Honestly, by the time it got to #7, I was thinking they were all Hydrasynth, but there's no way Scott would be so sneaky. I was very wrong. After using mine for a few years, I was hearing it.
Haha, I said to myself, man, what's wrong with my ears, these all sound like my Hydra. What analog synths could possibly sound so three-dimensional? And it turned out, I was right, so cool! Thank you, Scott for this comparison! It was great fun!
Amazing video. Fortunately, I have all the different synths that went into making these 12 pads. All I have to do now is to figure out how to make pad #6. That one was absolutely breathtaking.
5 seconds into the video and i have to say... this is exactly what i was thinking somebody needs to do. I believe it is close, or near impossible to tell the difference when just listening in a mix. Those saying there is no low end are clearly not owners of a hydrasynth.
People like to pick something to dogpile on these days, and TH-cam and Reddit just incentivize that type of behavior as a kind of tribalism. Hydrasynth backlash is because it’s frequently recommended to people buying their first synth (due to it being a very flexible synth, and great value for money). I own a Hydrasynth and while it’s not the best-sounding synth in my studio, it is the most versatile. And i’m really into complex modulation, so i use it for really complex timbre-shifting stuff, where it really shines. I use it for layering too, it’s brilliant.
Honestly I did guess it was all HS but then again… I own one and love it. I only guessed correctly because I thought that’s what you might do, not because of anything I heard. Oddly all my polyphonic hardware is digital while all my monophonic hardware synths are analog. Couldn’t tell you why. I used to have an oberhiem expander. Best sound design interface ever. I bought the hyrasynth because it is the closest thing I have found to the expander. Little did I know how powerful it was. Still loving it.
Have you seen the latest video of Anthony Marinelli from? He discusses the statement “Why Modern Digital Synthesis Is More Analog Than Analog” with Mark Barton, who wrote a piece about that. Really interesting stuff.
@@odmusicman I don’t think he is moving that way. He just bought a huge Moog modular system, and most everything (everything?) in his studio is vintage analog.
Yes I know he bought it. But I was listening to him carefully that he is now preferring hi-bit quality sounds with DCO's and reliability. generally over analog now. Scott's Synth stuff just fooled a lot of people claiming to playback 12 analog pads, but they were all from the Hydrasynth. This IS the future, period. There's a place for pure analog, I'm 60 and grew up on 70's-80's synths so I know them. I personally find them less compelling anymore. @@kierenmoore3236
I did, that was quite a coincidence that he put that video just a day before I had this one come out. I 100% agree with this - huge advantages to digital synthesis, and with the level of sophistication and resolution of modern digital synths, there are very few downsides. To me, the toughest thing to model is filters, and is usually what identifies a synth as digital - unless it's really good.
Oh this was good! You got me (twice)! You should do a video how you produced these patches & sell some patch banks. Few Synths offer this kind of flexibility at this modest price point. The Hydra has a ribbon, poly aftertouch and can be used with an MPE controller (Roli Seaboard). Count me in if you do a "Hydra does killer analog" patch bank ;)
I wasn't deceived; you already hinted the answer in the video's cover photo. :) By the way, I asked you for a comparison between the Hydrasynth and Roland System 8 plugouts, which models classic Roland analog synths from Roland analog era. While it’s not as complex and versatile as the Hydrasynth, System 8 is modeling some of the best analog synths ever made and it sounds beautiful, especially with new aging feature in certain plugouts (you demonstrated it in one of your videos). So I asked you to compare 2 completely digital synths and if Hydrasynth is able to make Roland classic synths sounds from their analog era including Jupiter 8 and Juno106/60, SH-101, but also more raw Roland synths such as the System 100, Jupiter 4, SH-2, Promars. Personally, I've struggled to recreate Roland classic sounds on the Hydrasynth, though I can achieve Moog, Sequential, and Oberheim-like sounds. I’m not telling it’s impossible, but I think you must be very good sound designer to achieve it. And it makes sense, as the Hydrasynth doesn’t have any Roland filter and it’s designed for in-depth sound design, resulting in some of the best sounds I've ever heard on any synth. On the other hand, the System 8 is focused on modeling Roland's classics. About Hydrasynth I only regret not choosing the Deluxe version of the Hydrasynth instead of 49 keys version, for additional features like keyboard splitting and layering sounds.
People often judge presets, presets played for 2 minutes on a youtube video. People call the Pro 2 ‘cold and harsh’ too which is nuts considering it has both a Prophet and an Oberheim analog filter, in series or parallel. The sounds i make on my Pro 2, these fools would never guess that’s what it is. People just parrot talking points some other person said. Many people seem incapable of thinking for themselves, and even moreso, listening carefully and judging based on their ears. I own a Hydra, and though i prefer my Prophet X for ‘analog’ sounding things, the Hydra is super flexible and great for all kinds of stuff. Absolutely it’s great for people buying their first instrument, because as you say, it’s so flexible. And with the insane modulation capabilities, it’s basically a polyphonic modular synthesizer. Add to that the ribbon controller on the keyboard versions and it can’t be beat for the price.
I fully agree. The Hydrasynth (I've got the Desktop) can sound so analog. I've created 5 patches in "Oberheim-style" (what I suppose an Oberheim would sound) and the bass can be so deep ... I just like this synth.
I think the issue some have with the Hydrasynth is while it can sound lush and analog, it takes some work to get there. Unlike something like a Prophet 5 where lush analog pads just fall out of the thing, you have to coax them out of the Hydrasynth. Go a bit too far and it starts sounding digital. PWM in particular is tricky to get right… Phazdiff on a sawtooth actually works better than the PW mutants. Also, the factory presets aren’t the greatest for analog lushness. You have to program your own. BTW, some of your pads had some clipping in them, #2 and #3 in particular. #6 and #7 are my favorites. #6 reminds me a bit of the one I used in my piece Prom Night, which prominently features the Hydrasynth.
