View Full Version : Softsynth recommendations
TheHobbit
23.05.2010, 07:37 AM
Was going to respond in the Largo post but here instead. Decided not to go down the Largo route, too many issues on researching it and to be honest after demo'ing I didn't quite do it.
TBH recently purchased a few plugins that really compliment the Virus's sound and my music genres.
The following, imho, are really worth checking out (in no particular order) :
Lennards Sylenth 1
(The latest update swayed me once the bugs from the previous version were resolved). An amazing synth and really hits home the sounds I was after (303 styles etc) which the virus doesn't quite hit.
u-he Zebra 2.5
Something about this plugin that just catches my ear. For me this compliments my Prophet08 very well. Again an amazing sounding plugin with a lot of quality presets/soundbanks (dance, ambient and the like) out there for it. Good fun to program and a great learner for those who want to mess with modular synthesis. The sound on this plugin is to be honest excellent.
Freeware really worth checking out :
Synth1
http://www.geocities.jp/daichi1969/softsynth/
Synth1 is a software synthesizer. Functionally it is modelled on the Clavia Nord Lead 2 Red Synth.
I have never got on with this until recently. The latest update is more user friendly and finally I have got into using it and downloading some presets. This plugin is fucking awesome. It's basically a NordLead2 clone and in fact will actually load the hardware's versions patches (how cool is that).
Try it you wont regret this one....promise!
NI Kore player
http://www.native-instruments.com/#/en/products/producer/kore-player/
Great freebie from NI and has some amazing free patches. Reason it's free there's loads of soundsets you can buy. That aside as your don't have to buy them there are some really good free patches available. I dont like romplers (think they are a waste of money, prefer synths but that's personal taste and logic I guess).
TAL-Elek7ro
Free simple and fun.
TAL-Elek7ro is a virtual analog synth with some special features like oscillator hardsync and frequncy modulation. Including improved alias free oscillators, new developed fast envelopes and lfo's with a wide range from 0.1Hz up to 400 Hz. A free routable envelope with attack and decay is available too. This synth is useful for a wide range of sounds from percusion to deep bass sounds.
http://kunz.corrupt.ch/?Products:VST_TAL-Elek7ro
Boomed-FM II
http://speargear.awardspace.com/news.htm
Really nice bass sounds and a good compliment.
Anyway thought I'd share. I am NOT saying that these are better than anything else. They are what I have found that HAVE impressed me and being used in some current productions.
Others to think about :
NI Massive
NI Kontakt
NI Battery (I have really got to liking this for drums and routing beats)
reFx Vanguard (Little dated and over used, some good sounds waiting for Vanguard2 which should be in the pipeline).
Oatmeal. (It's raved about but I dont get it)
I am sure there are many others thought i contribute some thoughts. It's Sunday and a nice sunny hot day ;•)
Well you mentioned two of my favorite go-to synths, Sylenth1 and Zebra.
The thing about Zebra -- like you said great for understanding modular synthesis, and once you get the hang of it, it's just incredibly powerful. This is one of the first synths I've ever been able to sit down with a sound idea in mind, and after sculpting, the end-creation was actually what I originally wanted! This one is well worth the learning investment.
If you like modular synths, Karma FX is worth a look and very cost effective.
Some others I find useful: Gladiator, Rob Papen synths (Predator, Blue, Albino). In fact if you're waiting for Vanguard2 I think that's actually Gladiator, the original developer of Vanguard created Gladiator under his own company, although it's a much more elaborate and feature rich product.
TheHobbit
23.05.2010, 03:04 PM
I didn't realise that about Gladiator. Just read a forum a while ago about V2 might have been nbefore Gladiator. Thought Gladiator was a rompler which I am personally not keen on however jsut done a bit of digging and whilst I was aware of Gladiator I'd overlooked it. Sounds nice from the demo (but then doesn't everything until you get under the sheets).
I am still getting to grips with Zebra had it only a few days splurged cash without demo and not regretting the impulse purchase. Gladiator will have to wait!
I liek the idea of the Rob Papen plugs but I am avoiding 'dongle softs' like the plague. If a company goes under at least I have serials/c/r and cracks to fall back on...dongles look after the company not it's customer 'its my opinion only but there you have it'
Sylenth1 is just so powerful and love it was well worth the money.
