Arturia Synclavier V, The BIG Soundtest, Incredible Synth

You can check out the Arturia Synclavier V here at the Arturia Site
www.arturia.com/synclavier-v/overview
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[@retinalcircus]

I'm a professional sound designer and composer for film. This is absolutely one of the best soft synths I've owned to date. I even sampled a full sized hammer dulcimer using two drone devices and created a pretty stable and functional drone organ using this within mere days of buying it. It's an incredibly versatile, expressive, creative, and powerful synth. I've just used it on my most recent feature film score "Senseless" By Trash Arts - The sampler and resynthesis meant I could take dialogue from the film and incorporate it into my sound design changing pitch and timbre in an extremely trippy way and I could do this for any number of sound cues too such as sword swishing or monster voices, it was an absolute joy and has really expanded my toolset. I also used my own reverse reverb sound design to time stretch the ghosts I had created to modify them in pretty much real time. There's really nothing that comes close to the power of this soft synth. I'm astounded by it. Next I'm using my recently purchased All The Samples From Mars to make my own unique sample sets for a VHS anthology called VHS Vaults Of Terror. Great video!

[@UHF42]

Just purchased the Synclavier V, all the 80's sound tracks just sang my head. I'll be programming this forever.

[@MichaelBuchzik]

love your dialect :-) Greetings from germany and a happy new year!

[@tdfanfrance]

Wow, these sounds are incredible, I love them. I think it is one of the best synth re-creation by Arturia... great job guys !

[@jaykeel7309]

What a huge sound! So much movement and swells. Sick

[@dseattle4340]

Thanks for sharing some great sounds.

[@jcBurton2094]

The legend lives on. Thank you, Cameron Jones

[@MRFThorne]

The strength of this video presentation made me buy the Synclavier V from Arturia. During the lockdown, I bought the remainder of Arturia Collection 7 at a sale price. What an astonishing array of historic keyboards, synths and otherwise!

[@alphabeets]

Where were you “locked down”? It was only suggested to stay home at you own discretion. No one has the power to lock you down. I know what you meant, but I really dislike that submissive term. (No I’m not an anti-vaxer.) We need to not submit to a government.

[@BassFunMusic]

Oh my goodness, the sound in this music is out of this world! 🎶♥love sounds

[@berek61]

love the Vangelis sounds available at your fingertips great demo mate... thanks!

[@KarlGeorges]

Did you watch a test of the CS80 ?

[@PhilAndersonOutside]

Did Vangelis ever use the Synclavier? I don't think so, but could be wrong. The issue with any synth that can make Vangelis-like sounds is that as true as you might get with the sound, what set Vangelis apart was his expressive playing, and playing style.This is why very, very few covers capture his sound well. A guy named Michael Daniesl (mik300z here on YT) comes close.

[@LisaBellaDonnaMusic]

I want this. Absolutely. Beautifully done Arturia! ❤️

[@PhilAndersonOutside]

As one who actually owns a Synclavier, this is pretty cool. The sound seems to lack a bit of depth the original had, maybe because the original has dedicated DACs per voice, but it's obviously a lot easier to own and deal with, though not so much to program as you don't have dedicated buttons and knobs and have to work with a mouse, and obviously less expensive (duh!). The original also had a great feeling polyphonic aftertouch weighted keyboard, and a pitch ribbon. I would also rate this above EVI's The Beast, which focused mostly on the later Synclav's sampling. Here, Arturia wisely focused on additive synthesis and FM, which were what gave the Synclav it's character. Having said all that, in today's world, you might get more use, and more sounds out of a NI FM8 in the a similar vein. Also take a look at NI Razor, which is also additive and has a similar, but perhaps fatter tone. Other FM and additive synths out there as well.

[@captainvoluntaryistthestat3207]

So you're saying you own a $200,000 synth? Can you make a video on it?

[@kiddiabolik]

Does it have a VCA? Would that, combined with the mixing desk it's routed to, colour the sound? Bring out more depth? Or do you think the VST is just flatter?

[@PhilAndersonOutside]

@@kiddiabolik the short answer is no. It’s not that type of synth, and never was. It was always proudly digital. (Edit: Sorry if that sounds snobbish! Was trying to just be matter of fact.)

