Soft Synths?????

[test]

What the heck are soft synths??? I keep reading posts bashing them but I don't know what they are exactly? Could someone please tell me what they are?

[~cliffwalk]

A soft synth is simply a synthesizer that is written as a computer program. Since everything is recorded on computers the newer recording products have allowed electronic musicians to pipe the MIDI programming directly to these Soft Synths as opposed to regular synthesizers. Lots of them are designed to "emulate" the sound/behavior of already existing synths and some are new takes on the technology.

The debate is multi dimensional.

-Some hate them for percieved technical limitiations in their sound(which I feel is easy enough to overcome to make it a non-issue, others disagree)

-Many like them because they make a wider variety of sounds available at less cost.

-Many hate them because they make a wider variety of sounds available to inexperienced musicians :)

Dave

[test]

Thank you for the answer. I am not technical at all, so I still don't really understand all of what you said. Yep, I am dense tonight. :laugh: ;)

[Synthpopalooza]

Softsynths ... they've really changed the nature of electronic music in our scene. Now anyone with a PC has the capability to at least produce some halfway decent synth music.

I might eventually mess about with this stuff, once I get some $$ and a decent PC in the studio.

[~Jack-Dark]

Originally posted by Synthpopalooza
Now anyone with a PC has the capability to at least produce some halfway decent synth music.

Maybe those with actual hardware truly resent this, as now they have to try that much harder to stand out, all the while competing with someone who spent much less on gear then they.

In my experience softsynths have proven infinitly more intriguing and creative-muse-inducing than hardware ever has.

[~Scar Chemik]

For anyone interested in soft-synths I suggest the following two web sites.
www.kvr-vst.com
www.vstcentral.com

Do a search under instruments and follow the links. It is like a whole subculture out there. There are some real gems out there that are totally free.

For my songs, I tend to use about 7-9 softsyths to go with my outboard synths.

Not to self plug, but if you go to my mp3.com site and listen to Mechanized World, you will hear a song created almost entirely with softsyths. Only the brass sound came from outside the computer.

www.mp3.com/scar_chemik

Scar

[Synthpopalooza]

A truly fascinating subject.

However, intriguing as softsynths are, I would never replace the hardware that I have in my studio already. For one thing, there are certain nuances to analog equipment that a softsynth cannot duplicate. Plus I have grown attached to the stuff. :)

[7red7]

I won't even attempt making an argument about softsynths vs. hardware...I will however just ponder for a moment when synthpop was in full swing and in it's prime...Four to five guys on stage all playing synths, trying desperately to stay in tempo with each other playing in real time...Those were the days :)

DAN

[~KissTheStar]

Pretty much the forerunners of the scene are now running all iMacs and softsynths on stage .... Kraftwerk

[7red7]

Kraftwerk was an amazing show...I can clearly recall the entire show, and all four guys playing together on stage behind a wicked keuboard setup...It looked like the bridge of the Enterprise :)

[~NullDevice]

For four guys who stand around and don't move much, they have an entirely riveting stage presence.

[7red7]

Originally posted by NullDevice
For four guys who stand around and don't move much, they have an entirely riveting stage presence.


Oh yeah they do, and when it came time for Ralf to actually provide vocals the place erupted, it was great!!! :D

Ah pioneers, godfathers if you will...Kraftwerk are synthpop...I think they might bleed it if possible...

[~intro]

Damn, no one can give the girl a straight answer.

Stephanie. You've seen a synthesizer. A keyboard that makes lots of cool noises, right?

A soft synth is a software synthesizer. It's a program that does the same thing as a synthesizer. You just connect your computer to your speakers and you can hear it.

Thanks to a technology called MIDI, you can connect a real synthesizer to a computer, play keys on the real synthesizer, and it will send the notes you play to the software synthesizer. This makes it very useful to musicians, as it takes up far less space. Instead of having a huge keyboard, you've just got a little computer program on your hard drive.

Does that make more sense?

-Mark
www.djintrovert.com

[~cliffwalk]

Originally posted by intro
Damn, no one can give the girl a straight answer.

Stephanie. You've seen a synthesizer. A keyboard that makes lots of cool noises, right?

A soft synth is a software synthesizer. It's a program that does the same thing as a synthesizer. You just connect your computer to your speakers and you can hear it.

Thanks to a technology called MIDI, you can connect a real synthesizer to a computer, play keys on the real synthesizer, and it will send the notes you play to the software synthesizer. This makes it very useful to musicians, as it takes up far less space. Instead of having a huge keyboard, you've just got a little computer program on your hard drive.

Does that make more sense?

-Mark
www.djintrovert.com

Hehehe... I thought that's what I said in message #2. I'm terrible at explaining things.

Dave

[~PaulSynthpop]

So....soft synths are like soft money, right?


