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If you consider how much the variety in terms of synthesizers has expanded since the 1970s, it really will blow your mind. Where there was once only a couple of companies out there soldering, gluing and bolting synths together, now there are several. But, have all of them held up, in terms of delivering a timeless instrument? After all, if you pick up a Roland D-20, you’re going to be delighted with a sound palette that really does sound similar to a Barney and Friends kid commercial. But, if you come across an Access Virus, then you’ll hear banks of sounds that still hold up quite well, over time. In this article, I’d like to mention my 12 favorite synths (some digital, some analog, but all vintage) that never, in my opinion, get old.
Roland JP-8000
KORG’s analog synthesizer development in recent years has culminated in the prologue, which was designed using 11,000 discrete electronic components. Although the prologue is a flagship instrument, it still retains the inviting feel and accessibility of its predecessors. It features a pure analog path, impeccable sound quality, stunning. Kyra was created to fill a gap in the synthesizer market for a powerful digital, virtual analog synthesizer. Key to the design was to have no compromises on sound quality, ease of use, studio integration and raw power, all with a price tag that puts ownership within reach of producers working to a real-world budget. Feb 27, 2018 50+ videos Play all Mix - In praise of virtual analog synths YouTube; HOW TO. Modal Skulpt - 4 Voice Virtual Analog Synthesizer Review - Sonic LAB - Duration: 20:15.
If there was ever one synth that I felt I could be left alone with, on a deserted island (some strange island that has a power generator of course!), it would be the JP-8000 virtual analog synthesizer from Roland. These keyboards, and rack units (JP-8080) still command a decent price online and offer some amazing functionality. But, the sound that they are most known for is that incredible super saw, being moved rapidly by the built-in arpeggiator. It’s the stuff of trance.. and dreams.
Nord Lead
The Nord Lead really has become the GTO, Corvette Stingray of the synthesizer world. Be it either the Nord Lead 1, 2, or 3, they all sport the slick, and fashionable, red enclosure that has graced the stage filled with performers like The Killers and many more. But, don’t think that they are all looks. The Nord Lead series, from Clavia, sports limited multi-timbral capabilities, a huge user group, and a sound that really does deserve a place in Rock History. I know it has my salute!
Minimoog
Of course, Moog in the last decade, or two has stirred the electronic music marketplace again, with well-built, expressive instruments, with an amazing sound, designed by the guy that really started it all, Robert Moog. I mean his name is literally right next to the term synthesizer in the dictionary! At this point, in history, be it either a Minimoog Voyager, or an original Minimoog, you’re always going to get some points in sound, as well as in pleasing aesthetics when you employ a Moog onstage, and off. My personal favorite, the Little Fatty line of synths, really can step in as a great first-time synth, and continue to grow as a highly useful device all the way up in to live performance, studio recording, or wherever you want your career to take you. Bottom line: Moog= Electronic Musician’s Stradivarius.
Access Virus Indigo
Though you don’t hear as much about the Virus line of keyboards from Access as much as you used to, they still appear on stage, and off, as highly formidable in both the sound, and aesthetics departments. And, because so many of the different Virus synths, from the A, all the way to the Indigo 2, have patches from badass sounds designers like Rob Papen. Well, you can bet that the presets, included will still hold up on the modern dance floor, and off. And, just let me reiterate: these keyboards look and sound amazing. Great eye candy for the stage, and for your ears. The version of the line that I think I loved the most was the original Virus Indigo. It was a solid, little keyboard, that really delivered in the studio, where other synths couldn’t even come close. And, believe me, I tried to find a better sound!
Korg MS-20
Know that when I mention the MS-20, I also mean the mini-version, the old version, and the new version. Of all the keyboard manufacturers out there, I feel, Korg has their fingers on the pulse of their audience. It was almost a decade ago when they surprised us with the USB, MS-20 controller. Then, nearly 10 years later, they are actually really releasing them again! But, if the vintage price isn’t right, for a brand new, full analog MS-20 is too much for you. It wouldn’t hurt to look around for an MS-2000, used. There’s power there, too!
Prophet VS
Of course, Dave Smith would have an entry in here! I had an amazing several year love affair with a Prophet VS. Granted, this is back from Dave’s Sequential Circuits days. But, it’s still one of his babies! This is probably one of the moodiest synths I’ve ever used. The pads, basses, leads and strings all have that classic, '80s sound, with the Blade Runner twist. And, when you score one of these bad boys, you’re even getting a keyboard that was used a lot on the Tron soundtrack, by Wendy Carlos. Note: Programmability is not the easiest! But, the look and sound is right!
