Best Synth(s) for PsyTrance

[sentokan]

Hi guys! I need a recommendation from people with experience in psytrance for ''best'' HARDWARE synth for psytrance production.
I must mention I already own a Virus TI, a Tetra and an Evolver.
So, I was thinking of a Nord Lead, a Slim Phatty, Blofeld or Oberheim OB 12, even a Nord Wave, though it's kind of expensive... I don't know which will fit better? GIve me ur opinions and thanks a lot!!

(also, about the Nord Lead 2 vs 2x..I heard that 2 sounds grittier but hat has some bugs like lfo not syncing and stuff so I wonder it's not better a 2x cause of these problems..)

[Oli]

I think you have your synths covered pretty well already. What sort of sounds were you looking for particularly?

Lead fits the genre well.

SN2 can work well for that.

Bass Station was used a lot in early days. It has a kind of dry/hard sound that can work really well for psy (same reason people don't like it for other duties, imo). I like the filter too, which has its own sound. My SuperBassStation will choke a bit with lots of MIDI being thrown at it though. Still, useful for little expense. I wonder if your Evolver may be able to cover this kind of sound though.

I think the OB-12 may not be what you are looking for though. It won't do really fast and punchy sounds well. It can do cool drones though.

[sentokan]

Come on, I'm sure there are around here people with experience in this genre

[4damind]

Originally Posted by sentokan

Hi guys! I need a recommendation from people with experience in psytrance for ''best'' synth for psytrance production.
I must mention I already own a Virus TI, a Tetra and an Evolver.
So, I was thinking of a Nord Lead, a Slim Phatty, Blofeld or Oberheim OB 12, even a Nord Wave, though it's kind of expensive... I don't know which will fit better? GIve me ur opinions and thanks a lot!!

(also, about the Nord Lead 2 vs 2x..I heard that 2 sounds grittier but hat has some bugs like lfo not syncing and stuff so I wonder it's not better a 2x cause of these problems..)

I think you have all you need. Eventually a Nord Lead 2x and a Moog Voyager. Infected Mushroom using a Nord Lead very often. I don't know about lot of people using there a Moog, but I remember of Astrix, he has later bought a Moog Voyager.
Instead of this synth I would eventually more think about a Moog analog filter (MoogerFooger) to fatten up bass, kick etc. The UAD Moog filter can also work but it's not the same like a real analog filter.
If you have a big budget also the Eventide Harmonizer is a good option (used by a lot of known people like Infected Mushroom, Astrix, Simon Posford "Shpongle"/"Hallucinogen").

But to be honest, most of the guys using 99% software today. A Virus is often the only hardware they have. I would not invest too much in hardware and more invest in some good plug-ins and effects. Psytrance doesn't have very specific sounds where you need hardware. It needs more some good effects for interesting transitions, breaks etc. So you need more good filters, delays, reverb and some plug-ins to make effects quicker.

[twisted-space]

You can't make psy without an sh-101 and an ms-20












Seriously, you have some nice synths, I can't imagine needing anything else, other than maybe a decent sampler.

[Susceptor]

From the list of what you would like to get, I would personally suggest the OB12 and Blofeld.

[soundmagus]

FM8
Absynth
Reaktor

[gremlin moon]

Trillian is really worth looking into if you want an older school sound since it has Juno 60/106, SH 101, MS 20, Bass Station etc... samples. Of course, not everyone wants to emulate so you are quite fine with what you have.

[soundmagus]

tbh when i really think about it, ANY synth will do, its how you use them that matters

[sentokan]

Originally Posted by soundmagus

FM8
Absynth
Reaktor

Ha Ha Ha!!! Hardware synths for the psytrance hardware slutz my very good friend! Miss u everyday...

[sentokan]

Come on, I can't believe that aren't more gearslutz producing psytrance with hardware synths around here ...

[controlvoltage]

FutureRetro XS
x0xb0x
MF-107 Freqbox

MOTU interface + Volta or Silent Way for sequencing control voltages to your analog hardwares...

real analog modulation makes the best psy, to my ears.

