Modular | Analog | Digital | Soft | Drum | Groovebox | Sampler | Sequencer

Ableton Live
released 2001
+ elastic audio sequencer
Audio Sequencer Ableton Live with optional Synthesizers: - Sampler (Multilayer, Filter, AM / FM) (live 6) - Operator 4OP FM Synthesis (live 4/5) in all live packs: - Simpler (well a simple Sampler) - Impulse (Drumsampler) more..

Arturia Moog V
released 2004
+ analog step sequencer
Emulation of the Moog Modular System 55 (sort of. It uses the fixed filter bank as master out, so this part is not modular, others are free and filters are extended a bit.. well, this is the frist commercial Synthesizer, Bob Moog startet showing it on the AES in 1964 and had some visionary musicians as clients till 1969 when switched on back was released, after that Moog went over to become a real company. this is what a synthesizer is: synthesis = put together. means putting together modules by patch cords, thats the idea.. more on the modular , click the Link.. more..

Arturia Prophet V
released 2006
Emulation of the SCI (sequencial circuits Prophet 5 and Prophet VS): 4 Oscillators can be animated by the Joystick and automated by Envelopes (recorded!). Thats how Vector Synthesis was created. there is some memory free for additive digital Waveforms more..

Arturia Minimoog V
released 2005
software clone of the Moog Minimoog more..

Arturia CS80V
released 2006
emulation of the classic CS80 by Yamaha more..

Arturia 2600V
released 2006
+ modulation step sequencer
emulates the ARP2600 but adds the ARP Sequencer 1601 and a cool Modulation Sequencer, that allows complex movements. more..

Arturia Jupiter 8V
released 2007
+ analog step sequencer
Emulation of the Roland Jupiter 8 but with some extras more..

Bitshift Phatmatic Pro
released 2005
+ audio sequencer
1024band Vocoder with granular Sample Engine as Modulator. more..

Celemony Melodyne
released 2003
+ elastic audio sequencer
This is real elastic audio, monophonic tracks of audio are displayed as the real pitch of them which can be manipulated in formant, pitch and time independently, so it is made for instruments but you can nicely abuse it for more..

DiscoDSP Vertigo
released 2004
additive resynthesizer with 256 bands with envelope for each band and 2 "oscs" that generate additive/resynthesis each (can analyse samples to be used and scanned through via envelope, controller etc.) and morphed into each other - so it morphs 2 sounds into each other. PC only. more..

DiscoDSP Discovery
released 2004
Its an emulation of the Clavia Nord Lead 2 and 2x so it's almost the same features as the hardware: virtual analogue, in non x version 16 voices.. compared.. to nordlead2 / nord lead 2x yes: it has the same sound characteristics as the nord lead 2 and modular / g2(x). no, it is not the same as g2 or NM, you CAN emulate it, but it is better if you want a VA/standard subtractive. why? it ias a polysynth user interface for fast live access that has a structure.. it is not modular,.. thats of help with those LED knobs - you always see what the sound is like without playing .. on the modulars (g2 / NM1) you need to help yourself or look at the patch on the screen. the g2 has LED knobs ,too.. but for it's modular philosophy it is more open and you need to read the display.. but sonically they are really the same , almost.. and: well the g2 and nm are much more flexible, that the "price" for the open architecture.. imo the G2 has the most optimised and fast surface of all modular systems available today! why? you can assign parameters and midi controllers by less klicks than on others, it has 5 displays and shows it's name and value, so you can use it as a controller box,too.. the older NM has only one display so you need to press the "find" knob very often and so it is the one that needs the computer screen most ;) .. more..

DiscoDSP Phantom
released 2004
Very much like the 4 OP FM synths by Yamaha but with Filter and chose PM or FM. Pitch Env also. simpler and downsized Version of the DX7 with 4 OP (Oscillators) instead of 6 and simpler Envelopes. more..

Five12 Numerology
released 2004
+ modulation step sequencer
Specialized Step and Modulation Sequencer System and Host for Plugins. Mac Only. Since V2.0 (2008) it offers 128 Steps, LFOs, Arpeggiator, Matrix Sequencer (like Reason, but with 128 Steps) full CC Control of any (ANY!!) Step, also new Sample based Drums and Instrument very much like the Ableton Live Impulse/Simpler Modules Start/Loops modable. more..

fxpansion DCAM, Synthsquad , Cypher , Amber , Strobe
released 2010
everything in this synth collection sounds brilliant. in fact is is 3 synths in this packages, plus another FXbay. Cypher being the 1-OSC-synth for simple things, amber is a string machine simulation which is specialised in pads and 70s style synth strings and the big thing is cypher, the full blown synth that kicks off most VAs in sound and has a comparable feature list incl. modmatrix. they took all the analogue gear and took everything needed for investigation and made a new concept instead of just making another simulation of synth classic XY. amber has 4 envelopes (2 ADSR ones, one AR and a ramp) and one LFO, there are 2 mixing sections for 2/3 octaved oscillators (one called synth, one ensemble) - both can be filtered by HPF and LPF to meet the right spot in the frequency range and a formant filter is added, so this is a 2 OSC poly string machine with mod matrix. strobe is quite like cypher but with just one osc. so it's for those who want simple sounds that aren't as hungry as cypher. more..

