Spoiler: analog and digital synths are equally awesome when Daniel Fisher is in the room! Like, Comment, and Subscribe for more sweet content - and thanks for watching!
it's not true lol,depending on the type and brand of analogue synthesizer,they have different designs.BUT your statement about voices is totally wrong.Analog synth can have full 88 key press with only 12 oscillators,using divider ICs to get lower octaves.And in reality,we don't need that much polyphony.Analog synths are ways more better than digital at sounding.Digital sound is flat and poor while analog has deep,powerful sound that penetrates into our mind.We can use digital for managing presets but it's must be analog for the quality.
17:06 "You could have a different sound every day until the heat death of the universe, you know, I mean, it's... it's really that infinite. Um. So, just something to consider." -Daniel Fisher
I love how clear and objective you are on breaking down issues like this. There is so much dogmatic information about these types of questions on the Internet, that’s it’s nice to see someone, and a retailer at that, simply communicating the strengths and weaknesses of the various options available on the market. No fads, no hype, no manufacturer deals, just here are your options and what they do and don’t do.
Yeah it was actually well elaborated, pointing out every aspect that needs to be considered. I'd say this is by far the most objective breakdown of both worlds of Sound synthesis and very helpful for beginners in particular.
yes even i knew all this stuff, the way it was presented by someone who clearly lives and enjoys synths makes it relaxing to listen to, like having a friend tell you his experience...thanks!
I’ve been a guitarist for over 16 years. But this man, with the excellent presentation of all the important info, has made me want to start becoming a synth player as well. Thank you for this video 🤘
@@pat2rome if I had a Moog one I’d retire from new analogs and try to get into guitars which seem cheaper than selling both kidneys for an $8000 monster. They are expensive too but don’t cost nearly as much as a Moog One.
Both. Both is good. I've got a Minilogue (my first synth), and now a HydraSynth Desktop. Pretty sure my next one will be a beefy analog like the Matriarch, then I'll probably get a Peak or a Quantum, then another analog, then another digital... just alternate between them and you'll always (never) be satisfied. Great video, Daniel!
I got thy poly D and the hydrasynth explorer and I guess TD3 as well volcafm and I'm happy with all but I can see myself looking around and never being happy.
Gotta say , for people on the fence , you did really good with the amount you did and didn't show with the Hydrasynth . It's a really good demonstration of what you were saying about how far digital synths have come in the last 5 years or so . If you really went to town on the Hydra , you'd have some folks swayed to the dark side for sure :) . I went the cheaper route and got a Mircrofreak for now , but I think Hydra or Wavestate are in my post-covid budget plans .
What I do like with fully analog is you're clearly manipulating voltage in and out. You take control of the sound from A to Z with nothing in between (no processing, no digital A/D conversion, etc..) and it becomes your sound. It feels organic too, like playing any other acoustic instrument.
@@RB-mm7ce "What I do like with fully analog is you're clearly manipulating voltage in and out" There's a lot going on with an analog synths voltage that you're not able to manipulate and it's that instability people find desirable. " You take control of the sound" Digital processing is vastly more versatile than analog offering way more control for sound design. and what does no processing "from A to Z " mean?. A/D audio conversion has nothing to do with it. digital synthesis replaces controlled voltage with a microchip. And finally, because it's more versatile, a sound you make on a digital synth even more uniquely "becomes your sound"
This is the best explanation and comparison of analog and digits synths I’ve ever seen. (I also love the subtext that as technology advances, the differences between the two get smaller!)
Big analog enthusiasts, knew why I wasn’t a big fan of digital, but now I want a Hydrasynth. I don’t have space for more gear so I guess I am living in a tent outside. Thank you Daniel Fisher you are destroying my liiiife! 🙃⛺️🏠
I feel like a better question for buying a synth is less "analog or digital" and "will you actually use this to make music"? Can you see yourself using this tool every day or at least everytime you are composing? For me, the hydrasynth, while a really great addition to the market with poly AT, ribbon and a wide variety of other features just did not suit my workflow or what I wanted. Great machine to jam on and experiment with but none of the sounds I programmed or presets I used made me inspired to use them. Conversely, everytime I use my alpha juno 2 I want to record it. I want to capture a bassline chord stab or lead from it. I've also felt that way with a korg dw-8000 I owned. So for people who are looking for a new synth I really wouldn't get too hung up on the internal circuitry and would more focus on if you can actually see yourself using it. Because what's the point is shelling out over a thousand dollars for a bleepy bloopy machine that doesn't help you finish any of your tracks?
If there was any doubt still, I think the Novation peak/summit and the UDO super 6 proved that digital (FPGA hybrid) synths sound every bit as good as analog now. But I'm with you on this. I think the hydrasynth is terrific value, and especially for a first synth, it is great because it does, like... everything. But I care more about workflow than the total number of features too. I have a Super 6 on preorder because it sounds great, and when I have a sound in mind, I want to be able to get there fast, without menu diving. But then there is still the sonic exploration there (and perhaps easier to get to) when you need it. The PolyBrute is an interesting addition to the market though. It seems to tick most of the boxes, and seems to be like the analog brother to the hydra in terms of features, with its expressive pad and ribbon controller.
@@IconicPhotonic The Hydrasynth has an exceptional workflow though. Very few synths that don't do the one knob per function thing have such a deep list of options and yet such a streamlined workflow. Menu diving amounts to push button for part of the signal path, and the parameters appear. 8 at once with page up and down keys if there's more to tweak than that. Then you set your macros for the 8 parameters you would actually want to play with live and you have that ready to go too. I'm a little confused about the topic of workflow being brought up here.
Get a workstation if you want to evolve and actually make and create music. Or at least have the option to do so, instead of just making noise for the most part.
