Best Synth for scoring - suggestions

[gainreduction]

Omnisphere would be one that covers a lot of ground.

[HDJK]

U-He Zebra is definitely worth getting. If you want to look into some of Hans Zimmers patches you can also get the DarkZebra extension.

Zebra

Soundset Dark Zebra

Otherwise Omnisphere is still widely used.

[gainreduction]

Originally Posted by HDJK

U-He Zebra is definitely worth getting. If you want to look into some of Hans Zimmers patches you can also get the DarkZebra extension.

Zebra

Soundset Dark Zebra

Cool, didn't know about that one.

[Ned Bouhalassa]

And just to make things more interesting, I would throw Alchemy and Padshop Pro into the mix.

[Lorenzop]

Thanks

Ned - that's steinberg padshop right?
Do you really think its good?
Is the pro version much different than the stock Cubase 6.5 one?
What do you use it for mostly?

Also what u guys think of the wavestation??

Somebody suggested a kurzweil k 2600 - what would you use it for, it's VAST engine or it's sampling ?
I feel like anything a kurzweil can do - do can software, and more flexibly (kontakt for example).

Cheers

[spiderman]

All those previously mentioned....

I would add iZoptope's Iris just for the fun of it. Not many good preset patches but fantastic for creating your own stuff.

[devastat]

Diva is great also.

[ThisIsSka]

if you're looking for a 'one-size fits all' solution then NI's Komplete will get you started with a bunch of synths, plus there's Kontackt for your samples.

Absynth is great for very weird surreal timey-wimey-wibbly-wobbly stuff.

[Lorenzop]

Well dies anybody use hardware synths for film scoring or are they out of another era of workflow?

[narcoman]

Originally Posted by Lorenzop

Well dies anybody use hardware synths for film scoring or are they out of another era of workflow?

There are loads of HW synths here used by those working on score. I try to encourage the composers to use hardware wherever possible - keeps a little edge against the rest out there.

[Lorenzop]

Aha exactly what I thought! And usually it sounds better too

[alphasnk]

for scoring i use the plugins you mentioned: diva and pad shop pro. I could also point you towards Boxed Ear, i've bought their two products and found them as usable as a real synth. Super useful for scoring/tv/video games kinda stuff!

Hardware: I couldnt live without my virus ti, it's a tremendous synth to create soundscapes. I also use a Dave Smith Tetra and it works pretty good!

[Ned Bouhalassa]

I have some really beautiful, old analog synths in my studio, but 75% of the projects have such crazy deadlines that I have no choice but to use software-only. In between gigs, though, you'll find me twiddling as many knobs and faders as possible!

[narcoman]

Originally Posted by Ned Bouhalassa

I have some really beautiful, old analog synths in my studio, but 75% of the projects have such crazy deadlines that I have no choice but to use software-only. In between gigs, though, you'll find me twiddling as many knobs and faders as possible!

Indeed the compromise we have to make in so many areas!!

[007]

+1 for Omnisphere.

Yes there are others, but if I was told to pick just one...that would be it.
That thing is so deep and covers so much ground, so flexible and intuitive, anything from pads to strings to textures and hits and swells, etc.
You can manipulate, mix and match the samples and waveforms, it's pretty damn limitless.
Also, tons of great tutorials online on how to do more with it.

That, combined with Kontakt and all the quality libraries available these days, you're pretty much set.

U-He ACE and Diva are favorites here as far as more synth-like apps.
Thick and gooey, I have yet to hear any soft-synth come this close to analog.

Hardware, well, imo anything works.
Be creative, run them through guitar pedals and multi-effects, brings new life to any instrument.

[Lorenzop]

Can anybody expand on the Virus Ti : it's digital va correct?
But them does it sound better or that much better than either omnisphere or Zebra/Diva??

[Ambience]

Zebra, Omnisphere & a virus!!!!!

[Lorenzop]

Well isn't a virus overkill if you have zebra and omni already?

I know often VAs sound better than software but in the case of virus TI versus omnisphere I'm not do sure

[Ambience]

Originally Posted by Lorenzop

Well isn't a virus overkill if you have zebra and omni already?

I know often VAs sound better than software but in the case of virus TI versus omnisphere I'm not do sure

Theres no such thing as 'overkill'
Although i would suggest a virus since it is a synth, a controller, and a multi fx processor all in one.

[Lorenzop]

Well i think overkill is def. the plague of modern music tech and it defenetly exists for the bank account!

In any case my question is if the va modeling of the virus sounds much better than the mentioned software? What you think? I think it has a slight sonic edge from what I can hear on YouTube but it could be down to better produced videos.
That's why I'm interested in your opinions
Thanks

[alphasnk]

you can only realize how useful is a synth like the virus ti when you buy one! People will always say that software can do this and that, and i'm myself a fan of plugins (omnisphere, diva, zebra, trillian, you name it), but dude try to program your own sounds with omnisphere and compare for example the unison, or detuning osc, with the virus ti, you'll see where the difference is instantly..

I had to program like a hundred of presets last summer for a production company, they were using omnisphere... Coming from the virus ti, i felt ultra restricted, i felt that the sounds were ok but not as classy as they would have been if done on the virus.. But it fitted their needs so...

You can check my soundcloud page, i have tracks done with the virus or other synths, i usually label which synth i used with tags, so you'll be able to hear it in various styles!

I hope it can help you !

[RRCHON]

If you want a one stop solution that would cover everything and compromises the least perhaps a workstation with multiple modes like a Kronos X covers all the bases.

The tradeoff is cost, and perhaps a bit more of learning curve, but if you dig in, the polish is there. I think you can get a 61 key for about $3500.

[drBill]

All the talk about Zebra...

I finally went and checked it out. Both the Zimmer patches and the stock ones.

It just sounds.....

eh, cheezy to me. Am I just missing something? Do the demo's suck or is it just better sounding when you program it yourself?

Inquiring mind wants to know,.,,,

[narcoman]

Originally Posted by drBill

All the talk about Zebra...

I finally went and checked it out. Both the Zimmer patches and the stock ones.

It just sounds.....

eh, cheezy to me. Am I just missing something? Do the demo's suck or is it just better sounding when you program it yourself?

Inquiring mind wants to know,.,,,

Ooh I like it . It doesn't have that "plugin" sound that so many have. Smooth. Lots of options to plug modules in as well - I liked the HZ module although if you use anything from it becomes Batman!!

[muziksculp]

Originally Posted by Ambience

Zebra, Omnisphere & a virus!!!!!

+1

Add Steinberg's Padshop Pro and KV331 Audio's Synthmaster 2.5 to this list, and you have a great synth collection for scoring applications

Cheers,
Muziksculp

[drBill]

Originally Posted by narcoman

Ooh I like it . It doesn't have that "plugin" sound that so many have.

Not hearing that. Are you saying the demo's suck and it sounds significantly better than the demo's?

[narcoman]

Originally Posted by drBill

Not hearing that. Are you saying the demo's suck and it sounds significantly better than the demo's?

nope. The demo has it all!! You just dont like it

[drBill]

Originally Posted by narcoman

nope. The demo has it all!! You just dont like it

OK makes sense. I didn't want to be tricked into buying something I don't dig yet another time. What was it the Who said....

WE WON'T GET FOOLED AGAIN!!!!!!!!!

Bye, bye Zebra......

[Lorenzop]

Can anybody tell me anything about the Waldorf Blofeld?? seems nice....and versatile?