"The ultimate synthesizer"

[az-terisk]

Hello everyone,

At a certain stage in the development of my project, I'd like to compare my vision of the "ideal virtual synthesizer" with that of others.

So I'm opening this post to get your feedback on the subject.

I look forward to hearing from you!

A.

[Tepeix]

Not sure there's one utlimate virtual synthesizer.
The problem is, if this synthetiser could do everything or every sound,
and the subtle nuance of sound that you could get with this filter, overdrive, tube, transistor etc
You end up with a very lot of control where genneraly synthetiser have already a lot.
And the need to explain them to the user that will be lost in an infinite backroom of controls

I think that the user prefer genneraly to have some different synthetiser where they have an idea of the sound they will get with not so much to do to tweak the sound. Well that's my idea.
And we finish with an infinite amount of synthesizer maybe ?

Yet this is only what i suppose, you could always try to do an ultimate synthesizer that you love more than any other's, but maybe other's will prefer something else..
Or maybe if your synthesizer is the most used in the world it become the ultimate ?

[az-terisk]

Not sure there's one utlimate virtual synthesizer.
The problem is, if this synthetiser could do everything or every sound,
and the subtle nuance of sound that you could get with this filter, overdrive, tube, transistor etc
You end up with a very lot of control where genneraly synthetiser have already a lot.
And the need to explain them to the user that will be lost in an infinite backroom of controls

I think that the user prefer genneraly to have some different synthetiser where they have an idea of the sound they will get with not so much to do to tweak the sound. Well that's my idea.
And we finish with an infinite amount of synthesizer maybe ?

Yet this is only what i suppose, you could always try to do an ultimate synthesizer that you love more than any other's, but maybe other's will prefer something else..
Or maybe if your synthesizer is the most used in the world it become the ultimate ?

I'll make a note, thanks for the reply !

[R&R]

My highly unqualified opinion, not being a musician, producer, sound engineer nor anything music... would be...

If a synthesizer (based of a common layout) can be picked out "in" or "of" a crowd of synthesizers (all using "similar settings" to recreate similar sound) by just listening to it. That should constitute an ideal synthesizer... no matter if it has 3000 options or just one button But that is only in regards to sonic properties of course

Seems alot of synthesizers use so different approaches to synthesis and user interface that they can't be directly compared to others... and I would personally judge them by their own sound and merits.

I guess some synthesizers has defined entire genrés of music. These and any emulations of them might be said to be ideal as well... even if some of them are terrible to use or failed at their original purpose or task

[az-terisk]

My highly unqualified opinion, not being a musician, producer, sound engineer nor anything music... would be...

If a synthesizer (based of a common layout) can be picked out "in" or "of" a crowd of synthesizers (all using "similar settings" to recreate similar sound) by just listening to it. That should constitute an ideal synthesizer... no matter if it has 3000 options or just one button But that is only in regards to sonic properties of course

Seems alot of synthesizers use so different approaches to synthesis and user interface that they can't be directly compared to others... and I would personally judge them by their own sound and merits.

I guess some synthesizers has defined entire genrés of music. These and any emulations of them might be said to be ideal as well... even if some of them are terrible to use or failed at their original purpose or task

Thank you !

[R&R]

Reframing it in another way...

If one can say "Oh it's the ... plugin" by just listening to it, that's really the ultimate plugins in my mind. They can both subjectively and objectively sound crap, but still be recognizable. Kind of makes them ideal plugins in that way...
Goes for emulation plugins as well. If they sound like the "original hardware synth" (ideal eg. jupiter-8, virus or the 303 or less ideal like some chip-synths), then they are ideal as emulations as well I think.

So a synth doesn't have to be subjectively considered ideal, as long as it has unique sound, or has a really good interface and/or workflow to it... it could then objectively be considered ideal

Relativism at it's finest

[tulamide]

What is meant by "ultimate"?

[az-terisk]

8-)
Reframing it in another way...

If one can say "Oh it's the ... plugin" by just listening to it, that's really the ultimate plugins in my mind. They can both subjectively and objectively sound crap, but still be recognizable. Kind of makes them ideal plugins in that way...
Goes for emulation plugins as well. If they sound like the "original hardware synth" (ideal eg. jupiter-8, virus or the 303 or less ideal like some chip-synths), then they are ideal as emulations as well I think.

So a synth doesn't have to be subjectively considered ideal, as long as it has unique sound, or has a really good interface and/or workflow to it... it could then objectively be considered ideal

Relativism at it's finest

This feedback is super interesting and I thank you for sharing it. I'll keep it in mind !

[az-terisk]

What is meant by "ultimate"?

Hi,

By "ultimate" (a term deliberately placed in quotation marks in the title), we actually mean "ideal". The nuance is important, because you can find something ideal without finding it ultimate, and I thank you for pointing it out !

[tulamide]

Then, from my perspective, there is none. We all are individuals and so the ideal/ultimate synthesizer is different for everyone.

For example, I prefer synths, that combine their tech with an easy-access GUI that's pleasing for my eyes. Others prefer an abundance of functionality and don't care about GUIs at all. And of course, everything in the middle.

Theoretically, if we're talking about "that one synth to rule them all", it would be a modular synth with a fantastic GUI and combining in the modules absolutely every little detail from the last 60 years of synths. From analog, virtual analog, digital, from ladder to state variable, from classic 16-bit sampling to slicer with auto-formant-shifting/preserving, from aliasing sine generator, over band limited waveform to multi-wavetable-morphing, from arp to polyphonic sequencer, from fixed purpose to multi-modulatable. And of course with every effect ever invented.

But even synths like Pigments or Phaseplant or Synthmaster, who offer a lot of the above, are far from ideal/ultimate for everyone.