Great video as always. My KingKorg and Subsequent go very nice together. My take on this: Do you want to learn to play: buy poly digital. Do you want to learn synthesis: buy analog. Do you want to learn both: maybe buy VA (virtual analog).
You already learned and you got the money: buy 3, an analog, a digital and an hybrid. I mean i play guitar and i can't play those anyway, but i love the bass and leads of analogs, the orchestrals and the complex sounds in digitals, as well as the real instruments sampled or emulated, and the pads/strings in hybrids, the ones with digital oscillators paired to analog filters and effects. But actually you can also feed a digital synth/workstation into an analog unit for some more sauce
17:00 "The possibility of free turning knobs is that you could have a different sound everyday till the heat death of the universe" That's all I needed to hear, analog it is.
Thanks for showing the differences between analog and digital Daniel! I appreciate the fact that this video is very unbiased in its presentation. Its refreshing to hear the viewpoints from someone who owns both analog and digital yet doesn't completely prefer one or the other. Many videos in this subject praise one or the other in some way, but its nice to listen and hear the differences between them both respectively. Overall it's good to appreciate the fact we have both analog and digital synthesizers available to us currently. 🎹🎶
Really loved this video. Another option: if you want to make "those sounds" you get very close by downloading the free Tyrell N6 virtual synth and the (basically) free Reaper DAW and do it on your computer with any cheap MIDI controller or even an on-screen keyboard. That won't replace the experience of a real analog synth but it will sound amazing and super close to true analog. Oh by the way, you may also put the TAL Chorus (free) and the TAL Reverb 4 to fatten and expand the sound. Oh and Tyrell has 8 voices, but you can put as many instances of it as you want so its virtually unlimited voices.
While I do have digital synths: Virus TI and Roland Ax-Edge, I use them both for playing and live performance purposes. With the Virus, it has literally every sound design feature I could ever want. But, with analog I get what no VST or digital synth can provide. You put it very well: Oscillators and modulations just mesh into each other with such a better resolution on Analog gear. Digital can create interesting modulations as well, but overall it sounds a lot more "mathematic", so it's a different sound, particularly at extreme settings.
Another wonderful tutorial talk from MR Fisher. Technical specifications aside though, it's really down to your personal taste in character. An analog synth might sound sweeter, but the digital synth might have that gnarly distinction you've been looking for. Seriously though..... any analog synth which doesn't now grant you the option of saving presets in 2022 is surely being sadistic for the sake of snobbery.
Shoulda had a DPO out there to show what a full analog oscillator can do. I’m sure you have used one but still to this day all these years later it still blows me away on how subtle to crazy it can get. Feels so natural too... and sounds that way (yay vactrols!) I do have tons of digital oscillators that can do nuts stuff analog can’t. I really appreciate how u show the benefits and drawbacks on both. The best synth is the one u use :) *rhetorical “u”.
I'm really looking forward to buy the Moog. I'm blown away buy it's sound. The first sound Gaia produced in this video had me saying: Whoa this is whack! Nice video, I know for sure what I want.
i'm new to vintage synth collecting this year, and started with the Korg Prophecy which is an economical digital synth but models things with MOSS technology which is kind of unique, then a Roland Juno-6 (analog), Roland JX-10 (analog) then the Roland JP-8000 (digital) with Waldorf Rocket (analog) and newer Behringer Model D (analog) and Roland JU-06A boutique (digital) sprinkled in between, so it's really dependent on the type of sounds that appeal to you....i like warmer more imperfect natural sounds hence the analog preference but some genres really require digital...edit: btw i would take a hydrasynth over a moog as it's just insane 😳
About the steering wheel analogy where you said digital is like having stuttered steps in-between points, and analog is infinite points which makes it smoother. Modern digital DAW's smooth out those "stuttered points" to make it completely analogous to analog synths (at least when it comes to waveform recreation).
Lol right!Just got a poly D and i gotta say that this may not be the case after another ten years if Behringer keeps going.this is thing is Amazing for the price!
@@nicholasdorazio10 Yeah indeed. I too got myself a Poly D in November and i have nothing but mad respect and love towards Behringer for actually making analog Synthesizers (and especially modernized clones of vintage classics) affordable for a lot more people. It won't be my last synth i bought from them. Now there's finally a chance to actually build up a real analog synth studio without having to sell your kidneys and your firstborn.
@@srrrb5953 THEN it is a matter of what suits your workflow and choice of sounds that you need. Which is more flexible and which is what you get along the best. I bought a Roland GAIA and a Behringer Poly D and both are the same price range and yet completely different. I love both but the Roland GAIA really is imho more flexible and it was a good choice i bought that one BEFORE the Behringer Poly D.
A few years ago if I watched this video I would have been confused now I can understand 90 percent of what he talking about lol thanks much. Appreciated 🙏🏾😷🙏🏾👍🏾
Digital sounds so very cool and I think it’s the future but so far I haven’t heard any digital synth has the bollox to cut through the mix when used with analog synths the mix. Excellent explanation of aliasing.
If you already own a midi controller and a bunch of VST synths and wanna get my first hardware synth, does it make more sense to go with analogue? I ask that because i'm assuming the sound of a virtual analogue would be easier to match with vst soft synths than a real analogue synth's... Is there logic to this thinking?