(Just keeping the thread going for no particular reason :-)

Paul

[test]

Ah, Intro, I love YOU!!! Thank you for explaining it to me in terms that I can understand. Yeah, I know that Dave also explained it but I am not a technical person so it sailed right on over my blonde head. :laugh:

Intro ROCKS!!! :D

[~Brand New Idol]

[quote]I will however just ponder for a moment when synthpop was in full swing and in it's prime...Four to five guys on stage all playing synths, trying desperately to stay in tempo with each other playing in real time...Those were the days [/qoute]

Lost art or just lack of good players?

I'd rather watch a band play the bulk of a song than watch one guy twiddle a knob and another play some drone sound while the sequence is running in the background. Imagine is if the power went out to the computer and your sequence just died, could you pull it off with just accompaniment, doubt it. Saw this happen to apoptygma berzerk in new york, the sequence just ¤¤¤¤ the bed and they got up there and actually rocked out the songs without the backing track that's musicianship. This what it's all about and why I loathe softsynths use by the armchair producer, the actual playing has become a lost art. And we all know live performance of the genre is where we're suffering the most.

I don't think it's about competition I think it's about the whole band package and if you're not a performing band you're only half the package.

[7red7]

Originally posted by Brand New Idol
[quote]I will however just ponder for a moment when synthpop was in full swing and in it's prime...Four to five guys on stage all playing synths, trying desperately to stay in tempo with each other playing in real time...Those were the days [/qoute]

Lost art or just lack of good players?

I'd rather watch a band play the bulk of a song than watch one guy twiddle a knob and another play some drone sound while the sequence is running in the background. Imagine is if the power went out to the computer and your sequence just died, could you pull it off with just accompaniment, doubt it. Saw this happen to apoptygma berzerk in new york, the sequence just ¤¤¤¤ the bed and they got up there and actually rocked out the songs without the backing track that's musicianship. This what it's all about and why I loathe softsynths use by the armchair producer, the actual playing has become a lost art. And we all know live performance of the genre is where we're suffering the most.

I don't think it's about competition I think it's about the whole band package and if you're not a performing band you're only half the package.

This is exactly what I'm talking about...Knowing your instrument, just knowing it, and being able to pull it off "live"...Thats why I brought up the back in the hey-days thing...True there might be backing tapes, but everyone on stage could play, and if they made a mistake you could hear it...

I saw a band called N.E.M.I. play locally here on Friday night and it was two guys playing (one fingered) midi controllers and a small sequencer with an E-Books laptop behind them...They stood there inanimate, and bored me to tears...I give them credit for getting up there and playing live and for wanting to make music, but c'mon it was all too easy to see they couldn't really play...

DAN

[~cliffwalk]

Originally posted by Brand New Idol
[quote]This what it's all about and why I loathe softsynths use by the armchair producer, the actual playing has become a lost art. And we all know live performance of the genre is where we're suffering the most.

Good, we can pick up this discussion in a left inflammed thread.

OK, so again, what's with the broad generalization?

I >AM< a keyboard player. I've played the instrument for 15 years and have done so in NUMEROUS different live scenarios. I'd love to be playing live but it's either pay my mortgage and save money for my impending fatherhood <OR> indulge myself.

Am I interpretting what you're saying as a viewpoint that music MUST be a performance art or it isn't "COMPLETE"? It can't simply be a recording art?

I use softsynths as real-time synths. Every song I record has atleast one or more part that I actually didn't program but played live without even quantizing. (I record it "LIVE" to MIDI) I don't even use arpeggio functions on outboard synths because I think they're limited and lame... If I'm going to progam it I'd rather notate it myself so I understand what notes are living inside my chord changes.

Nothing personal, Kris, really, but I think your response is rather close minded... there are several people in this world who are FINE musicians who do not have the life situation that enables them to perform live.

If you can't play live, hang it up? Stop making music? Is that your statement? If that's your attitude then so be it but I feel bad for you should that limitation ever exist in your life.

Dave

[Electroswank]

Originally posted by cliffwalk

I >AM< a keyboard player. I've played the instrument for 15 years and have done so in NUMEROUS different live scenarios. I'd love to be playing live but it's either pay my mortgage and save money for my impending fatherhood <OR> indulge myself.

Am I interpretting what you're saying as a viewpoint that music MUST be a performance art or it isn't "COMPLETE"? It can't simply be a recording art?

Nothing personal, Kris, really, but I think your response is rather close minded... there are several people in this world who are FINE musicians who do not have the life situation that enables them to perform live.

If you can't play live, hang it up? Stop making music? Is that your statement? If that's your attitude then so be it but I feel bad for you should that limitation ever exist in your life.

Dave, please dont take this the wrong way, i'm not attacking you nor am trying to be a b|tch, but can you explain to me how playing a local show out live like once a month, lets say, equate to you not being able to pay your mortgage? In some cases, venues pay bands to perform...

