Re: Favorite soft synths...

[mech <mech@m3ch.net>]

At 10:37 PM +0200 7/17/06, Per Boysen wrote:
>
>I do not like Kontakt 2 (because of NI's paranoid licensing strategies).

I'll agree.  This, combined with their legendarily crappy support, 
keeps me from actually giving any cash to NI.  However, that said, 
Pro-5x is actually pretty nice *if* you scoot over to G-Media to get 
their Richard Barbieri patchbanks @ 
http://www.gmediamusic.com/signature/richardbarbieri.html (okay, now 
i'm nicked -- I used to be a big fan of Japan in a past life).  Also, 
I've got a freeware version of Metaphysical from which I'll record 
odd ambiences occasionally.

Likewise, I enjoy all the stuff from LinPlug (Peter Linsener rocks!). 
In addition to Albino, CronoX3 ( 
http://www.linplug.com/Products/CronoX3/cronox3.htm ) is wonderful 
for ambient soundscapes and space music.  And their CM-505 Drum Synth 
(comes free with every issue of Computer Music magazine) is a great 
little analog drum sound module, and you sure can't beat the price.

Speaking of beatboxes, Sonic Charge's MicroTonic ( 
http://www.soniccharge.com/products/ ) just outright bashes the heck 
out of most anything out there.  I sometimes have to lay off using 
the thing because it's so full of character that it will take over a 
track if you're not careful.  For "four on the floor" though, nothing 
else out there can compete.

Also, for unique sounds, I love both Steinberg's now-disonctinued 
D'Cota (the full version; not that crappy "Lite" thing they bundle 
with a lot of stuff.  D'Cota Lite removes all the interesting 
elements), and VirSyn's MiniTera ( 
http://www.virsyn.de/en/E_Products/E_miniTERA/e_minitera.html ).  I 
had been using MicroTera a lot until I realized I was getting my most 
creative results by simply using the randomize function.  While 
MiniTera eliminates more discrete editing, it does incorporate 
randomize together with more realtime controls.  MiniTera also lets 
you use Microtonal scale tables -- standard Scala format -- as will 
CronoX, which I mentioned above.

Finally, my standard "bread & butter" synth that I keep falling back 
to is, of all things, Spectrasonics Atmosphere ( 
http://www.spectrasonics.net/instruments/atmosphere.html) .  The damn 
thing just sounds soooo good, and there always seems to be a preset 
that, with only minor tweeking, will fit whatever application I need 
it for.  Never thought I'd say that about a rompler, but I love it.

        --m.
-- 
_______
"You are in a maze of twisty little passages, all alike..."