And while we often think of digital as only a mimicking attempt of analog, it often creates its own unique sound as well (even in the mimicking process). I'm starting to hear digital instruments that just are not possible with analog processes. It really depends what our intentions are when we create these synthesizers and instruments. Are we trying to mimic the other? Can we do that as well as try not to? The analog and the digital. Two different worlds that create their own contexts, neither of which are inherently "better". I hope we come to embrace the two mediums and see what potentials they both have. Also, I like to wonder these same comparisons and ask these same questions of the analog and digital world outside of music entirely. Interesting stuff. 😎
11:42 it could be done in the analog world, it would just be extremely expensive and difficult. But according to fourrier any repeating waveform can be described as a sum of sine waves with the fundamental and harmonic overtones which are integer multiples of the fundamental frequency. So if the human ear can hear from 20hz-20khz, then we would need precisely a thousand sinewave oscillators. Voltage controlled, but we would only need one CV signal for the fundamental, and the CV for the 999 harmonic overtones could somehow be derrived from the fundamental. And then we would need a thousand CV signals to control the amplitude of each sine wave oscillator and then we could totally make an analog wavetable synth. Perhaps we could cheat a little and generate the amplitudes of each sine wave digitally.
There was no talk about the legendary warmth of analog. Is that not a thing any more? To my ears it is. I like how my Circuit cuts through and I can definitely create highly precise patches with it (especially if I get into the editor) but I can't get any of the basses to sound as warm as my Neutron or Minibrute 2. (even though I have more choices of basic timbres)
Warmth = unstable aka low oscillator quality! A(f)/delta_f That's also why analog has beefy bass from the start. The amplifier just has to use much more energy to put into those badly defined frequency peaks!
There’s no ‘either or’ for me. I love to layer a crazy Hydrasynth wavescan patch with a simple Poly D pad, e.g.. Anyway, this is by far the best explanation of the differences I’ve ever heard, Daniel. 👍
Tonight I'm going to try that fast-LFO-filter SFX with U-He REPRO synths with their HQ quality turned on (and off). (PS. Great demonstration and excellent teaching! Thank you so much.)
Well since its an analog signal you can manipulate the sound in more ways than most digital, even in ways not intended like magnets(not recommend), analog effect chains or other synth moduals. Digital can emulate any sound but cant be tweaked as much in some ways if that makes sense
The reason Sweetwater has Daniel Fisher in the role that he fills at Sweetwater is that if he were in SALES, every customer would want him to be their Sales Engineer. All the other SE would quit. My experience with synths started back in the early days, when the Mini Moog first came out. It was new and different and worked well in a Studio environment, but would not stay in tune if taken out in cofd weather and played in a room where the temperature was not constant. Today's musicians don't know how much better it is today then it was in the beginning. Synths are a lot less expensive, have more features than you could figure out how to use, are reliable and sound great. I like hybrids like the Novation Summit, that has 3 digital Osc, 16 not poly, and a 5 Octave KB. Quality analog FX. Awesome for the price.
It depends whether i'm working in or out of the box. When it comes to hardware synths analog is always right for me. When it comes to digital synths, I will just use a plugin and a midi controller. But for hardware, I will spend my money on that charming misbehaving imperfect warm analog sound, which is hard to capture in the cold and precise digital realm.
I think it's mainly about sound. Are you a fan of Ozric Tentacles or Emerson Lake and Palmer? A bit simplistic maybe but that's how I tend to think of it.
Somtimes i feel like i can tell the difference when listning to music. Like yep thats definitely analogue but somtimes it may be placibo. When digital synths are saturated, reverbed, chorus ect it can be pretty convincing to think its analog
Daniel your videos are always great, but I do wanna say throughout a lot of the video you seem to be talking about digital as exclusively how good digital is at emulating analog. But I think the joy of most digital synths is how *unlike* analog they sound. The DX7, PPG or Waldorf Blofield can make sounds analog synths could never possibly do. Then there's the lo-fi charm of old digital synths with analog filters like the Korg DW8000 or the Ensoniq SQ80.
I sold my Rev2. I kept my SE-02 and my minilogue xd. The latter has two analogue and one digital oscillator. It’s fantastic. The rest of my set up is great quality plug ins and a fab s88 mkII hammer action keyboard. This set up covers all the bases for me.
Thanks for this and still the best explanation of the too types! Which it really sounds like the analog snyth steps on the digital snyth toes like the digital snyth steps on the software synyth toes... Which I'm deciding whether to get a Arturia KeyLab Essential 49 midi controller to go with my software syth or an ASM Hydrasynth Explorer digital heardwear snyth to add to my softwear snyth pretty much it's down to budget. But I thought it bring up a good point I decide against a analogue syth as I grew up with digital synth sounds and my use case in an armchair and moving the syth around my room. I don't think an anolg would work in that case as it would be to heavy and fragile... Which why a heardwear snyth at all? The unique sound and physical controls which is why the hydra sound is my choice it sounds great and covers all of what snyth today can do with an easy to use interface. Which goes back to my thought... It sounds like pick the snyth that fits your style above all else.
Somebody once told me about an idea they had where some analog synth voices and parts was jammed into sound card for a pc. Thought that was revolutionary, but I can’t remember why lol.
I have a Korg Minilogue XD and a Korg Opsix, but if i were giving advice to someone just starting out, i'd say get an Arturia Microfreak, Zoom MS70-cdr pedal, and Korg Monologue. Buy used if possible. Can find all 3 for $650 or less.
Respect to one of the best teachers in the world! If he was teaching physics, I would be Einstein by now ... Thank you for informative videos! Does he have an online course, teaching beginners to advanced synthesis?
Hi Seek4Truth. I *do* have an online course called SYNTH CLIPS that's free and requires no sign-up or personal information: ruclips.net/video/6uPBAj72pvw/видео.html I think you're really gonna' dig it :-) -_Daniel_
Actually, one could argue that human brain works in digital (discrete) manner. The neuron impulses are all 70 millivolt, and the intensity of the nerve impulse is not expressed in the variation of voltage, the intensity is expressed in the number of those 70 millivolt impulses per unit of time. Doesn't it sound like discrete math? It does to me. So, if we bypass the air as the transformer, and attach the digital-to-neuron-impulse converter directly to the auditory nerve, we might not even need the analog stage anymore.
