TranceAddict Forums (www.tranceaddict.com/forums)
- Production Studio
-- the must have synth
Pages (2): [1] 2 »

the must have synth

is the virus still the one to get?

i had taken a really long break, and i just want a new machine to get me going again

do you know of anything that's coming out and perhaps is worth waiting for? like the mooge guitar, which already came out, and isn't really the proper genre

thanks

Yeah, the new Virus TI's are probably the most versatile hardware synths on the market nowadays, but some of the new analog synths (e.g., Dave Smith, Moog, sE) are pretty popular as well.

Hmm, well depending on how long a break we're talking about, are you aware of VSTs? Most people are using mostly or entirely software these days. A hardware synth is a bit of a luxury really, nice to have but not at all essential
Software synths that are must haves are stuff like Albino, Z3ta, V station (older) or Massive, Absynth, FM8, Gladiator etc. (newer)

My guess would be that more trance producers have Viruses than other hardware synths. It'd be the one to get, if it's the first synth you're getting with trance in mind, or you're only thinking of getting one hardware synth.

There are many other excellent synths which complement it nicely and provide additional sonic textures, but the Virus is still the one to get.

Novation Station.

Definitely a Ti.

quote:

Originally posted by derail My guess would be that more trance producers have Viruses than other hardware synths. It'd be the one to get, if it's the first synth you're getting with trance in mind, or you're only thinking of getting one hardware synth. There are many other excellent synths which complement it nicely and provide additional sonic textures, but the Virus is still the one to get.

Yeay, got myself one yesterday!!! Swapped my Supernova II against a Virus C and me is very happy.

..

TI is to expensive for me

quote:

Originally posted by Beat Blog Novation Station.

A, V, X, Drum, or Bass?

The Virus Ti is the best purchase I've ever made. You won't be sorry.

NL3

analog. if you're buying hardware, buy analog. it's more expensive, but a computer will never be analog


david

Get a Thor!!!

quote:

Originally posted by davidbuhau analog. if you're buying hardware, buy analog. it's more expensive, but a computer will never be analog david

Actually not true, Bob Moog said himself the arturia moog plugin(s) sound just as good as the hardware, and he wasn't joking or just trying to plug their products.

Get the prophet 08....shit is sick as hell

quote:

Originally posted by DJ RANN Actually not true, Bob Moog said himself the arturia moog plugin(s) sound just as good as the hardware, and he wasn't joking or just trying to plug their products.

'Just as good' and 'the same' are 2 different things altogether

quote:

Originally posted by davidbuhau analog. if you're buying hardware, buy analog. it's more expensive, but a computer will never be analog david

As long as it's good analog.

In reality, it doesn't matter whether one purchases an analog synth, virtual analog, digital or whatever. It ultimately comes down to sound quality and whether the sound will fit your particular production style.

There are plenty of bad analog synths (and digital synths). Likewise, there are some great analog synths and some great digital synths.

Use your ears!

quote:

Originally posted by badapple@trance Get the prophet 08....shit is sick as hell

Being the owner of many synths, including a Virus Polar TI and a Prophet 08, I'd say that a Virus TI is THE synth to get. The Prophet 08 complements it nicely, but doesn't have anywhere near the capalities of a TI. That's not a knock against my P08, which sounds incredible, just that the Polar is truly the centerpiece of my studio.

quote:

Originally posted by cryophonik Being the owner of many synths, including a Virus Polar TI and a Prophet 08, I'd say that a Virus TI is THE synth to get. The Prophet 08 complements it nicely, but doesn't have anywhere near the capalities of a TI. That's not a knock against my P08, which sounds incredible, just that the Polar is truly the centerpiece of my studio.

Likewise, I'd recommend the Virus as THE synth, over my NL3, SNII, JP8080, 303, Waldorfs etc etc. The others are definitely great synths and I'd definitely recommend getting a couple of synths so you have a range of different textures, but the Virus sound is the most versatile, and most "Trance".

id stik with software synths and spend the money on monitoring and treating a room. Mixing is the most important part of dance music imo.

quote:

Originally posted by richg101 id stik with software synths and spend the money on monitoring and treating a room. Mixing is the most important part of dance music imo.

I must say I don't fully agree. The fact that you need good monitoring is correct, if not, the most important thing. However I don't fully agree on a treated room.

Treating your room is recommended, hell, if I had the money I'd do it. But this one is all about the ears. If you are using a untreated room for years now, and you use that same setup to listen to music, you'll know how pro music sounds in your untreated room. You ears are trained to that particulair space.

For instance, I use a untreated room for my producing, but I had a couple of engineers and producers saying my mixes are great! That is because my ears are trained to the room I work in.

But still, treating a room is very effective and adviseble, but if you're short on cash, it isn't completely necessary, it's luxury (IMO).

On topic:

I don't feel that there is any one synth, that is MUST have. I only have an andromeda, and several soft synths - but I could make do with neither of them I think.
Though the andromeda is a load of fun, and sounds great.
Back when I stared out, I probably glared at photos of the Virus KC more than I did homework, but the interest had since dropped quite a bit.
I'm really considering the ti though, as having a controllable plugin to operate the synth sounds like a dream compared to the old fashioned way of doing things.
And the fact that I get a synth with really decent on-board fx, that I could play with.
The andromeda has poor on-board fx, and I bypass those entirely, having logic doing the real time fx when I "jam". Playing without real time reverb is not fun imo.

Off topic:

quote:

Originally posted by Theran Treating your room is recommended, hell, if I had the money I'd do it. But this one is all about the ears. If you are using a untreated room for years now, and you use that same setup to listen to music, you'll know how pro music sounds in your untreated room. You ears are trained to that particulair space.

