which synth taught you most about synthesis?

[ChrisWerner]

Looks like a versatile practical synth, I'll see if it's still floating around. Any particular reason you like it over others? Characteristic sound?

Many sync sound, fm between the OSCs and on the filter amp too, S/H, somehow it reminds me on older SciFi films or on the lead sound from welcome to machine... ok, I'll make a small demo this evening. yes, many memories come back w/ that thread.

[HUROLURA]

First synth I bought was a Kawai K4. Still here mostly used as masterkeyboard.

First real contact with Synthesizer was a Roland Juno 1 with its PG300.

Then I had to build a small analog substractive synth during my studies.

The one I used most for learning synthesis was the Nord Micromodular (replaced by a G2 engine now), then Scope Modular 2, Mod III, Flexor 1.5, Mod IV and finally Flexor 3...

Love the ASB for their obvious layout based on the Vintage analog classics.

I also remember the time spent last year listening to Yves Usson explaining synthesis basics on a small Yusynth Modular...

[kensuguro]

I find it sort of surprising that many mod users came from nord mod or g2, rather than reaktor..

[HUROLURA]

Reaktor is "pure" software.
Nord modular was more familiar to people looking for hardware like me.

A kind of virtual modular synth not as easy to access as a true hardware modular synth in term of user interface.
But more flexible in term of choice of modules and way to recall previous sound patches.

Actually I noticed both Scope Modular and the Nord Modular at that time but the Micromodular was the only one I could afford at that time (end of last century).
Back at that time Nord Modular and Scope Modular were more powerful than Reaktor because of the computer CPU limitations.
To me Reaktor was and still is more like the Scope SDK: a way to setup new plugins by assembling software modules.

But meanwhile I discovered the pleasure of really patching synths.

[jksuperstar]

Yep, it was sad to see Clavia roll into one organ model after another, and drop the modular line altogether. There are many that think they could have done it differently to provide both a synth for the masses and a modular in one...to help sales and keep product count for development down. All they needed was some killer preset architectures/patches, and that's what would be the synth to everyone else. But leave a back door open for modular development. Oh well. Other than the instant patch loading like a typical performance synth that the Nords do so well, the SCOPE modulars have the edge in actual sound.

I also built a PAIA Fatman, and added some mods to it a long time ago, and that proved to be a very different learning experience regarding the usefulness and importance of modulation like LFOs and such. That experience was what led me to the modulars.

[kensuguro]

Reaktor is "pure" software.
Nord modular was more familiar to people looking for hardware like me.

A kind of virtual modular synth not as easy to access as a true hardware modular synth in term of user interface.
But more flexible in term of choice of modules and way to recall previous sound patches.

Actually I noticed both Scope Modular and the Nord Modular at that time but the Micromodular was the only one I could afford at that time (end of last century).
Back at that time Nord Modular and Scope Modular were more powerful than Reaktor because of the computer CPU limitations.
To me Reaktor was and still is more like the Scope SDK: a way to setup new plugins by assembling software modules.

But meanwhile I discovered the pleasure of really patching synths.

True, I guess reaktor was in its infancy back then.. was it even around? BTW, when I was performing regularly (a few years ago), I was seriously looking for a used micromodular but couldn't find any. If I only had storage space, I'd get a G2 just for historical reasons. I hope someone some day will continue the concept.

Rob Hordjik.. I remember him from the nord mod email list, he was super active. I think I got good feedback from him on one of my patches.. The list was basically him, and 20 other dudes, but mostly him.

[next to nothing]

It's kind of a split between Korg Mono/Poly and Creamware Modular III. The korg was my first synth, so ofcourse i learned the basics from there, but it wasn't until i got my Creamware system 12 years ago I started digging deeper (not that deep though, im not a synth guru ), and if i am not mistaken Mod III was actually the first "device" i bought for my Luna card.

Too bas i sold the MP4, i really miss it

[scopus]

basic synthesis, my first baby nord lead, than took assaf's synth course and modular took over

[David]

Commodore Amiga Aegis Sonix - A two oscillator realtime synth that was awesome; Roland Sh09, so warm; Korg Mono/Poly and Creamware Modular. Creamware was just bliss, fat sounds, over bright and busy modules, intense power lights, animations lol it had it all. But SonicCore Mod IV and Assafs SynthSchool class.... yep thats the school of learning

[iSiStOy]

to strictly answer to that question, I would say Kawai K5000 (addiCtive synthesis )

[HUROLURA]

Yes, the K5000 is quite interesting to learn sound spectrum sculpture though hard do dive in without any editor software...