Hmm.. you have me wondering about Gladiator being a rompler under the hood or not. There are a finite set of waveforms, you cannot really "draw" your own for example like Zebra, but there are so many ways to morph one into another that I've never really felt the kind of limitations that I feel with something like Nexus. Nexus does occasionally find use in my music, but overall I don't like the limitations of a rompler either. Whenever I use Nexus, it might be for something like a guitar sound that would be harder to find among my other plugins, and I just think of it like I'm using it as if I had a Triton or Motif or something in my studio (at least I think those two boards are similar under the hood)?
I already have the Virus and several other VA gems to provide that kind of sound texture, and therefore I tend to look for the exact opposite in a soft synth, namely digital, sample-based, huge ability to manipulate the sound and integrate it with sources of a different nature.
I totally agree with TheHobbit's suggestion for the Kore Player, but I would go even further and suggest buying the whole Kore 2 package, including the hardware controller (you can find the combo for about $300 from NovaMusik and other discount retailers), which gives you excellent real-time tweaking abilities, even in a live setting. Besides, it's so cool in its brushed metal/black matte plastic finish and red LCD display that it looks like one of those marvelously designed but outrageously expensive Bang Olufsen pieces of stereo equipment. Also, if you own NI's Komplete (which is another package I heartily recommend) or even only parts of it (Kontakt, Absynth etc.), Kore will provide such a degree of integration you won't find anywhere else. Not to mention the ability to look for sounds in a single tightly-integrated database searchable by keywords (yep, our problem today is that we have tens of thousands of patches to sort through and not merely a few hundreds, like when the whole MIDI thing started in the early eighties.) Let's not forget that NI also provides reasonably-priced add-ons for Kore (also usable with the free Kore Player), some of which (like Evolve Mutations 1 and 2) are true gems that will knock your socks off. Also, having professionally grown in the eighties with the legendary DX7, I find NI's FM8 VSTi indispensable (yes, I can still use the same sounds I programmed when I was a quarter of a century younger!!)
http://www.native-instruments.com/#/en/products/?category=1302
I can say that most of my soft synth sounds come from Komplete and Kore, including lots of add-ons for both, either from NI or third parties.
Outside of NI's plugins, my recommendations include:
Alchemy. Definitely fun to play with and easy to program. A very unique and distinctive sound engine.
http://www.camelaudio.com/Alchemy.php
Omnisphere. Yeah, I know it's expensive, but IMHO it's worth every penny:
http://www.spectrasonics.net/instruments/omnisphere.php
H.G. Fortune's quirky creations. If you're into highly unusual, dreamy, odd, spacey, randomly-generated sound textures, look no further than his range of very reasonably priced soft synths.
http://www.hgf-synthesizer.de/
Rob Papen's Blue and Albino:
http://www.robpapen.com/
Big Tick Audio's Rhino:
http://www.bigtickaudio.com/bigtick/home
AAS's Tassman 4:
http://www.applied-acoustics.com/tassman/overview/
LinPlugs' Octopus:
http://www.linplug.com/Instruments/Octopus/octopus.htm
LinPlug's Sophistry:
http://www.linplug.com/Instruments/Sophistry/sophistry.htm
feedingear
23.05.2010, 09:49 PM
Alchemy seconded... it's incredibly powerful and with the right plugins sounds amazing. And it's just plain fun to use - so simple to program but incredibly deep in it's modulation and capabilities.
Based on what you said Papi and the kind of synths you like, you might want to check out Omnisphere. Its very good at some of the theatrical / sound scape type sounds you allude to. I have it, and I keep it updated (patch and sound library updates), but I only occasionally reach for it, and I haven't quite figured out why. I think its because it feels like a work station in itself (I think Kore is like this? not sure). Whereas I seem to have an affinity for letting the DAW be the workstation, treating each instrument individually. You can do that with Omnisphere I guess but the whole UI is just more feature rich (thus heavy feeling) than a standard plug-in. Just installing the thing takes hours, I think the library it came on 6 or 8 DVDs!
Some of the demo videos show off what it really can do. As I said it feels like a high-end workstation. I just find it's a little too much for trancey type sounds like I prefer to make.
TheHobbit
23.05.2010, 10:04 PM
Totall agree with you regarding Kontakt. Since it's price drop and if I remember a good promotion I got Komplete 5 around £300+ and upgraded to Komplete 6 for another £130....bargain and woth every penny.
