ok...phat leads...you could asked probably DJ Shokk, Flutlicht and those guys from swizzerland...they do their lead sounds with VAZ Modular, Absynth and other soft synths...

the shokk tunes should show that "phat sounds" are possible with software only...

Other producers ( --> Airbase, Parker ) use samples from hardware synths (...from their own synth, but also from sampling cds and sources from the web ) in order to get phat leads.

One of the most famours "trance leads" is the "supersaw" of the JP8000, the base for lots of leads of uplifiting tunes, if you have this multisampled in a software sampler ( was available @ prodcution ftp, now down ) you can make really phat ferry, cosmic gate, rank1...melody sounds.

In order to get high quality phat sounds it is important to know about eqing ( you can ruin a sound completly with wrong eq settings but this should be clear )and perhaps use an exciter / psychoacustic plugin in order to make it real crispy...

I don't have a hardware synth yet but someday I will have one I think.
Till then I use Reason sounds and samples of hardware in
the NN19 sampler with quite satisfying results...

I've posted THIS EXAMPLE some months ago...

Trancevision

Yeah, Giotto DJ uses Vaz Modular to make those famouse SHOKK lead sounds. It's all a matter of what you can do with a synth. The problem with softies that I find is that you don't get the control you can get from a hardware synth.

I bought one of those evolution controllers with the 12 dials that transmit midi data to try and solve this problem. It kinda helps, but I keep forgetting which dial is for which parametre.

I also have a virus C desktop at home which punches out some fat sounds, although the ones I make aren't really trancy. If you know the song Air Frog - Bon Voyage (Adam Bayer mix), then you'll know the kind I'm putting out.

But if you're saving money and using soft synths, then you don't really need that much hardware. I especially don't see the point in a hardware mixer if you're not using hardware instruments and fx. Just use Cubase or Logic. I use Cubase SX and it works wonders.

So definitely have a look for Vaz Modular 2010. Other softies include stuff by Native Instruments, Pentagon and reason, although I personally think the reason synths suck. I only use it as a drum machine. There's always the classic rebirth for acid and basslines, and I read that Roland are releasing all their classic TR's and the TB on software, emulated to perfection, although I get the fealing it will be TDM and not VST

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No i ment a midi mixer 2 control the cubase mixer

So in general ur saying that its possible 2 make the same sounds in software and in hardware... but the only diffarence is that hardware has more controle ... ?

I love Native Instruments Pro-53 for lead sounds, just activate that unison feature

That's a good point actually - whack your weedy sound through a phat chorus effect (essentially what unison mode on a synth is)...

quote:

Originally posted by TranceInMySoul I love Native Instruments Pro-53 for lead sounds, just activate that unison feature That's a good point actually - whack your weedy sound through a phat chorus effect (essentially what unison mode on a synth is)...

I use the pro-52 which is pretty much the same thing. I noticed I can get some phot leads and basses out of it. Heres another way to get phat sound out of it. If you don't have it in unison and detune it and play a chord, it sounds gigantic...

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JustinKredible

OGAAA BOOOOGAAAAAAA!#!#((#

quote:

Originally posted by DJSound OGAAA BOOOOGAAAAAAA!#!#((#

wtf?!!

quote:

Originally posted by DJSound OGAAA BOOOOGAAAAAAA!#!#((#

lol

I collect free VST synths like there's no tomorrow, and I have been considering reentering trance production (my first few attempts were disasterous, so I've been working on some sappy techno/synthpop stuff). There are TONS of freebies out there, and many are extremely good. Usually, what you get with a comercial VST is more flexibility with a synth and lower amount of time fidgeting with the knobs. I'm fairly confident there is nothing that the commercials can do, that you can't do with combinations of free VSTs, it's just a matter of how much time you can put towards it.

That said, for trance leads, these are my favorite freebies:

Claw (use multiple claws and sculpt the sound with envelopes)
FreeAlpha (Best freebie by LinPlug, but their commercial instruments are better)
Crystal (it's a ambient machine at first glance, but can make some wicked leads. Very much like absynth, but the interface is less friendly. Massive learning curve.)
JX220 (good foundation for leads, but requires a lot of effects)

Commercial instruments:

LinPlug Albino (absolutely sick instrument for trance leads. This will be providing my leads for two of my tracks in progress. Possibly my favorite soft synth to date.)
Absynth (it does a little of everything, and all of it well. HUGE learning curve like Crystal, though not quite as bad)
Pentagon (Ugly, but very usable interface. Does a lot of everything. Very analog sounding for the price.)


Now, the part where VSTs need to come a long way, ironically, is effects. I think there is a lot of nuance in a good analog harware effects processor that is practically ignored by dsp-coders (freebie coders anyways). Good analog reverb, compression, and distorsion/modulation is almost always much better in hardware. I have yet to try the high-end software effects plugins (that tend to run better than $500 US), but my guess is, for that price, a multi effects processor is the better buy. A friend's studio is all hardware, while mine is all software. Our synth quality is pretty much even until we start piling on effects. His stuff comes out warm and crisp, while mine tends to sound flat and boring.

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VSTi junkie.

Last edited by Haimoimoi on Mar-28-2003 at 00:59

If you're computer is strong enough, you can easily make sounds as phat as hardware using software. The key is in effects. Hardware has effects built in, and they use that dedicated external hardware power to process them.

Effects like chorus, delay and reverb. Don't forget, that if you compose using harmonies, and chords, the sounds will naturally be richer, than just a 1 voice melody.

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jimtran.net

I'll post some an1x sounds soon.. Powerfull much-underrated synth capable of all trance sounds you're all after. Cheap ass 2nd hand