What sped it up for me is that I created init patches, that have the "basics" of those analog quirks or workflows already tuned in, replaced every empty slot with those, and I create patches from them only. For example for monosounds I've made an init patch with macros tuning the oscillators like on old moogs etc, where you arent tuning the oscillators in semitones and cents to make it sound "out of tune" or not precise, rather than you dial them in as you do on regular pots, so theres always a little detune. also offsetting some pitch keytracking etc. So when all the drifting and wobble is already there, timewise it's really quick to make a good analog-sounding patch.
You're 100% right on the Phazdiff on sawtooth for PWM - that's actually on my "list" of videos to do. I hear the clipping as well in the video. I think that was my mistake - it wasn't clipped on the original recording, but I boosted up the synth audio a bit in Premiere when editing the video together, and must have pushed a couple of the louder parts into clipping. I normally would have put a compressor on there, but didn't want to change the sounds of the pads - I wanted it raw right out of the synth.
@@ScottsSynthStuff Maybe you can make a video with some of the tricks you used to make these pads sound so analog. Like, did you use the per-voice modulation for “drift”, what waveforms, mutants and filter models did you use, any subtle modulations added, etc.
Exactly this. Yeah you know, i am soo tired of the phrase "narrow sweet spot." That phrase can be translated as, "i do not take the time to learn my instrument and i want a synthesizer with less flexibility so i don’t have to learn it or do any work."
Hi Scott, each of your videos is such a pleasure to watch to. Very beautiful sounds. There's one point, I'm not sure you've talken about : unlike most of the digital synths, many Hydrasynth parameters are encoded on the tenth value. That is to say, the Cutoff or the Resonance can be set from 0,0 to 128,0 !! There are 1280 steps (128 in most other difgital synths) : so fluid ! It's really amazing and it's one the reasons, among many others, the Hydrasynth can emulate analog synths, almost perfectly.
That's a good point, except if you looks closely, it's actually 1024 steps - but still, more than enough resolution to sound very fluid and get rid of any "steppiness" in the sound.
You sneaky son of a gun... yeah, as I was listening to each patch, I thought, heck, these all sound pretty analog to me... no way I'm going to tell them apart!
Hahaha, you got me there 😂! On some of the parts I was like « that has to be an analog synthesizer ». It’s an amazing synth. I should really check it out! Thanks for the video!
I think many people are drawn to analog because they are conditioned to associate the word "analog" with "desirable sound" and "digital" with "harshness" and "unwanted sound". It's not due to the actual mechanics of an analog synth vs a digital one, but a pavlovian thing.
I was using a Hydrasynth in a The Cars cover band and it emulated their sounds perfectly. I love it. However, I just bought an UDO Super Gemini and now my Hydrasynth is up for sale. Just made a couple videos of the Gemini on my channel. It can't do everything the Hydrasynth can do, but what it does, it does so well that I'm also selling my Polybrute.
Comparing the Hydrasynth with the UDO is a nonsense. UDO 4,000 $ while Hydrasynth is 1,600 $. For sure, everyone could expect UDO is better!! Other point : UDO is an Hybrid synth. Its specs are far under the Hydrasynth specs (only 1 Filter, 2 LFOs, 2 Envs,....). I hope the UDO is a very good quality, but one thing is sure : is doesn't worth it's insane price.
Funny, I told my wife the same thing when she was doing her morning yoga. She responded similarly... Although, I may need 32 voices for what she's doing...
Could not tell. Did you create those pads? Beautiful stuff. I almost bought a hydrasynth, but went for the Summit instead. Honestly, software synths are just as good now.
Wow! I can't believe I got it right; I guessed all Hydra. All the pads had a phasing problem or something that sounded digitally produced, they were all a bit irritating in at least one section of the time from beginning envelope(s) to end. The same problem I have when I am designing slow evolving pads on digital synths. The highest voice count I have on my analogs synths is four, so I don't attempt pads on those. Sure would like to have a Moog Muse for a few months and see what can be sound designed for comparison. Depends on how you may have recorded them, did you use the analog outputs of the Hydra or record direct digital thru USB to computer? Any analog mixer in between the Hydra and your recorder? Effects added post Hydra, or effects used in the aux loop of your mixer?
Yeah, I guessed they were all Hydra. 1 & 2 were obviously so. 3 & 4 were the most possibly-analog sounding, from memory. Which makes me think they may have been the ‘simplest’ patches. Everything else was pretty (or very) obvious. Though, it may have been more difficult if I knew less about your synth collection?? 🤷🏻♂️
Straight up thought they were all digital by patch #6 and then zoned out until the end. I was so confused thinking some of these have to be analog but it doesn’t seem like it haha
I literally thought there may have been some analog synths featured haha. Can the Cobalt do the same thing, more so, the Argon8X? I've been considering in replacing my Prophet 12 for one. I'm aware it has a ton of features and can now emulate analog so well just as the Hydrasynth, it's low-end is pretty good too. What has been your experience with the Cobalt? or any Modal Electronics stuff if you have played with an Argon by any chance?
I have a Cobalt, and I do love it, but to me it sounds "digital" to me. I love the sound, but the filters on it sound calculated and precise, which is great for the sounds you want. To replace a Prophet I would likely go with a Summit, or if you want more flexibility, a Hydrasynth.
Yeay! From the first pad I guessed that all of them must be made with Hydrasynth in order to make your point. It is indeed an amazing synthesizer. I'm a total beginner but I got in love when I played the explorer in the music store that God put next door (5 min from my home) 😆 I'm on the fence for buying the explorer, since I don't have any experience with synthesizers. I just know I lost the notion of time when I played it.