[dhollmusik]

Originally Posted by sentokan

Come on, I can't believe that aren't more gearslutz producing psytrance with hardware synths around here ...

Why are you even asking when you already own a Virus Ti, Evolver and Tetra?

You already have the synths you're looking for. Now go and make some psy trance

[BTByrd]

Originally Posted by 4damind

I think you have all you need. Eventually a Nord Lead 2x and a Moog Voyager. Infected Mushroom using a Nord Lead very often. I don't know about lot of people using there are Moog, but I remember of Astrix, he has later bought a Moog Voyager.
Instead of this synth I would eventually more think about a Moog analog filter (MoogerFooger) to fatten up bass, kick etc. The UAD Moog filter can also work but it's not the same like a real analog filter.
If you have a big budget also the Eventide Harmonizer is a good option (used by a lot of known people like Infected Mushroom, Astrix, Simon Posford "Shpongle"/"Hallucinogen").

But to be honest, most of the guys using 99% software today. A Virus is often the only hardware they have. I would not invest too much in hardware and more invest in some good plug-ins and effects. Psytrance doesn't have very specific sounds where you need hardware. It needs more some good effects for interesting transitions, breaks etc. So you need more good filters, delays, reverb and some plug-ins to make effects quicker.

+1 on everything in this post. The Voyager and Nord Lead/Modular are great suggestions for psy, as is the Eventide Harmonizer (I have all 3). That said, psy is a genre that - these days - is largely produced ITB; it's not a genre dominated by sounds coming from fat sounding analog hardware. Psy sounds clean and clear, and the best (and cheapest) way to achieve that is to simply rely on plugins for most of the mix.

Anyway, as it stands you own a full-featured VA, a hybrid monosynth, and an analog polysynth. You've got all the major bases covered.

What is it that your current setup isn't giving you?

[sentokan]

Originally Posted by BTByrd

+1 on everything in this post. The Voyager and Nord Lead/Modular are great suggestions for psy, as is the Eventide Harmonizer (I have all 3). That said, psy is a genre that - these days - is largely produced ITB; it's not a genre dominated by sounds coming from fat sounding analog hardware. Psy sounds clean and clear, and the best (and cheapest) way to achieve that is to simply rely on plugins for most of the mix.

Anyway, as it stands you own a full-featured VA, a hybrid monosynth, and an analog polysynth. You've got all the major bases covered.

What is it that your current setup isn't giving you?

Well, cutting leads, the DSI filter is good but the analog gear is mono mainly, so I heard the Nords are best at this stuff... even though I can make some crazy leads with the Virus, I think I would prefer something more aggressive.

I know that most use vsts, but I don't care, cause I make my own brand of psytrance, not trying to be la everyone, but for sure getting inspiration from all.

The Moog cause I think it has a unique texture... but if I was certain about everything this thread would not be written, so, because I think other people have more experience than me on gear vs production, I'm trying to find out stuff without spending money in vain, cause our salaries around here aren't that great

Thanks a lot to all and keep it coming.

One more thing: I prefer not answers like get X synth cause is good, but more like why u think that one is good for psytrance production and electronic dance music in general.
By the way, I don't make weird music , experimental psy and such, I make melodic psytrance...so don't think just noises or DSI weird stuff )

[BTByrd]

I wouldn't worry about the difference in sound between the 2X and the regular NL2; it's very subtle and I don't think either sounds better than the other. There's a much more pronounced difference between the NL2/2X's and the NL3 (which, while still Nordy, isn't quite as aggressive as the NL2 or G1 Nord Modular).

Here's a psyish demo I did of the Nord Lead 2X. Like most psy synth parts, there are effects all over it.

http://soundcloud.com/btbyrd/clavia-nord-lead-2x-psy


And here's a trancey Moog Voyager demo I always have to show off. Over 95 stereo tracks of Voyager, all multitracked "live" with no sequencing. Pretty rad, if I do say so myself...

http://soundcloud.com/btbyrd/spaceships-for-bob-a-minimoog-voyage

[sentokan]

Nice demos u got there man The NL sounds a little weak but it can be the mix or soundcloud. SO u say no much difference between 2 and 2x right?
Did u own a NL 2?
Anyway thanks for ur time and words. Greatly appreciated

[sentokan]

Keep it comin'...

