I know it's a common question but is software synthesis really as good as hardware? Bit of a newbie at this but did some research and a lot of people say that software is as good, plus it has loads of other benefits too... like it says http://bit.ly/pMvFz3

Thoughts?

Ta

It depends. Compare software such as Omnisphere with *any* digital keyboard and I doubt the hardware would impress you much. But compare a Minimoog model D or Vermona Mono Lancet with any software virtual analogue and I think the hardware will still be the one you'd want to use in your tracks.

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http://www.bogusfocus.com/

It's not just a question of sound - the user interface is important too, as is the kind of flexibility you want. I'm a big fan of hardware as I find it easier to get on with - programming sounds on a computer just feels too detached for me, and the UIs tend to put me off. But then, a lot of 80s/90s digital is like that too - poky screen, and 500 parameters to go through with just up/down and yes/no buttons... ugh. Proper analogue hardware covered in knobs and sliders is a pleasure to use, and when you get on well with a UI you tend to get better results I think. I've ditched a number of synths because the UI was awful, but they're all worth trying once.

As for flexibility, maybe I'm just simple, but I tend to prefer simpler gear to complex gear. I know several pieces of it inside out, and know how to push them as well as keep them tame. THe more complex stuff just loses me a bit and I never quite know where to go with it.

YMMV.

Totally agree, I was talking specifically about the sound rather than the whole experience of playing the instrument. Softsynth + generic controller still has a long way to go.

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http://www.bogusfocus.com/

Quote BenParks:

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I know it's a common question but is software synthesis really as good as hardware?

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That depends entirely who the judge is: if it's a listener then the answer would be "I don't care" or "I have no idea", if it's a musician, and specifically a musician into those type of sounds, then the answer is probably "Not quite".

Quote TheChorltonWheelie:

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Quote BenParks:

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I know it's a common question but is software synthesis really as good as hardware?

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That depends entirely who the judge is: if it's a listener then the answer would be "I don't care" or "I have no idea", if it's a musician, and specifically a musician into those type of sounds, then the answer is probably "Not quite".

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They may not care if it is hardware or software, but they care if it sounds good or not. Some sounds are extremely difficult, if not impossible, to recreate in software. See the "Have Keyboard OEMs lost the plot" thread for examples.

That said, just because something is hardware doesn't make it necessarily superior to software. Many hardware synths (and pretty much all mainstream manufacturers bar Korg) are just a cheap dsp chip and d/a converter these days.

yeah for me UI is king too. I think there's two things to consider. If you want to get ideas down, or play live, then hardware makes tons of sense. If you want to really get indepth etc, then software stacks up.
It's a personal thing, others will have a different feeling, but I can recall a few times when I just sat there with Logic and Kontakt etc, and ended up closing the thing because I did nothing but preset surf for 15 mins, and totally lost the urge.

The other day I sat at a Kronos. Now that thing has amazing sound - the pianos are fab. After some time of trying to figure out how to even change a patch, then finding no solo strings that appealed, I got frankly dispirited, and the neighbouring Nord piano's little nagging voice became noticeable above the sparkly sheen of the korg and all its lights... and I'm sorry, but... I just don't feel the kronos does it for me, left me very cold, and I have a mac and daw, so why have it twice?... I am seriously tempted to a Nord though...

I would like someone to really go for the hard disc rompler thing. Let's have a proper, simple interfaced, all buttons and knobs rompler with gigabytes of beautifully recorded samples. Proper attention paid to piano, strings and synth. No sequencers or arpeggiators unless you bought the add on widget to do it. Actually, kind of like a Nord Stage, only with more swankier samples

Sorry I wandered in and out of topic there again. I keep doing that. la la la....

Move along...

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cheers, Rob

Quote Rob R:

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I would like someone to really go for the hard disc rompler thing. Let's have a proper, simple interfaced, all buttons and knobs rompler with gigabytes of beautifully recorded samples. Proper attention paid to piano, strings and synth. No sequencers or arpeggiators unless you bought the add on widget to do it. Actually, kind of like a Nord Stage, only with more swankier samples

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http://www.openlabs.com/ Something like the NeKo maybe?

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http://soundcloud.com/richie-royale
http://www.mixcrate.com/richieroyale

Quote johnny h:

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They may not care if it is hardware or software, but they care if it sounds good or not. Some sounds are extremely difficult, if not impossible, to recreate in software. See the "Have Keyboard OEMs lost the plot" thread for examples.

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I don't disagree with that, but it always comes down to the fact that unless these sounds are presented untreated, to the initiated, the difference between hardware/software is completely wasted on the listener.

A sampled piano still doesn't sound exactly like the real thing, but the 15m people that bought Leona Lewis' albums couldn't care less.

Quote Richie Royale:

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Quote Rob R:

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I would like someone to really go for the hard disc rompler thing. Let's have a proper, simple interfaced, all buttons and knobs rompler with gigabytes of beautifully recorded samples. Proper attention paid to piano, strings and synth. No sequencers or arpeggiators unless you bought the add on widget to do it. Actually, kind of like a Nord Stage, only with more swankier samples

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http://www.openlabs.com/ Something like the NeKo maybe?

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still looks like a massive computer in a synth keyboard! No, I'm talking about the perfect combination - I'd have two line LCD displays at the most. the rest would be real knobs sliders etc

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cheers, Rob

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Samplecraze
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