Greetings Sir Scott. Well after your delightful recreation of Da Funk...I got the Hydrasynth deluxe and.......I am floored by it....thank you for the nudge that way. Also how's the Conard ? Warm regards, Alan G
Great work Scott ... nothing like a blind synth to make you use your ears and a great sting at the end (!!) .. I've got a Hydra Deluxe and just love it (I've also got a JD800 which is/was my go to pad synth) ... I really need to spend way more time with my deluxe so it's a work in progress. Quick question - how did you make the cool coloured graphics for your video? Is it a program or are they downloadable clips from a library? They look fantastic 🙂
@@ScottsSynthStuff Thanks for letting me know... those graphics look like the 70s video games I played as a kid (a long time ago!!) ... if you ever unearth them, can you pls let us know? ... keep up the great synth reviews (a tough job, I know, but you'll handle it!)
All Hydrasynth. Are you being sneaky? I find that while recording I am layering as many as 4 synths at a time. The Hydra is ALWAYS one of the 4. It just sounds great. Owner since Jan. 2020.
- I'm an expert at NOT hearing subtle differences in sounds. I did suspect however that it was all Hydrasynth. If I ever get a new synth, the Hydrasynth would be at the top of my wanted-list.
I love my Hydrasynth 49 to pieces; it‘s a Swiss army knife for any kind of synth sound with a very consistent workflow for a ridiculously low price. But can it really sound analog? Sure - as long as you listen to the HS only and use tons of reverb, you can‘t tell the difference. However, my HS happens to sit below an OB-6. Sometimes I just try to recreate an Obie patch on the HS, and believe me, I know all tricks (VCM etc.). Sounds good - but in *direct comparison* to the Oberheim something is still missing. In so far your approach seems a little (self-)deceptive to me. Which analogy poly synths do you have for comparison? Here I can only spot the monophonic MS-101 and the hybrid Summit.
Got me 🤣Although I own this fantastic Hydra Deluxe myself I was somewhat unsure... It would be great if you could share your Pad-Patches for the Deluxe - I would really appreciate that and fool my crowd also ;-)
Hi Scott, thank you for this eloquent video, where the Hydrasynth's ability to emulate traditional analog sound is truly showcased. I'd like to ask you something: did you use any external source for the reverb, or does it all come from the Hydrasynth? I would also like to ask if you have ever noticed, during your sessions with the Hydrasynth, any clipping or particularly pronounced distortion; I am currently trying to figure out between the Hydrasynth and the Summit which one has the better sound. I was also considering to buy the Oberheim OB-6, but for the kind of sounds I would mainly aim for (ambient, soundscape, pads, experimental) I don't know if it could be the right choice for me. Again, many thanks for your videos!
Everything you heard was directly out of the Hydrasynth. No external effects. The Summit definitely has a better reverb than the Hydrasynth, in fact the Summit has the best reverb I have ever heard in any synth. The Summit definitely has a sound to it, a distinct character. Then again so does the hydrasynth period I've never heard a problem with the hydrogen in terms of distortion, unless it's intentional of course!
I'm not even going to guess what synth is what, as I'm not a hardeare purist, and I've only recently become more interested in hardware because of thr Hydrasynth (which i plan on purchasing a Delux as soon as i can). But I'll share my favorite patches: #1 (flash gordon), #4( very silky), #6(oh hell yeah! Cosmic Spookiness!), #7( because of the Graphics), #9 (Majestic Vowl filters) BWAHHAHAHA Thats so amazing that you tricked us!
Nice video Scott my neighbor (Cleveland Hts) I'm into making smooth jazz, Paul Hardcastle type of music. i got a nice bonus at work and I'm looking for a synth to use for that. i've been looking and narrowed it down to 2 boards that i really love Nord wave 2 and Montage M6. what would be your choice between the 2? Thanks
Well done. Particularly with firmware 2 (especially with the deluxe) any blind A/B test with well done patches will show no appreciable difference. Among the few improvements I could think of for this synth are infinite encoders w/LEDs for the filter controls section and dual concentric LED surrounds with "clickable" encoders on deluxe. That would let you see settings for both patches on a layer/split at the same time and "click" between them per knob realtime for changes. That is REALLY nit-picky, but honestly the only thing I can think of, other than maybe a few more voices as the processor gets more powerful, to make this thing even more fantastic. The Korgs you have 2 levels above it are among the very few additional synths it makes much sense to add to it IMHO.
I actually sneaked peaked the answer after listening to the first 3 pads as I felt I wasn't hearing the character differences I'm used to trying to tune into. Synths have their own character, filters on synths sound different (my Mask1 filter sounds different from my Regen or Waldorf Q.) Honestly I was disappointed you didn't compare it to other synths, To someone it might sound "analog" but that doesn't mean it doesn't sound the same as a Moog or a Polybrute. There is something about the Hydra sound that I respect and down't love (had the explorer for awhile,) and there was something in these pads that I respected and I didn't love. Honestly it feels like chickening out on the challenge and assuming everyone will love the pads. I respect the pads and your deep knowledge of programming, but you left out having a pad from Prophet 10 or OBX8 and the chance that will give someone an "aha" moment. Also for the record I love digital pads (my Waldorfs, JP and D50 sounds I've heard etc.) But something about the hydras texture makes me appreciate it intellectually vs emotionally.
Great. I gave up after 6. I chose ,A,A maybe D, D then D before I decided the whole exercise was pointless as they all sounded "analogy' in style to me. Great video.
