Recommendations for a string/pad synth?

[nrjizer]

Also, if anyone more familiar with the Kurzweil wants to chime in on how capable it might be along these lines, I'd very much appreciate it. I'm currently in the middle of grad school hell and simply don't have the time to get into it right now (I'm only making this thread now so I can start to save for something later).

[jspitza]

Hello and nice to virtually speak with another Underworld fan!! I've recently programmed some remarkable pad and string sounds on the Akai Miniak. Very powerful little unit and can be had for under 200.00 dollars. Built like a tank too. Take care, Jeff.

[mkastrup]

First Video example is FM or Ring Modulation. Only one i see in that price range is Blofeld but i'm not crazy about the FX in the unit but its ok. An extra good Chorus/Ensemble unit would have Blofeld go a long way. Some delay units which feature modulation delay may also smear up the sound to make it a good pad player, like TC NOVA Repeater.

No matter what, no other instrument beats Blofeld in the featurewise in that price range. It also got multitimbral.

Novation Ultranova got nice FX's but is not multitimbral and its also more an Analog/FM synth.

A used Yamaha AN1x is a good classic, still non multitimbral and Analog/FM sounding but got great FX.

The 2 first sound examples i've heard can be made by just about any synth with a good Chorus/Ensemble. Third examples could be made by a Blofeld.

/Michael

[subby33]

Originally Posted by nrjizer

I currently own: A Nord 2X, SH-101, Monopoly, and Kurzweil K2500RS. I'm looking to add a synth that will excel at big pads, strings, and textures on the more digital sounding end of things (the Nord already has me covered for analogue-poly type needs). A couple of examples of the sorts of sounds I'd like to achieve:

underworld - peach tree (orginal version) - YouTube (this entire track is a great example)
Underworld - Biro The Leggy (Beautiful Burnout early version) - YouTube (this one too... another Underworld example )
System 7 & Derrick May - Altitude - YouTube (the opening chords of this tune)

... stuff like that. The Kurzweil gets me partway there, though to be honest I haven't had the chance to get too deep into it yet so it might be more capable than I'm currently giving it credit for. Regardless, I'm open to all suggestions. I'd prefer a synth over a rompler (though I'm not stringent), and I'd like for it to be within a reasonable budget (<$1000 is a must, <$600-700 is even better, so something like a Virus TI is out). Multi-timbrality is a huge plus but not necessarily required. The K5000 is on my radar, but I haven't been able to find good demos of it that aren't totally new-agey.

Any thoughts, slutz?

Hey. I love Underworld's pads, and I've also owned a K5000. I dont think the K5000 is really what you're looking for.

I think the AN1x would really do you nice, with some good plate reverb on it. Check out this guys youtube demo, at around 00:59 mark. You could go many places w/ that as a preset dont you think?

Yamaha AN1x Demo 1 of 3.avi - YouTube

[nrjizer]

Originally Posted by subby33

Hey. I love Underworld's pads, and I've also owned a K5000. I dont think the K5000 is really what you're looking for.

I think the AN1x would really do you nice, with some good plate reverb on it. Check out this guys youtube demo, at around 00:59 mark. You could go many places w/ that as a preset dont you think?

Yamaha AN1x Demo 1 of 3.avi - YouTube

Wow, you're right. Those might be the droids I'm looking for!

[skira]

FYI in a similar thread about pads Yoozer recommended a Roland JX-3P (plus adding reverb).

If you're willing to look ITB the first thing to look at is Omnisphere of course.

[subby33]

Originally Posted by skira

FYI in a similar thread about pads Yoozer recommended a Roland JX-3P (plus adding reverb).

If you're willing to look ITB the first thing to look at is Omnisphere of course.

I've also owned JX3P and would highly recommend it for the sound OP is looking for.

[NAWAX]

I would grab a Matrix 6/6R. Wonderfull strings with that classic Oberheim sound. It's also a beast for long evolving pads as its matrix is made exactly like a modular. You can route everything to anywhere. Tedious but easy to program if you know what you're doing. One of the best kept secret if you ask me. Plus, it won't ovelap with any of synth for sure...

[nrjizer]

Would the JX-3P not overlap with the Nord, though? I recall a comparison someone posted here a while back between a square wave from a nord and a square wave from a JX, and they were nearly indistinguishable. I know there's a lot more that makes the synth than just the oscs, though.

Not that a bit of overlap is a bad thing, but I'm on a very limited synth budget and don't need redundancy as much as I can avoid it.

