Best Synthesizer for hard progressive trance (Dumonde, Push, M.I.K.E., Pulsedriver)

Dave T

New member
I've read alot of your posts and you folks seem real knowledgeable. I am looking for the best synth, either hardware or software, for producing hard progressive trance. I am very much looking to create hard, fat sounds, like DUmonde, Push, Green Court, Pulsedriver, Flutilicht, Ferry Corsten, M.I.K.E., Dutchforce, etc... I am particularly looking to create those stabbing lead sounds, that start out arpeggiated and evolve into a fat rolling thundering anthemic type of stab. I own a Yamaha Cs2x and it's ok. Money is not an object. Thanks in advance for all the advice.
 
Novation

Supernova II
The most powerfull piece of synth out there. I have the Supernova I and I'm producing progressive and regular trance on it and I tell you it rox!
There's not a sound it can't make and it can be as warm and as agressive as you like.
It's got:

Per voice:
3 Oscillators (with a double saw available = 6 oscs per voice)
Oscillators can run freewheeling or by keysync.
2 independent Ring Mods (don't take up any oscs.) 8 Different Types providing more than just analog FM.
1 Noise Generator
3 sync oscillators to make sync effect without loosing any oscillators. can be pitched and have keyfollow.
2 filters with keyfollow (per voice, I've checked with a bandpass and a spectrum analyzer)
2 LFO's capable of running at oudio rates (up to 2000hz I believe = nice string sounds)
3 ADSTR envelope generators. All loopable and can be set to Time or Sustain.
Up to 48 voices with the Supernova II pro X

8 part miltitimbral.
Each part has got it's own effects for you can have a different delay, reverb and such on each of the eight parts. Effects can be assigned to the part from program or part(patch). (nice if you make patch changes in the middle of the choon)

Effect types per part (+ the vocoder): Delay, Reverb, Distortion, Chorus/Flanger/Phaser,/Ensemble Pan/tremolo, Comb Filter, EQ
in all: 18 different effect

Special Hardness fillter for each osc (incl noisegen.), can soften a Square osc into a sine.

Over 130 modulation routings 95 in oscillator section alone.

UNISON mode, for even phatter sounds. (mmmm unison!)

Special VCO mode for old vintage sounds

Skew and Formant for each oscillator can create amazing sounds.

42 Band crystal clear Vocoder with sibilance mode and spectrum analyzer

...
what can be modulated by the 2 LFO's and the 3 Envelopes:
Filter,
Resonance
Filter Separation
Volume of everything
Hardness filter
Square wave With
Phasing Between double saws
Pitch of the 3-6 oscs
Amount of Sync
LFO Speed

Everything can by a click on a button and a twist of a knob be assigned to the Modulation Wheel.

Also features:
One of the most advanced arpeggiator systems. 8 Arpeggiators can run at the same time.
Featuring Zone pitching and several different arpeggiator modes.

Alot if different reverb types

2 Different depth velocity respond modes for each envelope. The envelope depth can be modulated in both positive and negative way.

Extra unused special buttons makes room for OS updates.

And theres alot more under the skin of this baby that you'll have to dig deep into before you realize how cool and unique they are.

oh. i allmost forgot:
8 assignable polyphonic outputs
2 inputs each assignable to Vocoder, effects or all (!!! :eek: )
If you like, One of the inputs can be assigned as modulator and the other as carrier and with the supernovas stereo effects, you'd still have a stereo vocoding! Bwahahahaa!

Digital I/O and ADAT expansions are optional

and: All filters low, high, band can be set to 12, 18 or 24 bd/oct

oh yeah: 400 dedicated Drumbanks are provided.
each part can have a drumset of 49 sounds simultaneusly. This is the largest on any synth ever.

1024 Programs (patches)
512 Performances can be stored in memory.
 
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snviimaster.jpg

small scale picture of the keyboard version.
On the keyboard version, the ADSTR envelopes are controlled by sliders instead of knobs.
 
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Notice also when someone like access who makes the great synth Virus synth say 82 effects simultaneusly, they also include Ring mod, vocoder and master clock.
Let's just for phun beat this:
Let's include these things in the SNII:
48 voices * 2 Ring Mods per voice = 96 Ringmods
master clock for all LFO's and arpeggiators: 1 (?)
Vocoder = 1
57 effects per part
155 effects!