I am gonna be honest here i wen't for 1, 4, 7 (i guess the vowel filter was used), 8, 11 and 12. Even if i don't own one for now - my plan is to buy desktop version in couple of months (i do own Cobalt 8X for what three - four years now and just wow, also Argon 8M). Space is the issue and i travel a lot so desktop has drum pads which do come in handy and it can do prety much everything. Been making presets or soundbanks for about 5 years now just for share fun and hobby since i love this kind of thing (Cinematic, Trance, Synthwave - berlin School) etc... Also i really love your channel one of the best out there.
Only Number 11 impressed me a liiiitle bit, and skipping through the rest, I almost immediately thought it was all hydrasynth. But I also could have been fooled with Argon8 or any Diva Plugin.
... 😂... I also use the combi deluxe /Cobalt 8x/microfreak.... I play Synths for more than 40 years. This is one of the findest Setups I ever played....
Sorry, but for me after listening to 4 sounds I thought that there must be some bad sounding Analogue synth being used that I haven't come across. I agree that in a mix these sounds would sound 'analogue' but in isolation it really is pretty obvious to users of pure analogue synths IMO
With the resolution of digital synths, and their significantly better signal to noise ratio, digital synths can sound smoother and better than pure analog. Those who say digital is “steppy” and “cold” has absolutely no idea what they are talking about and are just stubbornly refusing to accept that their beloved analog isn’t king anymore. Not only that, you get reliability and repeatability with digital.
You've made a broad statement, some digital can mimic analog very well, but you wont get digital doing what analog does best, which is do analog. I have both, I use both for specific reasons, I don't care which I use because I get the desired results. One isn't better than the other, they both have uses.
I agree. The age of "steppy" digital synths limited to 127 discrete levels was left behind decades ago. When it comes to the Hydrasynth, people complained that it was "cold" and "no low end" - but that was clearly based on the opinion of people who flipped through a few presents and judged the capability of the synth based on those presets.
I can say my ears really didn't like any of the clips (talking just the sound). I honestly didn't really think any of them sounded like a traditional vintage analog with all the character (and maybe that's not the point). In my very honest opinion it actually sounds like a poor man's JD-800 (and I know you said you have the JD-800 back there!). Maybe the comparison against modern hybrid or modern analog synths is more the speed.
Your chord resolutions and movements sound really far out. What are your influences? I hear dominant chords going into suspended and then into minor, quite bizzarre
I honestly wasn't giving it much thought. I'd pick a key/chord at random to start with, then think of something that shares at least one note, and move from there. It wasn't planned. If I heard something that kind of worked as a progression, then I might repeat it. Sometimes I hit a wrong note which is dissonant, so then I think "ok how do I resolve from that." In actuality, when I'm writing, this is often the technique I'll use to come up with chord progressions - just play random semi-connected chords until I hear something that sticks.
Its never about analog vs digital, but rather the type of synthesis that sound pleasant to someone. I'm not a fan of wavetable synthesis from hardware or software, I don't care for the tonality of it. 😐
Thanks for making everyone’s point. Most everyone is either listening to music on their phones, cars, ear buds, mono system night clubs etc. etc. etc. A very small minority of human being are listening to reference level high end stereo systems and really critiquing every nuance of a sound. Most people are just grooving to music of a wide variety of crappy sources.
The dumb old analog vs digital thing. Does it really matter if it sounds good, it's irrelevant. Now the improvements that have been made in vst synths its almost impossible to tell. Some free vst synths can match expensive hardware too.
And then when you consider people who actually make music and don’t just do side by side comparisons are putting the synth in a mix with effects and a bunch of other sounds, it’s all just a bit silly. I’ve been blown away by some software synths I’ve used lately.
Honestly, by the time it got to #7, I was thinking they were all Hydrasynth, but there's no way Scott would be so sneaky. I was very wrong. After using mine for a few years, I was hearing it.
Haha, I said to myself, man, what's wrong with my ears, these all sound like my Hydra. What analog synths could possibly sound so three-dimensional? And it turned out, I was right, so cool! Thank you, Scott for this comparison! It was great fun!
Amazing video. Fortunately, I have all the different synths that went into making these 12 pads. All I have to do now is to figure out how to make pad #6. That one was absolutely breathtaking.
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Thank you for tricking me there 😂 you have officially convinced me that this is the synth i've bee looking for
5 seconds into the video and i have to say... this is exactly what i was thinking somebody needs to do. I believe it is close, or near impossible to tell the difference when just listening in a mix.
Those saying there is no low end are clearly not owners of a hydrasynth.
People like to pick something to dogpile on these days, and TH-cam and Reddit just incentivize that type of behavior as a kind of tribalism. Hydrasynth backlash is because it’s frequently recommended to people buying their first synth (due to it being a very flexible synth, and great value for money). I own a Hydrasynth and while it’s not the best-sounding synth in my studio, it is the most versatile. And i’m really into complex modulation, so i use it for really complex timbre-shifting stuff, where it really shines. I use it for layering too, it’s brilliant.
Honestly I did guess it was all HS but then again… I own one and love it. I only guessed correctly because I thought that’s what you might do, not because of anything I heard. Oddly all my polyphonic hardware is digital while all my monophonic hardware synths are analog. Couldn’t tell you why.
I used to have an oberhiem expander. Best sound design interface ever. I bought the hyrasynth because it is the closest thing I have found to the expander. Little did I know how powerful it was. Still loving it.
Uhuh…
I use an UltraNova as a Mono.
You should do a video on how to make those patches with the hydra
One thing we can all agree on is that a Buchla modular was not used for any of these 😂
Have you seen the latest video of Anthony Marinelli from? He discusses the statement “Why Modern Digital Synthesis Is More Analog Than Analog” with Mark Barton, who wrote a piece about that. Really interesting stuff.