Yes but maybe the room and eardrums and speakers add back in the analogue. Probably not in the context of a digital Vs analogue synth video. Many synths for sale are somewhat hybrid and make what the maker considers appropriate use of technology based on market, musician, and price point. Personally I think suggesting 1800 dollar synths to folk who don't know most of this stuff is just marketing hype. My advice for what it is worth would be to start with Minilogue, Deepmind, or my choice Modal Cobolt8x all at less than these synths and 1/3 of the somewhat awesome Moog. The Gaia is so far out of date is should be confined to beginner teaching schools? Your thoughts?
@@11000038Actually, I would not recommended a synthesizer to anyone. I would recommend a stage keyboard instead. Making sounds on a synthesizer is just an excuse not to practice keyboard.
Very helpful video. I have a question though. When it comes to DIGITAL hardware vs soft-synths, is there any difference, apart from digital hardware synths being more cpu friendly for your daw and have better accessibility than soft-synths? Are there differences in the sound, because in the end both are software-based right?
Hi Seek4Truth. At that moment I'm modulating the Filter's Cutoff Frequency with an LFO that's being pushed into audio frequencies. This results in something that's almost, but not entirely, unlike Ring Modulation. Thanks for watching! -_Daniel_
Both Deepmind 12 Korg wavestation A/D and vst Roland D05 Volca keys Minilogue Casio xwp1 Yamaha sy35 Stylophone Casio cz5000 Esi4000 Korg dss1 Ensoniq esq Roland jx10 Korg poly800ii Korg ms2000 And a few more Yeah a nice mix that gets me what i enjoy My fave digi's Roland D50/D05 Korg wavestation Fave anny's Deepmind12 Minilogue Korg poly61 Realistic mg1
I've been a bass player for 25 years and I just got into synths a few years ago. A good monophonic analog synth can be so similar to a bass (especially as to how it fits into a composition). I find myself thinking of my synths as other basses with built-in tone-shaping/sound design capabilities.
@@trance9158 Yamaha makes some really nice quality synths but alot of their synths have weird menu diving, though if you don't mind sitting there and reading the manual you'll eventually get it. The reface synths (DX, CS) are portable mini "updates" of their classic analog and classic digital synths. The CS is an analog modeler, i think it sounds great.
Spoiler: analog and digital synths are equally awesome when Daniel Fisher is in the room! Like, Comment, and Subscribe for more sweet content - and thanks for watching!
I buy all my weapons from Sweetwater. You guys are gonna put me in bankruptcy.
BTW thanks for the candy
That's for damn sure!
I need to buy a moog matriarch here soon.
Its so weird the matriarch has this ugly pitch bend stepping. Time goes by midi is still 127 point shit
it's not true lol,depending on the type and brand of analogue synthesizer,they have different designs.BUT your statement about voices is totally wrong.Analog synth can have full 88 key press with only 12 oscillators,using divider ICs to get lower octaves.And in reality,we don't need that much polyphony.Analog synths are ways more better than digital at sounding.Digital sound is flat and poor while analog has deep,powerful sound that penetrates into our mind.We can use digital for managing presets but it's must be analog for the quality.
1:05 "I'm trying to do this as simple as possible"
1:28 "If you get down to quantum levels..."
😭😭🤮 hahaha this guy if you take alot of what he says out of contexts it's hilarious
I used to think that real life was analog too 🤪
😂😂
On a scale of 0 to 1 I'm rating digital a 1.
lol
01101100 01101111 01101100
Nerds!
jk guys.
On a scale from 0 to infinity I'm rating analogue *over 9000*
@TheSmurfboard That's clearly a biased rating.
17:06 "You could have a different sound every day until the heat death of the universe, you know, I mean, it's... it's really that infinite. Um. So, just something to consider." -Daniel Fisher
Things got deep fast
I love how clear and objective you are on breaking down issues like this. There is so much dogmatic information about these types of questions on the Internet, that’s it’s nice to see someone, and a retailer at that, simply communicating the strengths and weaknesses of the various options available on the market. No fads, no hype, no manufacturer deals, just here are your options and what they do and don’t do.
Yeah it was actually well elaborated, pointing out every aspect that needs to be considered. I'd say this is by far the most objective breakdown of both worlds of Sound synthesis and very helpful for beginners in particular.
You mean SYNTHMA
yes even i knew all this stuff, the way it was presented by someone who clearly lives and enjoys synths makes it relaxing to listen to, like having a friend tell you his experience...thanks!
"Modulation: Where one thing wiggles something else." I don't think I've heard a better definition lol.
Very succinct. Wiggle da waves
That’s some pretty intense sound design terminology right there
This is the best analogue v digital synth breakdown I’ve ever seen. Awesome presentation. My compliments to the Chef.
I’ve been a guitarist for over 16 years. But this man, with the excellent presentation of all the important info, has made me want to start becoming a synth player as well. Thank you for this video 🤘
Same
Well, the obvious answer is: both.
GAS never ends.
This is the absolute truth. My reaction to the Moog One? "oh my god WANT" My reaction to the Novation Summit? "oh my god WANT"
@@pat2rome if I had a Moog one I’d retire from new analogs and try to get into guitars which seem cheaper than selling both kidneys for an $8000 monster. They are expensive too but don’t cost nearly as much as a Moog One.
Both. Both is good.
I've got a Minilogue (my first synth), and now a HydraSynth Desktop. Pretty sure my next one will be a beefy analog like the Matriarch, then I'll probably get a Peak or a Quantum, then another analog, then another digital... just alternate between them and you'll always (never) be satisfied.
