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Which iOS Synths for emulating Classic Synths?

Which iOS synth(s) would you say best emulate the sounds of certain "other" Classic Synths. (But not sample based player apps. They have to be actual synths with controls that work like the real thing.)

I know there are a bunch of iOS synths that already emulate Classic Synths...

KORG,
iMono/Poly
iPolySix
iMS-20
iWavestation
iDS-10

MOOG,
Model 15 App
Model D App
Animoog App

ARTURIA,
iMini (MiniMoog)
iProphet (Prophet VS)
iSem (Oberheim SEM)

Which iOS synth(s) would you choose for emulating other classic synths?
Like these....

  • Roland Jupiter 8

  • Roland Juno 60

  • Oberheim OB-X or OB-Xa

  • The Prophet 5 or 10

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Comments

  • Well, there is an OB-X app called discodsp that is supposed to come out soon.

    Otherwise, I’d look at Zeeon or Synthmaster One. Poison 202 and Volt are also excellent for the old school DCO synths.

  • Try Yamaha Synth Book. It's synth engine is from the AN1X which is meant to simulate a Prophet 5 in some ways.

  • edited May 2019

    Syntronik. Up to 22 vintage synths. Free download with a few patches... but still. Worth a look, tho a little pricey.

  • edited May 2019

    @LinearLineman said:
    Syntronik. Up to 22 vintage synths. Free download with a few patches... but still. Worth a look, tho a little pricey.

    It’s a romlper though.

    I’d say Zeeon for sure if only because it emulates the instability of analog circuitry REALLY well and that’s a huge part of what lends vintage gear its character.

  • @legsmechanical, do you not think Syntronik qualifies? ( I don’t have it, and after a thorough investigation I decided I really wanted to look forward on synths, not back. But I thought the sounds were good and comprehensive.

  • edited May 2019

    I wish there was a emulation of the Buchla Music Easel. It would make so much sence on a touch screen.

  • @Calverhall said:
    I wish there was a emulation of the Buchla Music Easel. It would make so much ence on a touch screen.

    +1

  • @legsmechanical said:

    @LinearLineman said:
    Syntronik. Up to 22 vintage synths. Free download with a few patches... but still. Worth a look, tho a little pricey.

    It’s a romlper though.

    I’d say Zeeon for sure if only because it emulates the instability of analog circuitry REALLY well and that’s a huge part of what lends vintage gear its character.

    I think this is a bit of a misconception. Some vintage gear was unstable, but a lot of it really wasn't and isn't today if it's still within spec.

  • Just for the the record: Syntronik emulates the sounds and features of 38 classic synths using modeling techniques. It's more than a ROM-pler in that sense.

    For the month of May it's on sale for 50% off. I bought the whole enchilada and got them all
    for $50.

    Alesis Andromeda
    ARP 2600
    ARP String Ensemble (Solina)
    Elka Rhapsody 490
    Hohner String Performer
    Micromoog
    Minimoog Model D
    Modular Moog
    Moog Opus 3
    Moog Prodigy
    Moog Rogue
    Moog Taurus I
    Moog Taurus II
    Moog Taurus 3
    Moog Voyager
    Multimoog
    Oberheim OB-X
    Oberheim OB-Xa
    Oberheim SEM (Synthesizer Expander Module)
    Polymoog
    PPG Wave 2.3
    Realistic Concertmate MG-1
    Roland Juno-60
    Roland Jupiter-4
    Roland Jupiter-6
    Roland Jupiter-8
    Roland JX-10
    Roland JX-3P
    Roland JX-8P
    Roland RS-09 Organ/Strings
    Roland RS-505 Paraphonic
    Roland TB-303 Bassline
    Sequential Circuits Prophet-10
    Sequential Circuits Prophet-5
    Yamaha CS-01II
    Yamaha CS-80
    Yamaha GX-1
    Yamaha SY99

    Seems like a lot of money but it's $1.38 per synth. It you don't want them all just buy those you covet. Watch the 2 part Syntronik synth demo's on YouTube created by Jordan Rudess:

    Now... learning to re-create classic synths from the great apps Zeeon, SunRizer, RippleMaker, the Moog, PPG and Korg is a great skill to have but me... I'd rather be playing because turning knobs is a different use of time.

    Probably the best use of time is simply picking one synth and really learning what it can do:
    program and play. I think all the Yonac's are also on sale right now and they are low cost powerful Apps.

  • @McD : I have read that Syntronik does not do modeling--including an article about one of the sampling sessions.

    My understanding is that it has a library of high quality samples for each synth and that it has some filters and modulators but that the filters are the same for all the synths.more ROMpler than synth.

  • @espiegel123 , correct on the same few functions for each Synth.

  • Thanks all!

    It's interesting to hear all your suggestions so far.