Yes, it seems Marinelli is moving towards favoring digital and VSt's. Myself included.
@@odmusicman I don’t think he is moving that way. He just bought a huge Moog modular system, and most everything (everything?) in his studio is vintage analog.
Yes I know he bought it. But I was listening to him carefully that he is now preferring hi-bit quality sounds with DCO's and reliability. generally over analog now. Scott's Synth stuff just fooled a lot of people claiming to playback 12 analog pads, but they were all from the Hydrasynth. This IS the future, period. There's a place for pure analog, I'm 60 and grew up on 70's-80's synths so I know them. I personally find them less compelling anymore. @@kierenmoore3236
I did, that was quite a coincidence that he put that video just a day before I had this one come out. I 100% agree with this - huge advantages to digital synthesis, and with the level of sophistication and resolution of modern digital synths, there are very few downsides. To me, the toughest thing to model is filters, and is usually what identifies a synth as digital - unless it's really good.
Yes agree about the filters, but I use Diva and the virtual filters are scary good. @@ScottsSynthStuff
Oh this was good! You got me (twice)! You should do a video how you produced these patches & sell some patch banks. Few Synths offer this kind of flexibility at this modest price point. The Hydra has a ribbon, poly aftertouch and can be used with an MPE controller (Roli Seaboard). Count me in if you do a "Hydra does killer analog" patch bank ;)
I wasn't deceived; you already hinted the answer in the video's cover photo. :)
By the way, I asked you for a comparison between the Hydrasynth and Roland System 8 plugouts, which models classic Roland analog synths from Roland analog era. While it’s not as complex and versatile as the Hydrasynth, System 8 is modeling some of the best analog synths ever made and it sounds beautiful, especially with new aging feature in certain plugouts (you demonstrated it in one of your videos). So I asked you to compare 2 completely digital synths and if Hydrasynth is able to make Roland classic synths sounds from their analog era including Jupiter 8 and Juno106/60, SH-101, but also more raw Roland synths such as the System 100, Jupiter 4, SH-2, Promars. Personally, I've struggled to recreate Roland classic sounds on the Hydrasynth, though I can achieve Moog, Sequential, and Oberheim-like sounds. I’m not telling it’s impossible, but I think you must be very good sound designer to achieve it. And it makes sense, as the Hydrasynth doesn’t have any Roland filter and it’s designed for in-depth sound design, resulting in some of the best sounds I've ever heard on any synth. On the other hand, the System 8 is focused on modeling Roland's classics. About Hydrasynth I only regret not choosing the Deluxe version of the Hydrasynth instead of 49 keys version, for additional features like keyboard splitting and layering sounds.
People often judge presets, presets played for 2 minutes on a youtube video. People call the Pro 2 ‘cold and harsh’ too which is nuts considering it has both a Prophet and an Oberheim analog filter, in series or parallel. The sounds i make on my Pro 2, these fools would never guess that’s what it is. People just parrot talking points some other person said. Many people seem incapable of thinking for themselves, and even moreso, listening carefully and judging based on their ears.
I own a Hydra, and though i prefer my Prophet X for ‘analog’ sounding things, the Hydra is super flexible and great for all kinds of stuff. Absolutely it’s great for people buying their first instrument, because as you say, it’s so flexible. And with the insane modulation capabilities, it’s basically a polyphonic modular synthesizer. Add to that the ribbon controller on the keyboard versions and it can’t be beat for the price.
I knew they were all going to be the Hydrasynth, lol. Great sounds Scott!
You are my go to guy for synthesizers and keyboards also
This is the biggest setup since Costanza's candy bar line-up
I fully agree. The Hydrasynth (I've got the Desktop) can sound so analog. I've created 5 patches in "Oberheim-style" (what I suppose an Oberheim would sound) and the bass can be so deep ... I just like this synth.
Very clever Scott BUT - Had you put 1 analog in the mix... might had been more informative. LOVED it though...THANKS... LIKED UR CHANNEL 😀
I think the issue some have with the Hydrasynth is while it can sound lush and analog, it takes some work to get there. Unlike something like a Prophet 5 where lush analog pads just fall out of the thing, you have to coax them out of the Hydrasynth. Go a bit too far and it starts sounding digital. PWM in particular is tricky to get right… Phazdiff on a sawtooth actually works better than the PW mutants.
Also, the factory presets aren’t the greatest for analog lushness. You have to program your own.
BTW, some of your pads had some clipping in them, #2 and #3 in particular.
#6 and #7 are my favorites. #6 reminds me a bit of the one I used in my piece Prom Night, which prominently features the Hydrasynth.
What sped it up for me is that I created init patches, that have the "basics" of those analog quirks or workflows already tuned in, replaced every empty slot with those, and I create patches from them only. For example for monosounds I've made an init patch with macros tuning the oscillators like on old moogs etc, where you arent tuning the oscillators in semitones and cents to make it sound "out of tune" or not precise, rather than you dial them in as you do on regular pots, so theres always a little detune. also offsetting some pitch keytracking etc.
So when all the drifting and wobble is already there, timewise it's really quick to make a good analog-sounding patch.
You're 100% right on the Phazdiff on sawtooth for PWM - that's actually on my "list" of videos to do.
I hear the clipping as well in the video. I think that was my mistake - it wasn't clipped on the original recording, but I boosted up the synth audio a bit in Premiere when editing the video together, and must have pushed a couple of the louder parts into clipping. I normally would have put a compressor on there, but didn't want to change the sounds of the pads - I wanted it raw right out of the synth.
@@ScottsSynthStuff Maybe you can make a video with some of the tricks you used to make these pads sound so analog. Like, did you use the per-voice modulation for “drift”, what waveforms, mutants and filter models did you use, any subtle modulations added, etc.
