Software Synths? (1 Viewer)

[hugh]

Hey,

I need some advice. I got an m-audio USB keyboard and a MacBook (intel osx). What's good synth emulation software to get? Basically I want something that's a step up from GarageBand. Good range of different sounds available. Simple idiot-proof interface. Is there something obvious out there I should use? I don't want to have to she'll out lots of cash but don't mind paying if it's like 20 quid or something ......

I also don't want to just plug the thing into a DAW like Reaper as that seems like way too much hassle .....

Any ideas?

 

[ann post]

The thing that you don't want to do is probably the best idea.

 

[GO]

You are seriously handicapping your choice by looking for a standalone..and getting an Audio Units synth to run in Reaper is a matter of a few mouseclicks

 

[egg_]

+1

That's what I'm just after getting set up, except with protools rather than reaper cos that's what I'm used to

 

[egg_]

Though actually Hugh if you're dead set on "no DAW" you should try downloading syntorial - it's a synth tutorial thing that has a standalone synth included. Full thing is paid, but the demo version works fine. I just downloaded it last week cos I wanna learn how to make modern pop music

 

[shower another shower]

If you're already working in Garageband, stick with it and just grab an AU synth from the app store.

Garageband being a DAW, and all.

 

[ann post]

also if you go the standalone route, you'll probably need more RAM should you want to record it at some point.

 

[shower another shower]

Here Hugh, 11euro.
http://www.temporubato.com/

 

[shower another shower]

or get the Free Kontact that was in Moose's thread a couple of days ago.

 

[hugh]

Here Hugh, 11euro.
http://www.temporubato.com/

That looks pretty cool in that I can use it as a standalone program or plug it into Reaper or something .... might be just the ticket. I need something with tons of preset sounds as I dont have a bog about how to actually construct sounds. But, if I can just flick through loads of them until I find something that roughly approximates what I'm after that's grand

 

[shower another shower]

I've no idea how many presets it has. 11 qid though? cant go too far wrong.

...that said, the synths aint too bad in Garage Band with a wee bit of tweaking. Some nicer synths, samplers, drum machines, dynamics processors and effects in Logic, but ye pay for it, and would be just as confusing as Reaper for free.

 

[pissypants]

hugh, what kind of synths are you looking for? There's so many out there for free. Leghitimately free, not pirated. Google is your friend.

http://www.kvraudio.com/
also look at the forums at reaper.fm

 

[hugh]

hugh, what kind of synths are you looking for? There's so many out there for free. Leghitimately free, not pirated. Google is your friend.

http://www.kvraudio.com/
also look at the forums at reaper.fm

I'm not really sure what I am looking for. I suppose that's the problem. For now, something with a pretty wide array of standard keyboard sounds that comes all in one package and is easy to navigate around.

Stumbled across that site before but my head was wrecked in about two minutes. Will give it another go.

 

[george mcfly]

I'd recommend the Korg Legacy pack. You can buy each synth individually for about 20 quid each from the Korg site now.
They're excellent, nice attention to detail on the sounds.
Polysix is the best.

 

[hugh]

That Korg stuff looks exactly like the sort of thing I am looking for. They are 50$ each though ..........

 

[pissypants]

Start with this one hugh - It's wildly popular. Look ouf for more banks of patches online
http://www.vst4you.com/pages/vst instruments/synth1.html

P.S. George - big fan of the poly6 plugin here too.
Actually bought the real thing I was using the plugin so much. Arrives in a week or two!

 

[george mcfly]

Start with this one hugh - It's wildly popular. Look ouf for more banks of patches online
http://www.vst4you.com/pages/vst instruments/synth1.html

P.S. George - big fan of the poly6 plugin here too.
Actually bought the real thing I was using the plugin so much. Arrives in a week or two!

Yeah, I heard! I got one about a month ago. It's pretty killer

 

[hugh]

Ok so I took all your advice and booted up Reaper and am running everything through that now. Have the Kontact player, Synth1 and a really nice Piano VST I picked up all running on different tracks linked to different MIDI channels. Can switch from one to the other by switching MIDI channel on the keyboard. It's completely kick-ass .....

 

[ann post]

sweet.

 

[Space]

Cool. I'd like to join in on this action. Must get myself a midi keyboard as it's not likely I can afford a hardware synth.