Best Ambient Synth Shootout #120: Alesis Fusion 8HD - Song 3

video upload by Christian's Sonic Spaces

"This is the third song with the Alesis Fusion 8HD. It's a synthesizer workstation (up to 190 voices per engine, 16 parts multitimbral) that offers several different synthesis types: AWM (sample playback), FM (freely configurable 6-operators engine), Virtual Analog (VA) and Physical Modeling (Wind and Reed models). There are three oscillators per voice that can be any of the above mentioned synthesis types and 20 different filter types including low-pass, band-pass, high-pass and a 4-band EQ for every patch.

I used for the recording the following FX chain:
Fusion 8HD - Elektron Analog Heat - Pigtronix Echolution 2 Deluxe - GFI System Specular Reverb 2. Depending on the recorded track some FX are deactivated

The signal went through a Presonus StudioLive 16.0.2 into the PC via USB for recording. To create the complete song I recorded consecutively several stereo tracks. The final song was then mastered with a bit EQ and compression on some tracks and some limiting on the master track."

Best Ambient Synth Shootout #119: Alesis Fusion 8HD - Song 2

video upload by Christian's Sonic Spaces

Song 1 here

"This is the second song with the Alesis Fusion 8HD. It's a synthesizer workstation (up to 190 voices per engine, 16 parts multitimbral) that offers several different synthesis types: AWM (sample playback), FM (freely configurable 6-operators engine), Virtual Analog (VA) and Physical Modeling (Wind and Reed models). There are three oscillators per voice that can be any of the above mentioned synthesis types and 20 different filter types including low-pass, band-pass, high-pass and a 4-band EQ for every patch.

I used for the recording the following FX chain:
Fusion 8HD - Pigtronix Echolution 2 Deluxe - GFI System Specular Reverb 2. Depending on the recorded track some FX are deactivated

The signal went through a Presonus StudioLive 16.0.2 into the PC via USB for recording. To create the complete song I recorded consecutively several stereo tracks. The final song was then mastered with a bit EQ and compression on some tracks and some limiting on the master track."

Best Ambient Synth Shootout #118: Roland V-Synth - Song 1

video upload by Christian's Sonic Spaces

"This is the first (minimalist, spherical) song with the V-Synth. The V-Synth was Rolands flagship synthesizer released in 2003. It is 16-part multitimbral with up to 24-voices polyphony, featuring analog modeling and PCM waveforms with user sampling that can independently manipulate pitch, time and formant thanks to Rolands VariPhrase technology.

I used for the recording the following FX chain:
V-Synth - Digitech Obscura - Pigtronix Echolution 2 Deluxe - GFI System Specular Reverb 2. Depending on the recorded track some FX are deactivated.

The signal went through a Presonus StudioLive 16.0.2 into the PC via USB for recording. To create the complete song I recorded consecutively several stereo tracks. The final song was then mastered with a bit EQ and compression on some tracks and some limiting on the master track."

Best Ambient Synth Shootout #117: Casio HT-3000 - Song 3

video upload by Christian's Sonic Spaces

"This is the third song with the HT-3000. This time only with custom sounds in a minimalist, spherical soundscape of randomness. The HT-3000 is a 8-voice synthesizer based on 'Spectrum Dynamic' SD Synthesis and has a single real analog 4-pole voltage-controlled filter. My HT-3000 has the legoluft filter mod (http://legoluft.de/tech/bending/e-cas...), so that the frequency and resonance can be control in real-time via two separate knobs (on the left side above the pitch bend wheel).

I used for the recording the following FX chain:
HT-3000 - Digitech Obscura - Pigtronix Echolution 2 Deluxe - GFI System Specular Reverb 2.
Depending on the recorded track some FX are deactivated. In addition, I used in Cubase the coreFX Volume Former on some tracks for a slight pumping effect.

The signal went through a Presonus StudioLive 16.0.2 into the PC via USB for recording. To create the complete song I recorded consecutively several stereo tracks. The final song was then mastered with a bit EQ and compression on some tracks and some limiting on the master track."

Best Ambient Synth Shootout #116: Arturia MicroFreak - Song 2

video upload by Christian's Sonic Spaces

Song 1 here.

"This is the second (quite minimalistic) song with the MicroFreak. It's a monophonic/paraphonic synthesizer with a digital oscillator section containing 12 different algorithms and an analog filter.