The guys from BNI all work full time jobs - they all have bills to pay too - but they manage to pack up thier gear in thier cars and play out live locally.

LOL@ your last statement, little bit harsh dont you think? I don't think his response was close minded...I used to sing out live - locally - and my voice coach said it made me a better singer (granted i was doing 40's jazz/big band, but still) I really feel that you just become a better musician if you can pull off your show live. It gives you a chance to hone your craft and its nice to interact with the crowd and share your music with some people who may have not been exposed to your songs. hell you may even sell some cds or merch!

I dont think that he is saying "if you dont play out live, you aren't a good musician" i think its more of crafting your art as being an entire package that you can present if you were serious about getting signed to a label or what have you. No one said someone who does music as a hobby isn't a good musician, i think he's saying if you are really serious about music and can't live with out it being a full time part of your life and want to make it your carreer you should consider showing off your talent with a live show.

if you dont want to play out live so be it - no ones forcing you - i just know cos i work at a label and they encourage the artists to tour... the more venues you get gigs at is more exposure and to show that youre not some keypad button pusher but that you can actually play... some labels wont sign you unless you have a live show.

[~cliffwalk]

Originally posted by ElectroSwank

Dave, please dont take this the wrong way, i'm not attacking you nor am trying to be a b|tch, but can you explain to me how playing a local show out live like once a month, lets say, equate to you not being able to pay your mortgage? In some cases, venues pay bands to perform...

The guys from BNI all work full time jobs - they all have bills to pay too - but they manage to pack up thier gear in thier cars and play out live locally.

LOL@ your last statement, little bit harsh dont you think? I don't think his response was close minded...I used to sing out live - locally - and my voice coach said it made me a better singer...

Listen, I wont discount the positive effects of playing out live. Had I not spent my entire college career performing live 4-5 times a week I wouldn't have the chops I have. NOT to mention a head full of positive experiences that I will forever remember.

And I appreciate (and assumed) that the BNI guys (as do MOST musicians) have full-time day jobs.

But to get to my final statement... here it is... in a nutshell...

I've been in bands since college. I have.

One actually kicked some serious ass.. we were doing good covers of Peter Gabriel not to mention pulling off some NICE originals. (This was mid-90s)

What I couldn't ESCAPE was the fact that I was CONSTANTLY dealing with people would had no sense of responsibility. They refused to accept my priorities which were that my day job was infinitely more important because IT PAID MY BILLS.

I am sick of playing that game and don't forsee finding like minded individuals willing to share my edic. I am picky as far as playing skill goes.

I also have no desire to try and attempt a 1 man show when my music would be best if performed in an ensemble.

So.. as I said. My situation does not allow for me to clear-conciously play live. Bravo to those who can work it out but I cannot right now.

What I take exception to is that this current status of mine, which essentially being my own "Studio Musician"... that's all I can do right now but it makes me no less of a musician or for that matter devoted to music. Because my personal free time is devoted to my music.

*shrug* I guess I'm simply splitting hairs here... I'm sure I'm overreacting to Kris' message.. but...

well it is what it is...

i choose not to play live right now because i feel it would be an very much an indulgence of something i shouldn't be indulging right now when i run my own company, am a full-time student, and have a pregnant wife who also has a full-time job.... if that makes me less of a musician, so be it? that's a sad opinion i don't share...

hopefully i'm just having a non-nicotine moment and misunderstanding the message.

dave

[test]

I wasn't too impressed with S.E.M.I. on Friday night. That's part of why I left. Their music hurt my ears. I also left because I was getting tired. I should have had some coffee when Mark suggested it. Next time!

[~Bornslippy]

Originally posted by Stephanie
I wasn't too impressed with S.E.M.I. on Friday night. That's part of why I left. Their music hurt my ears. I also left because I was getting tired. I should have had some coffee when Mark suggested it. Next time!


I didnt really care if they stood there, Kraftwerk was like that, but the music wasnt good enough.. It was lacking bass and kick... It's all about the music, there was no mojo or oooomphhh to the music.. Basically, I dont care if they used softsynths, samplers, computers, real synths, I want something snappy, something cathy...

Steph I was tired too cause me, you and everyone else came from a long days work.. .. Now if the club was on a Saturday, it would definetely make a difference cause I dont work on Sat and Sun therefore I would have more nrg as for anyone.. NExt time on the 28th I'll drink coffee and beer l.o.l.. or Kahlua and coffee..

[test]

Originally posted by Bornslippy




Steph I was tired too cause me, you and everyone else came from a long days work.. .. Now if the club was on a Saturday, it would definetely make a difference cause I dont work on Sat and Sun therefore I would have more nrg as for anyone.. NExt time on the 28th I'll drink coffee and beer l.o.l.. or Kahlua and coffee..

You are soo right, Mark! I will make sure that I have some coffee before I head home. It was scary because I was really tired when I was driving and I still had 20 more minutes of driving to do. That's NOT good.