best synth for learning synthesis

[[nis]]

go modular!

I second that, but a modular synth might be a bit too much if you're completely new to (subtractive) synthesis. That having said, learning it the hard way might take a bit longer, but it will not leave out any unanswered mysteries. If you don't want to invest the money in a modular hardware synth, there's a free software demo of the Nord G2 available which is very useful: http://www.nordkeyboards.com/main.asp?t ... nformation

[d-track]

operator
then reaktor

[parma]

I think Ultra Analog is laid out in a way that makes it easy to follow the signal path. It's basic but good. Of course Analog is pretty much UA in an Ableton skin but...ugh, what a skin . UA follows a more common topology for synths. Plus, in case you haven't heard, it's only $15 at audiomidi right now

You might want to give the TAL stuff a try:

http://kunz.corrupt.ch/?Products

TAL Elek7ro, TAL U-NO 62, and TAL Bassline are all fine synths with fairly basic synthesis. They are Audio Units as well. Oh, and they're free!

You might also want to check out FAW Circle which is basic subtractive but has some cool modulation abilities and a nice interface.

Another nice, basic VA is the Novation V-Station. Clean, clear interface and no massive feature overload. Perfectly capable of getting good bass, leads, pads. In fact, I will make that my official recommendation!

[steve-o]

SH-101. JUNO-60/106. Worked for me.

[synnack]

I would definitely vote Operator. I learned on a JP-8000 but I wish Operator was around then. Not only does it make basic subtractive synthesis easy to understand but also represents a very straight forward way to understand FM Synthesis.

Save the money you would have spent on 3rd party VSTi's and buy this. http://nickstutorials.com/products/soun ... e-operator

[ark]

If you're on a PC, you may want to consider Cakewalk Triangle. It's a classic subtractive monosynth, sounds pretty good, and has the nice advantage of being available for free.

[meowzah]

Future Audio Workshop's Circle taught me a lot. I was messing around on vanguard and massive way before circle came along, but it took my understanding of synthesis to a whole new level because of how the waveforms are visually animated as they are played.

[leedsquietman]

Operator is mostly an FM synth with some analog functionality. The term 'Operator' comes from original FM synths, which had 4 or 6 Operators (FM Oscillators).

If you wanted to know how to program a DX7, it might be a good idea to have a stab with Operator first.

Ableton's description of Operator is "Operator is a frequency modulation synthesizer that delivers an eclectic spectrum of sonic possibilities and musical inspiration"

[koranek]

SH-101. JUNO-60/106. Worked for me.

I agree.

If you really want to learn synthesis, you should probably start as simply as possible.

One oscillator with basic waveforms, one filter, one envelope.
That will keep you busy for a long time.
It's the basis of a lot of other synthesis, modular or otherwise. Learn these basics inside and out and you will never regret it.

[synnack]

If you wanted to know how to program a DX7, it might be a good idea to have a stab with Operator first.

Well thats true but for learning, one of the routings let's you do 4 OSC subtractive synth with an LFO and filter. More than enough to learn Subtractive too with Operator.

Now with Live 8 that you can create your own wave forms and add harmonic overtones, you might make the same argument for Operator and Additive synthesis.

It's just such a cleanly designed instrument I think you can learn the basics of all of these in one place. Not just FM, though that's what its target is.

[pulsoc]

You need something that costs $15 to REALLY learn synthesis.

[Zeddy]

I find the Reason synths are really logical, and you can't go wrong with Subtractor to learn on (I can vouch as I'm learning synthesis using it right now.) Reason is also a really fun environment to just play around in too... might be worth checking out.

[leedsquietman]

Yes. Although I am not really a fan of Reason's synths without a lot of processing, they always sound a tad thin to me. Even Thor, cool and as versatile as it is, doesn't have the weight of something like Zebra or Sylenth.

[Homebelly]

My vote goes to operator, even though it is technically an FM synth,
as some one else pointed out one of the algorithms is a straight ahead
four ocs subtractive synth, but with the super extra added bonus of being able to do
some very cool FM naughtiness when the inspiration grabs ya!!
Its about the only soft synth i am using now.

[alex.the.forge]

I actually think that Operator is pretty good for learning synthesis. It is well documented, there are video tutorials by the person who designed it, and its features can be pared down to very 'vanilla' elements, but also has some more advanced features when you want to add them in.

+1

I'm amazed Operator wasn't in that list!

@Mark - you said you are proficient in subtractive synthesis - Operator is absolutely perfect for the next step. Since Live 8 it has great filters (ladder is basically Moog) for subtractive synthesis, but you can also do FM synthesis very easily.

An exercise for you:

1. load up operator with just the default preset
2. Enable the LFO and start to increase the rate
3. switch the LFO type to high
4. increase the rate even further

what you are starting to hear are called "side bands" and they are the basis of FM synthesis. The LFO is basically becoming an Oscillator like A,B,C,D (so Operator is basically a 5 Oscillator synth)

So instead of adding more than one waveform together, or subtracting from them using a filter, you are creating more complex waveforms by modulating the frequency (like vibrato) really quickly until sidebands are produced.

That, in a very small nutshell is FM synthesis.

point being, it's really F*%king easy with Operator to do either - now you can take the new waveform you have created and use "subtractive" synthesis by applying a filter.

Or you can use A and B then C and D independently and have 2 separate modulated waveforms together - becoming additive synthesis.

Or you could avoid FM altogether and combine 4 different waveforms, all manually drawn with the partial editor (also new in Live 8 ) - thereby creating completely your own additive synth patch - which you can then "subtract" from with one of the filters.

Operator 2.0 packs a mighty punch.