    I do have the free version of Syntronik and I think it's cool. But it frustrates me to look at the Syntronik interface showing all the classic synths, without the complete layout of the original controls for each particular synth. It just makes me want emulator versions even more.

    Part of my interest in classic synths is nostalgia. The unique sound character those classic synths could create, and also all the "what ifs" involved of having the potential to "nuance" the sounds using the controls.

    @Philandering_Bastard . That's great news to hear of the OB-X app called discodsp that's supposed to come out soon!
    That will likely be an instant buy for me.

    I wish I understood more about how iOS synths use code to model analog circuits. I've read in the past that what gave the OB-X its unique sound (in part) was a unique type of filter design. What I don't understand is how difficult it is to actually code the particular elements into an iOS synth to emulate those classic circuit designs.

    I know the Moog Model 15 App, and a few other iOS apps, emulate a modular interface. I find this interesting because it means an iOS synth can have different sections that emulate particular types of circuit functions. But in the case of a modular interface, not all modules need to be used to emulate a sound. This must mean it's possible for the software to have capabilities that can either be included or bypassed.

    If I could wish for an iOS synth. It would be one that contained the "capacity" for variety sections for emulating particular types of circuit functions. So in essence, all the sections required to emulate an OB-X, a Jupiter 8, or a Juno 60 are all included in the software. But the key element for this hypothetical synth's design, would be the ability to select different interfaces, containing the different sets of controls that you want to work with.

    In other words, one iOS synth with a lot of capability like that of a modular synth. But instead of the all the modules being up front and visible on one interface. You can instead choose different interfaces that only include the set of controls that you want to work with.

    So imagine you're after a basic Juno 60 type range of sounds. You open this hypothetical synth app, and tap on a tab that is labeled "basic synth". Up pops an interface that offers you a set of controls, and one oscillator like that of a Juno 60. Then in the same app, if you next want to work the a set of controls like that of a Jupiter 8. Tap the tab for that synth layout and then you are looking at two oscillators, and all the controls familiar to a Jupiter 8. Another tab can bring up a layout for an OB-X. As well as a bunch of other layouts as well. Not all have to be emulations of classic synths. They can be completely modern as well.

    The idea is that all the functionality of a very complex synth is in there, but you can control how much of it is reveled and used in a particular interface, by selecting how much of it you want to work with.

    Of course it would also have a master tab that would bring up every feature for those who want to work with the entire capability of the app all at the same time.

    But I think the idea of treating level of interface complexity similarly to that of selecting a patch. Might be a really good design, especially for those who are just learning about programing synths. or those who only want as many controls in view as they need for the particular kinds of sounds they want to work with.

    This hypothetical synth ought to be particular useful if each interface used a similar layout in each of the complexity levels. Switching from the one oscillator synth interface, to a two oscillator interface, would keep all the controls arranged in similar sections. That way it's intuitive when changing layouts, as the controls you're looking for will be located where you'd expect them to be.

  • Thor has some aspects of what you describe, as do the various modular synth apps. You just have to roll your own.

  • @horsetrainer said:
    Thanks all!

    It's interesting to hear all your suggestions so far.

    I do have the free version of Syntronik and I think it's cool. But it frustrates me to look at the Syntronik interface showing all the classic synths, without the complete layout of the original controls for each particular synth. It just makes me want emulator versions even more.

    Part of my interest in classic synths is nostalgia. The unique sound character those classic synths could create, and also all the "what ifs" involved of having the potential to "nuance" the sounds using the controls.

    @Philandering_Bastard . That's great news to hear of the OB-X app called discodsp that's supposed to come out soon!
    That will likely be an instant buy for me.

    I wish I understood more about how iOS synths use code to model analog circuits. I've read in the past that what gave the OB-X its unique sound (in part) was a unique type of filter design. What I don't understand is how difficult it is to actually code the particular elements into an iOS synth to emulate those classic circuit designs.

    I know the Moog Model 15 App, and a few other iOS apps, emulate a modular interface. I find this interesting because it means an iOS synth can have different sections that emulate particular types of circuit functions. But in the case of a modular interface, not all modules need to be used to emulate a sound. This must mean it's possible for the software to have capabilities that can either be included or bypassed.

    If I could wish for an iOS synth. It would be one that contained the "capacity" for variety sections for emulating particular types of circuit functions. So in essence, all the sections required to emulate an OB-X, a Jupiter 8, or a Juno 60 are all included in the software. But the key element for this hypothetical synth's design, would be the ability to select different interfaces, containing the different sets of controls that you want to work with.

    In other words, one iOS synth with a lot of capability like that of a modular synth. But instead of the all the modules being up front and visible on one interface. You can instead choose different interfaces that only include the set of controls that you want to work with.