Korg DS10
released 2008
+ step sequencer
This is running on a Nintendo DS and is not available on Mac/PC. IT's a sort of MS10/MS20 Mixture, but only GUI-wise. In fact it is two 2x-VCO Synths plus Drums wich are generated from 4 of these Synths with Sequencer - Makes a lot of fun and has even FM (the MS synth never had that). So it's not a real MS synth and sounds different too. more..

Madrona Aalto
released 2010
+ modulation step sequencer
this is a semimodular synth very very influenced by Buchla. But it's signal path is patchable when it comes to modulation, not the audio path. anyway it may be the most inspiring synth made for years with this amount of components. of course one might wish another LFO or envelope (me at least), but it lets you be creative because it's not a boring set of components - you tweak one osc by FM of another, shape it and change it by the might delay-effect that can be tracked - this is the big thing, along with loopable envelope and sequencer. more..

Native Instruments FM7, FM8
released 2006
+ TR sequencer
it's an emulation that follows the concept of the Yamaha DX7 but enhances it with morphing of 4x "DX"- Patches in FM8, but FM7 already got 2 more Operators which are in fact 2 filters (op) and another OP for distortion and noise (coloured). since they are no real "OSCs" I count them in as a 6 OP system plus filters freely routable in a matrix plus saturation + distortion. also a full 32 step chase light sequencer aboard (called arper here, but in fact it is much more with shift and accompainment segmentation of the keyscale with/without seq/arp more..

Native Instruments Massive
released 2006
+ modulation step sequencer
Massive uses 3 OSCs with 8 slots to be used as sequencers, lfos or envelopes, the oscs got more..

Native Instruments Reaktor
released 2000
+ modulation step sequencer
First real native commercial modular Synth which has changed to Reaktor after introducing Transformator (the granular sample module) and generator was first.. strict 2 sided basic structure: 1) patches (structures) 2) panels and knobs (panel) 3) all together (ensembles) uses also OSC to communitate with other computers / controllers (like lemur) via ethernet.. more than midi resolution possible. more..

Native Instruments Vokator
released 2005
+ modulation step sequencer
1024band Vocoder with granular Sample Engine as Modulator. more..

Native Instruments Absynth
released 2003
+ modulation step sequencer
bsynth uses 3 sections with OSCs (additive, fm, granular samples) and 2 freely assignable modules (filters, shapers, ringmod..) they are mixed and manipulated by 2 more master modules (same: filters, ringmod, shapers..) more..

Native Instruments Maschine
released 2009
+ groovebox sequencer
Maschine is the first Hardware-Controller Box which really reminds of using a real Groove Box, but you need to run the Software on the Mac/PC and have the Controller connected to the Computer via USB, the first key product which is slightly mashing up the SynthDB structure ;) more..

Propellerheads Reason
released 2000
+ performance sequencer
Reason is a complete Studio and simulates a full packed Studio Rack.. there are.. - Pattern based Drummachine (like Electribe etc.) - Step Sequenzer - Drumloop Sampler (work on all Instruments in a Drumloop..) - 2 Samplers - 2 Synths VA style (standard) one of them with Graintable OSCs - they allow scan trough seamlessly via mod (envs, lfos..) - Arrangement with Piano Roll editor - EQs, Distortions, Vocoder, Delays, Reverb, Bitcruncher etc.. - no audio tracks / plugins in here.. - no midi out - no control of midi hardware (exept sync). more..

Terratec Komplexer
released 2006
+ analog step sequencer
emulation of the first virtual analogue synthesizer from Waldorf q / micro q with awesome features at that time: Wavetables, free FM of all OSCs and filters, FX and fast LFOs. PC only till 2006. progged by DSP coder Stenzel while Waldorf went into insolvency, now it's kind of "opponent".. more..

UHE Diva
released 2011
probably the most convincing emulation to date or possibly the first to sound really like the synth it was trying to mimic. in this case it isn't just a clone but you can set your own filter, oscillator and envelope types - eg. ms20 filteres jupiter oscillator that maybe adds a static Roland HPF or feedback. it's a diva but you still can open more than one instance within the same house to get "multi" layers. so you don't have to go for another hotel for it. more..

UHE Zebra
released 2003
this is basically semimodular - 4 rows of OSCs can be connceted where each slot represents the way they are wired - those "modules" can be ringmodulators, shapers or one of the other components more..

Virsyn Cube
released 2005
additive resynthesizer with 4096 bands with envelope for each band and 4 vector oscs that generate additive/resynthesis each (can analyse samples to be used and scanned through via envelope, controller etc.) real morphing of 4 sounds! more..

Waldorf Largo
released 2009
+ step sequencer
quite like the Blofeld Hardware synths, but without sampling but has a nice Step-Sequencer as LFO3 Waveform (16 steps) more..