Software vs. Analog in 2025 – Has the Balance Shifted?

[Ah_Dziz]

Very nice!! My son's 16. He's way more of a performer than I ever was. He's doing audio production at school, but I'm trying to teach him electronics and the math that goes with it.

[planet trauma]

get as much of each as you can afford.
analog=faster results and creativity
digital=precision and recall

[IvyBirds]

get as much of each as you can afford.
analog=faster results and creativity
digital=precision and recall

Without recall analog is not faster

[pdxindy]

Without recall analog is not faster

Plenty of people don't care about recall

[kritikon]

Without recall analogue is faster. I don't give a stuff about being able to recall hundreds of patches that I'm only ever going to use in one track and never again. I understand some want that, in which case use whatever works for you. Patch memory has never been important in any hw synth I ever bought. It's useful every now and then, but not very often. Probably half of my synths have no memory and they tend to be better than the ones with memory. I love that there is a great choice of gear without the added expense of memory nowadays, keeps it cheap.

[IvyBirds]

Without recall analogue is faster. I don't give a stuff about being able to recall hundreds of patches that I'm only ever going to use in one track and never again. I understand some want that, in which case use whatever works for you. Patch memory has never been important in any hw synth I ever bought. It's useful every now and then, but not very often. Probably half of my synths have no memory and they tend to be better than the ones with memory. I love that there is a great choice of gear without the added expense of memory nowadays, keeps it cheap.

So you are at the gig and finish one song and need to start another one using a different patch, sorry not having recall is not faster that's just silly

While you may prefer to recall or find it not important, the idea that it's faster not having it is just plain silly

[BONES]

it´s the Instruments subforum, so we talk instruments only ?
From there, i´d like to make this point:

Without quoting your whole post, I disagree with pretty much all of it. I don't express myself through playing an instrument, that is just about the lamest thing I can think of. I express myself by running around on stage, screaming into a microphone.

Without wading through another five pages, let me just ask who cares? If one is misguided enough to think that spending several grand on an ancient piece of hardware will make even the slightest difference to whatever you make with it, fine. Vangelis didn't get famous because he used a CS80 and Gary Numan wasn't a huge success because he used a MiniMoog. They were successful because they were good at what they did. It's 2025 and it's impossible to go wrong with whatever you choose, it is all just personal preference.

We all do what works for us. Why so many feel they need to justify it by telling us all how much better it is beggars belief. Why can't it be enough that one just likes it?

[_leras]

Yes and no. I think when you're dealing with sounds that rely on saturated VCAs and VCFs, you find few plugins that can recreate that magic, and when they do (and I do feel like some do) they are computationally hungry. So, for a lot of things I think something like Massive X, Serum 2 or multi/poly hold their own with hardware hybrids, you can easily run out of resources on a crowded track. Having some hardware to play lead roles (not just leads) in a track is helpful. I'd honestly put Korg's 2600 up against any modern hardware analog, but again it's not computationally cheap.

I love Massive X. It sounds great, has a huge range of sounds and I use it all the time.

But if I put it up against even my cheapest synth a (cough) behr Cat, whilst the cat has a much more limited range it definitely has a range of sounds that are just more present.

I think real synths still do make a difference in some music, and especially in a world of 'the same few softsynths' can make a more distinctive sound.

Just yesterday I was listening to the latest things from Bicep (chroma 10). They have a pretty distinctive high arpeggiated synths sound they use. That sounds could be done fairly well in a soft synth, but it wouldn't be as nice.

[whassup]

I think real synths still do make a difference in some music, and especially in a world of 'the same few softsynths' can make a more distinctive sound.

Just yesterday I was listening to the latest things from Bicep (chroma 10). They have a pretty distinctive high arpeggiated synths sound they use. That sounds could be done fairly well in a soft synth, but it wouldn't be as nice.

I am all for sounding distinct.
If software or hardware does this more power to you.
Thanx for the listening tip. Very beautiful.

[DrGonzo]

It's 2025 and it's impossible to go wrong with whatever you choose

This is so true and so painfully obvious that I keep on forgetting it.