ARP Odyssey
Vintage fans of all sorts got a big surprise, this year, as Korg announced that it would be reissuing the ARP Odyssey. While I was at NAMM, David Friend, the original designer/creator of the ARP was honored by the NAMM committee. It was truly an honor to see a synth that has had such a profound impact on our industry given it’s just desserts. Just so you know, these synths do not grow on trees. In fact, they are scarce, outside of exorbitant auctions that occur on eBay. Regardless, if you can get one, get one!
New England Digital Synclavier
Want to get your hands on a piece of gear that’s known, not only for music history, but also for movie history? The Synclavier, just so you know, is in every office at Skywalker Ranch, that belongs to a sound designer. Ben Burtt, when creating the sound FX for the entire Star Wars library used the Synclavier extensively for R2 sounds, ring modulating crashes, blasts and so many other unique sounds from the classic films. But, it doesn’t end there. If you look at the list of famous artists who have employed the legendary workstation, your head might spin. Granted, they are big, and bulky. And, they will cost some money. But, if you can find one, you won’t be disappointed!
Alesis Andromeda
Sure, these synths aren’t that old. But, oh my, are they rare! When Alesis put these out, 8–10 years ago, there wasn’t much out there, in terms of real, analog, synthesizers. They were still, all virtual analog. Alesis bucked the trend and made a monolithic, robust, and beautiful synthesizer, with more route-ability than any of us knew what to do with. I actually had one in my possession for a few months, as a kind friend let me borrow it. What a great time! That’s all I can say. If you can get your hands on one, grab it!
Roland SH-101
I told myself this page would not be filled with Roland. But, unfortunately, I have a few more to add to the list.. As I love them!! The Roland SH-101 was one of the first mini-synths with an optional guitar neck, that could be added on the top. Not only does it sound awesome. But, it has limited sequencing capability and can be perfectly paired with other vintage instruments of all sorts. But, especially, my constant companion, the MC-202. Which I have right here. It also comes in grey. But, keep an eye out. There are other colors, allegedly, floating around out there!
Casio CZ-101
Remember phase synthesis? Well, Casio does! And, a lot of synthesists from the '80s can tell you.. It wasn’t that bad. Good enough for Propellerhead to incorporate the technology in Thor. And, if you can score one of these synths, good enough for you. I had a great practice with one of these, in an abandoned home, still pumping power, during the '80s. Djay itunes song not authorized support. The sound is crisp. And, if you like dreamy leads, plucks, and pads, this is a great synth to get your hands on!
Hartmann Neuron
I always wanted one of these synths! This synth, in my opinion, is still ahead of its time. With the ability to actually model sounds that you bring as recorded audio, the Hartmann Neuron can replicate many things, with eerie clarity. And, because it’s modelling technology, it can even tell you what that modeled sound might sound like in many other ways that you might not even think of. Granted, a software version was released, a few years ago. But, if you see one, and can afford it, this synth literally might change the way you hear and experience sound, forever.
And, that’s what I’ve got. Granted, you may have a very different list. But, this one is mine! These devices all come from different eras. And, they all come from a different mindset. But, they all have one thing in common.. They sound great.. Still!
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on Jan 08, 2017 in Synths & Sound Design 4 comments
Any top-10 (OK, top-7) list of virtual synthesizers will, ultimately, be pretty subjective—everyone has their own idea of what constitutes the coolest toys when it comes to making and mangling sounds for creative musical ends. Even so, a list of the most impressive soft synths will certainly end up including some models that would be on anyone’s wish list, along with a few more personal choices—and this collection pretty much fits that bill.
I tried to limit this list in a few ways, to make it more manageable.. I omitted instruments that are primarily samplers—even though many of the models here utilize samples as source material, they don’t mainly present them as realistic simulations, but as raw material for heavy processing. I stuck to synths that are—at least to me—geared to playability, and not primarily sound design or scoring effects. And I selected synths that are not emulations of specific classic hardware models, but stand on their own merits.
So without further ado, here are a few of my choices for the slickest soft synths around.