The functionality of Battery for drum beats s excellent once you get your head around it and the customable routing, along with Kontakt (which I use more of a rompler than a 'true' sampler is fantastic and a must in my book. FM8, Absynth and Massive have some great sounds and Pro53 definately has its place. Whilst Massive is complex and CPU intensive on older systems it has 1000's of patches. But I must say I find Massives overall sound a little thin at times...don;t dismiss it because of that statement. it is still a powerful and great synth.
Alchemy as I understand is a synth/sampler is that correct? Never really looked into it but seems to be making a lot of vibes on various forums. I'm put of by its flexibility/comlexities but I await to be sounded out as wrong on that point.
Based on what you said Papi and the kind of synths you like, you might want to check out Omnisphere. Its very good at some of the theatrical / sound scape type sounds you allude to. I have it, and I keep it updated (patch and sound library updates), but I only occasionally reach for it, and I haven't quite figured out why. I think its because it feels like a work station in itself (I think Kore is like this? not sure). Whereas I seem to have an affinity for letting the DAW be the workstation, treating each instrument individually. You can do that with Omnisphere I guess but the whole UI is just more feature rich (thus heavy feeling) than a standard plug-in. Just installing the thing takes hours, I think the library it came on 6 or 8 DVDs!
Some of the demo videos show off what it really can do. As I said it feels like a high-end workstation. I just find it's a little too much for trancey type sounds like I prefer to make.
I do have Omnisphere. At the beginning it was my go-to synth, and I still think it's excellent. But it's not as flexible and easy to program as Alchemy. Once I used its most exotic samples (you know, like the burning piano or the bowed drying rack...) I kinda lost a bit of interest in it. If you want to play with samples and synthesis, Alchemy is a lot more intuitive and achieving the desired results is a lot easier.
If you're using Kore like a "workstation", you're really barely scratching its surface. What Kore gives you is complete integration of every sound and effect. I don't know of any workstation capable of that.
Alchemy as I understand is a synth/sampler is that correct?
What's unmatched in Alchemy IMHO is the ease and speed with which you can accomplish incredibly sophisticated sound manipulations involving samples, synthesis and effects. Yes, you can do the same thing with many other produts, but it's just not that easy and fun.
Alchemy is on my wish list as we speak, I liked the demo. At the time I was eyeballing Omnisphere, Alchemy had just come out, and they were at a similar price point, but Omnisphere seemed more established. In retrospect I would have probably gotten more use out of Alchemy.
Although part of it is that I'm not using Omnisphere to it's fullest. Even beyond the sample library, it's a pretty full featured synth. The sample library makes it tempting to go to them first, but depending on what kind of sounds you like the synth aspects might be its underrated feature. When I say I'm not using it to its fullest, I saw a demo of the integration with Stylus RMX and that was pretty impressive.
As for Kore, I need to catch up on that one too but have never used it, I just got the impression it was sort of a "one stop shop" type of plugin (which is also how I view Omnisphere), and I tend not to be as big a fan of those as I am the instruments which feel like they represent a single hardware synth, instead of trying to be a studio in a single instance.
TheHobbit
24.05.2010, 05:44 PM
You got me thinking about Gladiator although I am starting to wonder about Alchemy. There is a buy1 get 1 free which ends this week on Gladiator2 :
http://www.soundsonline.com/home.php?nl=20100524&id=51c934f4fe2c099fad16f3177abc35a1
Alchemy seems to be more spoken of on forums whether that's due to it's more recent release and promotion from CamelAudio or if Gladiator doesno have the same marketing span from Tone2.
Will have to read more I guess...
feedingear
24.05.2010, 09:49 PM
I just find Alchemy so bloody easy to use. And it's fun just throwing anything and everything into the sampler and seeing what comes out - for example, wanted an eerie pad for a dnb track, so I loaded an entire song of mine and took a simple granular position stretched to 0 percent.. Great texture and tone that was unique, in about 30 seconds.
I like Gladiator but there are a couple of things I wish were better. First, the HCM synthesis is very different than anything else out there. Samples drive the harmonics, but you've got a gazillion ways you can morph the harmonics into something else. Only thing is, are you good with subtractive synthesis? FM? Maybe additive? None of that will really help you toward achieving a particular sound design goal here, everything you do will be very experimental, although sometimes with really nice results. It doesn't mean its hard to program, it's dead easy.. its just it's more a synth I reach for when it has a sound that's mostly what I want and I want to tweak.. only thing is, taking the existing patch in the direction I want doesn't seem easy? More like a dice roll.. hehe.
