-=[THE SYNTH ZONE]=-

New tactile synth from Soma, I want one

me too. i love my Lyra and this would be a great companion

Ooh, that looks like so much fun, esp with midi or a controller. I'm scared to look at the price.

Yeah that's outside the range of what I will allow myself to pay for a synth. Looks sick though.

Yeah a friend of mine shared it last week and I was with him on it till I saw the price. I think I can do the same to a degree with my Dirty Electronics bits and bobs.

Juno is listing it for £455, which seems pretty reasonable.

Ok, that's about a third of what it was listed at the beginning of last week.

Got my MRCC this week, and so far, it's pretty nice. I can filter stop/starts to each device, only route certain gear to other gear, etc. Right now I have it basically used as a big MIDI thru/splitter for my SL MK3. Next I need to have a USB preset for use with the computer. And then maybe I'll go back and make a preset for controlling everything with my Circuit. I also think it will be fun to be able to record things from my various keyboards into the SL, rather than having to sit in front of the SL all the time.

in similar news, haven't read enough to see how this compares, but Kenton's got a MIDI patch bay/filter/splitter thing coming out:

https://www.synthtopia.com/content/2021/08/02/kenton-intros-interchanger-smart-midi-patch-bay/?fbclid=IwAR1dJQbL9VKUkbufP3jBHVKwW8Eo9Y_M7UfdY99TyoDUUIOm9G68D4x4j2c

I saw that! Seems like a ripoff :)

I'm borrowing a Microwave XT and it's so gnarly, born to make dystopian sci-fi soundtracks.

Potentially interesting if they’re done well:

https://www.synthtopia.com/content/2021/09/15/classic-buchla-200-series-modules-returning-as-inexpensive-eurorack-modules/

Those Buchla modules all are so, so beautiful.

Could someone link me to any good threads about software synths / VSTs & plug-ins / music tech? I want to rave about the Arturia Pigments 3 VST, but this thread seems more interested in hardware, Pigments it is not cheap enuff to fit in the 'VST freebies and cheapies' thread, and the rest of the discussions I'm finding all are ancient

Go ahead and rave here! I'm listening at least.

VST freebies & cheapies, what do you like?

this is the relevant thread that gets the most action

Pigments is great and incredibly powerful - I struggle with not just surfing presets, though. It's got so much going on it's hard to make myself start from zero.

Version 3 is a big jump up from the last. The additive synthesis engine is very sexy, and the new effects, FX routing and Jupiter-8 filter are pretty great.

Milo, I'm also mostly relying on the presets so far, and yeah that's never ideal. One nice little habit I've gotten into is to mark any especially striking preset as a favorite. I'm sort of working my way up to building patches ab initio by modifying presets to taste.

V3 says it has new built-in tutorials, so maybe that'll help? Or if you prefer, here's Arturia's set of video tutorials, though I'd prefer reading the manual and watching unofficial tips & tricks vids.

This year I got rly tired of trawling thru presets, so I committed to learning everything I could about the u-He Hive 2, trying to make that the first synth I feel like I've mastered. Some valuable lessons: Mastering it will probably take years, because it amounts to mastering a huge part of the subtractive and wavetable synthesis spaces, but what I've learned generalizes well to other synths. Also, reading at least some chunks of every synth's manual will be necessary, but it always pays off. Actually it's kind of fun. I started thinking of synths more a programming environments. The more languages (synths) you learn, the easier it is to pick up new ones. When Pigments 3 came out, I'd only just heard what additive synthesis was, and that by itself is going to amount to a whole new paradigm of programming/design, one fairly deep to explore... And now I'm looking at the details and realizing this is more powerful than I understood :O

Pigments is extremely intriguing to me, in a "last soft synth you'll ever need?" sense. I've been dedicated myself to Razor lately, and it looks like Pigments' additive synth is Razor-like, plus wavetable and everything else?

I'm sort of allergic to presets, but also don't feel like I know what I'm doing exactly. I just start with a default sort or simple preset, and start turning knobs and writing automation until I know which ones make the sound cooler and which one are going in the wrong direction for the sound I want. :)

oh shit, I forgot I even had Razor... been sleeping on that one too, huh, maybe I don't need to buy Loom II after all.

i think Razor's and Pigments' UI design have some things in common, but i'm doubtful the latter's additive engine is as powerful. it does let you combine additive with the other oscillator types. anyway, time for me to take another look at RZR >>>:)

Oh man, I don’t think I’ve ever ventured into this thread.

