Good "beginner" synths?

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I'm interested in learning how to design my own sounds on a synthesizer; which softsynths are good ones to learn on? By good, I mean ones that are relatively simple but can still create a decent variety of sounds. They can be freeware or not, that doesn't matter.

Check out Native Instruments "MASSIVE".

Native Instruments is great so I'd give them a go.

Fruity Loops is meant to be a good beginners program as well.

Ableton is also good and reasonable easy to use.

Reason is a bit harder but of higher quality.

FL and Ableton can both use VST plug ins. Reason can't. There are some really really good VST's out there which can be tuned in a huge variety of ways. You may also want a Midi keyboard which may be able to use a midi interface to connect or just connect itself directly via USB. A midi interface is always useful as you can normally hook up midi synths along with a keyboard and a variety of other equipment into the computer.

I will come back to this thread with the names of some good VST's

Edit: My friend says that Native Instruments are the best to go for and there are lots of VST's available here: http://www.vst4free.com/
Edit2: if you are interesting in all kinds of sound production information check this site: http://www.tweakheadz.com/guide.htm

Sorry, should have made it clear that I'm only a beginner as far as ability goes; I have yet to try making my own sounds, but I do have plenty of knowledge of the different companies/products out there. I have a Casio CTK-3000 (61-key keyboard, not high-end by any means but still very adequate for me so far. No mod wheel, unfortunately, but other than that the only things that bother me is that F's make the case resonate (only a problem if it's playing from the onboard speakers) and that the pitch wheel is oriented up-down instead of left-right). I have Cubase 5 as my sequencer.

I figure a subtractive synth would be the easiest to start with; keep in mind I don't need Absynth/FM8/Sylenth1 sound quality for this; once I get better at making my own sounds I'll move to those synths, but now I'm just going to work on making my own patches. They don't need to blow me away in terms of "wow, I could put this in a song!" That's the eventual goal, and I already know what synths I want for that (you're right about NI, everything I've tried from them has blown me away).

I also have Tweakheadz's guide bookmarked, and I read every single page of it (even the stuff that doesn't apply to me, like anything involving hardware setup). Love it, you can tell he knows his stuff but hasn't forgotten how to have fun with it.

Thanks for the input so far.

Your knowledge sounds a bit beyond mines to be honest.

So are your plans just to make basic Synths and to attempt to create some sounds by playing on the keyboard?

Someone else just said to me that Albino3 and Minimonsta are good VST's if that is of any use.

Yeah, my eventual goal is to make my own music (I've made some cool three- or four-measure clips, but nothing more), but that's a ways away. I'm teaching myself how to play keyboard, and I've taught myself the basics of Cubase, although I'm still discovering new things to do with it (messed around with the step sequencer for the first time the other day and loved it).

I'll check out Minimonsta for sure, as I recall it's a Minimoog software emulation, so it shouldn't be too complex. Right now I just don't want to have all kinds of modulation/filter options thrown at me, I've gotta get the basics down first before I move on to that.

I was going to recommend Minimonsta. Moogs are simple and sound great.

People say to me Cubase is hard to use. Ableton is meant to be one of the best and so is Reason.

I've expirmented a little with synthesizers because I wanted to learn how to make my own beats. I like write songs and poetry, but in the end I just couldn't grasp the software. If you get good, hit me up! Maybe we can work together.

If you are ever going to upload work somewhere when it can be streamed by anyone, or downloaded you apply that setting, use soundcloud.com

You need Reason. Seriously, you really do need it if you want to get into synth programming. EVERYTHING you need is right there. It is NOT difficult at all to use. You're not going to find a more complete yet simple subtractive synth than Subtractor. Thor is also über cool. NNXT is a MONSTER of a sampler. And, if you can learn how to use THESE synths, there's really nothing out there that will be inaccessible. Reason models the layout and operation of their synths to be like actual hardware out there. Redrum is even the best of both worlds between an 808 and a 909. Unlike Rebirth, you don't have to know a lot about programming to "mod" it--just load up your drum samples right from the front panel.

I also like Reason because it forces you think about your signal routings. This is useful because you can use Gate/CV output to modulate another synth--just like you can in an all-analog synth setup. You might just rather start with some basic programming, making pads, leads, and so on before getting into more complex applications. Ever since I got my Synclavier, I don't really mess with my software anymore other than to just test out some ideas. Right now I want to design sounds for the FairlightCMI app, which has some limitations I'm not used to and so making sound for good electronic compositions (the kind of stuff I like) is a little difficult at the moment. What I might do is sample my Synclavier FM output and test those sounds in Reason NN-19, which is the lightweight Reason sampler. But you could, for example, route kick drum gate from Redrum into Subtractor with a bass patch and you'd have a cool bass sound synced to your drum machine. All you have to do is hold down the note you want it to play, and Redrum will play the kick pattern for you on the Subtractor bass. It's incredibly useful and flexible.

Absynth is also VERY easy to use, plus you can make your own additive waveforms. It has some really cool and sophisticated sound manipulation tools. Not only that, but such variety and so many different ways to create sounds. If you want to break into sound design, you really can't live without it.

A couple of other things you should eventually look into: Alchemy, by Camel Audio. I don't personally have it, but it looks AWESOME. I have Cameleon 5000, but I never use it. Even with filters it just makes my head hurt. Alchemy is supposed to be just massive, having the same basic capabilities as CA5000. It's probably a lot less clumsy to use, also. I just found out about another one called Zebra from u-he.com. That one might be a little too deep for you, but I'd put it on my wish list if I were you. Once you hone your skills on simpler software and you have the basics down, try for something like Alchemy or Zebra.

When I first got into computer music, I got Logic Pro 7 and now run Logic Pro 9. I don't know what's available in Cubase, but Logic's plugins are really nice. There's not much that you'd need to do as a beginning sound designer that you couldn't do with Logic. You can learn pretty much all you'll ever need to know with es e, es p, and es1. I think EFM1 is really weak for a FM synthesizer. You're much better off getting NI FM8 if you're obsessed with it, and Absynth's FM capability is much more flexible. When you get comfortable with those, try ES2, which gives you wavetable synthesis, linear FM, and a modulation matrix. Seriously, I could do everything I do now in hardware with Logic if I ever for some reason had to give it all up and go back to only using a laptop.

On the hardware side--I tried out and really like the Roland Gaia. It is really nice because of the tactile interface laid out just like an analog synth.

If you would like some help getting started with sound design, I'll be happy to pass on some pointers.

Here's a link to one of my compositions using Synclavier FM and convolution reverb:

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y-M260cvbtU[/youtube]

Personally, I would rather have a REAL Synthesizer ... none of those computer plug-ins thanks

CURRENT 'ANALOG MODELING' SYNTHS:

Clavia Nord Lead 2x
[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EHr1-wwgW_Y[/youtube]
Roland SH-01 Gaia
[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5U4sYtQsoAY[/youtube]
Korg KingKorg
[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ItKQ8ydMTIc[/youtube]
CURRENT REAL ANALOG SYNTHS:

DSI MoPho Keyboard
[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sL8KTuA0Q4Y[/youtube]
Korg MS-20
[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PEPNxEDniWo[/youtube]
Arturia Minibrute
[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sUNNwibffTw[/youtube]

For more discussion on SYNTHESIZERS & KEYBOARDS, check out this thread... lots of Synth Porn there!

http://www.wrongplanet.net/postt225362.html

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Xz4miA9nfoE[/youtube]

This is probably one of the most popular beginner synths, because it is small, cheap, light, and sounds good!

Korg MicroKorg
[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kGgLPlf469g[/youtube]