Grab your favourite softsynths and let us take you on a journey into their evolution. Learn how to get more out of them and see how they stack up next to the pioneers that inspired them. Yes, we’re pitting some software against hardware, and on the way, expect to pick up one or two things…
It’s time to celebrate the polysynth!
Let’s be clear, that pretty much encompasses every synth you use on your computer. What we once called a polysynth is essentially any synth where you can play more than a single note simultaneously. Today, we’re celebrating where these synths came from. And in doing so, we’re going to learn more about how to use them, how to get more out of your regular favourites, and also point out some of the best alternatives out there. We’re also going to compare some hardware polysynths with their software equivalents.
The polysynth revolution is a huge subject to take on with one feature, so we’ve broken it down into concise – and in some cases, not so concise – chunks. We’ve tackled the history of the analogue synth, from its mono beginning, through becoming poly, to turning digital, and how they led to the synths we use today. This will give you a short and sweet context on the innovations that ultimately led to the development of your favourite plugins.
Next, we take a look at another kind of synth, the synth workstation (aka, the ROMpler). We explore how it came to be, inevitably with some overlap with the analogue evolution. And just like the analogue synth before it, this led to a very different kind of software polysynth: the workstation ROMpler With both of these synth types now in hand, we look at six of the best of each – classic vintage synth emulations and modern day software ROMplers – before taking you on several guided tours on how to get the best from each type. There are classic techniques, new ways to make the most of polysynth power, and step-by-step tutorials to achieve famous sounds.
We then take a look to the future (and, actually, the present) as well as a few ways that hardware and software synthesisers are no longer sitting on either side of a fence lobbing stones at one another, but actually linking up, sharing presets and more. It’s a glimpse at a sweeter, more hybrid future, one where perhaps the definitions of hardware and software are blurred.
We then tackle the thorny question of which is the best software polysynth in 2024. And with six absolute blinders included from our tests from the last 12 months, there’s plenty to choose from, and a lot of variety on offer.
Finally, and at odds with what we just said about blurring definitions between hardware and software synths, we’re going to set three hardware and software polysynths against one another. Or rather, you are. We’re going to take three classic synths, record some similar(ish) sounds, u