Exactly this. Yeah you know, i am soo tired of the phrase "narrow sweet spot." That phrase can be translated as, "i do not take the time to learn my instrument and i want a synthesizer with less flexibility so i don’t have to learn it or do any work."
I knew you would trick us but i played the game. Got 7/12 right 😂. You evil 😂❤
Hi Scott, each of your videos is such a pleasure to watch to. Very beautiful sounds.
There's one point, I'm not sure you've talken about : unlike most of the digital synths, many Hydrasynth parameters are encoded on the tenth value. That is to say, the Cutoff or the Resonance can be set from 0,0 to 128,0 !! There are 1280 steps (128 in most other difgital synths) : so fluid ! It's really amazing and it's one the reasons, among many others, the Hydrasynth can emulate analog synths, almost perfectly.
That's a good point, except if you looks closely, it's actually 1024 steps - but still, more than enough resolution to sound very fluid and get rid of any "steppiness" in the sound.
@@ScottsSynthStuff Oh, I didn't know that. But I don't understand : why these 256 "missing" steps and how have you noticed that ?
You sneaky son of a gun... yeah, as I was listening to each patch, I thought, heck, these all sound pretty analog to me... no way I'm going to tell them apart!
There were quite a few that an analog synth simply couldn’t do. The hydra is more hifi/clean. And i like it! A lot.
Hahaha, you got me there 😂! On some of the parts I was like « that has to be an analog synthesizer ». It’s an amazing synth. I should really check it out! Thanks for the video!
I think many people are drawn to analog because they are conditioned to associate the word "analog" with "desirable sound" and "digital" with "harshness" and "unwanted sound". It's not due to the actual mechanics of an analog synth vs a digital one, but a pavlovian thing.
Actually, after a few of them I said "These are all Hydrasynth. He's trying to trick us." It was very clear to me.
Amazing sounds!
I was using a Hydrasynth in a The Cars cover band and it emulated their sounds perfectly. I love it.
However, I just bought an UDO Super Gemini and now my Hydrasynth is up for sale. Just made a couple videos of the Gemini on my channel. It can't do everything the Hydrasynth can do, but what it does, it does so well that I'm also selling my Polybrute.
That Super Gemini is a crazy machine, to be sure.
@@ScottsSynthStuff I can't believe how much I love it.
Comparing the Hydrasynth with the UDO is a nonsense. UDO 4,000 $ while Hydrasynth is 1,600 $. For sure, everyone could expect UDO is better!! Other point : UDO is an Hybrid synth. Its specs are far under the Hydrasynth specs (only 1 Filter, 2 LFOs, 2 Envs,....). I hope the UDO is a very good quality, but one thing is sure : is doesn't worth it's insane price.
Funny, I told my wife the same thing when she was doing her morning yoga. She responded similarly... Although, I may need 32 voices for what she's doing...
Could not tell. Did you create those pads? Beautiful stuff. I almost bought a hydrasynth, but went for the Summit instead. Honestly, software synths are just as good now.
Wow! I can't believe I got it right; I guessed all Hydra. All the pads had a phasing problem or something that sounded digitally produced, they were all a bit irritating in at least one section of the time from beginning envelope(s) to end. The same problem I have when I am designing slow evolving pads on digital synths. The highest voice count I have on my analogs synths is four, so I don't attempt pads on those. Sure would like to have a Moog Muse for a few months and see what can be sound designed for comparison. Depends on how you may have recorded them, did you use the analog outputs of the Hydra or record direct digital thru USB to computer? Any analog mixer in between the Hydra and your recorder? Effects added post Hydra, or effects used in the aux loop of your mixer?
The Hydrasynth does not have digital audio over USB - everything you hear is balanced analog outputs directly into my audio interface, no effects.
@@ScottsSynthStuff Surprising! Hydra without audio over USB. Thank you for your work on YT it very valuable.
Yeah, I guessed they were all Hydra. 1 & 2 were obviously so.
3 & 4 were the most possibly-analog sounding, from memory. Which makes me think they may have been the ‘simplest’ patches.
Everything else was pretty (or very) obvious. Though, it may have been more difficult if I knew less about your synth collection?? 🤷🏻♂️
Straight up thought they were all digital by patch #6 and then zoned out until the end. I was so confused thinking some of these have to be analog but it doesn’t seem like it haha
I literally thought there may have been some analog synths featured haha. Can the Cobalt do the same thing, more so, the Argon8X? I've been considering in replacing my Prophet 12 for one. I'm aware it has a ton of features and can now emulate analog so well just as the Hydrasynth, it's low-end is pretty good too. What has been your experience with the Cobalt? or any Modal Electronics stuff if you have played with an Argon by any chance?
I have a Cobalt, and I do love it, but to me it sounds "digital" to me. I love the sound, but the filters on it sound calculated and precise, which is great for the sounds you want. To replace a Prophet I would likely go with a Summit, or if you want more flexibility, a Hydrasynth.
Yeay! From the first pad I guessed that all of them must be made with Hydrasynth in order to make your point.
It is indeed an amazing synthesizer. I'm a total beginner but I got in love when I played the explorer in the music store that God put next door (5 min from my home) 😆 I'm on the fence for buying the explorer, since I don't have any experience with synthesizers. I just know I lost the notion of time when I played it.
Great sounding patches, Scott. You should consider throwing some of your patches together and sharing them :)
Greetings Sir Scott.
Well after your delightful recreation of Da Funk...I got the Hydrasynth deluxe and.......I am floored by it....thank you for the nudge that way. Also how's the Conard ?
Warm regards, Alan G
The canard is in pieces at the moment, but will be up and flying soon. Good choice on the Deluxe!!
