Fantom vs Software Synths

[honeyshape]

As far as sound quility goes, what do you think about software synths like hypersonic. I use my fantom alot and love the sounds but its not practical in a airplane or like.

Does anyone use software synths? - whats your opinion. Could i do with out my fantom?

[jsepeta]

i have a lot of hardware synths and software synths. but lately i've been spending more time with hardeware because i like to have tactile control. and the usb midi controller i had was a pain in the butt to reprogram.

hypersonic version 1 comes close to approaching what hardware synths can do but i think my fantom is more powerful. i haven't heard or played with version 2 yet.

as far as synthesis is concerned, the fantom doesn't have a wide variety of ways to make sounds -- it's strictly sample-based. but you can load tons of softsynths on your computer to have more variety. however i've found what works best for me is to mix it up between hardware and software.

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Desperate times call for desperate measures.

[honeyshape]

Thanks for the advice,

I'm thinking about hypersonic 2 or colosus (east west).

But then again I like the hands on that the Fantom gives. Its just not always posible to have my fantom with me but I normally take my powerbook everywhere.

[lavis]

I think one thing people underestimate when comparing hardware with software is the flow when working with it. I've used a lot of software before I started to buy hardware and I never got near the expressiveness of HW with SW. HW is way more nicer to work with, faster and it's easier to be a way more creative (altough I'm most definitely NOT doing any exprimental stuff). If somebody offered me ten million euros to never use hardware synths again I would refuse cause returning to software would be pretty much like dying.

And PLUS, the Fantom (compared to Tritons, Motifs..) is so good to work with, absolutely the best.

So whatever suits you best, but Hypersonic vs. Fantom? Come on..

[kongwee]

Plus soft synth is not cheap. I was in the descision of going PC way or workstation keyboard. If I go PC base, I will end up buying new PC + software. Cost will be cheaper 30% but pain is 30% higher, so I end up buying workstation keyboard. I keep my 3 year old Mac just for mixing.

[sambasevam]

Sound patches : Fantom S (for scrolling thru patches, ease of use, etc..,
Drum work : Software wins imo.



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If at first you dont succeed, then skydiving is definitively not for you.

[thunderkyss]

You might take your powerbook(Mac........ eeyack) but are you going to bring a midi controller with you everwhere?? USB cable?? Headphones??

I've played around with the idea of a portable rig, but for me....... nothing really works well. There are all kinds of things you can try to get your powerbook to fill that need, not much you can do about bringing your FantomX8 on an airplane.

If I've got a drum beat in my head, a bassline, or an EP part I want to knock out, I boot up the FantomS, and get to work. If I decide it's worth developing, after I get a structure/arrangement pretty solid, I'll use my computer to look for other sounds. Organs& Bass, are probably the only thing that gets switched on a normal basis..... I like B4 better than anything in the Fantom. I usually play the bass part live(with my electric) unless I'm going for an acoustic bass, or synth bass tone.

Bassically, it's not one or the other for me.... it's both, and then some.

FantomX8
FantomS
AW4416
Now all I need is talent.
Anyone selling any talent??
member # 55
registered 21 May 2003

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[MarkShovel]

The Alesis Micron at $399 seems like a great portable solution. The keys are small; my hands are big. It seems almost like a toy, but it is extremely portable. I keep thinking that the 37 keys is an unacceptable implementation. You could get two of them and have one for each hand.

Everytime I play my Fantom X8, it reminds me of how awesome the Fantom X sounds. Yeah the 65lb keyboard and the 50lb road case are heavy, but I keep a two-wheel hand truck in my van.

[theologiae]

i started using reaktor a few months back and it has taken over what i work with. i love my Xa, but how you process sound if different. reaktor can process sound in ways the fantom can't come close. that said, it's more for people doing experimental music. if i was playing "keys" in a band i would stick with hard, but for making music (depending on the type) i'd switch with soft. also, the fantom is static. it's ability to change over time is limited. soft will be re-build every year.

circle 6

[HiveHead]

I'm just getting stuck into Reaktor too - it's awesome and the potential is vast.

Reason is a good Laptop choice i find. I just been away for a week and took my laptop (no controller or anything) and was able to get down some usefull ideas. Plus you can play around making sounds etc. Its really CPU friendly as well.


Matthew

[Roger Fairley]

I have a Fantom X8, Hypersonic 2, and Sampletank XXL, Ect...
When you use all of them, you will find that they're all different animals with different pro's and cons.
Hypersonic 2 impressed the heck out of me. I have to admit after buying it I did have a thought asking myself - With something like this, why the heck do I need a hardware synth? Then I play the Fantom and realize that I'll never get this character in my sound using anything else. That goes the same for the Hypersonic and Sampletank also.
All three synths kick the other ones butt in one way or another.
When making music, the more tools the better.
There is never going to be just "One" tool for the job.
Could you overhaul a car engine with a screwdriver?
Get the Hypersonic 2 and keep your board.

[Musikman4Christ]

That's exactly how I feel. I have to have a hardware synth i can touch and love. It's a weird sort of relationship. I felt this way when I had my Korg Trinity V3. I loved that synth so much, I guess its because I waited so long to finally afford one that it was almost like fatal attraction man. But yeah, I truly miss that one.

But now the Fantom X has filled that void. Its also beautiful, sounds awsome and does everything I need. So yes, I think no matter how much we think we can get away from the hardware synth, its just not gonna happen.

I found a lot of free soft synths at KVR.com and I just can't believe these are free. The sound is so awsome, specially since now I don't have the FM plug in that I had with the Motif ES, I feel so happy to have so many FM softsynths that sound as good if not better than what I had with the Motif.

The VA plug in on the Motif was good too, but very limited in polyphony and multitimbrality. So I found a free softsynth that does it as good and I can run many instances of it in cubase! Thats so awsome.

Bottom line, I will always have my hardware synth. I have to have one that I will love and just turn on and play when I dont want to fire up the whole system.

Warmest regards,

Musikman

"Seek the Lord while He may be found, call upon Him while He is near." Isaiah 55:6