I broke down and sorta impulsively bought an Analogue RYTM Mk2 today. Been a lust object for some time, so big news. Unloading some gear on Reverb, should cover most of the fucking tough price tag. I <3 drum machines and I <3 my Elektron gear though, so I have faith that I won’t regret it. Stoked.

Congrats! That thing looks super sweet. Please report back when you get familiar with it, would you? I am curious how it might compare to the Tempest my friend lent me last year

never used it by I still think my Analog4 (mk 1) is a brilliant synth.

xp

Oh nice. I’ve never used the Tempest and unfortunately won’t likely have the opportunity to with the discontinuation and its corresponding resale value, but I know that’s the gold standard for a lot of folks.

Been relying on samplers mostly for drums, Octatrack and Digitakt. The Digi is getting sold, as great a machine it is, it’s been collecting dust since I got the Octa and will be even further neglected with a RYTM. I have a Moog DFAM for analogue, which is a stampeding beast sound wise, love it, but obviously it’s quite limited. Good for sampling though.

Looking forward to the seemingly deep analogue sound sculpting capabilities of the RYTM. I love playing with samples, but having to rely on them for everything can be a drag. Can get lost in those libraries.

Will report back on the RYTM, though I’m sure it’ll be some time til I have a solid grasp on it.

I jammed out today with my synths:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3YUFCO0v1kI

sweet setup, sounds good!

noooooo you are reigniting my lust for hardware a.k.a. gear. that looks rly fun ^o^

working all in the box is convenient, but some time this year it dawned on me that a DAW-free setup would be liberating—so much easier to jam on hardware, yeah?

Also, i found the Tempest clunky. Having only 6 voices to cover 16 parts assignable per patch caused parts to cut each other off frequently, and Live's drum rack never makes me think about how to work around shit like that. I realize it's a very powerful device... I guess i prefer a simpler design like the Roland TR-8S, where there's very little menu diving and the manual is only pamphlet-sized.

Playing with hardware definitely feels better in some ways. I’m guessing you could get a similar feel going with a Push or some other control surface. Hardware is trickier to route audio and MIDI with than software instruments. Hardware sounds wilder and more exciting, though, I think.

One thing I’m missing is a sampler. Maybe Koala on an iPad could work? I want something that can chop up loops, and let me play the slices from my MIDI controller. All the decent stereo hardware samplers are over $500, and are usually meant to be their own workstations.

I have tons of hardware but have been doing a lot of stuff in the box w/ Live and a big game changer for me is the novation Launch Control XL. I actually ended up with 2 of them. 1 of them I use pretty much as a the mixer, just to have hands on control of aux sends and pan via knobs, volume via fader and mute/solo/select buttons. The second one I usually assign to control a virtual synth, and I even bought some blank overlays so i can label what everything does. They're pretty cheap and seem popular. Saw Orbital doing a live set from his studio recently and he had two of them controlling something or other.

Push is great, I make good use of mine. I was thinking some more USB control interfaces might be useful. Maybe I will pick up a Launch Control or something.

I love the push so far, especially for playing out ideas, but I find that I'm having a harder time than I expected getting away from the mouse and computer monitor

It has its limitations. For navigating thru the library, Push is very slow, and just about useless in the arrangement window, but I think you have the right idea cuz it's great for playing out ideas. Also nice to have quick access to an instrument's macros with the knobs at the top of the Push instead of one at a time with the mouse, yeah? pr0 tip: I recommend configuring and saving default settings for instruments and FX that you use frequently, so you don't have to repeat that work.

yes, one big help has been using the drum rack template from the All You Need Is Live youtube channel that is set up so that you can drop a big list of samples in for each drum voice and then select the specific sample you want by turning a macro knob. It saves a lot of time since you don't have to browse through the ableton menu to test out lots of different drum samples.

Browsing the ableton library to test out different patches is far and away my least favorite aspect of Live. The fact that it's so clunky to swap out sounds in a midi track drives me nuts. I feel like hot swap option used to be much smoother, and now it barely works.