Great work Scott ... nothing like a blind synth to make you use your ears and a great sting at the end (!!) .. I've got a Hydra Deluxe and just love it (I've also got a JD800 which is/was my go to pad synth) ... I really need to spend way more time with my deluxe so it's a work in progress. Quick question - how did you make the cool coloured graphics for your video? Is it a program or are they downloadable clips from a library? They look fantastic 🙂
Those graphics are just part of a library I got...somewhere? I don't actually recall, I've had them for years.
@@ScottsSynthStuff Thanks for letting me know... those graphics look like the 70s video games I played as a kid (a long time ago!!) ... if you ever unearth them, can you pls let us know? ... keep up the great synth reviews (a tough job, I know, but you'll handle it!)
🥰Thanks! i like them very much, are the patches somewhere available?
All Hydrasynth. Are you being sneaky? I find that while recording I am layering as many as 4 synths at a time. The Hydra is ALWAYS one of the 4. It just sounds great. Owner since Jan. 2020.
The pads on my Kross2 is out of this world
great sounds ♥ love ☺♪♪
- I'm an expert at NOT hearing subtle differences in sounds. I did suspect however that it was all Hydrasynth. If I ever get a new synth, the Hydrasynth would be at the top of my wanted-list.
I love my Hydrasynth 49 to pieces; it‘s a Swiss army knife for any kind of synth sound with a very consistent workflow for a ridiculously low price. But can it really sound analog? Sure - as long as you listen to the HS only and use tons of reverb, you can‘t tell the difference. However, my HS happens to sit below an OB-6. Sometimes I just try to recreate an Obie patch on the HS, and believe me, I know all tricks (VCM etc.). Sounds good - but in *direct comparison* to the Oberheim something is still missing. In so far your approach seems a little (self-)deceptive to me. Which analogy poly synths do you have for comparison? Here I can only spot the monophonic MS-101 and the hybrid Summit.
Got me 🤣Although I own this fantastic Hydra Deluxe myself I was somewhat unsure... It would be great if you could share your Pad-Patches for the Deluxe - I would really appreciate that and fool my crowd also ;-)
2:47 this sounds like the part in the Flash Gordon soundtrack when they first take off into space.
Brilliant. Can the Hydrasynth Explorer do the same pads as these? Thinking of buying the explorer.
Yes, it has the identical engine in it.
Hi Scott, thank you for this eloquent video, where the Hydrasynth's ability to emulate traditional analog sound is truly showcased. I'd like to ask you something: did you use any external source for the reverb, or does it all come from the Hydrasynth?
I would also like to ask if you have ever noticed, during your sessions with the Hydrasynth, any clipping or particularly pronounced distortion; I am currently trying to figure out between the Hydrasynth and the Summit which one has the better sound. I was also considering to buy the Oberheim OB-6, but for the kind of sounds I would mainly aim for (ambient, soundscape, pads, experimental) I don't know if it could be the right choice for me.
Again, many thanks for your videos!
Everything you heard was directly out of the Hydrasynth. No external effects. The Summit definitely has a better reverb than the Hydrasynth, in fact the Summit has the best reverb I have ever heard in any synth. The Summit definitely has a sound to it, a distinct character. Then again so does the hydrasynth period I've never heard a problem with the hydrogen in terms of distortion, unless it's intentional of course!
@@ScottsSynthStuff Thanks Scott, I have chosen the Hydra. To obtain a better reverb, I can always use an external unit.
soooo.. how can we get the presets? 🙂
I'm not even going to guess what synth is what, as I'm not a hardeare purist, and I've only recently become more interested in hardware because of thr Hydrasynth (which i plan on purchasing a Delux as soon as i can). But I'll share my favorite patches: #1 (flash gordon), #4( very silky), #6(oh hell yeah! Cosmic Spookiness!), #7( because of the Graphics), #9 (Majestic Vowl filters)
BWAHHAHAHA Thats so amazing that you tricked us!
Nice video Scott my neighbor (Cleveland Hts) I'm into making smooth jazz, Paul Hardcastle type of music. i got a nice bonus at work and I'm looking for a synth to use for that. i've been looking and narrowed it down to 2 boards that i really love Nord wave 2 and Montage M6. what would be your choice between the 2? Thanks
Well done. Particularly with firmware 2 (especially with the deluxe) any blind A/B test with well done patches will show no appreciable difference. Among the few improvements I could think of for this synth are infinite encoders w/LEDs for the filter controls section and dual concentric LED surrounds with "clickable" encoders on deluxe. That would let you see settings for both patches on a layer/split at the same time and "click" between them per knob realtime for changes. That is REALLY nit-picky, but honestly the only thing I can think of, other than maybe a few more voices as the processor gets more powerful, to make this thing even more fantastic. The Korgs you have 2 levels above it are among the very few additional synths it makes much sense to add to it IMHO.
the hydrasynth can flatulate with the best of them to the point where sometimes my matriarch gets jealous.
I actually sneaked peaked the answer after listening to the first 3 pads as I felt I wasn't hearing the character differences I'm used to trying to tune into. Synths have their own character, filters on synths sound different (my Mask1 filter sounds different from my Regen or Waldorf Q.) Honestly I was disappointed you didn't compare it to other synths, To someone it might sound "analog" but that doesn't mean it doesn't sound the same as a Moog or a Polybrute. There is something about the Hydra sound that I respect and down't love (had the explorer for awhile,) and there was something in these pads that I respected and I didn't love. Honestly it feels like chickening out on the challenge and assuming everyone will love the pads. I respect the pads and your deep knowledge of programming, but you left out having a pad from Prophet 10 or OBX8 and the chance that will give someone an "aha" moment. Also for the record I love digital pads (my Waldorfs, JP and D50 sounds I've heard etc.) But something about the hydras texture makes me appreciate it intellectually vs emotionally.
