SynthMaster

No matter how well it’s designed or how awesome it sounds, there can’t be only one soft synth to rule them all. Each virtual instrument specializes in a type of synthesis, and producers usually choose one for its ability to create a certain range of sounds.

Well, today we’re going to take a look at a synth that can do almost anything in terms of, well, synth stuff. Its name is SynthMaster, and honestly, I can’t think of a better name for it.

It’s impossible not to notice the versatility of SynthMaster. This beast is capable of different methods of synthesis, such as virtual analog, additive, wavetable, phase modulation, frequency modulation, and sample-based. What’s surprising isn’t the large number of modules and parameters that come with SynthMaster, but how well they all fit into the interface.

Even though it probably wouldn’t be a good idea to choose such an advanced piece of software as your first virtual synth, it should be noted that SynthMaster is surprisingly intuitive. When you first open the plugin (or the stand-alone version), you are prompted to first choose a preset (from a list of 1,800). This may not be such a bad idea since these well-designed presets allow you to become familiar with the synth’s many features.

At the core of the instrument are two oscillators that can be used in many different ways. For example, the wavetable customization section is very straightforward, even though you can use it to create tables containing as many as 250 waveforms. The additive synthesis section is also surprisingly easy to manipulate.

Add the filters, the various envelopes and LFOs, the arpeggiator, and the many available effects unit to your sounds, and you may understand why SynthMaster is praised by anyone who reviews it. Also, one shouldn’t ignore the fact that it’s quite affordable compared to other music tools.