What kind of programs do you expect from a factory sound setup?

[Pim]

In a real synth like Andromeda or Neuron, what kind of programs do you wish to hear?

[soapbox]

If I'm in the middle of arranging and I hear a Wurlitzer patch in my head. I don't want to have to take the time right then to create my own Wurlitzer patch. OTOH, if I hear a unique sound in my head, I want the flexibility to be able to "roll my own."

 

Ideally, I want a synth with three things:

1) All of the basics covered: pads, lead lines, basses, etc.

2) Presets that demonstrate the special things that a synth can do.

3) Lots of knobs, a big display, blank presets, and power "under the hood" to help me create and save sounds easily and quickly.

 

I don't own a keyboard that covers all three of these things well, IMO. That's one reason why I have multiple keyboards. For example, my QS8 covers 1 & 2 well, but it falls short on 3. OTOH, my Z1 handles 3 quite well, but it falls short on 1 & 2. Although I have many other keyboards, I can get a lot done with just those two.

 

(BTW, for clarification, my use of the expression "falls short" means that the keyboard leaves me wanting in that area, not that it fails in that area.)

 

Because of these factors, I couldn't answer the poll. I'd be happy to make either choice in the survey for one synth as long as I could also make the other choice in another synth (as above with my Z1 and QS8).

[Bucktunes]

My answer would be "both". I agree the bread and butter sounds should be in memory so you can get to them quickly. After all, that's why the early synths originally had memory.

 

OTOH, I don't think the presets should be cluttered up with fifteen variations of OB synthbrass or string pads. I think the presets should be departure points that demonstrate different sound types. There should be patches that demonstrate the synth's capability, as long as they're musically useful to begin with. That way you'll want to tweak to taste. I'm not impressed with "look what I can do" patches that don't inspire me to create music.

 

Peace all,

Steve

[tenthplanet]

I want the hear what the machine can do, what makes it different. I want to hear what the filters, what the modulation can do. I don't want to here analogs of every other machine.

 

Michael

[coyote]

The poll does not cover it at all.

 

To me, there are two (perhaps more) grades of synth.

 

There are absolutely classic sounds - piano, Hammond, Rhodes, Clavinet - that a QS-type synth should really do well. This type synth ought also do somewhat realistic horns, strings, etc. So obviously the presets ought display these.

 

Then there is the 'real' synth, analog or analog modeling. Original, wild, unknown sounds. Some of the presets ought show off the things that make the synth special & unique, and others ought display its ability to emulate the classic analog synths of yesteryear. The built-in demo songs should illustrate a wide range of capabilities - I was on the Access kb site a few weeks ago and *all* the demo songs were electronica/dance stuff! One presumes that a powerful synth can do other things well also.... SHOW ME!