When I'm mixing my own orchestral (virtual of course) pieces I only use a master compressor for the whole lot. Not because the track really needs it, but to bring the dynamic range closer together. In terms of loudness, the difference between pianissimo with a few instruments and fortissimo on the w...

"6 oscillators + 1 LFO" per voice, at 16 voices would add up to 112 oscillators, all being unstable like h**l. This would probably sound awesome, though :) Not really, FM operators with unstable frequencies (and thus, forming *slight* non-integer ratios) don't lead to fat sounds, it leads to sounds...

ok, so you can make many different algorithms that will each produce a slightly different sawtooth wave? Yes and when someone makes a quality software synth, they will probably make a unique one, which creates a unique basic tone? Probably. Although I'd assume that - say - Native Instrument creates...

interesting... does this mean that the pure/raw waveforms sound the same between some/all of the soft syths? What you, as a human, perceive as a sawtooth, is nothing more than a bunch o' ones and zeroes in a computer. What you see as a waveform generator is nothing more than a number of logical swi...

Tone tweaking functionality. If everyone makes the same sawtooth->filter->output model in SynthEdit (to name something), then yes: you'll have oodles o' identical synths. But give a user 10 ways to tweak just that sawtooth, and you'll be able to make something with a sound of its own. And *cough*, F...

Hartmann Neuron ^ This. And mainly because there's not been much Neuron material to listen to so far, except noisy metallic soundscapes. Which is a hint too: don't overdo sampling all these noisy things for which we could use any other synth, I'd be much more interested in things we can use as a tr...

To name something fundamental: FM8 has more effects. And they can play a radical role in the whole sound shaping process. I can spend countless moments shaping my sounds using nothing but the effects section. Start with white noise coming from the operators, if you want that noise to form the fundam...

iProg: I fail to see how a default time period emerges from a synth, or any instrument for that matter. If tomorow Skrillex uses an old Renaissance lute for one of his wubs, then this lute is suddenly a cool modern instrument or something? It's up to the sound designer to ape old synths/organs/metho...

Right, so, is this the end of the ominous analogue vs digital threads? Is yes: let's continue on this subject:

complex functionality vs straightforwardness

If you think the easy of programming should equal a reduced set o' features (so, there won't be menu diving, multi-purpose controllers etc.), then I guess you'll accept the simple fact that synths with simple interfaces feature a limited amount of sound shaping options. Does this improve synthesis q...

If you can shell out a little bit more, you'll have Komplete for €499 *. That will contain about everything you'll need when you're just starting out with software, including the omnipotent FM8 - see my signature for examples. 8-) edit: * www.thomann.de has Komplete 8 for €479, www.bax-shop.nl has K...

Investigate freeware before you buy stuff.

Drum machine? What kind? Something with acoustic samples? Or yet another pack of the kazillion freeware 808, 909, 78, Linn samples - for which you only need a simple (and possibly freeware) sample player.

Stabs: sowwy Was mainly meant to point out the usual yays 'n nays that were bound to come up with topics like these.

To make it up, here's a picture of a smurf!

tnx ^_^ I've more FM8 remixes ready and semi-ready, but I need a moment to just finish it all up. Things which are ready or semi-ready: Blade Runner opening, Mr.Blue Sky, Bolero, My Favourite Things (Sound of Music), Metal Gear (game). Btw, you do know that BSX had Dominik Hauser redo the whole sheb...

Indeed, it's all up to the sound designer to get the best from any engine, and within a dense mix no one cares anyway. And the rest can take a hike..

Below this line: rants 'n rants 'n rants 'n rants!
______________________________________________