What are your favorite type of synth sounds?

[Tiger Jackson]

I just love these kind of sounds: http://www.synthmania.com/Sequential%20 ... nc%20I.mp3

http://www.synthmania.com/Sequential%20 ... 20Sync.mp3

Those squawky-sounding type of leads... i try to resist using them on EVERY single track i do lol.

[jeffrey1121]

wow, such a simple question and yet so much thought required for answering.....

In particular I love.....

-true analog sound fx based on nature (such as rain, wind, seashore, etc)
-metallic PPG/waldorf wavetable sounds, especially the more primitive ones
-ridiculously modulated queasy sounds (a la venetian snares/squarepusher/aphex)
-acidic, squelchy sounds
-'hoover' sounds

and that's just a few...

[phesago]

Maybe I'm square, but I do prefer some pulse width at 40-ish% detuned to the 2nd osc pulse width at about 60-ish%.

Slow triangle filter sweeps are sweet too.

I guess I am really f**k boring when it comes to my synth sounds

[CS_TBL]

I like sounds with human qualities. So, nothing static, and all very responsive to velocity, aftertouch, mod. Lotsa fluctuations 'n randomness, lots of tiny nuances with each keypress. Also, when possible: noises or other weird things between subsequent keypresses (like flaps or embouchure changes with brass/winds). It could very well be that the basic architecture of such sounds is synthetic (heck, a simply sawtooth would do), as long as you get the impression that it's really being played by humans and that the sound is alive and full o' thingies.

[Alex E]

Detuned anything.

[Walter Ego]

Detuned saws. What else do you need?

[Alex E]

Detuned saws. What else do you need?

Watch this... NOTHING!!

[stephen]

Detuned saws. What else do you need?

Watch this... NOTHING!!

But... but... Eminent and smallstone..... and TD style sequences... them too!

[_seph]

I just love these kind of sounds: ...... Those squawky-sounding type of leads... i try to resist using them on EVERY single track i do lol.

lol that's funny as those are my least favorite sounds and are the ones I've always quickly skipped past when auditioning presets on a new synth.

but I generally gravitate towards pads and bells and wind like sounds. Strange timbres utilizing feedback, dissonance and noise. Contrast, like the engulfing dark as well as icy glassy purity. Sounds like those that could be from outer space or of trapped echoes from caverns below.

mostly though I'm a sucker for physical modeling and additive re-synthesis; sounds that are obviously synthetic but are like an electronic approximation of real world sounds or bizarre instruments from another place.

and I suppose I really like the sound of aliasing.. as with extreme sample manipulation of time and pitch, the stretching of a thing beyond its limits and anything recognizable.

[Don T]

Hmm, Pulse wave (assuming pulse-width mod available), filter almost completely down, resonance just below oscillation, slow attack and release, with the ADSR modulating the pulse width and the filter cutoff

Of course, a sawtooth if PWM is not available.

Next, the above, with the pitch modulated by the random voltage generator...

Ok, gotta finish some work up and go play with the nearest analog monosynth!

[tekkentool]

I like things that literally sound like they come from another planet.



Like the wicky wicky wicky wow wow, sounds that have no equal anywhere else.

Aggressive, distorted and unique usually. The "sonic charges" from Star wars Episode II in song form.

[moremagic]

im really fond of ep and string patches that are too electronic to be real but still manage to feel natural instead of superspacey

of course i wouldnt play synths if i didnt like the super spacey sounds too!

[EmptySet]

I could play that Vangelis CS-80 brass sound for a week straight. But I avoid using it in my tracks for some reason.

[Bitexion]

I'm a sucker for hard sync sounds. Like JM Jarre's Elka Synthex "laserharp" sound. It was one of the first synthesizer sounds I heard that was totally unreal as a kid, not an imitation of other instruments.

And for various reasons it's nearly impossible to replicate accurately on other synths, due to the special features of the Synthex, like the chorus and PWM modulation of oscillator 1 that is used. You can get in the same ballpark, but the actual tone is very difficult to achieve. It's more than just "sync vco1 to vco2 and sweep the frequency downwards".

[antilles]

I actually really like synthsounds with guitar like timbres. (not distorted) Take the guitar preset sound on the CS-50/60/80 for instance. It's so delicate and 'round' sounding. My favorite sound on the Yamaha SY-1 is also guitar. It even goes for the guitar presets on any FM synths.

Sounds i dislike are basses with a lot of resonance and osc sync type sounds.