Best synthesizers for abstract and ambient sounds?

ph.billy · Post by **ph.billy** » Thu Sep 26, 2013 5:32 am

Hey guys what type of synthesizer would you think is
best to be used for abstract and ambient sounds?

Or do you think it is entirely dependent on one's knowledge?

I have read some people mentioning that Korg has a more metallic sound to their instruments in contrast to lets say Yamaha.

Can anybody give their input?

Thank you.

Post by **Sharp** » Thu Sep 26, 2013 10:31 am

I have read some people mentioning that Korg has a more metallic sound to their instruments in contrast to lets say Yamaha.

That's only partly true. It greatly depends on what KORG sound engine your referring to. KORG have used many sound engines over the years and each one has it's own tonal qualities.

For example, if you put a Trinity and a Triton side by side, the Trinity would sound much warmer and fatter compared to a colder more “CD” type sound of the Triton. This is simply because the Trinity ACCESS sound engine sounds different from Triton HI SYS.

But each have their own advantages over the other. For sound scape, abstract and ambient sounds, the Trinity does a better job. Where for Bread & Butter, and Moderen Music, the Trition Series does a better job.

Yamaha on the other hand have been using the same sound engine (AWM2) for the last 25+ years so there's not that much difference in tonal quality when you go from keyboard to keyboard. It feels more like the same, but an upgrade in the form of additional samples.

Either way, a Yamaha would be the last place on earth I'd look for abstract and ambient sounds. It's sound engine is far too basic. If your looking for real world sounds / bread and butter, sure, it's a no brainier there, but beyond that forget about Yamaha.

For abstract and ambient sounds here are a few to choose from, don't let the age of some of theses put you off either.......

Roland JP 880
Roland JP 8000
KORG Wavestation
KORG Trinity
KORG OASYS
KORG KRONOS.
ACCESS VIRUS (any flavour)
Alesis Andromeda A6
Hartmann Neuron (by far the best for abstract and ambient)
KAWAI K5000

To name a few..

Regards
Sharp.

Hugo · Post by **Hugo** » Thu Sep 26, 2013 11:16 am

Hmm, not sure I entirely agree with your opinions on Yamaha, Sharp. I've owned a cs6x and a Motif ES, and found both to be pretty good at making these kinds of sounds. Both the synth engines and not least the great effects on offer, open for great experimentation. The newly announced Yamaha MOXF features the entire engine of the flagship Motif XF, and should be a fantastic sound design tool.

Having said that, it will probably require an editor for efficient programming.

In addition to the synths you mention, I want to add:
Waldorf Blofeld - VA and wavetable synth capable of a wide range of sounds. the patch randomiser can be great for suggesting strange tones. Can sound a bit metallic (in a good way)

Roland V-Synth - VA and sample based synth. Mangles samples in ways that can result in very surprising stuff. I love it.

Native Instruments Absynth - made for the strange.

Native Instruments Reaktor - make your own modules, or access the huge user library, with an awesome amount of modules, many designed for abstract and ambient stuff.

Hugo · Post by **Hugo** » Thu Sep 26, 2013 11:53 am

Oh, if you have an iPad/iPhone/iPod, Moog's Animoog is mindblowing.

Bald Eagle · Post by **Bald Eagle** » Thu Sep 26, 2013 11:54 am

The Prophet 12 has a lot of possibilities. You can get a wide range of sounds out of this beast.

Post by **Sharp** » Thu Sep 26, 2013 11:56 am

Hugo wrote:Oh, if you have an iPad/iPhone/iPod, Moog's Animoog is mindblowing.

If software is being considered as an option also, then omnisphere is also a great choice.

Regards
Sharp.

Hugo · Post by **Hugo** » Thu Sep 26, 2013 12:08 pm

Sharp wrote:
Hugo wrote:Oh, if you have an iPad/iPhone/iPod, Moog's Animoog is mindblowing.
If software is being considered as an option also, then omnisphere is also a great choice.

Regards
Sharp.

Definately! Awesome synth.

Hugo · Post by **Hugo** » Thu Sep 26, 2013 12:10 pm

Bald Eagle wrote:The Prophet 12 has a lot of possibilities. You can get a wide range of sounds out of this beast.

Yes, forgot about it. I tested one recently, and concluded I'm getting one if I land a new job this year

What's especially great about this synth is the hands-on tweakability. Very immediate.

btw: all considered, I'd pick a Korg Kronos, if I could choose

Joe Gerardi · Post by **Joe Gerardi** » Thu Sep 26, 2013 1:05 pm

Casio VZ-1- What it does is ambient. You're not gonna get the bread-and-butter sounds out of it. Not happening. But for the abstract and ambient? Yup.

Kawai K5000. Bear to program as it uses Additive Synthesis. The K5000S is considered the performance version with loth of knobs for real-time manipulation, and the K5000W is the workstation, which eschews the knobs but has a built-in sequencer.

Korg Wavestation- Amazingly inexpensive now, and uses vector Vector Synthesis based on...

Prophet VS- Ridiculously overpriced synth.

..Joe

X-Trade · Post by **X-Trade** » Thu Sep 26, 2013 9:57 pm

For totally abstract ambient pads and sound washes, I got miles and miles out of the Radias. Sometimes there it seems like anything at all is possible... unless you're after a piano.

Synthoid · Post by **Synthoid** » Thu Sep 26, 2013 10:00 pm

X-Trade wrote:For totally abstract ambient pads and sound washes, I got miles and miles out of the Radias.

Definitely.

Between the Radias and my M3, I've got the bases covered for ambient textures and motion sounds.

ph.billy · Post by **ph.billy** » Mon Sep 30, 2013 12:43 am

Thanks for the help everyone

DaniH · Post by **DaniH** » Mon Sep 30, 2013 1:50 am

Sharp wrote:If software is being considered as an option also, then omnisphere is also a great choice.

I must agree with the use of Omnisphere. Amazing vst with millions of possible sounds. It is my go-to-synth when I make tracks on my laptop.

Vlad_77 · Post by **Vlad_77** » Mon Sep 30, 2013 10:23 am

Very strange that there is only one mention of V-Synth. It seems that when some people talk about V-Synth it is in the context of VAs. But this instrument does so much more.

Wavestation and Radias have been mentioned already and I agree they are splendid for abstract pads, washes, atmospheres, etc. In fact, I would agree with that every synth mentioned in this thread with the exception of the Motif series are great for abstract and ambient. I had a Wavestation EX, but with Kronos, I have it again and I have a Radias.

I've MIDIed my Radias to my V-Synth and the possibilities seem infinite, and on its own, V-Synth also seems without limit. The real time controls on it are insane - I don't think I need to go into the features of this great synth - at least I hope not. It is a very easy instrument to program I am finding, and, it takes very little tweaking to go from "normal" sounds to sounds so off the wall it's almost as if the instrument is alive and collaborating with me.

So, at least with my post there are two votes for V-Synth.

Best,
Vlad

metallo · Post by **metallo** » Mon Sep 30, 2013 2:26 pm

3 votes for the V-Synth. I got the GT one and it's absolutely mindblowing, endless possibilities.
I midied it with my kronos and my trinity (Solo board installed) and it's stunning.