(that being said - having a wall of outboard gear and synthesizers and blinking lights and cables with big complicated connectors gives the illusion of "this-guy-knows-what-he-does". it's like a totem / armour of protection that works wonders for clients, impressing girls, keeping the singer pampered - but most of all it can make you feel like you are a playa for real. it's like a sales person wearing a proper suit. it brings security and calmness into both the wearer and the client. it's all bunk of course, but then again. who cares? if it works - it works. )

[BCollins]

It's 2025 and it's impossible to go wrong with whatever you choose

This is so damn true and so painfully obvious that I keep on forgetting it.

(that being said - having a wall of outboard gear and synthesizers and blinking lights and cables with big complicated connectors gives the illusion of "holy-sh!t-this-guy-knows-what-he-does". it's like a totem / armour of protection that works wonders for clients, impressing girls, keeping the singer pampered - but most of all it can make you feel like you are a playa for real. it's like a sales person wearing a proper suit. it brings security and calmness into both the wearer and the client. it's all bs of course, but then again. who cares? if it works - it works - and no girls ever get impressed you have a laptop )

The only girls that would be impressed by this armour are the knob twiddling nerd types and they probably own more blinking lights than you, anyway

[kritikon]

Without recall analogue is faster. I don't give a stuff about being able to recall hundreds of patches that I'm only ever going to use in one track and never again. I understand some want that, in which case use whatever works for you. Patch memory has never been important in any hw synth I ever bought. It's useful every now and then, but not very often. Probably half of my synths have no memory and they tend to be better than the ones with memory. I love that there is a great choice of gear without the added expense of memory nowadays, keeps it cheap.

So you are at the gig and finish one song and need to start another one using a different patch, sorry not having recall is not faster that's just silly

While you may prefer to recall or find it not important, the idea that it's faster not having it is just plain silly

I'm never going to be at a gig needing to start another song. So yes it is faster for me without any doubt or silly argument on your part. I really don't give a stuff what your needs are, I'm talking about mine where having no memory IS NOT A PROBLEM. The fact that you think your needs apply to me is what is silly. It generally is in every thread you constantly argue in. Anyway, back to muted, as I'm sure you'd love to argue infinitely how your needs represent everyone else's in some godforsaken circular argument. I don't have the desire or will to listen to that crap.

[DrGonzo]

The only girls that would be impressed by this armour are the knob twiddling nerd types and they probably own more blinking lights than you, anyway

Nope! I've had all sorts in my studio and everybody gets impressed by lots of cool looking unidentified stuff. From the nerds to the clueless to the pros. It the same with any artist really. You go into a painters studio and you see lots of canvases, paint brushes, papers, colours etc.

No one gets impressed by a laptop. Even if you put cool stickers on them.

[IvyBirds]

Without recall analogue is faster. I don't give a stuff about being able to recall hundreds of patches that I'm only ever going to use in one track and never again. I understand some want that, in which case use whatever works for you. Patch memory has never been important in any hw synth I ever bought. It's useful every now and then, but not very often. Probably half of my synths have no memory and they tend to be better than the ones with memory. I love that there is a great choice of gear without the added expense of memory nowadays, keeps it cheap.

So you are at the gig and finish one song and need to start another one using a different patch, sorry not having recall is not faster that's just silly

While you may prefer to recall or find it not important, the idea that it's faster not having it is just plain silly

I'm never going to be at a gig needing to start another song. So yes it is faster for me without any doubt or silly argument on your part. I really don't give a stuff what your needs are, I'm talking about mine where having no memory IS NOT A PROBLEM. The fact that you think your needs apply to me is what is silly. It generally is in every thread you constantly argue in. Anyway, back to muted, as I'm sure you'd love to argue infinitely how your needs represent everyone else's in some godforsaken circular argument. I don't have the desire or will to listen to that crap.

On the stage or in the studio or on your couch,or sitting on the toilet, no matter where you are patch recall is always faster as it instantaneous. Not having that and building every patch by hand will always take more time

[seafire]

On the stage or in the studio or on your couch,or sitting on the toilet, no matter where you are patch recall is always faster as it instantaneous. Not having that and building every patch by hand will always take more time

Not if you use the same patches