[jhulk]

for me it was a combination of synths

matrix 12 which i still have
the memorymoog which i still have
and my good old trusty EII
prophets vs rack
kurzweil k250

and then my k2000

still use the sy99 thats a beast and there is still no vsti or other synth that can do the same am fm wave vector and a culmination of all types

asr10 and the dss1-x are my favourite samplers

my waldorf wave is great apart from my shocks are broken and no replacements available but it sounds great

t1 and t3ex still own them as i use my own pcm samples in them and they are current today by using spectra

i have 3 favourite va yamaha an1x korg z1 and trinity with the prophecy board and pbs pcm user samples great

i have my kawai synths still k1 k4 k5m and k5000r great additive synths

and my great ensoniq synths esq1 sq80 sd1/32 sqr+32 ts12 asr10

and the scope modular is good as i can do things on that that are impossible on my doepfer and motm modular synths

best wavesequencing synths the wavestation ex the ts10 and the quasimidi cyber6 controller

[Nestor]

Yamaha DX7 and then Korg M1

[neuromantik]

Started with Nord Lead, but after learning that my favorite psytrance producers were using CW cards I grabbed a PulsarII back in 2001... Only until I started using ModII did I really delve into what sub/fm synthesis entailed, I loved it so much I grabbed a second 15dsp card & a NordG2+Exp from Novamusik for cheap... But ModularII along with a book 'Power Tools for Synth Programming' is what did it for me...

[Bud Weiser]

still use the sy99 thats a beast and there is still no vsti or other synth that can do the same am fm wave vector and a culmination of all types

I think my Yammi TG77 can,- it´s the same AFM as it is in the SY99,- incl. samples modulating FM OPs.
AWM sample/waveform ROM size/content is different from SY/TG77 in SY99.

I wonder if FS1r surpasses both, the SY/TG77 and SY99 ... it comes w/ 8-OP FM and (much more) samples as well as format filters/synthesis,- and it´s just only 1 HU.
I never owned one and they are so rare and expensive used it is hard to get one.

best wavesequencing synths the wavestation ex ...

I´m fine w/ Wavestation SR but think it could be replaced by J.B. Solaris,- which would be a different investment though.

Bud

[jhulk]

tg77 sy77 can partially do sy99 but its the 3mb pcm user samples that has a lot that the sy77/tg77 cant do

im doing a sample set at the moment for dss1-x upgraded 16mb version which sounds great with the analog filters

the the fs1r is an 8op fm synth with formant filter like the k5000 series but it has no pcm so it can do sound the sy99 cant but the sy99 can do so many more sounds due to pcm and user pcm and because of this there is endless palette of sounds

the sy99 is the best fm wave am vector synth going hybrid nothing from yamaha has come close since

the ex5 was good vl an1x and sample playback but it was limited only 2 poly for the va mixed with the wave
i sold that long ago the scsi was slow kept the an1x as that was 10voice and is the nearest sounding va to the p5 and it has filter topology of the cs80

i like hybrid synths t series with pcm support is great as you decide the spectra used this opens up unlimited possibilies

same with the 01w which has 2mb pcmcia support and fm wave shaping i like this feature as it uses waveshapes to transform the osc single cycles are the best

it distorts the wave shape into the waveshape of the waveshaper and you can modulate this the sounds you get are fm and am modulated type synthesis

a lot like the flexor shaper modules

the emax which has wavtable synthesis but its not scanable once you have created it it turns it into a sample andif you dont use the same waveform for position 1 and the end position you get clicks

the asr10 and eps16+ are great for wavetable synthesis due to its transwave synthesis as long as each single cycle is exactly the same size sample it will morph play each cycle in a conses-ion upto 100 jumps ala ppg style but smoother

my waldorf wave is not as smooth as the asr10 but the wave has dual analog filter that the asr10 does not have

but i have noticed with wavetable synthesis its good not to have a res filter due to hi res every wave becomes a sin cycle and you loose the feal of the wavetable especialy with fm and am type tables my memorymoog and juno wavetables are great for that thick type chorus sound

i have learnt a lot with modular and can do very expressive synth using just the basic mod2/mod3 modules

a lot off stuff was just beta versions but been busy of late with my new web site for samples and servicing and upgrades of modular synths

dante and jimmyv were the beta testers still waiting for them to express wather to release or not

[dante]

dante and jimmyv were the beta testers still waiting for them to express wather to release or not

Well I thought the Korg Delta emulation was good enough to release. Its a bit different from the real thing being sample based only but it gave me enough to work with in remixing a song I'd done on the original Delta. After that I kinda got lost with everything else you were doing and keeping Scoperise up to date.

But if you post your website URL I will go and checkout whatever else you're doing, Im always interested just run out of time sometimes.

[jhulk]

my modular escapades are on hold at the moment

im having a new web site built for my sample for sale collections

and my hardware servicing department

im documenting fixing a memorymoog for proper operation as its got some bad designs and suffers badly from going out of tune

this is mostly due to crap connectors used and cheap tin socket chips that go black

when i have got this finished i will start doing some more modular projects

im doing a yamaha an1x type and a mono evolver type for scope i got mehdi modular devs now so will be doing some stuff with them and jb and flexor3

and maybe modiv if i decide to get it next

[dante]

Look fwd to seeing your new site then.

[Bud Weiser]

my modular escapades are on hold at the moment

im having a new web site built for my sample for sale collections

and my hardware servicing department

im documenting fixing a memorymoog for proper operation as its got some bad designs and suffers badly from going out of tune

this is mostly due to crap connectors used and cheap tin socket chips that go black

when i have got this finished i will start doing some more modular projects

im doing a yamaha an1x type and a mono evolver type for scope i got mehdi modular devs now so will be doing some stuff with them and jb and flexor3

and maybe flexor4 if i decide to get it next

You´re doing interesting stuff !
Please post the link of your new website here.

Bud