I moved my stuff into a new place last year, and it had severe problems.
Like resonance at certain freqs, cancellation at other freqs.
The bass freq cancellation was so bad, I could only hear the transient of kick drums, and mixing bass was not possible,
because there is just no way of mixing somthing that you can't hear.
Obviously with analyzers, I could get a certain idea, but that is just sucking all the fun out of it all.
And there was several peaks in the lower highs, making everything sound too bright, making me make bad eq decisions.
I then made a DIY bass trap (big one) and some smaller, thinner traps to absorb the lower high resonance. It worked out ok,
but I still had a window right next to one monitor, and I hadn't made corner traps - so there were still issues.
Making your own traps costs very little, and require quite basic skills. So if I can do it, everyone can.
I have now moved out from that place, and haven't got room for a dedicated room for this stuff.
But when I find a place where I can set up wy stuff in a dedicated room, I will surely make all the traps needed to tame the room.

quote:

Originally posted by Beyer I moved my stuff into a new place last year, and it had severe problems. Like resonance at certain freqs, cancellation at other freqs. The bass freq cancellation was so bad, I could only hear the transient of kick drums, and mixing bass was not possible, because there is just no way of mixing somthing that you can't hear. Obviously with analyzers, I could get a certain idea, but that is just sucking all the fun out of it all. And there was several peaks in the lower highs, making everything sound too bright, making me make bad eq decisions. I then made a DIY bass trap (big one) and some smaller, thinner traps to absorb the lower high resonance. It worked out ok, but I still had a window right next to one monitor, and I hadn't made corner traps - so there were still issues. Making your own traps costs very little, and require quite basic skills. So if I can do it, everyone can. I have now moved out from that place, and haven't got room for a dedicated room for this stuff. But when I find a place where I can set up wy stuff in a dedicated room, I will surely make all the traps needed to tame the room.

I agree with that, and I must say, my room was pretty stuffed up with things that could absord sound. What I really ment - and what perhaps did come over the wrong way - is that you don't need expensive room acoustic kits to treat the room. A curtain can work out pretty good, or a couch maybe, that absorbs a lot of sound. I've even seen the sound on sound studio rescue team tapped cd's to the wall in the Above and Beyond studio to absorb or reflect certain frequencies.

quote:

Originally posted by Beyer I don't feel that there is any one synth, that is MUST have. I only have an andromeda, and several soft synths - but I could make do with neither of them I think.

6 months ago I had no less that 8 hardware synths: Roland-JV-1080, Roland JP-8080, Proteus 2000, Virus B, Korg Triton, Novation Nova and a Nord Lead 3 plus some outboard effects. I had all this equipment, and basically, I almost never used any of it. Maybe one or two synths in a track tops, but I always found myself turning to software for nearly everything, instruments as well as effects, even though I had plenty of hardware. Its just too easy to fire up a soft synth and start plugging away.

In addition, the fact that everything is saved with the project file, and the ease of automation, just made software so much more attractive than hardware from an ease of use standpoint. There are a lot of people who will argue that hardware still sounds better then software, which I am not disputing. However, using Logic's built in synths, which are outstanding, along with some well chosen 3rd party software synths has served my needs just fine.

So basically, I sold half the hardware a few months ago and invested the money in better monitors and a few software synths/effects, and now I have finally put the rest of my hardware up on eBay. I'm planning on investing the money in a Remote SL to replace the Nord Lead 3 that was just acting as a MIDI controller and upgrading my MOTU audio interface to an Apogee Ensemble fully completing the transition to an all software based studio.

The way I see it, all my money for my studio has been invested in the three things I consider the most important:

1. Good, fast computer: Mac Pro Quad Core.
2. Good Monitors: Mackie HR824 original versions (not the mkII).
3. Good Audio Interface: Apogee Ensemble.

For me, everything else is gravy. I have a few other "nice to haves" like the Muse Research Receptor which allows me to run PC VST's in the Mac environment and a Central Station monitor control station, but that's about it. Personally, I think I'd rather sink my investment in fewer pieces of gear that have a higher quality standard than a bunch of low to mid-grade gear. Quality over quantity. It may not "look" as cool as my previous studio decked out with all that hardware, but that's really not much of a concern for me anyway.

quote:

Originally posted by Beyer I'm really considering the ti though, as having a controllable plugin to operate the synth sounds like a dream compared to the old fashioned way of doing things.

This is really the only currently available piece of hardware I've considered getting for my studio and it is precisely because it has a controllable plugin that allows the synth to function like a VST. Were it not for this fact, then I probably wouldn't even consider it in my new setup (even though I love the Virus sound).

What is a good price to pay for a Virus Ti Polar? Thank you.

quote:

Originally posted by Theran I must say I don't fully agree. The fact that you need good monitoring is correct, if not, the most important thing. However I don't fully agree on a treated room. Treating your room is recommended, hell, if I had the money I'd do it. But this one is all about the ears. If you are using a untreated room for years now, and you use that same setup to listen to music, you'll know how pro music sounds in your untreated room. You ears are trained to that particulair space. For instance, I use a untreated room for my producing, but I had a couple of engineers and producers saying my mixes are great! That is because my ears are trained to the room I work in. But still, treating a room is very effective and adviseble, but if you're short on cash, it isn't completely necessary, it's luxury (IMO).

i have to admit i would not bother with any room treating myself. id sooner spend it all on the monitors and make do with a sofa and some curtains to damp a reflective room. i just suggested the room treating because it seems popular with a lot of home studios these days. For the cash you would spend on a pair of mackie 8" monitors + a Ti you could get some proper monitors on the second hand market, with usable range down to 30hz. some large PMC's TL's or Questeds for example.

Powered by: vBulletin
Copyright © 2000-2021, Jelsoft Enterprises Ltd.