Digital synths

[oblioblioblio]

i don't wanna step in too much cos this is a valid thread.

anyways. For me, with analogue, it's different to digital sounds and methods.

Partly you need to only use a few voices cos the sound is different, and partly you don't have a choice, cos it is pretty expensive, so you have to do a lot with a few things.

The analogue world is changing pretty fast right now. Barriers are being broken down. There are lots of synths/modules that can do FM and beyond, for exmaple. as well. (Yamaha style crossed with analogue vibes.. on the spot intuitive programming and deep warm analog sound).

I've gone round the entire digital universe. Every combination of Frequency MOdulation/Phase Modulation/Comb Filtering/Phase Distortion/Additive/Wavetable/subtractive/granular/wierd expiriments with delay/distortion/reverb. Used midi controllers, customisable buttons. Nothing has tickled my soul the same as interesting analogue. I sold nearly everything I owned and put myself further into debt than is ideal to get my system. Maybe digital was not for me. And maybe I'm just a lucky fucker to be able to spend money on funny voltage boxes. But I'm not looking back and the future gets more interesting on a daily basis.


Sorry for derailing but I just wanted to say my 2 cents on this.



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[widdly]

I love the Kawai K5000s. It's got an unashamedly digital sound with lots of high sparkle and loads of aliasing if you want it. The ADD synth engine is immense and can do all sorts of stuff from sine wave pings to complex weird bubbly washy stuff. There are PCM oscillators as well and the PCM samples are mostly weird noises rather than accoustic instruments. The LPF/HPF filter can do nasty distortion. 16 CC knobs and a programmable arpegiator make it a great for real time stuff. Plus it looks damn cool

Short percussive sounds are not it's forte. Outside the additive section, the modulation stuff like the LFO's are pretty limited. The multitimbral stuff is pretty crappy but I've never really used it apart from making some over the top layered sounds.

I've got a fair mix of analog stuff and digital stuff. I don't think it needs to be one or the other. Layering the Kawai K5000 with an Oberheim Matrix1000 can make the most amazing pads with all the analog oomph and all the digital hash.

There some pretty interesting and deep digitals out there. The Korg Z1, Yamaha FS1R and the Ensoniq Fizmo come to mind but they are all kinda pricey.

[widdly]

Another thing that I like to do is run digital synths through analog effects. A modular is great for this but guitar pedals are a budget option too. You can get a 'best of both worlds' sound' the same way analog synth sounds work nicely with digital 'verbs and bit crushers.

[cartesia]

If anyone is looking for a bargain digital synth with a massively wide pallette, the Waldorf Blofeld is fantastic..

Wavetables, ability to load samples as sound source instead of oscillators (imagine FMing 2 drumkits together - a complete multi-sample map can be loaded in each oscillator slot ) multiple filter types and filter drive curves...

Really powerful, crazy price.

[AK]

I'd prefer to own a pile of digital synths than analogue to be honest, esp FM or analog/digital hybrid synths. I think analog is over rated anyway, never particularly saw the attraction in the first place.

what analogs have you owned?

i think it's best to have a mixture of sound sources, analog synths, digital synths, software synths, samplers, acoustic instruments...

i think this is important, too many people have a lot to say about gear without actually owning the kit they are writing off.

instead of sweeping generalisations about digital / analogue/ modular synths, it would be more productive if people listed the synths they actually own and give a rating from first hand experience.

i have owned an equal number of digital and analogue synths, and i can safely say that they are/were all different and had different qualities.

i'd be happy to list them and give my opinion on them when i get a chance, but i'm real busy right now.

I've owned a Roland SH101, Juno 60, Juno 106 ( ok digital/analog hybrid that one ) sequential circuits pro 1, Novation Super Bass Station, Waldorf Pulse. When I was making stuff with a friend of mine, I had access to a Jupiter 6, another Sh101 and a Moog Prodigy. Then the V/A stuff or stuff with DCO's. JX3P, Alpha Juno1, Nord Lead, Kurzweil K2000 rack, other stuff which escapes me now.

