From the original SynthMaker forum (2004–2014), with its members’ names and dates.
PaulRiedel ·
Hi!
I am creating a synth for my thesis and I would like to know what you, as a user, like/prefer when working with software synths.
For example: Would you rather have 5 windows to tab through each functino with, or one big one that shows everything at once. Or do you want 200 OSCs, or rather 2 with a thousand LFOs...
That kind of stuff, you know 😉
I'm very thankful for all the help I'm getting from everyone here. It's an amazing comunity!
Thanks again, Paul
5010 ·
What I like...
Tabs? Best of both worlds: Tabs for sections during preset design, a main tab with favorite controls for tweeking the sound while sequencing. So normally you select the preset and stay in the main tab but the rest is available when you are in a sound design mode.
Velocity mod essentials: a,d,s,r, volume, cutoff (inverted when high pass). vel2pitch can be nice for some percussion. I love things to be dynamic.
A few LFOs of selectable types (sine, saw, ramp, triangle, pulse, random) that can route output via mod table. Mod essentials: pitch, pulse width, FM amount, gain, cutoff, res, SVF low/high/band amounts. Even better if there is option to sync with beat, or perhaps sync to note-on.
Assignable mod wheel, similar to LFO assignment.
OSC in pairs for detune and stereo spread, with another 2 switchable between FM or mix so you get either detuned FM or lush 4 detunes or octave swells.
Plus an extra noise OSC to mix in with its very own filter.
A few ADSRs with options for linear to curved response. One for osc volume envelope, one for noise volume envelope (esp for synth drum sounds), and others you can route to similar things as the LFOs above, with option to invert.
A svf is good enough for the basic filter.
As for effects I tend to prefer separate vsts for that, but if you find ways to mod velocity, lfos, or adsrs into effect parameters then bundling them into the vsti would be powerful. Basing delay times on beat is nice.
Hard to say if the above has too much or too little complexity. It's the kind of thing I personally find useful.
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