I used for the recording the following FX chain: MicroFreak - Digitech Obscura - Pigtronix Echolution 2 Deluxe - GFI System Specular Reverb 2. Depending on the recorded track some FX are deactivated

The signal went through a Presonus StudioLive 16.0.2 into the PC via USB for recording. To create the complete song I recorded consecutively several stereo tracks. The final song was then mastered with a bit EQ and compression on some tracks and some limiting on the master track.

Well, I decided to go back to the basics, but at the same time make something useful for the synth community and do a kind of competition (I like competitions;-). What's my best synth for ambient music :-)"

Best Ambient Synth Shootout #115: Wersi City Rack KF2 - Song 1

video upload by Christian's Sonic Spaces

"This is the first song with the City Rack KF2. There are virtually no any information online available about this rack unit. I think it was intended as a sound addition to an organ because that was Wersi's core business. Unlike Dr. Böhm who used Yamaha's FM chips for sound creation, Wersi used PCM sounds combined with reverb and ensemble effects.

I used for the recording the following FX chain:
HT-3000 - Pigtronix Echolution 2 Deluxe - GFI System Specular Reverb 2. Depending on the recorded track some FX are deactivated.

The signal went through a Presonus StudioLive 16.0.2 into the PC via USB for recording. To create the complete song I recorded consecutively several stereo tracks. The final song was then mastered with a bit EQ and compression on some tracks and some limiting on the master track."

This is the first post to feature the Wersi City Rack KF2.

Best Ambient Synth Shootout #114: Kasser DAFM Synth - Song 3

video upload by Christian's Sonic Spaces

Christian's Sonic Spaces Kasser DAFM posts

"This is the third (quite dystopian) song with the DAFM Synth. It's an FM synthesizer based on either the YM2612 Yamaha chip (used in SEGA Genesis / Megadrive home consoles and various SEGA arcade game systems, including the Mega-Play, System 18, and System 32) or the cleaner sounding YM3438 chip (as in my DAFM) without the crossover distortion in the output. Both sound chips have six channels with four operators per channel.

I used for the recording the following FX chain: DAFM - KMA Machines CIRRUS - Pigtronix Echolution 2 Deluxe - GFI System Specular Reverb 2. Depending on the recorded track some FX are deactivated

The signal went through a Presonus StudioLive 16.0.2 into the PC for recording. To create the complete song I recorded consecutively several stereo tracks. The final song was then mastered with a bit EQ and compression on some tracks and some limiting on the master track."

Best Ambient Synth Shootout #113: Casio HT-3000 - Song 2

video upload by Christian's Sonic Spaces

"This is the second song with the HT-3000. It's a 8-voice synthesizer based on 'Spectrum Dynamic' SD Synthesis and has a single real analog 4-pole voltage-controlled filter. My HT-3000 has the legoluft filter mod (http://legoluft.de/tech/bending/e-cas...), so that the frequency and resonance can be control in real-time via two separate knobs (on the left side above the pitch bend wheel).

I used for the recording the following FX chain:
HT-3000 - Digitech Obscura - Pigtronix Echolution 2 Deluxe - GFI System Specular Reverb 2. Depending on the recorded track some FX are deactivated. In addition, I used in Cubase the coreFX Volume Former on some tracks for a slight pumping effect.

The signal went through a Presonus StudioLive 16.0.2 into the PC via USB for recording. To create the complete song I recorded consecutively several stereo tracks. The final song was then mastered with a bit EQ and compression on some tracks and some limiting on the master track."

Best Ambient Synth Shootout #112: Alesis Fusion 8HD - Song 1

video upload by Christian's Sonic Spaces

"This is the first song with the Alesis Fusion 8HD. It's a synthesizer workstation (up to 190 voices per engine, 16 parts multitimbral) that offers several different synthesis types: AWM (sample playback), FM (freely configurable 6-operators engine), Virtual Analog (VA) and Physical Modeling (Wind and Reed models). There are three oscillators per voice that can be any of the above mentioned synthesis types and 20 different filter types including low-pass, band-pass, high-pass and a 4-band EQ for every patch.

I used for the recording the following FX chain:
Fusion 8HD - Digitech Obscura - Pigtronix Echolution 2 Deluxe - GFI System Specular Reverb 2. Depending on the recorded track some FX are deactivated

The signal went through a Presonus StudioLive 16.0.2 into the PC via USB for recording. To create the complete song I recorded consecutively several stereo tracks. The final song was then mastered with a bit EQ and compression on some tracks and some limiting on the master track."