Great video, Daniel!
Get the model D! Seriously
Thinkin of starting with the minilogue as well.
Indeed. The best of BOTH worlds.
@@inthedoghouse1985 Or Poly D ;P Or even Neutron, that one's a real gem.
I got thy poly D and the hydrasynth explorer and I guess TD3 as well volcafm and I'm happy with all but I can see myself looking around and never being happy.
I just ordered a DeepMind6 and I am excited to try my first synth out
Gotta say , for people on the fence , you did really good with the amount you did and didn't show with the Hydrasynth . It's a really good demonstration of what you were saying about how far digital synths have come in the last 5 years or so . If you really went to town on the Hydra , you'd have some folks swayed to the dark side for sure :) . I went the cheaper route and got a Mircrofreak for now , but I think Hydra or Wavestate are in my post-covid budget plans .
What I do like with fully analog is you're clearly manipulating voltage in and out. You take control of the sound from A to Z with nothing in between (no processing, no digital A/D conversion, etc..) and it becomes your sound. It feels organic too, like playing any other acoustic instrument.
utter nonsense
@@GoodAfternoonDave why?
@@RB-mm7ce "What I do like with fully analog is you're clearly manipulating voltage in and out" There's a lot going on with an analog synths voltage that you're not able to manipulate and it's that instability people find desirable. " You take control of the sound" Digital processing is vastly more versatile than analog offering way more control for sound design. and what does no processing "from A to Z " mean?. A/D audio conversion has nothing to do with it. digital synthesis replaces controlled voltage with a microchip. And finally, because it's more versatile, a sound you make on a digital synth even more uniquely "becomes your sound"
I cracked a smile at your explanation of analogue around 1:30..."if you get to quantum levels it goes digital again." just whoa.
This is the best explanation and comparison of analog and digits synths I’ve ever seen. (I also love the subtext that as technology advances, the differences between the two get smaller!)
Big analog enthusiasts, knew why I wasn’t a big fan of digital, but now I want a Hydrasynth. I don’t have space for more gear so I guess I am living in a tent outside. Thank you Daniel Fisher you are destroying my liiiife! 🙃⛺️🏠
I feel like a better question for buying a synth is less "analog or digital" and "will you actually use this to make music"? Can you see yourself using this tool every day or at least everytime you are composing?
For me, the hydrasynth, while a really great addition to the market with poly AT, ribbon and a wide variety of other features just did not suit my workflow or what I wanted. Great machine to jam on and experiment with but none of the sounds I programmed or presets I used made me inspired to use them. Conversely, everytime I use my alpha juno 2 I want to record it. I want to capture a bassline chord stab or lead from it. I've also felt that way with a korg dw-8000 I owned.
So for people who are looking for a new synth I really wouldn't get too hung up on the internal circuitry and would more focus on if you can actually see yourself using it. Because what's the point is shelling out over a thousand dollars for a bleepy bloopy machine that doesn't help you finish any of your tracks?
If there was any doubt still, I think the Novation peak/summit and the UDO super 6 proved that digital (FPGA hybrid) synths sound every bit as good as analog now. But I'm with you on this. I think the hydrasynth is terrific value, and especially for a first synth, it is great because it does, like... everything. But I care more about workflow than the total number of features too. I have a Super 6 on preorder because it sounds great, and when I have a sound in mind, I want to be able to get there fast, without menu diving. But then there is still the sonic exploration there (and perhaps easier to get to) when you need it.
The PolyBrute is an interesting addition to the market though. It seems to tick most of the boxes, and seems to be like the analog brother to the hydra in terms of features, with its expressive pad and ribbon controller.
so true, each time I play matriarch I am leaking from my mouth
@@IconicPhotonic The Hydrasynth has an exceptional workflow though. Very few synths that don't do the one knob per function thing have such a deep list of options and yet such a streamlined workflow. Menu diving amounts to push button for part of the signal path, and the parameters appear. 8 at once with page up and down keys if there's more to tweak than that. Then you set your macros for the 8 parameters you would actually want to play with live and you have that ready to go too. I'm a little confused about the topic of workflow being brought up here.
Get a workstation if you want to evolve and actually make and create music. Or at least have the option to do so, instead of just making noise for the most part.
Great video as always. My KingKorg and Subsequent go very nice together.
My take on this:
Do you want to learn to play: buy poly digital.
Do you want to learn synthesis: buy analog.
Do you want to learn both: maybe buy VA (virtual analog).
You already learned and you got the money: buy 3, an analog, a digital and an hybrid.
I mean i play guitar and i can't play those anyway, but i love the bass and leads of analogs, the orchestrals and the complex sounds in digitals, as well as the real instruments sampled or emulated, and the pads/strings in hybrids, the ones with digital oscillators paired to analog filters and effects.
But actually you can also feed a digital synth/workstation into an analog unit for some more sauce
I got the Deepmind 12, best of both worlds I guess, the HydraSynth is really temping. Really clear video, informative with great examples!
For me personally I go analog for mono synths and digital for polyphonic synths
17:00 "The possibility of free turning knobs is that you could have a different sound everyday till the heat death of the universe"
That's all I needed to hear, analog it is.
I could listen to Daniel all day talk about what he loves.
Thanks for showing the differences between analog and digital Daniel! I appreciate the fact that this video is very unbiased in its presentation. Its refreshing to hear the viewpoints from someone who owns both analog and digital yet doesn't completely prefer one or the other. Many videos in this subject praise one or the other in some way, but its nice to listen and hear the differences between them both respectively. Overall it's good to appreciate the fact we have both analog and digital synthesizers available to us currently. 🎹🎶
The aliasing sounded like a random LFO modulating a wave table.. so cool!
