Any synth that really sounds different

[The Elf]

The MicroMonsta only goes a long way in confirming what the OP is saying here, very underwhelming, very conventional, with loads of effects, and the usual Techno sounds

It costs 240 quid, velcros to the side of a keyboard stand and will be powered by its USB port. MPE-compatible too (my main interest in this device). If that's 'underwhelming' I'll take it!

And nope, there aren't loads of effects - just delay and reverb. Though I can't see why effects are a problem. Better that than having to drag more boxes to a gig.

If it sounds boring then that says more about the person playing it than the device. The last time I looked the electric guitar was still pretty much the same machine, but some people seem to get exciting things out of it.

I don't do techno. What you're hearing are presets. You have to look past presets - which is where I came in...

I'm taking a chance on this one. I doubt I'll lose money if I decide it's not for me.

[Arpangel]

I think we all need to take a step back, and approach this from a different angle.
We need to step back, and see these "instruments"for what they really are, see the big picture, not the view from inside a very narrow "worldly" technical perspective, it’s like a little prison.
Taking on board a new instrument, is like making a life long friend, potentially, we can’t do it lightly, instruments are powerful magic, and in the wrong hands can bring bad Karma, frustration, and ultimately waste our time, and our lives.
That’s how important an instrument is, they aren’t toys, or a slight diversion.

[Eddy Deegan]

I think we all need to take a step back, and approach this from a different angle.
We need to step back, and see these "instruments"for what they really are ...

We don't really need to do anything. You might, but everyone has their own relationship with their instruments and most will not align with yours

[Arpangel]

I think we all need to take a step back, and approach this from a different angle.
We need to step back, and see these "instruments"for what they really are ...

We don't really need to do anything. You might, but everyone has their own relationship with their instruments and most will not align with yours

My memory, it’s getting bad, I’ll do it now.....

"In My Opinion"

[Drew Stephenson]

I think we all need to take a step back, and approach this from a different angle.
We need to step back, and see these "instruments"for what they really are ...

We don't really need to do anything. You might, but everyone has their own relationship with their instruments and most will not align with yours

My memory, it’s getting bad, I’ll do it now.....

"In My Opinion"

Maybe just add a disclaimer in your sig?

[Folderol]

If nothing else, this thread underlines just how different people's approach is.
Could have something to do with the fact people are different

[The Elf]

Could have something to do with the fact people are different

I'm not...

[N i g e l]

Manny Fernandez - From DX to MODX | Podcast
https://www.soundonsound.com/people/man ... dx-podcast

This is a great interview with a guy that gets the most out of his synths.

The link to his soundcloud page is worth exploring, some good sounds there.

[Folderol]

Could have something to do with the fact people are different

I'm not...

But if you're not, but even a few others are, that means you are as well. Alternatively...

How is it you and I have different synths?

[BillB]

Will, you need to watch Life of Brian

[The Elf]

https://youtu.be/KHbzSif78qQ

[Arpangel]

Could have something to do with the fact people are different

I'm not...

But if you're not, but even a few others are, that means you are as well. Alternatively...

How is it you and I have different synths?

We are all unique, just like everyone else.

[tea for two]

Hi,

far from willing to be offensive, all synths reviews I watch gives me the feeling of a new package/branding, but the same sounds every time

I rarely heard a new /old synth really differentiate itself from the rest of the herd in term of sound it produces

anyone feels the same ?
are there some synth that really worth it ?

thanks for your advises

Phil

There is one synth perhaps the most different sounding unique, even though other synths may sound similar.

It is also the most analogue of synths.

There is plenty that can be done with this synth even though it has primarily a rather restricted range of sounds.

Just requires some processing some mangling some chopping up some sequencing.

Mostly it requires inventiveness.

It is also rather affordable.

Yep you and others guessed it : our voice.

[RonanMcDermott]

What sounds do you want to make that cannot be made by one or other of the gazillion hardware or software synths already in existence?
Answer that question, and this discussion can evolve.

[Arpangel]

What sounds do you want to make that cannot be made by one or other of the gazillion hardware or software synths already in existence?
Answer that question, and this discussion can evolve.

I think like a lot of us, sometimes, we don’t have a sound in our heads, we go looking, and want to be surprised, the equipment is very much like exploring a giant abandoned house, with lots of rooms, full of lovely surprises, or nasty horrors, depending on our tastes.
We look to the equipment to provide the answer.
Not all of the time, sometimes we know what we want, but if you’re looking to discover a grand old eighteenth century ballroom covered in gold leaf, it’s no use exploring a two bedroom bungalow.
However, that grand old ballroom covered in gold leaf will sound different according to who’s imagining it.