[@PhilAndersonOutside]

@@captainvoluntaryistthestat3207 ha! I never owned the full 9600 system (think: Frank Zappa)! I bought mine used, have had issues with it for who knows how long, and it’s now almost studio furniture. Maybe in the months to come I’ll see if I can resurrect it!

[@PhilAndersonOutside]

@AID ugh, that may take some homework. Part of the issue is that while Guy Fletcher had the early PSMT version with sampling, he was also known to have the skills to tweak it. So the odds of it being a pure preset patch are slim.

[@TheGilounet]

Really good sounding and really good VST.

[@keef-baker]

On the strength of this and the stage-73 alone I upgraded my V-Collection.

[@JohanBrodd]

Sounds awesome. Will most definitely buy this one!

[@juansedelrio1053]

get a new pair of ears dude...youre done

[@alf3k1]

Finally someone with PLAYING SKILLS :-) Thanks!

[@esoteric6178]

Someone told me that the programer for the original Synclavier was used for this and even that the same code was used as well as the same original samples. So the original Synclavier was digital and they used they same programmer and even said the same code was used, even the same errors in code that resulted in anomalous sound qualities from the hardware were included in this vst which make it totally different than the other Arturia plug-ins. This is in effect the same sound you would get from an actual Synclavier. These aren't samples, I mean these aren't samples of sound produced by a Synclavier. It is actual real resynthesis of samples used by the original and some extras.

[@antigen4]

samples would have been better for obvious reasons

[@homeirotheveryfatmanwhoisa8270]

antigen4 And those reasons being?

[@antigen4]

... making use of the original hardware - samples of that (even though it defeats the purpose of operability) would bring much more of the original character through yadda yadda

[@homeirotheveryfatmanwhoisa8270]

antigen4 Bro, having literally the original software inside of the virtual instrument brings the character a thousand times more than samples! It’s got the same quirks and abilities

[@antigen4]

well the 'software' does EFFECTIVELY something similar. but it's not the 'software' that makes the character of a synth- that comes from things like the board layout, the grounding path, and power supply etc etc

[@jesusignaciosoldevilamarti5991]

this synth is amazing

[@oiesoudou]

Great Job!!!

[@paulmiano7029]

Question, for the 16 Slices Evolution setting is there any way to either get rid of or tame the percussive sound that it makes?

[@TheNimasan]

today i bought the whole v collection just because of this tremendous synth.. solina and cs80v. i also had a crack version but i never installed it... i really wanted the original package..500 bucks.. the money is worth... no doubt!!!

[@nunaiaqibnun888]

question is what sounds awesome here, the synclav or the delay ?

[@darrelldiaz]

Love the Synclavier. Have a Synclavier II & a 3200. Wish person doing demo would attempt bring more musical while demonstrating the sounds. Random noodling on the keys does not entice someone to buy an instrument. Great job Cameron & Arturia team. Looking forward to V2 with sampling. Will be doing a bank of patches for this soft synth soon.

[@SunnyBear]

Playing songs from Les Miserables would "bring more musical"

[@kenr.b.891]

Synclavier's appeal and claim to fame back in the day was cutting edge sampling (cutting edge by 1980's standards) Other Companies like Yamaha were doing additive FM synthesis , FM on the Synclavier was just icing, again, their main feature was sampling. To come out with a Synclavier VST that doesn't focus on sampling seems silly.

[@PrAnG2000]

Sounds pretty cool.

[@fcmjth8800]

Very good👏🏼👏🏼👏🏼

[@razzerraw1108]

Where is the pitch bend range knob on this? It's driving me crazy and I can't find it at all.

[@kevinmcwilliams5362]

I know the Synclavier used to be able to sample. Can you sample with this one or use some of your own?

[@seeyouintheeighties]

can you recreate tainted love sounds?

[@cariboux2]

Nice!

[@royidron5852]

not a total synth guru, so curious - are the different pages to combine up to 8 or so samples? so similar to kontakt in that sense, but then you can blend them all in?