[Resonance5]

tb 303?

Originally Posted by BTByrd

Here's a psyish demo I did of the Nord Lead 2X.

http://soundcloud.com/btbyrd/clavia-nord-lead-2x-psy


And here's a trancey Moog Voyager demo

http://soundcloud.com/btbyrd/spaceships-for-bob-a-minimoog-voyage

wow great stuff! would you like to share some patches?

[sentokan]

There must be more psytrance producers out here..
If not we can talk in the EDM context, almost same thing.

[Augsy]

If you already own a virus evolver and tetra I would save your money for some nice outboard effects processors.

[gsilbers]

theres plenty of videos showing astrix. infected mushroom and astral projection in their studios

Astrix In Studio - YouTube


using softsynths as well.


and


guitars''

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZQbSe...eature=related

[gsilbers]

Infected Mushroom – Pink Nightmares Studio blog

[cosmos]

PsyTrance is a big word, and it really depends on what kind of psytrance sound are you looking to achieve .... ?


for example,
if you like Wizzy Noise sound, they use a lot of Nord Lead stuff (mostly ripping beautifully the FM knob on leads), Juno 106, TC electronics effects, UAD effects..
if you like Simon's style (or all the great Twisted Crew...) then you should look into Sh-101, Oscar, Eventide, Voyager, UAD, Sh-5, mostly analog unique sounding & expensive synth's..

Most of old Infected Mushroom albums are 80% Jupiter-8 and Eventides, Reaktor vst, any vst, anything that produce sound.. but infected will get huge & unique sounds from any synth, soft or hard.. it doesn't matter...they are top programmers for sure.. (i know erez is)

Tim Shculdt, Delta and most of German scene love Waldorf sound.. (I'm in that area also ... )

in general, any VST, Nord leads, Waldorf's, Viruses, Novations, Roland's jp's all are big players in psytrance world.

the list is probably too long for me to count, in the end all that matters is what you will do with those synths, your production skills and creativity.
pick your synths with what will sound best to you.

good luck !

[sentokan]

Wizzy noise yes, cutting leads, like I said
..so it's the Nord Lead, right?

[cosmos]

Originally Posted by sentokan

Wizzy noise yes, cutting leads, like I said
..so it's the Nord Lead, right?

yeap. try hunt down a Nord 1, i think they are the best out of all 3, the most angry for sure .. a Nord modular is realy good too.

[sentokan]

Originally Posted by cosmos

yeap. try hunt down a Nord 1, i think they are the best out of all 3, the most angry for sure .. a Nord modular is realy good too.

I see..

[pointsource]

man check my upcoming psychedelic track:

Point Source - Distant Call (Original Mix) PREVIEW by Point Source on SoundCloud - Create, record and share your sounds for free

i used my slim phatty for bass and pads, some squelches, U-he ACE for the intro and MAdrona Labs's Aalto for the arp riff and a few other drony squelches.

Like cosmos said, it really doesn't matter what synth you have, as long you know how to use it you can get almost all sounds out of it, so , keep practicing and studying.

[blinky909]

Originally Posted by cosmos

yeap. try hunt down a Nord 1, i think they are the best out of all 3, the most angry for sure .. a Nord modular is realy good too.

the NL2 has great polyphony which is handy if you are using the unit as four separate synth engines. you have to know what the polyphony of the NL1 you are looking at has since they could be upgraded from 4 to 12 voice. the NL2 is 16 voice only.

play a 3 note chord with one voice that is sustained for a whole note, play a rolling bass line, toss in some percussion, and then your lead, and you could easily hit the 12 note limit.

[BTByrd]

Originally Posted by Resonance5

wow great stuff! would you like to share some patches?

Thanks!

Sadly, I don't have any of the patches used in either of those demos. I sold my NL2X off a while ago, and the Voyager track was pretty much all done by starting with the basic "initialize" patch, designing the sound, tracking it, and then moving on to the next sound without saving it. Probably a stupid move on my part...