Audio technology is capable of astonishing feats. From the most faithful capturing of analogue oscillation to the most advanced modulation and processing you can imagine, today’s top synths use these technological heights to their advantage. But so do the synths that aren’t hitting the big leagues, and others that have been treading their own path.
Today’s top synths need no introduction, but there are plenty more options laying slightly lower in the background. For every Arturia Pigments and u-he Hive, there are at least a couple of alternative options that haven’t been quite as successful. Some aimed to make it big but didn’t catch the right wind – others bravely trod their own path, offering a completely different experience that was never expected to be a mainstream phenomenon. It’s these synths that we’ll discuss here.
Physical modelling has undergone a small resurgence recently, with a few synths appearing in the last few months. Reason Studios’ Objekt made a dent in public consciousness, with its versatile setup allowing a bevy of sounds and textures to be made. Objekt has a real-world sound that fits right into Reason, and the workflow and possibilities you get through using it with the rest of the DAW are very expansive.
Meanwhile in the physical modelling space, Physical Audio’s Modus, also recently launched, offers a ‘fantasy’ instrument setup combining strings and plates connected together by springs and rattles. It’s a synth that requires a bit of work to get started with, and it’s got a sound all its own. We’ll take