    So imagine you're after a basic Juno 60 type range of sounds. You open this hypothetical synth app, and tap on a tab that is labeled "basic synth". Up pops an interface that offers you a set of controls, and one oscillator like that of a Juno 60. Then in the same app, if you next want to work the a set of controls like that of a Jupiter 8. Tap the tab for that synth layout and then you are looking at two oscillators, and all the controls familiar to a Jupiter 8. Another tab can bring up a layout for an OB-X. As well as a bunch of other layouts as well. Not all have to be emulations of classic synths. They can be completely modern as well.

    The idea is that all the functionality of a very complex synth is in there, but you can control how much of it is reveled and used in a particular interface, by selecting how much of it you want to work with.

    Of course it would also have a master tab that would bring up every feature for those who want to work with the entire capability of the app all at the same time.

    But I think the idea of treating level of interface complexity similarly to that of selecting a patch. Might be a really good design, especially for those who are just learning about programing synths. or those who only want as many controls in view as they need for the particular kinds of sounds they want to work with.

    This hypothetical synth ought to be particular useful if each interface used a similar layout in each of the complexity levels. Switching from the one oscillator synth interface, to a two oscillator interface, would keep all the controls arranged in similar sections. That way it's intuitive when changing layouts, as the controls you're looking for will be located where you'd expect them to be.

    This should give you an idea of what kind of work goes into modelling an analog synth:

    I don't think any iOS synths have had that much time/work spent on them and probably rely on more "generic" modelling.

  • The iceworks Lorentz has a very similar architecture to the Juno 60/106, if you ignore the (interesting) resonator section and nicely featured delay. Very simple, and hard to get a bad sound out of it, the main charm of the Junos. The simpler sounds can go nicely with being a polysynth- if a synth is too phat it sounds ugly with chords.

    Not on your list, but Sunrizer is very similar in architecture to the Nord Lead 2, with the ability to morph between two sounds.

  • edited May 2019
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  • edited May 2019

    @horsetrainer
    And zeeon has a few different filter models, one of which is based on the 2 pole lpf chip on some classic Oberheims.

    If you like the Juno sound grab fac chorus. It gets really close to the Juno effect which is the secret sauce to a lot of that synths signature sound

  • @Max23 said:

    @BroCoast said: I think this is a bit of a misconception. Some vintage gear was unstable, but a lot of it really wasn't and isn't today if it's still within spec.

    depends on your definition of what's vintage and whats unstable.
    DCOs arent vintage. thats 80s stuff.

    what you are looking for in the filter design is zero delay feedback (ZDF) to create resonance.
    zeeon does this ;)
    it also does a few other tricks like instable power blah blah ...

    what makes the obx sought after is the unusual filter combinations.
    https://www.schneidersladen.de/de/doepfer-a-106-6-xp-filter-oberheim-xpander.html

    +1 for zeeon

    Nothing about DCO :)

    I own a lot of vintage mono synths...
    All are very stable for pitch, even more so than some modern built analog synths. None of the filters will track pitch correctly though ;)

  • edited May 2019
    The user and all related content has been deleted.
  • Imho @Max23 didn't refer to tuning instability but to circuit 'instability' of analog parts, which is hard to model because it's not entirely random.
    The effect is easy to detect in comparisons of original gear with the respective emulation.
    (for example a real Jupiter 8 versus the Arturia model)
    If the difference is worth the expense is up to the buyer, but it's quite obvious.

  • I can't recall ever really having a problem. I used to gig an Odyssey that was very stable but most of mine don't see stages.

  • edited May 2019
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  • The Yamaha DX7 is a 'classic' synth so one vote for KQ Dixie :)

  • edited May 2019

    @Max23 said:
    what synths are we talking about?
    did you open your window on a cold winter night or have you put them in stage light?
    they lose tuning pretty quick ...
    and you need to turn them on half an hour before you tune them and they become halfway stable ...
    did they see the synth doc for better power?
    usually vintage stuff is a drag ...

    I work on them.

    It's really the only reason I own this stuff... but currently:

    MS10
    MS20
    Roland SH-2
    Realistic MG1

    Used to have a Minimoog but sold because that was a drag. Scaling was never good enough.

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  • The user and all related content has been deleted.
  • Thanks that was good!

    I like Urs approach to software. A big change from back when Arturia used the same thing over and over and just changed the name and graphics.

  • You could probably emulate just about anything with Obsidian in NS2. Between the various synthesis modes available, multiple oscillators, insane modulation options, let’s just say I don’t feel like I’m missing anything using nothing else synth wise.

  • @horsetrainer : it is unlikely that we'll see what you describe on iOS due to the economics. Such an endeavor would be very expensive on the development side, and iOS app purchasers don't like to spend money on apps. What you are describing is similar to Native-Instruments' Reaktor.

  • edited May 2019
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