[@derekbascombe7731]

Actually, in the diting pages you get to program 12 individual partials, and every single one allows you to replace a factory waveform with your own user sample.

[@otecaregasulb9011]

it's on sale right now on the website for 50% off if anybody wants to buy

[@jonvincentmusic]

Preset for 'No Doubt About It' by Hot Chocolate right there @ 16:24 :-)

[@issiewizzie]

I remember this equipment well..... as a teenager i wanted one in my dreams . Seriously though the damn thing cost $120,000 at the time. :)

[@oholm09]

You can find one on eBay

[@JKVisFX]

Me too! It was the synth of my dreams too. Having the synth engine part of it as a plugin is pretty amazing.

[@issiewizzie]

The world has moved on now...... I have omnisphere , alchemy & NI komplete.

[@EliahHoliday]

I have the option to update my current collection for $100 or go the full upgrade with the new stuff for $200. This synth interests me but not so much the other add ons. Not sure if this synth is worth the extra $100 considering I could probably make the same sounds with all the other devices in the V collection.

[@emilshere]

Does it give you the fm module and the sample model? The synclavier had 2 operating modes... One was an fm synth That you programmed by turning the big giant silver Data dial (seems to be missing) then there was the sampling mode which you used to play back samples from the sample library (or you can record your own of course) these sound like the fm engine sounds.....is there a separate menu for the sampler sounds? Thanks

[@johngudgeon7454]

+emilshere No sampling. This is an older Synclavier model

[@musicman8942]

Not quite right; Arturia is modeling the Synclavier 2 which HAD sampling/resynthesis in it; first as an option and later as stock. And had it before the 9600 system. Arturia has said they may put in the sampling/resynthesis system if enough people ask for it. Come on keyboardists - let Arturia know you want the sampling/resynthesis. Elsewise it's a half-assed shadow of the original.

[@johngudgeon7454]

It's the no-option model then. In this initial release, there's no sampling.

[@emilshere]

I would love the sampling option! I didnt even know they made them with just FM synthesis. So it was a big expensive DX1 ? how was it different if it was only FM synth?

[@cyrusworldmusic]

FM synthesizer only for this early version (NED SYNCLAVIER 1), good sound obviously , but too cost vsti compared with the Omnisphere (FM+samples+synth engine)

[@stryker1999]

I'm a huge Omnisphere fan, but I have to say that this, a sort of super-Synclavier, brings another flavor to the table that nothing else will. As a synthesist, I will never say no to more sound making options. I'll have to be saving up for this for a fall bundle purchase.

[@cyrusworldmusic]

waiting for Synclavier2 V ,maybe?

[@oholm09]

I like 9600 sample to disk studio system

[@BertGrink]

I would imagine that the Synclavier has been used in many a movie soundtrack.

[@Torrente70]

@TheThorensExperience TheThorensExperience such a wonderful movie

[@bhaveshtochabbra6853]

@TheThorensExperience TheThorensExperience where did u get this information?

[@stryker1999]

This is insane! I never expected this from Arturia. I've GOT to have this. As a youngster, I was yet another who lusted after this synth. It's a shame that sampling and resynthesis isn't in the package too, but it might have made development time far, far longer, and eaten up CPU resources in our DAWs to bring all but the most powerful computers to their knees. Way to go, Arturia!

[@marshallkohlhaas80]

Can a piezo pick up on a guitar play the sinclavier 5 app?

[@brooksgordon1]

Correction! According to one of the guys who worked on this project, it was developed with the help of the original creator of the Synclavier II and the design was created without sampling capability because they didn't see the need. The redesign from the big silver dial was decided to make the interface better usable by the hardware controllers.

[@therealcubiksrube]

Not saying that the synthesis functions of the Synclavier weren't excellent and the sounds heard on many 80ies albums, however I think it's main selling point was the sampling function which was used to produce entire 80ies pop tracks. It's sure excellent to have a nice soft synth modelling the synthesis functions, but it is a tiny bit beside the point, not why users spend hundreds of thousands of dollars for these systems back in the day. :)

[@annother3350]

now sample time is endless they concentrated on the unique aspects - thats what draws me to this machine

[@szcsaba101]

l tried this but I absolute did not understand its principle of operation!

