Modern Synth Sounds

[funkyguitar]

In one of the critiques of my songs and on a recent Taxi webinar, dated synth sounds were repeatedly mentioned by the panelists. I don't understand what makes a synth sound modern. How do I recognize them? Any recommendations for programs that have modern synth sounds? I really only have GarageBand which has a ton of synths but my feeling is they skew towards older '70s synth sounds.

[PDebik]

It is not necessarily a patch in a library that helps with more modern sounds. Even with an up-to-date version of Zebra2 or Omnisphere 2.x you can still easily end up with a critique that says your works sound dated.

What you could do is to go on the Spotify Top Ten lists and listen to current music, then try to emulate the sounds you here on these songs.

[funkyguitar]

What you could do is to go on the Spotify Top Ten lists and listen to current music, then try to emulate the sounds you here on these songs.

Right on. With so many options for synth sounds a starting point would be helpful.

[cosmicdolphin]

What you could do is to go on the Spotify Top Ten lists and listen to current music, then try to emulate the sounds you here on these songs.

Right on. With so many options for synth sounds a starting point would be helpful.

Avicci.
Marshmello.
David Guetta.
Skrillex.
Calvin Harris.
Alan Walker.
Tiesto.
Swedish House Mafia.

LIstening to them would be a good starting point...sounds can be made in anything and sound modern or dated depending how you use them

[funkyguitar]

sounds can be made in anything and sound modern or dated depending how you use them

So what I'm hearing is there isn't really a definition of a modern or dated synth sound but rather it's the context that defines it.

[funkyguitar]

I was interested in learning about patch names or recommended software to use as a starting point rather than a trial-by-fire approach.

[cosmicdolphin]

I was interested in learning about patch names or recommended software to use as a starting point rather than a trial-by-fire approach.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Fr7yEWB ... l=AlexRome

[Ted]

You're using GarageBand? I was using that for a long time. Even after I bought an earlier version of Logic, I found it hard to use and continued to use GarageBand. It was only when Logic X came out that I was able to make the jump over to Logic as it was now just as intuitive as GarageBand. Your post got me thinking about GarageBand because I wanted to see what synths you would have available and I went and opened it for the first time in years-- how foreign and tiny it looks to me now! I could never go back to it.

If you're not using Logic X, I'd advise that it might be the next step for you. With Logic X, you get a lot more stock synth sounds to play with and plenty are good enough for modern music.

This summer I made my first purchase of third party software and I invested in Native Instruments Komplete 12 Ultimate. I got it during the 50% off summer sale, so I saved a lot on it--( it's annoying they have this sale once a year and if you miss it, too bad). It's got really great synth sounds. I like stuff like Modular Icons and Analog Dreams from the Play series-- and the Massive presets are awesome and modern. I'm sitting here watching the Road Rally for the past few days while trying to preview every synth sound I have.

It COULD be that your synth sounds are dated-- but it also could be your general production skills are not polished enough yet. I go back and listen to stuff I did a year or two ago and can quickly see how great musical ideas can sound dated or less impressive just because the production was lackluster/lack of mastering/compression/mixing/etc. I'm still working on getting there but I'm progressing. So I'd go to Logic X first and learn that platform-- you can do so much more than with GarageBand.

[funkyguitar]

Thank you for the detailed response, Ted. I regularly hear I ought to upgrade from GarageBand to Logic. I'm a relative newcomer to GarageBand, just recently got a MIDI controller, and have been somewhat overwhelmed by the options available there and don't feel like I've thoroughly explored what it has to offer. But it's likely a matter of time before I do upgrade. My intention in asking the question was to learn that patches A, B, and C are common modern synth sounds, like Arp Odyssey and Moog were common 1970s synth sounds. I understand that there are vastly more synth options available today, so perhaps I'm just showing my unawareness of this realm.

[NoizeeBhoy]

If you're prepared to spend some $ rather than invest time perfecting stock synth sounds it might be worth getting a VST like Serum or Ana. There's LOADS of add on pack named after particular artists - Post Malone, Arianna Grande etc - with presets that you can purchase or there's plenty of free preset downloads available on YouTube and other sources. These are synth sounds specifically modelled on today's biggest hit so they sound have a pretty modern sound....