KVR Audio

2ZrgE · Post by **2ZrgE** » Wed Sep 09, 2015 11:32 am

Well that is far from being what is normally called an Arp.

Pyrotek45 · Post by **Pyrotek45** » Wed Sep 09, 2015 11:37 am

2ZrgE wrote:Well that is far from being what is normally called an Arp.

I supppose, but it works far better. Imo. Plus it just goes to show how much more the lfo on Serum has to offer.

excessional · Post by **excessional** » Wed Sep 09, 2015 12:22 pm

Surely isn't the answer to the OP simply to demo Serum and see what he thinks?

As I said, other than the fact they happens to be two out of literally hundreds of commercial VST synths there is no particular reason to compare these two products.

I mean the EDM crowd will have a fun time comparing Serum v Sylenth v Massive v Nexus v Spire I'm sure, but Synthmaster isn't;

a) $200; or
b) an EDM-focussed synth (I mean, you could use it for EDM, but it's really a much broader general synth).

What I like about Synthmaster the most is that when I'm composing songs I can basically just fire up a good piano VST, an acoustic drums VST and then fill the rest of the tracks with Synthmaster presets as a starting point.

Hardly any CPU use - good plucky bass, check; excellent supersaw, check; decent pad, check; vintage synth or organ sound; check; harpischord; check.

It's just so damn usable out of the box and you can also spend your life tweaking away with it if you want. And all for around $50 if you get it on a sale...

But if I had to get the latest EDM sound (and we all know how the EDM crowd tend to flock to get the 'must have' synth sounds of the moment), then I wouldn't look to Synthmaster but to one of the premium EDM synths..

Ingonator · Post by **Ingonator** » Wed Sep 09, 2015 12:27 pm

Pyrotek45 wrote:
2ZrgE wrote:Well that is far from being what is normally called an Arp.
I supppose, but it works far better. Imo. Plus it just goes to show how much more the lfo on Serum has to offer.

Actually besides a dedicated programmable Arp the LFOs in Synthmaster do offer a Step mode too with up to 32-steps and adjustable shape for each step (one control for for the shape for each step).

The 2D-Envelopes in Synthmaster have up to 32-steps too and the MSEGs up to 16 steps (and addtional controls for the shape of each step).

Overall Synthmaster seems to be one of the synths with the most features besides maybe Zebra 2, Electra 2.1 and Alchemy (where Zebra so far does not seem to be able to handle samples without conversion to a wavetable, Electra 2.1 is still a bit limited in terms of sample import/playback and Alchemy now is only available for Mac/Logic users).

Touch The Universe · Post by **Touch The Universe** » Wed Sep 09, 2015 12:34 pm

excessional wrote:, but Synthmaster isn't;

b) an EDM-focussed synth (I mean, you could use it for EDM, but it's really a much broader general synth).

DJ Warmonger · Post by **DJ Warmonger** » Wed Sep 09, 2015 12:53 pm

b) an EDM-focussed synth (I mean, you could use it for EDM, but it's really a much broader general synth).

I don't see how being "much broader synth" is a disadvantage.

All this "EDM synth" talk is also pointless. You can make EDM sounds with 90% of synths in existence and 100% of EDM is made with use of synths.

kv331 · Post by **kv331** » Wed Sep 09, 2015 1:54 pm

excessional wrote: But if I had to get the latest EDM sound (and we all know how the EDM crowd tend to flock to get the 'must have' synth sounds of the moment), then I wouldn't look to Synthmaster but to one of the premium EDM synths..

so you're saying SynthMaster doesnt have enough EDM sounds, oh boy

I am glad Armin van Buuren, Avicii, Tiesto, Paul van Dyke, Axwell, Martin Garrix and many other top DJs/producers don't think like you

kv331 · Post by **kv331** » Wed Sep 09, 2015 1:57 pm

DJ Warmonger wrote: All this "EDM synth" talk is also pointless. You can make EDM sounds with 90% of synths in existence and 100% of EDM is made with use of synths.

+1

Robmobius · Post by **Robmobius** » Wed Sep 09, 2015 2:01 pm

excessional wrote: b) an EDM-focussed synth (I mean, you could use it for EDM, but it's really a much broader general synth).
.

How the hell did you arrive at that conclusion? There's a shedload of EDM presets for it. And Synthmaster is a perfect synth for EDM irregardless of its presets.

Yes it has a very broad sonic pallet. That would just add more appeal to the EDM crowd imo.

wagtunes · Post by **wagtunes** » Wed Sep 09, 2015 2:44 pm

Know what else Synthmaster is really good for?

House.

There is a whole bank of house sounds in one of the libraries. Don't remember which one. But it's really awesome.

In fact, if somebody said to me that they were into making House, SM would be the first synth I'd recommend.

excessional · Post by **excessional** » Wed Sep 09, 2015 3:58 pm

Lol of course there are loads of EDM banks for Synthmaster and you can use it to make EDM but you know exactly what I meant.

The EDM scene has a very large number of newbie producers who tend to follow and use the flavour of the month synth. Serum is the flavour of the last few months. It's not done better than Dune 2 because it's a better synth but because it captured the attention of its target market very well.

Synthmaster has never been flavour of the month for the EDM crowd. It's a broad based synth that can do most things pretty well, but it's never as high up the 'top EDM synth' lists as it is in the general synth ones - usually it's in the top 3 of those.

And in no way do I see Synthmaster's versatility and breadth as a problem. But if I was going to sit down to write an EDM track (which I'm not) then I'd probably fire up Hybrid 3 before Synthmaster, just because almost every patch and the whole bright and brittle tone of it is designed solely for use in EDM, so it would help me get into the mindset quicker...

ObsoleteAcc99 · Post by **ObsoleteAcc99** » Wed Sep 09, 2015 5:00 pm

[DELETED]

rob_lee · Post by **rob_lee** » Wed Sep 09, 2015 5:20 pm

wagtunes wrote:Know what else Synthmaster is really good for?

House.

House House and more House, Synthmaster is great for this genre. It can do so much more than that BUT it's a House/Techno synth for my own personal use. You can get quality sounds out of this synth in a few minutes, it excels at pad sounds too. IMO it's a synth definitely worth investing in and taking the time to learn, developer is a really really good bloke too.

wagtunes · Post by **wagtunes** » Wed Sep 09, 2015 5:27 pm

rob_lee wrote:
wagtunes wrote:Know what else Synthmaster is really good for?

House.

House House and more House, Synthmaster is great for this genre. It can do so much more than that BUT it's a House/Techno synth for my own personal use. You can get quality sounds out of this synth in a few minutes, it excels at pad sounds too. IMO it's a synth definitely worth investing in and taking the time to learn, developer is a really really good bloke too.

Your name looks familiar. Are you one of the Synthmaster factory sounds gurus?

chk071 · Post by **chk071** » Wed Sep 09, 2015 5:33 pm

DJ Warmonger wrote: All this "EDM synth" talk is also pointless. You can make EDM sounds with 90% of synths in existence and 100% of EDM is made with use of synths.

I love statements like this. Especially from people who could just use Synth1 then, and be happy for the rest of their lives, but they don't. Instead they almost in every case own a lot of payware synths. Funny, isn't it?

Is it worth getting Serum if I already have Synthmaster?