Aliasing... thank you for the explanation and the side by side comparison for this concept. Very helpful!
The ASM Hydrasynth is just SUCH a nice synth. Thanks for this video!
I'm starting to want one... And those 2nd stimulus check are coming soon 🙈
This 2022 black friday both the hydrasynth and the matriarch had very good discounts. So I got both!
Fantastic coverage of a vs d!❤
Really loved this video. Another option: if you want to make "those sounds" you get very close by downloading the free Tyrell N6 virtual synth and the (basically) free Reaper DAW and do it on your computer with any cheap MIDI controller or even an on-screen keyboard. That won't replace the experience of a real analog synth but it will sound amazing and super close to true analog. Oh by the way, you may also put the TAL Chorus (free) and the TAL Reverb 4 to fatten and expand the sound. Oh and Tyrell has 8 voices, but you can put as many instances of it as you want so its virtually unlimited voices.
BOTH! Current synths...Jupiter 80, Matrixbrute, Minimoog, OB-6, jd800, tb03.
Drums....808, tr-8 (all the extension packs) DMX. 🕶🎶✌🏻🎹
While I do have digital synths: Virus TI and Roland Ax-Edge, I use them both for playing and live performance purposes. With the Virus, it has literally every sound design feature I could ever want. But, with analog I get what no VST or digital synth can provide. You put it very well: Oscillators and modulations just mesh into each other with such a better resolution on Analog gear. Digital can create interesting modulations as well, but overall it sounds a lot more "mathematic", so it's a different sound, particularly at extreme settings.
8:10 Those kind of sounds are the reason I want an analog synthesizer. However, you did got me with that sound at 12:30
Another wonderful tutorial talk from MR Fisher.
Technical specifications aside though, it's really down to your personal taste in character. An analog synth might sound sweeter, but the digital synth might have that gnarly distinction you've been looking for.
Seriously though..... any analog synth which doesn't now grant you the option of saving presets in 2022 is surely being sadistic for the sake of snobbery.
Incredibly well explained. Thank you!
Shoulda had a DPO out there to show what a full analog oscillator can do.
I’m sure you have used one but still to this day all these years later it still blows me away on how subtle to crazy it can get. Feels so natural too... and sounds that way (yay vactrols!)
I do have tons of digital oscillators that can do nuts stuff analog can’t.
I really appreciate how u show the benefits and drawbacks on both.
The best synth is the one u use :)
*rhetorical “u”.
Very well spoken, really appreciate that definition of digital!
man, that hydrasynth sounds good
I'm really looking forward to buy the Moog. I'm blown away buy it's sound. The first sound Gaia produced in this video had me saying: Whoa this is whack! Nice video, I know for sure what I want.
Daniel Fisher, you're a treasure in the world of synthesizers.
i'm new to vintage synth collecting this year, and started with the Korg Prophecy which is an economical digital synth but models things with MOSS technology which is kind of unique, then a Roland Juno-6 (analog), Roland JX-10 (analog) then the Roland JP-8000 (digital) with Waldorf Rocket (analog) and newer Behringer Model D (analog) and Roland JU-06A boutique (digital) sprinkled in between, so it's really dependent on the type of sounds that appeal to you....i like warmer more imperfect natural sounds hence the analog preference but some genres really require digital...edit: btw i would take a hydrasynth over a moog as it's just insane 😳
About the steering wheel analogy where you said digital is like having stuttered steps in-between points, and analog is infinite points which makes it smoother. Modern digital DAW's smooth out those "stuttered points" to make it completely analogous to analog synths (at least when it comes to waveform recreation).
That aliasing sound sounds exactly like that cliched "random computer beeps" sound that they used in old movies. Cute.
Old analog has more stepping than modern digital.
@@mikehydropneumatic2583 analog by its definition doesn't have stepping
Mike Hydropneumatic no
Great video. What about durability analog vs. digital ?
"Analog vs. Digital Synths - Which is Right for You?"
The one you can AFFORD!!
Cheap and good I would go for analog.
Lol right!Just got a poly D and i gotta say that this may not be the case after another ten years if Behringer keeps going.this is thing is Amazing for the price!
@@nicholasdorazio10 Yeah indeed. I too got myself a Poly D in November and i have nothing but mad respect and love towards Behringer for actually making analog Synthesizers (and especially modernized clones of vintage classics) affordable for a lot more people. It won't be my last synth i bought from them. Now there's finally a chance to actually build up a real analog synth studio without having to sell your kidneys and your firstborn.
@@KRAFTWERK2K6 Yeah, But How If you have a chance to afford one of those?
@@srrrb5953 THEN it is a matter of what suits your workflow and choice of sounds that you need. Which is more flexible and which is what you get along the best. I bought a Roland GAIA and a Behringer Poly D and both are the same price range and yet completely different. I love both but the Roland GAIA really is imho more flexible and it was a good choice i bought that one BEFORE the Behringer Poly D.
A few years ago if I watched this video I would have been confused now I can understand 90 percent of what he talking about lol thanks much. Appreciated 🙏🏾😷🙏🏾👍🏾
Tbh, for me a few months ago. :D
But I feel exactly the same!
This debate is guaranteed to cause flame wars in every forum!
19:40 One of my coolest synths is a Roland D-10 and I embrace the aliasing on it when programming a patch. It sounds almost haunting!
Great vid! Extremely well explained, good analogies, and that aliasing demonstration was on point!
Analog inspire me more to create than digital, well is just personal, since my first analog was a MS-10 back in 1985
That little jam at the end sounded like it could be in the video game axiom verge.
Thank you for making this content, it was very clear and informative.
