What misconceptions about your synths drive you nuts?

wilsontherocker · Post by **wilsontherocker** » Sat Dec 22, 2007 11:22 pm

The use of the words "Casio" or "Casiotone" as a replacement for "synthesizer" in rock record reviews by writers who really should know better.

That really bugs the h**l out of me. It also bugs me when "Moog" is used as a catchall term too, but far less than "Casio."

(not that there's anything wrong with Casio.

)

MitchK1989 · Post by **MitchK1989** » Sun Dec 23, 2007 12:08 am

"(insert hardware synth here) is so much better than (insert software synth here). There's just no comparison to the sound of a REAL synth"... I especially love that one when they're talking about a digital hardware synth.

"Software just sounds so bad/thin/gross/digital. It will be another 10 years before it catches up with hardware"... Another laughable one, especially considering the things you can do with software that hardware could never touch...

"Software synths need analog outboard to warm them up and help them sit in the mix"... Or you could just use some soft saturation plugins and EQ. You know, mixing tools. For mixing.

My own personal grievances also include people who insist "real" DJs use vinyl and people who bash amp modellers who don't know how to program them and usually aren't using them correctly, but those aren't really synth related (running an amp sim into your guitar amp? That's a no-no as the tone does not need a double dose of guitar amp flavour. Claiming guitar rig sucks when recording you're guitar into the microphone input and listening on laptop speakers? You're an idiot.)

P.S. I also hate people who pirate music software. "why pay for it when you can get it for free?". Because if you don't pay for it, it won't exist anymore, dingus. Not to mention the obvious irony in stealing intellectual property in order to make your own. Why don't you shoplift that nord lead 3 you want so much then?

Post by **Vxster** » Sun Dec 23, 2007 12:21 am

MitchK1989 wrote:"(insert hardware synth here) is so much better than (insert software synth here). There's just no comparison to the sound of a REAL synth"

It's even better when users of certain software synths claim that they are a very accurate rendition of a synth they have never used...

MitchK1989 · Post by **MitchK1989** » Sun Dec 23, 2007 12:36 am

Vxster wrote:
MitchK1989 wrote:"(insert hardware synth here) is so much better than (insert software synth here). There's just no comparison to the sound of a REAL synth"
It's even better when users of certain software synths claim that they are a very accurate rendition of a synth they have never used...

I hate that too, actually. Though I also hate when people who don't own the hardware bash the software too. Especially when they're like "My Jupiter 6 sounds so much better than the Jupiter 8v"... I mean really, maybe you'd just prefer a Jupiter 6 to the Jupiter 8 to begin with?

This is getting a bit OT, but I personally don't see the appeal of software clones. I'd rather have a synth with an interface optimized for a computer screen then a picture of a hardware interface... Fabfilter's Twin or Cakewalk's Rapture for example. Good luck finding hardware that lets you drag and drop mod routings or create graphic envelopes.

Post by **Vxster** » Sun Dec 23, 2007 12:57 am

MitchK1989 wrote:
Vxster wrote:
MitchK1989 wrote:"(insert hardware synth here) is so much better than (insert software synth here). There's just no comparison to the sound of a REAL synth"
It's even better when users of certain software synths claim that they are a very accurate rendition of a synth they have never used...
I hate that too, actually. Though I also hate when people who don't own the hardware bash the software too.

I think perhaps I am aiming too high here.

Post by **BlackGnosis** » Sun Dec 23, 2007 4:38 am

When a Synth is listed as "affordable" when clearly I can barely afford it to begin with!