On the plus side, I think the filters are very good with plenty of varieties, and the fact that it gives you a visual of what the filter looks like is extremely helpful (if not making you a better synth programmer at the same time).
Odd thing, I bought the dance expansion, which has some great sounds.. but it had a new effect called trancegate I was looking forward to.. Unfortunately it seems to have trancegate presets! (ugh).. Don't get me wrong it has a step LFO, so you have other options for volume or filter gating, I just noticed that some of the really good trance sounds are based on the trancegate fx so I was looking forward to that (the one in Vanguard is what every synth should have, IMO).
I'd like to put in a good word for the Ultra Analogue VA-1
It sounds really big!
http://www.applied-acoustics.com/ultraanalog/overview/
TheHobbit
23.06.2010, 04:59 PM
Agreed VA-1 is very good got that for $15 about 6 months back on a audio-midi no-brainer deal, recently purchase Zebra (which is not in native x64 beta and works lovely), Sylenth1 and a load of compressors, eq's, filters and effects.
I love music technology...almost as much as pron :•)
oops wives coming *delete* :O)
mitchiemasha
23.06.2010, 05:56 PM
sylenth 1. I love it...
Agreed VA-1 is very good got that for $15 about 6 months back on a audio-midi no-brainer deal, recently purchase Zebra (which is not in native x64 beta and works lovely), Sylenth1 and a load of compressors, eq's, filters and effects.
I love music technology...almost as much as pron :•)
oops wives coming *delete* :O)
yeah!
I got it on that deal as well...
I sat on it for a while and didn't use it, then one day I freaked a little wobbly bassline on it and it has been in almost every tune I have made since
TheHobbit
23.06.2010, 08:55 PM
I've had a spending spree over the last month and stocked up on some deals and items been after a while :
ScannedSynthPro, it's a pay what you think it's worth donation affair so good value.
Get some grungy, organic sounds that are quite distinctive if used sensibly. The GUI is a little off putting but fon't let that deter you, under the hood it's doing some wonders.
z3Ta+ currently $20/£15 bought it cause its great value, lots of patches available and again compliments the Virus.
Synth1 freeware has just had an update. Great emu of a nord lead and will load the nords patches...really nice plugin with 1000's of presets out there.
Zebra is actually x64beta and I am loving this synth, a lot to learn.
Slyenth1 the trance master which compliments the Virus very well.
De La Manchas queen B to really drive your bass end (got a De La Mancha bundle for £21 quid some nice vintage effects.
FabFfilter Pro-Q to shape you sounds.mixes and got Pro-C which is great for sidechaining.
Another two compressors that are my goto for every channel strip : The Rocket (Stillwell) and The Glue...great value for money.
Sonalksis Studio One (another No Cracks deal), excellent effects and compression just waiting for their x64 and VST3 update (hopefully if they keep their word).
And for Mastering (aside fromthe Sonalksis kit) Voxengos Polysquasher and Elephant. Voxengo have a good deal at the moment worth checking out.
On my to buy list and appreciate any comments/feedback :
Monitor Speakers (probably KRK6s or8s)
NI Machine or considering Akasi MPC2500 with jjOS.
I'm liking this Ultra Analogue VA-1, but not to the tune of $200... how do I get the killer deal on it? Just wait and hope for luck?
TheHobbit
25.06.2010, 05:33 PM
Ultra Analogue have permantly dropped the prices of their plugins so check out tehir webby...maybe now is the time ;)
GrooveNinja
25.06.2010, 10:29 PM
I'm liking this Ultra Analogue VA-1, but not to the tune of $200... how do I get the killer deal on it? Just wait and hope for luck?
Here's your luck!
http://www.kvraudio.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=290020
Ultra Analogue have permantly dropped the prices of their plugins so check out tehir webby...maybe now is the time ;)
Still $200 US when I look at their site :(
You messin with me, man? :p
Here's your luck!
http://www.kvraudio.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=290020
Thanks for the link, but how do I know someones not just selling a key they keygen-ed up, that will get locked out with a later release? If I don't have an invoice from the company I most likely wouldn't be able to get updates and such.
Thanks for the link, but how do I know someones not just selling a key they keygen-ed up, that will get locked out with a later release? If I don't have an invoice from the company I most likely wouldn't be able to get updates and such.