Digital sounds so very cool and I think it’s the future but so far I haven’t heard any digital synth has the bollox to cut through the mix when used with analog synths the mix. Excellent explanation of aliasing.
Very informative video! Thank you for this detailed explanation
Excellent explanations. I bet he is an awesome instructor.
"It's twew! It's twew!"
Thanks, Rick. Back atcha'! -_Daniel_
If you already own a midi controller and a bunch of VST synths and wanna get my first hardware synth, does it make more sense to go with analogue? I ask that because i'm assuming the sound of a virtual analogue would be easier to match with vst soft synths than a real analogue synth's... Is there logic to this thinking?
And while we often think of digital as only a mimicking attempt of analog, it often creates its own unique sound as well (even in the mimicking process). I'm starting to hear digital instruments that just are not possible with analog processes. It really depends what our intentions are when we create these synthesizers and instruments. Are we trying to mimic the other? Can we do that as well as try not to?
The analog and the digital. Two different worlds that create their own contexts, neither of which are inherently "better". I hope we come to embrace the two mediums and see what potentials they both have.
Also, I like to wonder these same comparisons and ask these same questions of the analog and digital world outside of music entirely. Interesting stuff. 😎
Electric Vs acoustic guitars vid. Can't think why but no one seems to those!
Always love his vids ❤️
Very well explained and very useful. Thank you for this video.
11:42 it could be done in the analog world, it would just be extremely expensive and difficult. But according to fourrier any repeating waveform can be described as a sum of sine waves with the fundamental and harmonic overtones which are integer multiples of the fundamental frequency. So if the human ear can hear from 20hz-20khz, then we would need precisely a thousand sinewave oscillators. Voltage controlled, but we would only need one CV signal for the fundamental, and the CV for the 999 harmonic overtones could somehow be derrived from the fundamental. And then we would need a thousand CV signals to control the amplitude of each sine wave oscillator and then we could totally make an analog wavetable synth. Perhaps we could cheat a little and generate the amplitudes of each sine wave digitally.
Best definition of modulation ever! xD "when one thing wiggles something else! ";)
There was no talk about the legendary warmth of analog. Is that not a thing any more? To my ears it is. I like how my Circuit cuts through and I can definitely create highly precise patches with it (especially if I get into the editor) but I can't get any of the basses to sound as warm as my Neutron or Minibrute 2. (even though I have more choices of basic timbres)
Warmth = unstable aka low oscillator quality! A(f)/delta_f
That's also why analog has beefy bass from the start. The amplifier just has to use much more energy to put into those badly defined frequency peaks!
There is the issue of damaging the circuit through general use. Somtimes it sounds better somtimes it permanently makes it worse. Abit of a gamble
2:11 in, best damn explanation of different configurations of analog and digital options!
There’s no ‘either or’ for me. I love to layer a crazy Hydrasynth wavescan patch with a simple Poly D pad, e.g..
Anyway, this is by far the best explanation of the differences I’ve ever heard, Daniel. 👍
Tonight I'm going to try that fast-LFO-filter SFX with U-He REPRO synths with their HQ quality turned on (and off).
(PS. Great demonstration and excellent teaching! Thank you so much.)
it really helps! thank you so much!
This was fun to watch and interesting 👍🏾
I’m like I totally want to use that sound.
Thank you for the great video.
I have been wondering if the same applies to the filters. Digital vs analog
Does the Roland Gaia 2 also has a lot of aliasing ? such as at 19:28 ?
Analog synths have a "fatter" sound , less options ? Digital synths have more options and custom sound adjustments ?
Well since its an analog signal you can manipulate the sound in more ways than most digital, even in ways not intended like magnets(not recommend), analog effect chains or other synth moduals. Digital can emulate any sound but cant be tweaked as much in some ways if that makes sense
Which do I prefer it doesn't matter I am a novice in sound design so I can work with either end of arguments from my prospective lol
The reason Sweetwater has Daniel Fisher in the role that he fills at Sweetwater is that if he were in SALES, every customer would want him to be their Sales Engineer. All the other SE would quit. My experience with synths started back in the early days, when the Mini Moog first came out. It was new and different and worked well in a Studio environment, but would not stay in tune if taken out in cofd weather and played in a room where the temperature was not constant. Today's musicians don't know how much better it is today then it was in the beginning. Synths are a lot less expensive, have more features than you could figure out how to use, are reliable and sound great. I like hybrids like the Novation Summit, that has 3 digital Osc, 16 not poly, and a 5 Octave KB. Quality analog FX. Awesome for the price.
It depends whether i'm working in or out of the box. When it comes to hardware synths analog is always right for me. When it comes to digital synths, I will just use a plugin and a midi controller. But for hardware, I will spend my money on that charming misbehaving imperfect warm analog sound, which is hard to capture in the cold and precise digital realm.
Thank you for this video but… what about aliasing on the hudrasynth?
I was hoping I could be sold on digital but I’m convinced analog is the future still
I think it's mainly about sound. Are you a fan of Ozric Tentacles or Emerson Lake and Palmer? A bit simplistic maybe but that's how I tend to think of it.
Hi
I am from the Bahamas.
The hydrasynt is the one I Love most.
Want to buy one.
I'm def going to make that sound sir.
Somtimes i feel like i can tell the difference when listning to music. Like yep thats definitely analogue but somtimes it may be placibo. When digital synths are saturated, reverbed, chorus ect it can be pretty convincing to think its analog
8:30 why would you not want to make that sound? wtf
My thought was ,,well, on a quantum level it´s a bit different again" just before he said it
Both Daniel. Both are right for me. :)
Daniel your videos are always great, but I do wanna say throughout a lot of the video you seem to be talking about digital as exclusively how good digital is at emulating analog. But I think the joy of most digital synths is how *unlike* analog they sound. The DX7, PPG or Waldorf Blofield can make sounds analog synths could never possibly do. Then there's the lo-fi charm of old digital synths with analog filters like the Korg DW8000 or the Ensoniq SQ80.