1. Spectrasonics Omnisphere 2
Omnisphere is one of those synths that would probably turn up on just about everyone’s lists. Like many of the synths on this list, Omnisphere (currently Omnisphere 2) combines a number of synthesis techniques, including both oscillators and sample-based source material (including user waves), wavetable synthesis, granular synthesis, and even FM. Combining a huge factory library with comprehensive programming options, the emphasis is on heavily processed sounds of all kinds, from traditional synth tones to dense swirling pads to arpeggios to shifting, chugging, twinkling soundscapes and musical noises that defy easy description. Playability includes nice touches like the Orb, a real-time joystick-type controller that can simultaneously vary many parameters. Omnisphere has been around for quite a while, and has certainly earned its place on a list of soft synths that hardware synths really can’t touch.
Web:https://www.spectrasonics.net/products/omnisphere/index.php
Review: https://ask.audio/articles/review-spectrasonics-omnisphere-2
Courses:https://ask.audio/academy?nleloc=application/omnisphere
2. NI Massive
Native Instrument’s Massive is another synth that’s been around for years, and its popularity and sound pretty much guarantee it a place of honor. Massive follows a traditional subtractive synthesis models, with oscillators (three, plus noise) filters (two), amplifier, modulation (LFO), and effects. But there’s much more to it than that simple description suggests.
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Massive’s oscillators are more than just simple analog waves (like sine, square, sawtooth, pulse, etc.)—they’re Wavetables, which, besides those basic, traditional shapes, also include a large collection of richer and more complex wavetables to use as raw material, making for a much wider range of possible sounds. The overall subtractive architecture is familiar enough to be accessible to most synthesists, yet it offers extra levels of flexibility, accessed from the various programming tabs in its center panel, like the Routing panel, where you can view and tweak the signal flow of the various modules that make up a patch, and the drag-and-drop icons that make quick work of building up modulation patching. All in all, Massive’s combination of accessibility and flexibility have made it a perennial favorite among synthesists of all stripes.
Web:https://www.native-instruments.com/en/products/komplete/synths/massive/
Courses:https://ask.audio/academy?nleloc=application/massive
3. NI Reaktor
Another entry from Native Instruments, Reaktor (currently Reaktor 6) is not really a synthesizer per se—it’s potentially every synthesizer you could imagine. Reaktor is an object-oriented programming environment for building your own synthesizers, and it’s one of the most powerful tools available for those who want ultimate control over their instruments. But you don’t have to have a degree in computer programming or DSP to use Reaktor—while it does contain a daunting set of under-the-hood tools and building blocks, it also comes with a large collection of finished synthesizer designs—called Ensembles—and there are many more available from third-parties as well. Some of these are available as separate, stand-alone synths, like NI’s own Razor (an additive synthesis design), Prism (a physical modeling instrument), and Monark (a well-regarded take on the venerable Minimoog).
But the real power of Reaktor comes when you go behind the front panel, and delve into the nuts & bolts of synthesizer architecture. Taking full advantage of everything the programming environment has to offer may require a significant investment in time and energy, but for inveterate tweakers it’s well worth the effort, going well beyond even the possibilities available from assembling your own modular synth in the real world.
Web:https://www.native-instruments.com/en/products/komplete/synths/reaktor-6/
Review: https://ask.audio/articles/review-native-instruments-reaktor-6
Courses:https://ask.audio/academy?nleloc=application/reaktor
4. Rob Papen Blue II
Rob Papen offers a number of popular synths (like Predator, Blade, and others, including the now-discontinued Albino), but Blue (currently Blue II) is probably the flagship of the line. Utilizing when Papen has dubbed “Cross-Fusion Synthesis”, Blue II combines FM, Phase Distortion, Waveshaping, and Subtractive synthesis, to create one highly flexible and great-sounding instrument. No less than six (!) oscillators freely combine all the different methods of sound generation in a single patch, and the graphic display makes routing and processing relatively easy for a synth with so many options. The helpful graphic displays include features like a straightforward FM matrix and graphic envelopes, along with sequencer and arpeggiator pages, and make Blue II’s programming power readily accessible, making it easy and efficient to tweak sounds—far easier than twiddling hardware knobs blindly.
5. LennarDigital Sylenth
LennarDigital’s Sylenth has become a very popular synth of late. Unlike many of the other entries in this list, it’s not a be-all, do-all, end-all design. Sylenth is designed to do one thing—emulate classic analog synthesis—but do it exceptionally well. It’s a dual-layered design, with 4 traditional analog-style oscillators, and a classic subtractive synthesis architecture. All the virtual analog components were carefully designed to offer the rich sound of their real analog counterparts, with alias-free oscillators, and filters that include nonlinear saturation and self-oscillation options.