Good question. Also you may want to ask AAS if their licenses are transferable. If they are not, even if it's 100% legit, you're still screwed...
Good question. Also you may want to ask AAS if their licenses are transferable. If they are not, even if it's 100% legit, you're still screwed...
Yep. Still looking for legit discounts from the vendor if anyone has insights? If I just want a key there are torrents for that :)
TheHobbit
26.06.2010, 07:54 AM
In regards to KVR you will find a lot of the sellers are legit, ask a question and check out with one of the mods on the webby. KVR is a pretty wholsesome site in general.
£103
http://www.dv247.com/computer-music-software/applied-acoustics-systems-ultra-analog-va-1--26127
However, I would recommend Zebra2.5. ADvertised at $200 but send in a photo of an old keyboard and you get a $50 dollar off voucher.
Obviously make sure the photo looks like you own the kit.
Zebra is much better value, widely respected and supported imho vs Ultra VA-1.
Zebra is much better value, widely respected and supported imho vs Ultra VA-1.
I have Zebra, love it and it has been one of my staples for several years now. VA-1 does have a uniqueness to it that I'd like to add to the collection, though.. just want to do so on the cheap.
Understood about KVR, I just don't think the license is going to be transferrable for purposes of upgrades.
GrooveNinja
28.06.2010, 05:45 PM
Thanks for the link, but how do I know someones not just selling a key they keygen-ed up, that will get locked out with a later release? If I don't have an invoice from the company I most likely wouldn't be able to get updates and such.
You are buying the license, not the software. It is not like the scumbags on craigslist who buy the software and then try to sell you a bogus, pirate copy of it. The company transfers the license to you, and then, depending upon the terms of the license, it is just like you bought it from the store. As always, you need to read the fine print. Some licenses become non-resellable, others have a transfer fee. But it is all common business practice, nothing shady. I have done quite a few license transfers on KVR, and every one has been pleasant.
GrooveNinja
28.06.2010, 05:47 PM
Understood about KVR, I just don't think the license is going to be transferrable for purposes of upgrades.
That depends upon the actual license, and usually it is upgradable. Just send AAS an email asking them...
Found a little gem here that is worth the price I think.
http://www.hypersynth.com/oresus.html
Found a little gem here that is worth the price I think.
http://www.hypersynth.com/oresus.html
Anyone else tried the demo or own this synth (Oresus)? I'm finding it to be spectacular, and it's quickly becoming one of my staples along side Zebra2, Sylenth1, and although I don't think it's as feature rich it might just sound better than both of them.
I'm into AvB type sounds as well as electro, but my ears are quite picky so I'm very rarely happy with what can be achieved with soft synths. I was able to quickly put together a couple of pluck and dreamsynth sounds on this one that I've never heard anything like outside of hardware. Something about the filters I suppose? Also, very impressive on CPU usage.
If there's a downside to it, it might be no compression or reverb on the plugin itself but to me it's a non issue, I'd just as soon put that on a mixer channel and not deal with it inside the instrument, besides if a vendor puts high-end reverb on the plug-in they just are likely to charge more for verb that's not as good as AAR for example. Also no arp (boo).. The last two comments probably explain why it's $45 instead of $200. Again to me an arpeggiator is something that needs to either be done right or not at all, so they apparently opted for the latter. Oddly, instead of an arp, there is a fantastic trance gate! Why these features must be mutually exclusive I'll never know. Anyway naturally we can do arps through the DAW, arguably a lot easier than we could do proper trance gating, so no biggie here.
I'm really curious to hear what some of you guys think about the sound of this one, as it struck me right off the bad in a way that not too many soft synths do.
TheHobbit
10.07.2010, 08:47 PM
Try the KVR forums they may have some objective feedback ie overall usage, experience, any bugs, further development if developer is still active?
Try the KVR forums they may have some objective feedback ie overall usage, experience, any bugs, further development if developer is still active?
Actually KVR is how I found out about it. Developer is definately active, its a fairly new plugin, just came out last fall and had a v1.1 update last month. I mostly posted here because, being a fan of the Virus sound I thought it's nice to get options from other VA lovers.
TheHobbit
10.07.2010, 11:25 PM
Checked out the video and does have some nice sounds going on. Already purchased Zebra/Sylenth1/Z3ta+ this year amongst many others and got a lot to keep me busy for a while. Still trying to wrap my head around NI Maschine and how to integrate it into current workflow and setup...
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