Favorite Software Synth's?

[ajrindy]

I use Massive to create a HUGE variety of sounds, from hardcore kicks to string-like synths. I highly, highly recommend it. it's immensely flexible, so I recommend it because if you DO buy it, you will feel the need to learn it inside and out and it iwll be well worth it. it is better to know a single synth very well than it is to know many different ones only at a basic level.
My other experience is with Alchemy, which has some remarkable presets and is really cool for its ability to warp the sound between settings within the patches/presets. sort of like controlling all of the macros in massive at once.
I have a couple other free synthesizers VSTs that are meant for more specialized sounds, and are not very flexible. I often use this if the track needs something a bit out of the ordinary.

[RobotNinja]

Yea, I haven't delved too deeply into Massive beyond the basic presets so far. However, there are alot of big name producers cranking out tune after tune with Massive, so there must be something to it. Time to start You Tubeing how-to videos on Massive.

[DJZILCH]

my weapons of choice:

NI Massive
Lennardigital Sylenth1
Camel Audio Alchemy (extremely cpu heavy though)

also:
Ableton's operator
Logic's ES2


i also like the sausage fattener distortion unit (also good on drums)

the new synth "ANA" by sonic academy is really really easy to use as well

[mostapha]

From what I was told they are both based off the same engine because a Virus is a virtual analog synth, no?

The virus is VA, but there's more than one engine for VA synths.

If what I'm being told is true then yeah, you have a mental handicap and only "think" you're getting a better sound as you should be able to do the same with Dune

No, I definitely get better sounds with any hardware VA synth than with any soft synth. The mental block is in not being willing to experiment as much with the software because it's finicky, unintuitive, and fucking boring.

[JasonBay]

And analog gear isn't finicky?

[JasonBay]

The virus is VA, but there's more than one engine for VA synths.

I know there's more than one kind, but I'm asking if it's based off the same exact one though from what I've read. Doesn't the Virus itself come with a software interface for saving and programming synths among other things as well?

[mostapha]

The TI and TI2 come with plugins that handle audio routing and preset recall at least. I don't know if you can edit patches from the plugins, but if want to do that, you'd be stupid to buy hardware.

And analog gear can be finicky. But hardware gear doesn't have fucking mice, and that makes it better. I don't even use a mouse with my web browser anymore (thanks to vimperator), and I'd ditch the computer in a heartbeat if I could afford it.

[JasonBay]

I don't know if you can edit patches from the plugins, but if want to do that, you'd be stupid to buy hardware.

I wouldn't go that far to say it's stupid. There are still benefits of having the actual hardware as well. If you want to ditch the mouse then invest in a BCR2000/UC33-e or something along those lines. I have two UC33-e's, and I have them mapped out to different VSTs on different softsynths (I have a handful, but mainly use 4).

Takes a minute to setup, but once you do you'll be set and ready to go.

[mostapha]

If you can explain your mappings, I'll think about it…but the last time I looked, there just weren't enough controls on the BCR or UC33e. And how does it deal with multiple instances of the same plugin?

[JasonBay]

For multiple instances you would just have them mapped out on different global channels. So all the controls would be the same, you would just be flipping through global channels to get from one instance to the next