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Most other apps that are ReWire are other DAW software . . .



Scott,

I respectfully differ. Follow the link for Propellerhead's list of Rewire-capable apps.

If DAWs (which Phead call "mixers") are in the majority, it is by a slim margin. Granted, the names of the synth apps don't roll off of most users' tongues. I haven't heard of that many of them (which simply speaks to Reason as 'first among equals'), but they do exist.

Thanks for the heads up on the alternate synths. I'm going to start a separate thread with a question on sfz and Sound Fonts.

R.



Ryszard, most, if not all, of those 'mixer' apps are DAW software. The list is pretty long of DAW that they call 'mixer' like ProTools, Reaper, Apple Logic, Digital Performer, Tracktion, ACID, etc. etc. etc.

Many of those come bundled with their own synths and when they do, they call it a 'synth/mixer' application.

None of them are cheap - well perhaps Reaper and now Tracktion. But their prime reason for being is to be a DAW.

If you are trying to get access to synths, then it's an overwhelming majority, on the PC platform, to shoot for VSTi rather than ReWire (exceptions are few and rare - acknowledge that they are there - my guess is the list of 15 or so on the Propellerhead's site is an exhaustive list). Compare that with the hundreds, if not thousands of synths available in VSTi format.

Those synths that are ReWire only have hefty price-tags. You'd probably find just as long of a list for DXi format.

VSTi also let you 'choose your size' for memory loading and usage. sfz is quite nice for this.

I used to be a General MIDI guy and relied first upon my Creative Labs Live card's internal soundfont synth - but the problem is that it actually loads fonts upon boot of the computer - and slowed down start-up time of the machine.

Then I migrated to sfz (after abandoning PTPA because of lack of VSTi support), and found that fonts loaded into RAM only when I had the sfz (with the fonts of my choosing) loaded in a sequence.

Now, instead of an o.k. piano in a GM soundfont, I can load up a big old highly multi-sampled sf2 into sfz like the Splendid soundfont, and have a gorgeous sounding piano (if that's all I'm really using from GM) rather than a clunky sounding one.

The latest version of sfz is available on the Cakewalk site - as a freebie download. It's one of the apps that Cakewalk inherited when they bought rgc audio. rgc also makes some excellent subtractive analog synth emulations in VSTi format. Triangle I and II are some of my favorite lead synths that are out there - very tweakable and very light on CPU, and free. They made other, even more complex analog subtractive synths, but they weren't free.

If I gigged with my PC rig, then I'd probably save my pennies for one of the Ketron hardware units. Every demo I've heard made with their GM set sounds pretty nice; exceptions being the really hard emulations like sax and electric guitars. Those are hard to nail no matter who is trying from both the sound design as well as performance aspect.

If you are trying to acheive certain kinds of sounds, send me a PM and I can guide you to VSTi (usually freeware or shareware) that will do the trick nicely for you.

Some places to start:

Electromechanical keyboard emulations (rhodes, wurly, B3, etc.):
Shareware and payware: GSi http://www.genuinesoundware.com/?a=products
Payware: Native Instruments http://www.native-instruments.com/

Analog subtractive synth emulations: Look for the elektrostudio thread in the PTPA forum - some of those are really killer and unique.
rgc audio stuff now from Cakewalk, freeware and payware http://www.cakewalk.com/Products/virtualinstruments.asp
minimogue VA and others from this guy: http://www.home.no/gunnare/

Amazingly cool subtractive synth that loads soundfonts, has FM synthesis built in also - you could spend a year learning this one - OakTree's Crystal. Some very rich and lovely sounding presets on this one.

http://www.greenoak.com/crystal/

Don't let the age of that one fool you - download the banks that are there - at least one is programmed by the recently departed Tim Conrardy.

Actually, rather than continuing to type my own list, KVRaudio has a user rating on plugins. Here's the freeware list: http://www.kvraudio.com/ratings/9.html

-Scott

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