How many synths do you need?
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- KVRer
- 5 posts since 7 Apr, 2024
As many as your cpu, ram and hard drive can handle. If you're talking of physical synths, well, break out the wallet/purse, physical space and factor in your electricity bill. I probably have around 50 to 100 vst synths (free/paid) installed, Ableton instruments, 630 modules in VCV Rack (free/paid), and a bunch of stuff in Reaktor 6 (free/paid - Toybox stuff). I don't feel too bad about this since my brother currently owns about 35 guitars right now.
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- KVRist
- 408 posts since 21 Jun, 2015 from India
In my opinion, you need one subtractive/VA synth for bread and butter sounds and one wavetable synth for more complex sounds. Rest of them are optional.
- GRRRRRRR!
- 16277 posts since 14 Jun, 2001 from Somewhere else, on principle
I can't imagine how boring/soulless the music you made with just that would be.
NOVAkILL : Legion GO, AMD Z1x, 16GB RAM, Win11 | Zoom UAC-2 | MPK Mini+ | Studio One 6.6
ARP2600, ARP Odyssey, OB-EZ, SEM, OB-1, Prestige, GR-8, JP6K, Union, Saurus,
Invader 2, Olga, TRK-01, BA-1, Thorn, Spire, VG Iron 2
ARP2600, ARP Odyssey, OB-EZ, SEM, OB-1, Prestige, GR-8, JP6K, Union, Saurus,
Invader 2, Olga, TRK-01, BA-1, Thorn, Spire, VG Iron 2
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- KVRist
- 96 posts since 26 Jan, 2024
I break "need" up into 2 things.
1 - "need" for the music I make.
2 - "need" to not go nuts/stay inspired.
For #1 - I only really use synths for synthwave stuff, my needs are super basic and I could probably do everything I need with something as simple as Baby Audio's BA-1. Not even joking. My synth needs are not complex.
For #2 - now we're more into inspiration, being creative, keeping things fun. With just 1 synth, the fun would end and it would turn into work. After a while, that means I'm not making music anymore.
So screw that, I would throw in a handful of other "needs", which would be synths that I personally just find fun to use.
These are..
- basically everything I've tried/own from u-He, they don't miss, and a bundle of all their plugins would be like the best present ever.
- Dune3 - I just love it and find it fun.
- Spire - same as above, it's just fun to use.
- physical Juno 106. I love the layout. Love faders way more than dials like most modern synths opt for, too. Also love the look.
1 - "need" for the music I make.
2 - "need" to not go nuts/stay inspired.
For #1 - I only really use synths for synthwave stuff, my needs are super basic and I could probably do everything I need with something as simple as Baby Audio's BA-1. Not even joking. My synth needs are not complex.
For #2 - now we're more into inspiration, being creative, keeping things fun. With just 1 synth, the fun would end and it would turn into work. After a while, that means I'm not making music anymore.
So screw that, I would throw in a handful of other "needs", which would be synths that I personally just find fun to use.
These are..
- basically everything I've tried/own from u-He, they don't miss, and a bundle of all their plugins would be like the best present ever.
- Dune3 - I just love it and find it fun.
- Spire - same as above, it's just fun to use.
- physical Juno 106. I love the layout. Love faders way more than dials like most modern synths opt for, too. Also love the look.
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- KVRist
- 41 posts since 28 Nov, 2020
what about covering the different synthesis techniques as good as possible?
for example:
* Pigments 5 Synth or Vital Synth for covering wavetable synthesis
* Pigments 5 Synth or a product from AAS for covering virtual analog synthesis (there are some free and low priced alternatives but not that many)
* Pigments 5 Synth for covering some granual synth "needs"
* AAS Chromaphone 3 for covering most physical modelling "needs"
etc.
* SurgeXT Synth / Effect covers even more needs
oh and we need also effects too to "shape" the sound ...
for example:
* Pigments 5 Synth or Vital Synth for covering wavetable synthesis
* Pigments 5 Synth or a product from AAS for covering virtual analog synthesis (there are some free and low priced alternatives but not that many)
* Pigments 5 Synth for covering some granual synth "needs"
* AAS Chromaphone 3 for covering most physical modelling "needs"
etc.
* SurgeXT Synth / Effect covers even more needs
oh and we need also effects too to "shape" the sound ...
Last edited by Q9000 on Mon Apr 29, 2024 7:12 pm, edited 1 time in total.
- KVRAF
- 3694 posts since 3 Jul, 2022
You just need Avenger 2.
Easy.
(but then, it is not only about "need' right ?)
Easy.
(but then, it is not only about "need' right ?)
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- addled muppet weed
- 107612 posts since 26 Jan, 2003 from through the looking glass
- GRRRRRRR!
- 16277 posts since 14 Jun, 2001 from Somewhere else, on principle
I don't look at the process that way. i.e. I never think "this part needs a wavetable synth" or "that parts needs something with an additive oscillator". It's just not how I think about that at all. The way I look at it is more like "this needs a nice strings pad" or "the bass needs to be something with good, deep resonance" but for any individual scenario like that, I'll have half-a-dozen instruments that are able to manage those things and they won't all be of the same type. e.g. Sometimes a sample-based instrument might be better for a strings part in one song but, in another, I might use a V/A or even a wavetable synth.
Or you could do all of that with a single sample-based instrument if you wanted to. e.g. When I load a MIDI file into Studio One, it uses Presence, their built-in ROMpler, for all the parts and it often does an amazingly good job. Sometimes I feel like I am only swapping it out for other instruments out of pride, rather than because it needs doing.* Pigments 5 Synth or Vital Synth for covering wavetable synthesis
* Pigments 5 Synth or a product from AAS for covering virtual analog synthesis (there are some free and low priced alternatives but not that many)
* Pigments 5 Synth for covering some granular synth "needs"
* AAS Chromaphone 3 for covering most physical modelling "needs"
etc.
* SurgeXT Synth / Effect covers even more needs
You could probably make music for the rest of your life with just the free Zampler and as many sound-sets as you can find for it.
NOVAkILL : Legion GO, AMD Z1x, 16GB RAM, Win11 | Zoom UAC-2 | MPK Mini+ | Studio One 6.6
ARP2600, ARP Odyssey, OB-EZ, SEM, OB-1, Prestige, GR-8, JP6K, Union, Saurus,
Invader 2, Olga, TRK-01, BA-1, Thorn, Spire, VG Iron 2
ARP2600, ARP Odyssey, OB-EZ, SEM, OB-1, Prestige, GR-8, JP6K, Union, Saurus,
Invader 2, Olga, TRK-01, BA-1, Thorn, Spire, VG Iron 2
- KVRAF
- 3694 posts since 3 Jul, 2022
Ok, I take Ironman's "hulk-buster" and the witch .
Good luck to you.
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- Banned
- 140 posts since 5 Apr, 2024
mate i think it’s like how many guitars how many pianos do you need really , just one pick an all rounder that can make anything and that’s it , we waste too much time.
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- KVRist
- 105 posts since 21 Oct, 2019
The ones I used the most so far have been: Arturia Pigments 4, Air Transfuser 2, VPS Avenger 1, NI Massive X, Initial Audio Sektor, Air Hybrid 3. Usually mixing two or more of them multiple tracks in the DAW. For the next additional music tracks I will make I am going to use: Arturia Pigments 5, UVI Falcon 3, Synthmaster 3, VPS Avenger 1. Then for next projects I will keep mixing all of them as needed.