Omnisphere is impractical for commercial dancepop. Is there anything better?

[Kinh]

I know there's alot of hype going round about Omni but out of extensive use I find it an impractical tool for composing mainstream dance pop. Firstly there aren't anywhere near enough trance templates in the arpeggiator and edit modulation. Secondly the synth presents are way too extravagant and the only tweeking possibilities (especially oscillator) only serve to make them bigger or fragmented/distorted.

I need something more cliched and practical thats geared specifically towards dance rather than the obscure and experimental. Something that has harder hitting, cleaner, punchier synths (that DONT rely on distortion to make them grittier) Ill give you and example 'RUDEBOY Rhianna', Flo Rida (the club can't even handle me right now). If you're familiar with the driving arpeggiators of those tracks, you'll know what I mean.
Thanks,
Kinh

[angelremington]

Hi, what about Nexus 2? If you listen to any of Cascada songs you'll know what I am talking about.

Nexus is pretty much all dance, dance pop, trance, Eurodance, Eurotrance... you name it...

Otherwise Sylenth1 is your friend with literately 100's of soundbanks for dance and trance, even the soundbank that comes with it is spot on...

Anyhow good luck with your choice, hopefully you'll find exactly what you are looking for but IMHO the above is a must to check it out when you are talking dance and trance

[K-Bee]

I know there's alot of hype going round about Omni but out of extensive use I find it an impractical tool for composing mainstream dance pop.

Don't we have enough mainstream dance pop already?
(sorry, I couldn't resist it )

[A.M. Gold]

I hear something that sounds suspiciously like Massive in that Flo Rida track.

[Ben H]

Why would you go ahead and purchase Omnisphere if you are making mainstream dance/pop?

Talk about choosing the wrong tool for the job!

[braj]

Ibtl . Yes im psychic

[ATS]

Why would you go ahead and purchase Omnisphere if you are making mainstream dance/pop?

Talk about choosing the wrong tool for the job!

Ok, I'll say it, Omnisphere can work well for dance/pop and just about anything else. But yes I think Nexus would work better for the OP. I actually make dance, trance, etc and I use Omni way more now than Nexus though. Maybe spend some more time with it?

[Ben H]

Why would you go ahead and purchase Omnisphere if you are making mainstream dance/pop?

Talk about choosing the wrong tool for the job!

Ok, I'll say it, Omnisphere can work well for dance/pop and just about anything else.

Oh, it can do it. I wasn't saying that it couldn't...

It's just that there are much better (and also less expensive) tools out there for the specific job.

I actually make dance, trance, etc and I use Omni way more now than Nexus though. Maybe spend some more time with it?

Or you could put it up for sale in the Marketplace.

[Kinh]

Ok, I'll say it, Omnisphere can work well for dance/pop and just about anything else. But yes I think Nexus would work better for the OP. I actually make dance, trance, etc and I use Omni way more now than Nexus though. Maybe spend some more time with it?

Im not saying dance cant be done in Omni but rather, it doesn't seem to be as commercial sounding as you would like it to be. I could see it being used in a hardcore club scene or film/videogame production but not the radio. I bought it cause I assumed it would cover all bases (given the price). You say you use it for dance but can you honestly say what you're doing is commercial? Or is it more experimental? Im looking for a something with more definition that relies more on the 'unique' sonic quality rather than textural quality. Omnisphere to me is all about texture and ambiance. Yes there are poly synths but in my opinion they're not very unique and their soul purpose seems to clutter and saturate. Pop is much simpler than this.

[jacqueslacouth]

Nexus certainly seems to have the focus but I tend to lean towards Sylenth as to my ears, it has a really big and bold trancey sound (but is capable of so much more). Sylenth also lets you manipulate the sound with a very straight forward and sensible interface. Nexus is bloody expensive if you want to start buying the expansions. And as for the constant worries about Sylenth being abandonware, I'm more than happy with what it does reliably, I'm not looking for anything new in a stable and quality sounding synth.

[Trancit]

You say you use it for dance but can you honestly say what you're doing is commercial? Or is it more experimental? Im looking for a something with more definition that relies more on the 'unique' sonic quality rather than textural quality. Omnisphere to me is all about texture and ambiance. Yes there are poly synths but in my opinion they're not very unique and their soul purpose seems to clutter and saturate. Pop is much simpler than this.

+100

[standalone]

I bought it cause I assumed it would cover all bases (given the price).

That sounds appaling, to be honest.

[Kinh]

Jacqueslacouth:

Nexus certainly seems to have the focus but I tend to lean towards Sylenth as to my ears, it has a really big and bold trancey sound (but is capable of so much more). Sylenth also lets you manipulate the sound with a very straight forward and sensible interface. Nexus is bloody expensive if you want to start buying the expansions. And as for the constant worries about Sylenth being abandonware, I'm more than happy with what it does reliably, I'm not looking for anything new in a stable and quality sounding synth.

Thanks. Nexus looks like the best option. Just one question...When you buy Nexus1 on its own it comes with 1000+ factory presents, can you tell me what genre or style they belong to or is it just a random mixbag. The reason I ask is theres also bundles you can buy with certain styles of expansions. I just dont want to double up if you know what i mean.

[Trancit]

Thanks. Nexus looks like the best option. Just one question...When you buy Nexus1 on its own it comes with 1000+ factory presents, can you tell me what genre or style they belong to or is it just a random mixbag. The reason I ask is theres also bundles you can buy with certain styles of expansions. I just dont want to double up if you know what i mean.

Save your money for further expansions first...

All sounds in Nexus are more or less dance oriented, but many are suitable for other styles too... Just the stock sounds with the included expansions will cover you quite a while and even if it is not as deep in creating your own sounds as i.e. a synthesizer, it let you change and modify the factory sounds in many many different ways...

For dance oriented music the "pure" Nexus brings more than 10 Omnispheres on the table for nearly the half price...

[Numanoid]

I need something more cliched and practical thats geared specifically towards dance rather than the obscure and experimental. Something that has harder hitting, cleaner, punchier synths (that DONT rely on distortion to make them grittier) Ill give you and example 'RUDEBOY Rhianna', Flo Rida (the club can't even handle me right now). If you're familiar with the driving arpeggiators of those tracks, you'll know what I mean.
Thanks,
Kinh

Z3TA+ 2 has got pretty good arp features, both presets and customizable, also contains tons of instrument presets that I would think would suite CDP

And of course there is Sylenth1, and Tone 2 software like Gladiator, ElectraX....