Best Ambient Synth Shootout #111​: Bastl Instruments XOR - Song 3

video by Christian's Sonic Spaces

"This is the third song with the Bastl Instruments XOR. It's a monotimbral, 6 voice polyphonic, wavetable-based synthesizer using bit operations to add harmonics to the sound. The resulting dirty digital modulation artefacts makes it unique sounding.

I used it for the recording in the following FX pedal chain:
XOR - Elektron Analog Heat - Pladask Elektrisk Fabrikat - Pladask Elektrisk Draume - Pigtronix Echolution 2 Deluxe - GFI System Specular Reverb 2. Depending on the recorded track some FX are deactivated

The signal went through a Presonus StudioLive 16.0.2 into the PC for recording. To create the complete song I recorded consecutively several stereo tracks. The final song was then mastered with a bit EQ and compression on some tracks and some limiting on the master track."

Best Ambient Synth Shootout #110​: Casio HT-3000 - Song 1

video by Christian's Sonic Spaces

"This is the first song with the HT-3000. It's a 8-voice synthesizer based on 'Spectrum Dynamic' SD Synthesis and has a single real analog 4-pole voltage-controlled filter. My HT-3000 has the legoluft filter mod (http://legoluft.de/tech/bending/e-cas...​), so that the frequency and resonance can be control in real-time via two separate knobs (on the left side above the pitch bend wheel).

I used for the recording the following FX chain: HT-3000 - Digitech Obscura - Pigtronix Echolution 2 Deluxe - GFI System Specular Reverb 2. Depending on the recorded track some FX are deactivated

The signal went through a Presonus StudioLive 16.0.2 into the PC via USB for recording. To create the complete song I recorded consecutively several stereo tracks. The final song was then mastered with a bit EQ and compression on some tracks and some limiting on the master track."

Best Ambient Synth Shootout #109​: Casio CZ-1 - Song 3

video by Christian's Sonic Spaces

"This is the third song with the CZ-1. It's a 16 voice Phase Distortion synthesizer from the mid 80s. The only Casio Synth from the CZ series that featured velocity and aftertouch sensitivity.

I used for the recording the following FX chain: CZ-1 - Digitech Obscura - Pigtronix Echolution 2 Deluxe - GFI System Specular Reverb 2. Depending on the recorded track some FX are deactivated

The signal went through a Presonus StudioLive 16.0.2 into the PC via USB for recording. To create the complete song I recorded consecutively several stereo tracks. The final song was then mastered with a bit EQ and compression on some tracks and some limiting on the master track."

Best Ambient Synth Shootout posts

Best Ambient Synth Shootout #108​: Bastl Instruments XOR - Song 2

video by Christian's Sonic Spaces

"This is the second song with the Bastl Instruments XOR. It's a monotimbral, 6 voice polyphonic, wavetable-based synthesizer using bit operations to add harmonics to the sound. The resulting dirty digital modulation artefacts makes it unique sounding.

I used it for the recording in the following FX pedal chain:

XOR - Elektron Analog Heat - DigiTech Obscura - Pigtronix Echolution 2 Deluxe - GFI System Specular Reverb 2. Depending on the recorded track some FX are deactivated

The signal went through a Presonus StudioLive 16.0.2 into the PC for recording. To create the complete song I recorded consecutively several stereo tracks. The final song was then mastered with a bit EQ and compression on some tracks and some limiting on the master track."

Best Ambient Synth Shootout #106​: Casio CZ-1 - Song 2

video by Christian's Sonic Spaces

Song 1 here

"This is the second song with the CZ-1. It's a 16 voice Phase Distortion synthesizer from the mid 80s. The only Casio Synth from the CZ series that featured velocity and aftertouch sensitivity.

I used for the recording the following FX chain: CZ-1 - Alesis Philtre - Digitech Obscura - Pigtronix Echolution 2 Deluxe - GFI System Specular Reverb 2. Depending on the recorded track some FX are deactivated

The signal went through a Presonus StudioLive 16.0.2 into the PC via USB for recording. To create the complete song I recorded consecutively several stereo tracks. The final song was then mastered with a bit EQ and compression on some tracks and some limiting on the master track."

Best Ambient Synth Shootout #105: Hartmann Neuron VS - Song 2

video by Christian's Sonic Spaces

Song 1 here

"This is the second song with the Neuron VS. It's the software (VST) version of the Hartmann Neuron, a novel hardware synthesizer introduced in 2001 based on artificial neural networks used for sound synthesis. The software version of the instrument, was released in 2005.