*goes and cook some raman noodles..

hageir · Post by **hageir** » Sun Dec 23, 2007 4:51 am

"that sound is gay" -c'mon! that's ridiculous, how can a sound sound gay?

and also, kuroichi, you haven't played enough with the parameter locks on the MD+MNM, they're fantastic!
I had the ER-1 once and it was like a piece of dust compared to the Elektron's..

tom Cadillac · Post by **tom Cadillac** » Sun Dec 23, 2007 4:58 am

the misconception or pre concepton i hate most is that you can't make a certain sound adequately till you have 'the perfect synth' for it. ie you want good bass - you've got to have a pro one. And so on. Just the idea that there's certain ultimate synth sounds that only the best (=most expensive and rare?) synths can do properly. makes me feel very inadequate. But ultimately its a kind of nonesense. Electribes do bass perfectly fine really.

Wiglaf · Post by **Wiglaf** » Sun Dec 23, 2007 5:35 am

See below.

GeneralBigbag · Post by **GeneralBigbag** » Sun Dec 23, 2007 5:49 am

MitchK1989 wrote:"(insert hardware synth here) is so much better than (insert software synth here). There's just no comparison to the sound of a REAL synth"... I especially love that one when they're talking about a digital hardware synth.

"Software just sounds so bad/thin/gross/digital. It will be another 10 years before it catches up with hardware"... Another laughable one, especially considering the things you can do with software that hardware could never touch...

These two statements are at odds with each other.

MitchK1989 · Post by **MitchK1989** » Sun Dec 23, 2007 6:42 am

GeneralBigbag wrote:
MitchK1989 wrote:"(insert hardware synth here) is so much better than (insert software synth here). There's just no comparison to the sound of a REAL synth"... I especially love that one when they're talking about a digital hardware synth.

"Software just sounds so bad/thin/gross/digital. It will be another 10 years before it catches up with hardware"... Another laughable one, especially considering the things you can do with software that hardware could never touch...
These two statements are at odds with each other.

well, technically digital is digital and will sound the same whether running on DSP chips or an intel processor as long as the D/A converters are more or less the same, so software is inherently able to sound as good as hardware.

The thing I like about software is that a lot more odd or experimental things are done that are technically possible with digital hardware, but too "niche" to ever really become a real hardware product... Like U-He's more feedback machine. I doubt any delay that can get that screwy will ever show up in hardware. Same for Ohm Force's Ohmicide.

I also don't know how you would make a hardware reaktor without making the interface just a big touchscreen, which you could already do with a computer...

I'm not saying software is better than hardware or vice versa, I like both... Just pointing out annoying arguments I see on KVR all the time when the debate comes up.

Post by **tallowwaters** » Sun Dec 23, 2007 7:01 am

Vxster wrote:
MitchK1989 wrote:
Vxster wrote: It's even better when users of certain software synths claim that they are a very accurate rendition of a synth they have never used...
I hate that too, actually. Though I also hate when people who don't own the hardware bash the software too.
I think perhaps I am aiming too high here.

nah.

kuroichi · Post by **kuroichi** » Sun Dec 23, 2007 11:43 am

hageir wrote:"that sound is gay" -c'mon! that's ridiculous, how can a sound sound gay?

and also, kuroichi, you haven't played enough with the parameter locks on the MD+MNM, they're fantastic!
I had the ER-1 once and it was like a piece of dust compared to the Elektron's..

Ive had both, The MD did amaze me, but that was more to do with the UI really. There was just something about it that I wasnt satisfied with, which made me think it wasnt worth the price.

The ER-1 was OK, but nothing serious.

Post by **Zarith** » Sun Dec 23, 2007 4:40 pm

"Why don't you buy a real instrument?"
"Why don't you play real music?"
"Why do you use a fake instrument? and not a real piano?"

I hear this all the time

In the 90ies, the "more is better" argument was really annoying:

"My synth is better because it has 1000 presets! 128 voices polyphony! and 25 effects!"

Post by **braincandy** » Sun Dec 23, 2007 5:16 pm

"The DX (insert model here) is cold and digital." (in the form of a complaint)

Thank you, Captain Obvious. Now stop trying to do analog emulations on it and utilize it for what it does best. The statement above is part of why I like the DX-series and I still rue the day I sold my FS1r.