Lets then not forget about the Formant With, Formant Filter (in the filter section), the hardness filter, the Sync Skew and the 3 sync oscillators per voice.
MUAHAHA!
 
I sure did. :D
I've tried alot of other synths out and compared specs and all. Noone beats the supernova II
 
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:)

I own a Virus B, and while I love it, the SUPERNOVA II is without a doubt the synth I'd choose if I need to add a synth to my studio.

It is the one I always recommend for trance stuff especially. I love my Virus but I dont compose any trance. If I did, the SII would be better
 
yeah. The virus got a lovely sound but yes, it's probably not as good for trance as the supernova.
 
DJ Chriss,


Thanks for all of the information. I just walked in from work and was thrilled to see the detailed responses to my inquiry. And while I don't understand alot of the technical stuff you were speaking about, I guess it all means that the SNII can make the type of sounds that I'm looking for. So I guess my next question is how would I go about creating that anthemic arpeggiated sound that starts out staccato and evolves into a thundering stab sound, really fat? I hear it a ton on Dumonde, transa, Dutchforce, Flutlicht, etc... tracks, typically all the German, Dutch producers. It's pretty incredible and uplifting.

Anyway, thanks for all the help and, I am considering the SNII pro Rack. What are your thoughts on that? ANy different from the key board version? Thanks a ton

Dave T
 
ea, Yea, this is a great time for synths...knobs are back in style, subtractive analog synthisis is back, its just cool to ba a keyboard player again. Thats part of the problem. There are LOTS of great sounding synths......REAL synths on the market today. The bottom line is every synth sounds different, and you have to find one that YOU like the sound of...not DJ Chris, not me, not anyone else but you. If you buy a current VA/Analog you cant go wrong....every professional has their favorite, all of them sound great, just different....so dont ask us, go listen.

Just a few to check:

Nord Lead 3
Waldorf Q
Novation Supernova II
Access Virus b
Korg MS2000
Roland JP-8080
Alesis Andromeda
Studio Electronics Omega 8
Jomox Sunsynth
Yamaha AN1X

Mitch
 
for dutch trance i think the supernova2 is really great.

I have one, i also have a jp8000.
I think the supernova has some really cool sounds (although it's best if you make your own sounds :D

yesterday i made a string/pad sound with 3 osc's set to double saw and unison. DAMN!!!!!!!!!!

I think you'll get my point :)
 
This is also for christian, but he's prob. allready figured this out. hehe

To make that kinda sound is very easy: And on the supernova you can make all sorts of extra stuff like a Sync attack to make your sounds unique.

What you do is to frst make a phat, phat synth stab/lead.
You can use regular saw and square waves or the double saw if you please.
Detune your oscillators by one or two of the LFOs by about +- 1-4 (out of +-64) set the speed of the LFO to between 70 and 100 on slow speed. You'll hear an amazing difference.

Now to add extra umph! (let the melody cycle by itself while you do this)
Add a delay that fits the pattern (sync it to the midi clock) and a little bit of reverb.

Select one of the oscillators and add a little amount of sync on it. Maybe solo the osc. This will make one of the oscsillators boost extra treble while still keeping it's tune.
Then go into the oscillators menu and fiddle with the sync skew and the formant with till you got the desired sound.

Now to the "staccato" part:

In the filter section, choose the frequency button and then one of the envelopes you're not currentely using.

Depending on how much staccato effect you desire, you let the envelope modulate the filter in positive way. The more modulation the more staccato. (is a limit where it sounds silly though)
Also in the filter section: It's a good idea to set your Q to between 0-30 and maybe give it a bit of overdrive.

Choose the modulating envelope in the envelope section and give it a very small attack (1-10) and a little longer decay.
Depending on how much you want the filter to go down, set your sustain to below max.
The release should be longer than the amp envelopes release to prevent the filter from going all the way down before time.

Now try the sound and add the amount of reverb and chorus and whatever you like.
I know... big post, but in real time it takes no time to set the filter up that way.
 