Lol I had a hard time getting Razor out of brostep mode yesterday, I had an LFO-based thing in my head but just couldn't rein it in enough, I think it was the wrong tool for the job. I'm learning that it maybe works best for a big moment in the track (ie 'the drop'), and not necessarily for more subtle applications, at least for me.

I got a Polyend Tracker yesterday, it's simultaneously overwhelming (remembering the combos to enter a kick every four steps automatically instead of scrolling individually, getting from menu to menu, etc.) but also stupid easy to generate results (not good results so far, but results). Sampled a two second snippet of radio and then playing it granularly with random chance for the playhead location every step+choking plus panning the kick slightly every time it triggers and it was a mess but total fun.

Ooh, I've been very intrigued by the Tracker, especially the built-in radio sampling feature. I'd love to hear what you do when you've got a solid bead on it.

the radio thing is like the best part of the op-1, didn't know the tracker did the same.

milo have you ever used renoise or other tracker software? curious as to how the interface translates

I can't get Renoise to work properly on my iMac (every time I enable record it just autoplays and records the same C3 note at every step - I don't think it likes Macs and wireless keyboards) but from what I can tell it's very similar, the Tracker interface is a little easier because of the way the blank buttons act with note values and instrument selection.

My only complaint so far is that minijacks for audio/MIDI - a regular MIDI port and 1/4" jacks would be easier than remembering to keep adapters handy.

that it has

tracker is exactly as good aas you'd imagine "volca sample, but you can play chromatically and chop samples and do wavetable and granular stuff and sequence full songs and quasi-generative" would be. so fast to work with!

having a volca modular alongside is great sample fodder, until I lose my mind and get a DIY buchla clone.

First impressions of Elektron RYTM Mk2: Not Great!

Legitimately puny sounding synth engine in this thing. Like why do I have to max out Overdrive/Volume/Distortion and have to layer a sample on everything to make it feel substantial? I went to hook it into my Octatrack and caught what I was working on in there, all sample based, and it was like 10x more ferocious. Been basically playing with the Octa all night instead of the RYTM.

I’m gonna stick it out for a few weeks, I know people swear by it, but not a great first impression.

That’s kinda how I feel about my Drumbrute. Sounds better when it’s clipping the input on the mixer, but it never sounds that great.

drumbrute needs compression badly ime, maybe the rytm is similar? i found the octatrack to sound a little weedy without tons of fx too tbh, tho it is the piece of gear i regret selling the most besides my bugbrand system

Borrowing a Rytm taught me that I'm not really into tweaking and refining the synthesized drum sounds - a minimum of parameters like a 808/909 or samples for me.

Tempted to start -===The Soft Synth Zone===-

After getting frustrated with Razor sounding to Razor-y (basically the more I messed with it, the farther away I was getting from the sound in my head and the more I started hating the track idea), I went into tailspin of checking out the other factory Reaktor instruments and scrolling through lame presets, which is always a recipe for non-creativity.

Now I've got my eye on NI Form. I hate to feel reliant on buying synths/software to generate ideas, but manipulating samples/audio has always been where my heart is, and it looks like a truly interesting way of getting new sounds and motion/automation out of samples. Anyone used it?

I have tinkered with Form, and getting fiddly automating some of their presets has been very enjoyable and I think they sound very good. FYI, Pigments has similar sample synth engine affordances you might want to compare, if that synth still interests you.

I'd be down for the -===Soft Synth Zone===- thread so we'd have a separation of concerns—this thread had been a hardware focused thing. I think we could also make that a good place talk about other kinds of (not-necessarily-cheap) VSTs, like FXs and such.

(Oh and another sample-based synth that has very powerful and unique ways of getting motion/automation out of samples: iZotope's Iris 2 spectral synthesizer.)

I love Iris, although I only have Iris 1 and use it mostly as a basic sampler (just to easily keyboard map a sample and add glide etc). It's been awhile since I've messed with any of the spectral stuff, it's fun but I just haven't been going there sound-wise.

Pigments 3 continues to be tempting since it seemingly does everything.

I don't know that I'd make enough productive use of Pigments 3 for it to be a good use of my money, but it sure is pretty