I sold my Rev2. I kept my SE-02 and my minilogue xd. The latter has two analogue and one digital oscillator. It’s fantastic. The rest of my set up is great quality plug ins and a fab s88 mkII hammer action keyboard. This set up covers all the bases for me.
the Roland Gaia is actually a purely sample based synth 🙀🙀🙀 so yes it will show stepping and aliasing but still a cool synth 😎
A great, clear explanation.
17:55 when words aren't enough. ;) ...and quite possibly my next sample.
Thanks for this and still the best explanation of the too types! Which it really sounds like the analog snyth steps on the digital snyth toes like the digital snyth steps on the software synyth toes... Which I'm deciding whether to get a Arturia KeyLab Essential 49 midi controller to go with my software syth or an ASM Hydrasynth Explorer digital heardwear snyth to add to my softwear snyth pretty much it's down to budget. But I thought it bring up a good point I decide against a analogue syth as I grew up with digital synth sounds and my use case in an armchair and moving the syth around my room. I don't think an anolg would work in that case as it would be to heavy and fragile... Which why a heardwear snyth at all? The unique sound and physical controls which is why the hydra sound is my choice it sounds great and covers all of what snyth today can do with an easy to use interface. Which goes back to my thought... It sounds like pick the snyth that fits your style above all else.
I had a Gaia, to learn about synthesis I would definitely recommend.
Somebody once told me about an idea they had where some analog synth voices and parts was jammed into sound card for a pc. Thought that was revolutionary, but I can’t remember why lol.
I have a Korg Minilogue XD and a Korg Opsix, but if i were giving advice to someone just starting out, i'd say get an Arturia Microfreak, Zoom MS70-cdr pedal, and Korg Monologue. Buy used if possible. Can find all 3 for $650 or less.
Respect to one of the best teachers in the world! If he was teaching physics, I would be Einstein by now ... Thank you for informative videos! Does he have an online course, teaching beginners to advanced synthesis?
Hi Seek4Truth. I *do* have an online course called SYNTH CLIPS that's free and requires no sign-up or personal information:
ruclips.net/video/6uPBAj72pvw/видео.html
I think you're really gonna' dig it :-) -_Daniel_
Sweetwater Thank you so much Daniel!
Actually, one could argue that human brain works in digital (discrete) manner. The neuron impulses are all 70 millivolt, and the intensity of the nerve impulse is not expressed in the variation of voltage, the intensity is expressed in the number of those 70 millivolt impulses per unit of time. Doesn't it sound like discrete math? It does to me. So, if we bypass the air as the transformer, and attach the digital-to-neuron-impulse converter directly to the auditory nerve, we might not even need the analog stage anymore.
Yes but maybe the room and eardrums and speakers add back in the analogue. Probably not in the context of a digital Vs analogue synth video. Many synths for sale are somewhat hybrid and make what the maker considers appropriate use of technology based on market, musician, and price point. Personally I think suggesting 1800 dollar synths to folk who don't know most of this stuff is just marketing hype. My advice for what it is worth would be to start with Minilogue, Deepmind, or my choice Modal Cobolt8x all at less than these synths and 1/3 of the somewhat awesome Moog. The Gaia is so far out of date is should be confined to beginner teaching schools? Your thoughts?
@@11000038Actually, I would not recommended a synthesizer to anyone. I would recommend a stage keyboard instead. Making sounds on a synthesizer is just an excuse not to practice keyboard.
It seems to depend on your bank balance as a decent Oberheim or a Sequential Circuits seem to be up in the £3000 to £4000 range!
Very helpful video. I have a question though. When it comes to DIGITAL hardware vs soft-synths, is there any difference, apart from digital hardware synths being more cpu friendly for your daw and have better accessibility than soft-synths? Are there differences in the sound, because in the end both are software-based right?
9:34 is he modulatibg fiter cut off or resonanse level? Thanks!
Hi Seek4Truth. At that moment I'm modulating the Filter's Cutoff Frequency with an LFO that's being pushed into audio frequencies. This results in something that's almost, but not entirely, unlike Ring Modulation. Thanks for watching! -_Daniel_
Both
Deepmind 12
Korg wavestation A/D and vst
Roland D05
Volca keys
Minilogue
Casio xwp1
Yamaha sy35
Stylophone
Casio cz5000
Esi4000
Korg dss1
Ensoniq esq
Roland jx10
Korg poly800ii
Korg ms2000
And a few more
Yeah a nice mix that gets me what i enjoy
My fave digi's
Roland D50/D05
Korg wavestation
Fave anny's
Deepmind12
Minilogue
Korg poly61
Realistic mg1
that was very helpful thank you
"And if you never want to hear that sound again, don't buy this m--------- either." ! I like this guy.
Cool...very informative. Simple to understand. So now I want one of each....and I'm a bass player. I'll have to see what Yamaha offers.
I've been a bass player for 25 years and I just got into synths a few years ago. A good monophonic analog synth can be so similar to a bass (especially as to how it fits into a composition). I find myself thinking of my synths as other basses with built-in tone-shaping/sound design capabilities.
Yamaha has nothing but digital synths since 1983 or so
@@torbenanschau6641 okay so I can go digital with Yamaha and find something else for analog.
@@trance9158 Yamaha makes some really nice quality synths but alot of their synths have weird menu diving, though if you don't mind sitting there and reading the manual you'll eventually get it. The reface synths (DX, CS) are portable mini "updates" of their classic analog and classic digital synths. The CS is an analog modeler, i think it sounds great.