[kpsiegel]

You've got a K2500RS which gives you a very powerful synth with great effects already. I can't see adding another synth without spending a bit more time getting deeper into that. I think you can get the patches you want out of that.

I have a K2600SX and I understand completely what you mean about needing a bunch of time to get deep into it. If you get a new synth it is going to take you time to learn how to use it properly anyway. Why not save the money and just learn to use what you have better? Not a lot of fun to hear for a Gearslut I know but it is something to consider.

The Blofeld desktop is a great recommendation if you feel you have to get another synth. To me it is far and away the best synth for the money out there. You can get one used with the sample package installed for about $500. It won't overlap with the Kurzweil because it has wavetables built in as well as all the other standard synth goodies. It has a WAY better arpeggiator than the K2500RS. You also can use the SoftKnobs editor for it if you like. You can put the Blofeld through the K2500RS effects.

I would be playing with my synths now if it weren't for the damn thunderstorms in the area

[atma]

Originally Posted by NAWAX

I would grab a Matrix 6/6R. Wonderfull strings with that classic Oberheim sound. It's also a beast for long evolving pads as its matrix is made exactly like a modular. You can route everything to anywhere. Tedious but easy to program if you know what you're doing. One of the best kept secret if you ask me. Plus, it won't ovelap with any of synth for sure...

i agree with this. i just got a matrix 1000 which is nearly identical to the 6/6r. it excells at basically exactly the sounds you're looking for. downside is that it SUCKS bigtime to program it. you have to use a computer editor to edit/create patches for it, which i hate. But, it also comes with 1000 presets loaded into it. and there are 1000s more out there to load. so really you never have to even create custom patches if you just want something loaded with tons of sounds. it would take a lot of hours just to audition every preset in one of those machines.

[CfNorENa]

Originally Posted by nrjizer

I'm looking to add a synth that will excel at big pads, strings, and textures on the more digital sounding end of things (the Nord already has me covered for analogue-poly type needs)

Imagine a book called An Encyclopedia of Analog Synthesizers. Now imagine an entry in that book for the Roland MKS-70. This is what that entry would say:

"Excels at big pads, strings, and textures on the more digital-sounding end of things."

I think it will give you things your Nord can't...

[nrjizer]

Hmm... lots of good options so far, much appreciated.

I haven't looked much into a Matrix 6, but I have looked long and hard at the MKS70 before. Blofeld is also a hell of a lot of synth for the price, but most demos I hear sound more metallic than I prefer, of course I could just be hearing the wrong ones.

[Teknobeam]

sometimes you can achieve really amazing results when you layer tow synths for pads. This is really easy to do these days and low cost... Consider an EMU Proteus over a JX8p.....the combinations are many. the results can be lush and sophisticated.

[wcb123]

Omnisphere. It kicks every other string synth into touch.

[nrjizer]

Thanks for the suggestion, but I'm looking strictly for hardware.

I still haven't made any moves yet (graduate school keeps me away from music most of the time these days), but as of now I'm thinking about selling my Nord 2X (possibly the K2500 also) and and picking up maybe a DW-8000, Matrix 6, and Kiwi patch editor. As useful and functional as the Nord is, I just can't get excited about its sound at all (much too cold/clean for me) and it's time for a change.

[SV1200]

I have PC361, and I assume your Kurz has a lot of same sounds. For strings/orchestral, Kurzweil are the BEST, but for pads it takes a lot more programming, and isn't worth the effort to some because of UI

Def good suggestion here already, Matrix 1000, Juno 60, Kawai SX240, Polysix, for digital EX5, Z1, JD800, k5000s, Waldorf XT, or older Virus do some incredible pads as well.

[BaconTastesGood]

I just don't think you can do any better than the Blofeld in that price range.

[nrjizer]

Originally Posted by SV1200

I have PC361, and I assume your Kurz has a lot of same sounds. For strings/orchestral, Kurzweil are the BEST, but for pads it takes a lot more programming, and isn't worth the effort to some because of UI

Def good suggestion here already, Matrix 1000, Juno 60, Kawai SX240, Polysix, for digital EX5, Z1, JD800, k5000s, Waldorf XT, or older Virus do some incredible pads as well.

You're right about the Kurz. It definitely has some amazing sounds but not what I'm after 98% of the time, and although it's engine might be powerful I simply don't have much interest in trying to program it--I like to write and record very quickly.