[Guest]

I can think of a few synths that sound pretty different:

The VSynth can sound unlike any other synth, alongside the other Roland VariPhrase stuff.

Kyma - if we can count that - can make very unique sounds.

EaganMatrix based Haken gear also sounds pretty unique.

[Arpangel]

I can think of a few synths that sound pretty different:

The VSynth can sound unlike any other synth, alongside the other Roland VariPhrase stuff.

Kyma - if we can count that - can make very unique sounds.

EaganMatrix based Haken gear also sounds pretty unique.

If we’re including VSTi's, there’s a lot of very unusual and interesting ones, Guagear, Animoog (possibly the best VSTi IMO) in recent years, Carbon 2, TC11, all really unique, amazing sounding things.
I’ve got Animoog wired into GarageBand on my i Pad, in fact, sometimes, I look at my hardware studio and think why am I bothering?

[whitesun]

90% of synth sound is made by reverb after it. Raw synths' sounds are ugly. Try other reverbs, some very old ones and very imperfect ones.
Another thing is that hw synths all have separate vibrato of pitch of oscillators for each note which has not been usually implemented in software ones, perhaps for marketing reasons.
Try old synoptic probe from 2000. It's builtin reverb makes wonders. Find on youtube. It sounds very different. Maybe there had been crisis in minds of programmers during 2005-2018. In 2018 they at once started implementing that vibrato thing and for good.
Thirdly, hw synths' waveforms are never perfect, they have rounded corners and that rounding variates ie chaning timbres all the time - this refers to point 2 partly.

[Folderol]

90% of synth sound is made by reverb after it. Raw synths' sounds are ugly. Try other reverbs, some very old ones and very imperfect ones.
Another thing is that hw synths all have separate vibrato of pitch of oscillators for each note which has not been usually implemented in software ones, perhaps for marketing reasons.
Try old synoptic probe from 2000. It's builtin reverb makes wonders. Find on youtube. It sounds very different. Maybe there had been crisis in minds of programmers during 2005-2018. In 2018 they at once started implementing that vibrato thing and for good.
Thirdly, hw synths' waveforms are never perfect, they have rounded corners and that rounding variates ie chaning timbres all the time - this refers to point 2 partly.

I respectfully disagree

[BJG145]

(Just to note that the thread is three years old.)

[whitesun]

I recommend reading https://www.voicecomponentmodeling.com/
It explains in detail what i have briefly outlined above. I don't care if anyone respectfully or disrespectfully disagrees with these facts. It explains why 1000s of software synths have dead sound and how it can be fixed.

[Lostgallifreyan]

I developed an analog simulation method using the standard parameters on the Yamaha SY99, that gave waveforms that sound good without level scaling, which matters because you can use key glide for the entire pitch range with no disturbance of timbre because the modulation index does not need to change with tuning.

I extended this into my own software. The sound of the synth often has more to do with subtle variants of saw and square than it does with the filter. The reason for using phase modulation (usually called FM) is that very fine control over the wave shape can be had. It's possible to get the bold hard-edged sound of Prophet waves, or the more raspy and thin sounds like in the AN1X, or make them 'squelchy', whatever you might want them to do.

Having reverb in a synth just limits choice for the sake of convenience. Given how much CPU demands a good synth, or a good reverb, might cause, it makes more sense to me to run them on dedicated machines. A lot of good dedicated hardware reverbs may be found cheap. Whatever the reverb, there's no substitute for making the synth sound good first. A reverb can only augment what's there to start with.

[merlyn]

As far as I know the Roland D50 was the first synth to have reverb. Back when memory was at a premium, the D50 stored the attack portion and the loop portion separately. The transition was audible, and to smooth it over, reverb was added. After that reverb became standard.

[Lostgallifreyan]

As far as I know the Roland D50 was the first synth to have reverb. Back when memory was at a premium, the D50 stored the attack portion and the loop portion separately. The transition was audible, and to smooth it over, reverb was added. After that reverb became standard.

That matches my memory of it too. I remember programming reverb-like effects in a DX5, because it had none, but there were ways to use spare EG's and oscillators. Not versatile, but definitely interesting. Good for early reflection types, anyway, with some sounds. Being able to make a short sound 'reverbed' or 'dry' based purely on how long the note was held, made some very cool effects that a real one would not be likely to do.

I think the Korg M1 might have been the next big impact from self-contained reverb in a synth, after the D50. That really made a stir, I remember people flocking around it at a trade show. Didn't work for me though, impressive though it sounded. I had already decided I liked phase mod synthesis and dedicated reverb systems. Sample+synth never really sounded right to me, even in the SY99, and I love the SY99. It's all about phase modulation, filter, and reverb, in that case. I rarely found uses for the samples.