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Thread: Soft synths

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    Soft synths

    So I dropped my master midi controller (http://www.piedog.com/musical_instru...ic-sl_2001.htm) off for repair today after 5 years or so of it being broken (dead keys). I want to get back into the whole music thing but don't have the gear any more (aside from my master controller) and not having touched a keyboard/piano for 5 years or more my keyboard-fu is pretty low. Until I get back into the swing of things I'd like to keep costs low so no amps or expensive modules for now, I'm therefore wondering what the soft synths are like these days. Anyone have any experience of them and any recommendations? I'm looking for possibly a dedicated piano synth and one with nice fat brassy electropop sounds (DX7/D50/M1 style).

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    Big Member BlindMelon7's Avatar
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    If you want a decent piano sound you're gonna have 2 go with something hardware based. Most softsynth piano voices sound more like brass . A good softsynth is Native Instruments Pro 53 but it has no piano function. I think its one of the more expensive ones but you should be able to pick one up on limewire or something .

    BTW if anyone does find a good piano I would be interested as i have searched far and wide.
    With love and many thanks,

    Melons

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    Quote Originally Posted by BlindMelon7
    If you want a decent piano sound you're gonna have 2 go with something hardware based.

    <snip>

    BTW if anyone does find a good piano I would be interested as i have searched far and wide.
    I'm hoping someone here has used Steinberg's The Grand 2, from what I'm reading it seems to be as good as it gets in terms of synthesised piano (I was always partial to the piano combos on my X5DR, the GM ones sucked rocks though).

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    Ok, just listened to the demo on the Steinberg site and it's pretty damn persuasive

    http://www.steinberg.net/205_1.html

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    Big Member BlindMelon7's Avatar
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    Sounds pretty good for a softsynth! I dont supose you know how much it costs?
    With love and many thanks,

    Melons

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    Quote Originally Posted by BlindMelon7
    Sounds pretty good for a softsynth! I dont supose you know how much it costs?
    About £150ish from what I can tell. Interestingly, Native Instruments have the FM7 at 99 Euros for the next couple of weeks.

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    Lucca Der Tuv (LCD) mart_haj86's Avatar
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    Not exactly what youre looking for but a great piece of software to purchase is Reason 3 as it has more effects, synths, etc than you could imagine all in a package which resembles that of a hardware based studio. http://www.propellerheads.se/

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    Native Instruments do FM-7 which is a faithful softsynth replica of the DX7

    I've not seen any Roland D-series softsynths at all, but keep an eye on http://www.kvraudio.com/ - they list all available free and commercial softsynths so you will definately find something on there to your taste

    Korg do a 'legacy collection' which contains softsynth versions of the MS-20 (bleep!), a polysix (wooaang!) and Wavestation (blonky pup ker chush!) and the new 'digital edition' has a Korg M1 as well. This seems to retail for about &#163;120

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    Quote Originally Posted by MrFlibble
    Native Instruments do FM-7 which is a faithful softsynth replica of the DX7
    Saw that and liked the price, after starting this thread I found the demo on the NI site and it's pretty damn good. It not only sounds like the DX7 but more like the DX7 wanted to sound when it grew up.
    I've not seen any Roland D-series softsynths at all, but keep an eye on http://www.kvraudio.com/ - they list all available free and commercial softsynths so you will definately find something on there to your taste
    Cheers for that.
    Korg do a 'legacy collection' which contains softsynth versions of the MS-20 (bleep!), a polysix (wooaang!) and Wavestation (blonky pup ker chush!) and the new 'digital edition' has a Korg M1 as well. This seems to retail for about £120
    M1...Universe...mmmmmmmmm

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    Big Member BlindMelon7's Avatar
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    I have fm-7 and reason. Never really tried either but i'm gonna have a look at fm now.
    With love and many thanks,

    Melons

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    Big Member BlindMelon7's Avatar
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    Just had a look at fm-7. First impretions: it doesent have a very nice layout which is irelevant really but i just thaught i'd say. I have only had a quick look but from what i've seen pretty much all of the acousic insrument prests are terrible, including the piano (sorry), as for sfx and lead it looks quite promising if thats your kind of thing.
    With love and many thanks,

    Melons

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    Quote Originally Posted by BlindMelon7
    Just had a look at fm-7. First impretions: it doesent have a very nice layout which is irelevant really but i just thaught i'd say.
    Try using a DX7 some day, after the real thing anything is an improvement
    I have only had a quick look but from what i've seen pretty much all of the acousic insrument prests are terrible, including the piano (sorry),
    Yup, always were. FM synthesis was never much good for reproducing acoustic instruments. The Fender Rhodes patch was pretty good though.
    as for sfx and lead it looks quite promising if thats your kind of thing.
    That's what the DX7 was all about, big fat brassy sounds. Powerful leads and swirling pads. Welcome to the 80s

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