Great. I gave up after 6. I chose ,A,A maybe D, D then D before I decided the whole exercise was pointless as they all sounded "analogy' in style to me. Great video.
I am gonna be honest here i wen't for 1, 4, 7 (i guess the vowel filter was used), 8, 11 and 12. Even if i don't own one for now - my plan is to buy desktop version in couple of months (i do own Cobalt 8X for what three - four years now and just wow, also Argon 8M). Space is the issue and i travel a lot so desktop has drum pads which do come in handy and it can do prety much everything. Been making presets or soundbanks for about 5 years now just for share fun and hobby since i love this kind of thing (Cinematic, Trance, Synthwave - berlin School) etc... Also i really love your channel one of the best out there.
I have come to realize with my montage M and hydrasynth explorer I don't need any plugins or other hardware. I can do everything with those.
Only Number 11 impressed me a liiiitle bit, and skipping through the rest, I almost immediately thought it was all hydrasynth. But I also could have been fooled with Argon8 or any Diva Plugin.
That's exactly what I thought!
Hey dude can u do a video on making fat Moog like bass patches on the hydra
... 😂... I also use the combi deluxe /Cobalt 8x/microfreak.... I play Synths for more than 40 years. This is one of the findest Setups I ever played....
Sounds digital to me, I had the explorer and liked it but the black keys felt strange way to less hub.
Were those presets or did you create them yourself? On week 2 of owning the Deluxe and loving it!
Well i dont think Scott owns so many analog synthesizers in the first place🤔 The juno 106 and Korg Polysix the sh-101. what else?
1,3,6,7,9,11 = Hydrasynth
I stopped the vid so I couldn’t cheat so…probably missed some but this was fun trying. Thanks
wow never knew the hydra could do that.
Yeah you got me
Sorry, but for me after listening to 4 sounds I thought that there must be some bad sounding Analogue synth being used that I haven't come across. I agree that in a mix these sounds would sound 'analogue' but in isolation it really is pretty obvious to users of pure analogue synths IMO
Here's my cut and paste..... I guessed after 6 examples they were all HYDRA H
A
HA
H
H
H
H
H
All HYDRA !!!!
This video is going to trigger a lot of people.
Was that the Hydra effects used on those pads?
Yes! You can tell on a couple of them by the reverb.
@@ScottsSynthStuff I was thinking more the chorus or phaser fx
Scott... time to start playing with the Voice Modulation feature... guarantee no one would know then.
With the resolution of digital synths, and their significantly better signal to noise ratio, digital synths can sound smoother and better than pure analog. Those who say digital is “steppy” and “cold” has absolutely no idea what they are talking about and are just stubbornly refusing to accept that their beloved analog isn’t king anymore. Not only that, you get reliability and repeatability with digital.
Yes this isn’t 1985.
It seems like you've been watching Anthony Marinelli's most recent video. :)
You've made a broad statement, some digital can mimic analog very well, but you wont get digital doing what analog does best, which is do analog.
I have both, I use both for specific reasons, I don't care which I use because I get the desired results.
One isn't better than the other, they both have uses.
I agree. The age of "steppy" digital synths limited to 127 discrete levels was left behind decades ago. When it comes to the Hydrasynth, people complained that it was "cold" and "no low end" - but that was clearly based on the opinion of people who flipped through a few presents and judged the capability of the synth based on those presets.
@@roggyoindeed, and along with this video only serves to back up what I’ve been preaching for a long time 😊
pad 7 is really good
Is hydra on par with or better than a virus ?
No.
@@jeffc1753 I suspected that, cheers 🍻
I can say my ears really didn't like any of the clips (talking just the sound). I honestly didn't really think any of them sounded like a traditional vintage analog with all the character (and maybe that's not the point). In my very honest opinion it actually sounds like a poor man's JD-800 (and I know you said you have the JD-800 back there!). Maybe the comparison against modern hybrid or modern analog synths is more the speed.
Love Phaser 😑
Your chord resolutions and movements sound really far out. What are your influences? I hear dominant chords going into suspended and then into minor, quite bizzarre
I honestly wasn't giving it much thought. I'd pick a key/chord at random to start with, then think of something that shares at least one note, and move from there. It wasn't planned. If I heard something that kind of worked as a progression, then I might repeat it. Sometimes I hit a wrong note which is dissonant, so then I think "ok how do I resolve from that." In actuality, when I'm writing, this is often the technique I'll use to come up with chord progressions - just play random semi-connected chords until I hear something that sticks.
Its never about analog vs digital, but rather the type of synthesis that sound pleasant to someone.
I'm not a fan of wavetable synthesis from hardware or software, I don't care for the tonality of it. 😐
Comparing them on TH-cam is impossible and somewhat pointless. The compression algorithm will skew results.
Thanks for making everyone’s point. Most everyone is either listening to music on their phones, cars, ear buds, mono system night clubs etc. etc. etc. A very small minority of human being are listening to reference level high end stereo systems and really critiquing every nuance of a sound. Most people are just grooving to music of a wide variety of crappy sources.
I don't use my Hydrasynth Deluxe to make analogue sounds, I use my Polybrute Noir Matrixbrute Noir for those sound's,😂😅🤣
The dumb old analog vs digital thing. Does it really matter if it sounds good, it's irrelevant. Now the improvements that have been made in vst synths its almost impossible to tell. Some free vst synths can match expensive hardware too.
And then when you consider people who actually make music and don’t just do side by side comparisons are putting the synth in a mix with effects and a bunch of other sounds, it’s all just a bit silly. I’ve been blown away by some software synths I’ve used lately.