A comprehensive set of envelopes, modulators, and an arpeggiator is rounded off with a full array of audio effects—everything needed to achieve classic analog synth sounds with the warmth and edge of traditional hardware synths is included. A faux LCD panel helps simplify programing the more tweaky features, and flexible routing allows for the two oscillator layers to cross-feed the filters, making for an especially nice bit of analog character in the digital world.
Web:https://www.lennardigital.com/sylenth1/
Course:https://ask.audio/academy?nleloc=topic/sylenth
6. U-he Diva & Zebra 2 & Repro 1
U-he is not a synth, it’s a company—actually it’s software developer Urs Heckmann (plus a small staff), who’s come up with many excellent and characterful synth designs (and effects plug-ins) over the years, many available as freeware (like the popular Zoyd synth, and the unique Triple Cheese, which uses comb filters to generate/process its sounds). The U-he line includes several synths, but I want to focus on two of the most popular, Zebra 2 and Diva.
Urs describes Zebra 2 as a “wireless modular synthesizer”—it incorporates many types of synthesis, including subtractive, additive, and FM, along with an equally versatile array of sound-modifying tools like comb-filtering (physical modeling), all freely patchable. Only modules used in a particular patch are displayed, reducing front-panel clutter, and making for a more streamlined interface. The centrally-located modulation grid offers an easy way to connect modules, and helps visualize signal flow in complex patches. And for performance, Zebra 2 offers a “Perform” panel, with no less than four (!) programmable and assignable X/Y pads.
Diva, on the other hand, is a more dedicated analog-style synth—it models the sounds of various classic analog synth modules. But two things set it apart from other analog modelers. The first is that you can mix and match components/modules inspired by different synths, creating hybrid designs. The other is Diva’s cutting-edge approach to modeling analog circuits, which promises to achieve the next level in emulating the nuance of real analog instruments. This faithfulness to real analog sound brings with it a bit of a CPU hit, but users have embraced it, so this Diva may be worth her high-maintenance ways.
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Web:https://www.u-he.com
Review: https://ask.audio/articles/review-uhe-repro1
Course:https://ask.audio/academy?nleloc=application/uhe
7. AAS Modeling Collection
As I said earlier, lists like this typically combine entries that are on everyone’s top-10 with choices of a more personal nature—this last entry probably reflects my interest in physical modeling techniques. AAS—Applied Acoustic Systems—makes a variety of virtual instruments and “sound banks”—their instruments are based on physical modeling, which, as you may know, is a method of creating a sound by emulating the physical way that sound is created in the real world. So instead of traditional oscillators, filters, and envelopes, you’ll typically find exciters, disturbers, and resonators—simulations of different vibrating materials, striking, plucking, bowing, and blowing techniques, and complex resonances and timbral responses.
AAS’s modeling collection includes instruments that put these kinds of tools to use emulating strings, guitars, electric pianos, and even analog synth circuitry, but the two I want to mention are Tassman, a general-purpose physical-modeling synth, and their latest, Chromaphone, which is dedicated to modeling all manner of percussive sounds. Both of these instruments let the user synthesize highly realistic sounds, thanks to the physical modeling of acoustic sound-generation, but those sounds don’t necessarily have to emulate actual instruments—for more creative applications, the modeling tools can be used to create very acoustic-sounding instruments that don’t—maybe couldn’t—actually exist in the real world, but sound (and play) like they do! Physical modeling technology is widely used nowadays for processing—component modeling is routinely employed to simulate the circuit path of classic analog hardware, including synth components like oscillators and filters—and it’s gradually being applied more to instrument design.
Wrap-up
Like with any list, there are plenty more great synths I could have included but didn’t, for one reason or another (I decided to limit my choices to separate plug-ins, eliminating obvious possibilities like Alchemy and Sculpture, which are exclusively built-in to Logic). I also didn't include any audio examples—how can you boil the characteristic sound of synths that each offer so much variety into a few seconds of one or two patches? There are plenty of audio demos available online, along with trial versions of most, if not all, of the synths I mentioned, and I think the best approach for anyone who wants to get to know what particular models are capable of is to go ahead and try ‘em out yourself—a little homework that, for once, should actually be a lot of fun!