I used for the recording just on the opening pad an Eventide Blackhole. All other FX are directly from the Neuron VS.

To create the complete song I recorded consecutively several stereo tracks. The final song was then mastered with a bit EQ and compression on some tracks and some limiting on the master track."

Best Ambient Synth Shootout #103: Neuron VS - Song 1

Christian's Sonic Spaces

"This is the first (quite dystopic) song with the Neuron VS. It's the software (VST) version of the Hartmann Neuron, a novel hardware synthesizer introduced in 2001 based on artificial neural networks used for sound synthesis. The software version of the instrument, was released in 2005.

I used for the recording the following FX chain: Neuron VS - DigiTech Obscura - Pigtronix Echolution 2 Deluxe - GFI System Specular Reverb 2. Depending on the recorded track some FX are deactivated

The signal went through a Presonus StudioLive 16.0.2 into the PCfor recording. To create the complete song I recorded consecutively several stereo tracks. The final song was then mastered with a bit EQ and compression on some tracks and some limiting on the master track."

Best Ambient Synth Shootout #102: Roland D-05 - Song 3

Christian's Sonic Spaces

"This is the third song with the Roland D-05 Synth. It's a remake of the famous D-50 first released in 1987, a digital synth using the so called ‘Linear Arithmetic’ (LA) synthesis.

I used for the recording the following FX chain: D-05 - Pladask Elektrisk Fabrikat - Pigtronix Echolution 2 Deluxe - GFI System Specular Reverb 2. Depending on the recorded track some FX are deactivated

The signal went through a Presonus StudioLive 16.0.2 into the PCfor recording. To create the complete song I recorded consecutively several stereo tracks. The final song was then mastered with a bit EQ and compression on some tracks and some limiting on the master track."

Christian's Sonic Spaces

Best Ambient Synth Shootout #101: Kasser DAFM Synth - Song 2

Christian's Sonic Spaces

"This is the second song with the DAFM Synth. It's an FM synthesizer based on either the YM2612 yamaha chip (used in SEGA Genesis / Megadrive home consoles and various SEGA arcade game systems, including the Mega-Play, System 18, and System 32) or the cleaner sounding YM3438 chip (as in my DAFM) without the crossover distortion in the output. Both sound chips has six channels with four operators per channel.

I used for the recording the following FX chain:
DAFM - DigiTech Obscura - Pigtronix Echolution 2 Deluxe - GFI System Specular Reverb 2. Depending on the recorded track some FX are deactivated

The signal went through a Presonus StudioLive 16.0.2 into the PC for recording. To create the complete song I recorded consecutively several stereo tracks. The final song was then mastered with a bit EQ and compression on some tracks and some limiting on the master track."

You can find aditional DAFM posts here.

Best Ambient Synth Shootout #100: Arturia MicroFreak - Song 1

Christian's Sonic Spaces

"This is the first song with the MicroFreak. It's a monophonic/paraphonic synthesizer with a digital oscillator section containing 12 different algorithms and an analog filter.

I used for the recording the following FX chain:
MicroFreak - Digitech Obscura - Pigtronix Echolution 2 Deluxe - GFI System Specular Reverb 2. Depending on the recorded track some FX are deactivated

The signal went through a Presonus StudioLive 16.0.2 into the PC via USB for recording. To create the complete song I recorded consecutively several stereo tracks. The final song was then mastered with a bit EQ and compression on some tracks and some limiting on the master track."

Best Ambient Synth Shootout #99: Böhm Dynamic 4x9 - Song 3

Christian's Sonic Spaces

"This is the third song with the Boehm Dynamic 4x9. It's a German FM-synthesizer from mid-80s that were only available as DIY project. It uses 12(!) Yamaha ICs of the type YM2203, which were commonly used in home computers from NEC as well as in arcade games until the early 90s. Each of the ICs has 3 FM-voices for an overall 36 voices 4-part polyphony.

I used for the recording the following FX for the song:

DigiTech Obscura, Pigtronix Echolution 2 Deluxe, GFI System Specular Reverb 2.

Depending on the recorded track some FX are deactivated.The signal went through a Presonus StudioLive 16.0.2 into the PC for recording. To create the complete song I recorded consecutively several stereo tracks. The final song was then mastered with a bit EQ and compression on some tracks and some limiting on the master track."

Christian's Sonic Spaces Böhm demos