth overrated is like making up excuses for his own insecurities.


Let me use myself for instance. That's why I said I didn't REALLY THINK the synths I mentioned were overrated....well except for Wusikstation because that synth really does suck. I find it strange that people prefer FM8 over Massive because I honestly find Massive's presets MUCH MORE inspiring when I hit a simple key...and it seems so much easier to program than FM8. If I wanted to knock out tracks quickly one after the other just for kicks....well I'd rather use Massive for the reasons mentioned.

I know I suck at programming FM8...and Absynth. I don't REALLY consider them overrated though.

Well not unless we're talking about the FM8 Vs. Massive hype....

[beej]

I find it strange that people prefer FM8 over Massive because I honestly find Massive's presets MUCH MORE inspiring when I hit a simple key...

I felt exactly the opposite to you, FM8 sounds much more inspiring to me than Massive.

We all have tastes in what we hear, see, feel, use, and different products speak in different ways to each of those values. Sometimes a product connects with them, sometimes it doesn't.

There is a difference between good and bad, versus what you like and don't like.

There are some bloddy awful films I love, and some great ones that I'd rather avoid...