I haven't written anything off, just stating my preference of source sounds. And it seems to be a trend thing with me, a few yrs back I was more into analog sounds.

If I stated I didn't like digital, people wouldn't have said anything. Because I say I prefer digital sounds/software/V/A etc, people are like, 'huh'.

Say what you like, I know what I prefer both for useability, simplicity, cost effectiveness and the type of sound overall.

That doesn't mean I don't like analog sounds, I'd buy a Voyager tomorrow for example if I thought it would benefit me.

I think there's this belief though that retro '80s' analog synths that are pre-midi are going to somehow transform your music or sound to some other level. It's just not the case. Ok, I haven't had much in the way of high end analog but then there's not many on here who have. Steevio has and he knows why he likes it, I dare say a few others who would like to argue the point of digital/analog haven't exactly had a plethora of analog gear anyway.

I can only comment on what I have owned, simple as. I really liked the SH101, the Juno and the J6, but if truth be told, I am now blown away by things like Absynth, FM8, Reaktor. Not a great many digital synths blew me away though ( hardware ) But there were new sounds to discover, I had a couple of Roland D series synths ( D5 & D10 ) Very thin sounding and you'd hate to build a track comprised of those sounds alone. LA synthesis if I remember, small snippets of sampled sounds/partials combined with sampled/looped waveforms. But occasionaly you'd coax something really unique from them.

Are we classing the stuff with DCO's as digital or analog?

Anyway, here's a lit of the digital stuff I have owned or had access to - as much as I can remember.

Korg M1, Casio CZ101, Korg Wavestation, Roland D5/D10, Kurzwiel K2000, Nord Lead, Korg EMX1, Korg EAmk2, Korg ERmk2, Roland JV1080, Roland JX3P, Roland Alpha Juno1, Roland Juno 106.

Now I'm more into software like Absynth, FM8 and Reaktor.

[steevio]

I think there's this belief though that retro '80s' analog synths that are pre-midi are going to somehow transform your music or sound to some other level. It's just not the case.

i'd totally agree with you there.

the new high end analogue stuff is in another league to the old gear in terms of functionality.
still i'd much rather hear the bass out of my SH101 to absolutely any other digital synth ive owned, but thats just my personal preference.

i think the digital / analogue argument is really pointless. A Moog Voyager has as much digital action going on as analogue, and the same goes for my modular.
designers now realise that people actually do prefer the sound and interface of analogue gear, but adding digital control behind the scenes makes synths infinitely more powerful. they would laugh at this argument.

its about time we stopped arguing that some old digital synth for £100 on ebay is better than an over priced pre-midi analogue and looked at the fact that the new hybrid kit is way better than both, but if you havent got the cash, just do something with whatever you can get your hands on.

[AK]

I didn't want to get into the analog/digital argument, it wasn't me who took the thread that way.

Anyway, I'd be a complete nutter if I said I wouldn't want to own say a Voyager for example. I also like the A6 a lot too. If money were no object, I'd buy both tomorrow but that isn't because they are analog, it's because I like the sound of those instruments when I have heard them.

For me it's always going to be that reason, I don't care what it is, if it produces a sound I like, I would use it.

I've been short on money for a few years but I'm selling my house soon and going into renting a flat. Who knows what I'll buy then. I certainly wouldn't fall into the 'trap' of buying old entry level analog gear with the assumption that 'it's better co's it's analog'. Years ago I'd have probably fell into that but not now.

I too loved the SH101 for bass, amazing low end, can be a bit aggressive in other areas though. I got mine for £150 with the mod grip some yrs ago now, don't have it now but I'd def have one again, I just don't think the inflated prices ( like up to £500 ) justify it.

I'd have to have some sort of midi retro fit but I heard those can alter the sound? I also have a c/v midi converter aboard a Super Bass Station but how reliable that is, I dunno. But yeah, I'd def have another of those for a reasonable price.

[steevio]

I didn't want to get into the analog/digital argument, it wasn't me who took the thread that way.

i think it started off that way bro.