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Man! Christian! That double saw really, really ROX!!!
I've just made the phattest Pad/Drone ever....
Liquid you'd probably know what it's I just press one key on the keyboard and the whole smackaroonie flows up in a slow filter sweep. Totally phatt and in your face, but still nice and smooth.
It covers 3 octaves but it's like one big, huge wave just flowing to the beat. WOW!!!
When it's put to 20 out of 128 volume it's just totally phatt and loud and even at 128 it doesn't distort. UOOOOOHHHHHHH YEAH!!
I've already found a beat and a bass for it. I'm gonna use it as the driving source in a new track. Doesn't need any melody. Just this huuuge wave shifting tune once in a while.
MUAHAHAHA!!!
SUPERNOVA!!!!
 
Thanks to all for all the outstanding information. Chriss, I have been considering the SUpernova II Rack. Which one is the best rack, and is it different from the Keyboard version? Anyway, thanks again for all of the responses. I live in New York and my next step is to figure out wheere I can get an SNII. Hwne I use my Yamaha, I can create some of those fat sounds but it's never quite right, nor is it quite as thick, and fat as I hear it from some of the top hard progressive trance producers. What is behind the total thickness of the sound. Is it the layering? Is it the modulation, or is it just that some syths are incapable of making the sounds whereas the SNII has full capability? From Chriss's description of the specs, it seems like whatever it is. SN II has the answer. thanks. Look forward to your responses.
 
By the way , are there any fans out there of DUmonde, Flutlicht, Pulsedriver, Green court, Tandu, Transa, Alex Rocco, ferry Corsten, Vincent Demoor, Airscape, etc... They create some tremendous sounds. It's cool to hear from those people who know and love the exact sounds I'm asking about. Anwyay, thanks again.
 
That's the thing about these modulattion synths. You can get the sounds as phatt as you like.
It's all both in the construction of the sounds and the layering of octaves and frequencies, and the SNII got more modulation power than any synth out there. I've now had my supernova for soon half a year I think and I'm really getting control of all the power beneath it.
The supernova covers every aspect I'll ever need for synth producion.

Just today I made the most wicked percussion sound (pitchable) I've ever heard on my supernova. It was just as wicked as the sounds from Safri Duo "Play'ed Alive" and Capricorn "20 hz". And bear in mind that this is a modular synth. :eek:

Man this synth is wicked!!! And the II is even better and phatter.

About those artists. Yup. I used to make that stuff when I first got the supernova and it's absolutely perfect for it. (btw: I'm not really GOD (!), Vincent De Moor is)
You can make the most wonderful pads and the phattest synth leads. Yeah!
Now I produce progressive trance on it. And it serves the purpose just as well. Only your imagination sets the limits for the sounds you can make.
So if you get the supernova II I can allways help you with the sounds mate.

The rack version is a good choise. Much cheaper and with the same specs. Not as many "live" buttons though (if you wanna stand and play on it, the keyboard version have some neat live features).
You should get as many voices you can afford to make full use of the Unison mode. When set up right it can handle 48 voices with 6 oscillators as though they were all a part of a monophonic synth. PHATT PHATT PHATT.

And to those of you who says the sound of the supernova is too "nice" I beg to differ. I've made the roodest sounds on that piece. It just takes time to get totally inside this monster. (understandable enough)
Believe my word when I say it can be anything but nice.
 
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Dave T said:
Thanks to all for all the outstanding information. Chriss, I have been considering the SUpernova II Rack. Which one is the best rack, and is it different from the Keyboard version? Anyway, thanks again for all of the responses. I live in New York and my next step is to figure out wheere I can get an SNII. Hwne I use my Yamaha, I can create some of those fat sounds but it's never quite right, nor is it quite as thick, and fat as I hear it from some of the top hard progressive trance producers. What is behind the total thickness of the sound. Is it the layering? Is it the modulation, or is it just that some syths are incapable of making the sounds whereas the SNII has full capability? From Chriss's description of the specs, it seems like whatever it is. SN II has the answer. thanks. Look forward to your responses.

Simply get as many voices as you can afford, (pro x = 48 voices) so you'll be able to use the unison feature to it's full extent.
I'd definitely prefers the keyboard when I'll be able to afford it. It has sliders for envelope control and neat on-the-fly features. But the racks all have the same specs. It's just a matter of voices.
 
Would someone here be nice enough to record and post some of these ultra-phat sounds you're talking about? :) I'm really curious to see what this purple beast is capable of.
 
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