[@alphabeets]

And now you can get a FREE Synclavier for your iPhone. Go get it.

[@wjb270]

Can someone tell me if the free demo version can be used with a midi keyboard?

[@annother3350]

Yes

[@cortezmosley1043]

nice

[@brooksgordon1]

This isn't the famous Synclavier II with the big silver dial and sampler, but it's got great sounds!

[@musicman8942]

So it's not really a Synclavier 2 then. Arturia screwed up not including the sampling.

[@KarlGeorges]

Exactly, and very strange.

[@JKVisFX]

I believe they focused on the synthesis engine instead of the sampling because, pretty much if you have a DAW running on a standard laptop, you have more sampling and direct-to-disc recording power than the fully-loaded, top-of-the-line Synclav system ever had by several orders of magnitude. It was smart of them to focus on what is still truly unique to the Synclav, it's FM/additive synthesis engine.

[@etpslick100]

Now I'm pissed!! Which one I want? The Arturia? Or the UVI version? They BOTH sound good!!😫

[@skyhacker6]

Arturia > UVI by far !

[@karlfest]

I seem to gather that the UVI version is just a bunch of samples with some modulation/controls on top, whereby the Arturia version is an virtual recreation of the actual synthesis system e.g. you have more programmability with the Arturia version.

[@etpslick100]

+Karl Fest agreed. Been looking at KZbin clips of the Arturia and UVI, and I'm leaning towards the Arturia. Now, if they do the Fairlight CMI, that would be killer!😎

[@philfisher8962]

How does this compare with the UVI Beast Synclavier?

[@musicman8942]

Even with the sample/resyntheis not here the Arturia is WAY better than the UVI vi. UVI hasn't come anywheres near what a Synclavier can do (ditto for their version of the Fairlight CMI they call the Darklight)

[@musicman8942]

The fellow Arturia got was the original programmer - he didn't create the hardware.

[@InXLsisDeo]

The UVI Beast only has samples of Synclavier sounds, so it sounds closer to the original, but it's not a synthesizer.

[@chrisstrobel3439]

All we need now is an Arturia Alpha Syntauri VST ..... the poor mans Synclav of the day :)

[@tomaszmazurek64]

Check out Audio Damage Phosphor.

[@chrisstrobel3439]

Tomasz Mazurek I actually still have my Alpha Syntauri and Mountain cards believe or not lol. I just checked out Phosphor ..... its much cleaner sounding than my Alpha Syntauri lol, but I'm gonna get it anyway, so thanks for the heads up on that :)

[@tomaszmazurek64]

That's really cool! Phosphor has option to switch the partials to "vintage" sines with much more aliasing noises too, if that is what you are looking for.

[@chrisstrobel3439]

Yeah I see that ((I got it last night) Thanks :)

[@menacerisamir198]

i use to have an alpha syntauri when it come out and you can not compare it to a synclavier .really.

[@thomaskolb8785]

Unfortunately it is does not implement the sampling option, heavily used by amongst others Depeche Mode, but just the FM module. It is still pretty authentic, but today not more interesting than most other FM-based VST's like FM8, Bazille or Dune 2. I just wish Arturia had decided to model something else instead, like the EMS VCS3 or the Korg DW-8000. They could have you know...

[@observeroflife9511]

The VCS3 is already well covered by XILS-lab.

[@JonahMobarak]

It’s ILIO Synclavier

[@norakat]

Whats difference between this and the Synclavier II?

[@captainvoluntaryistthestat3207]

where is S2?

[@VPXM2012]

@@captainvoluntaryistthestat3207 there is no synclavier 2. It's the original, software version 2 - just tweaks for better behaviour.

[@emilshere]

what happened to the detailed reply I got about the silver dial? its gone

[@juansedelrio1053]

Not warm at all, cold as a good beer on Friday Night...

[@foljs5858]

Not everything has to be "warm". This is a recreation of a digital synth. "warm" and "phat" has been way overplayed to the point of being a This is Spinal Tap like cliche...

[@brainhamster]

sure, this has nice sounds to it. but, as with most other vst's..it's the built in delay/verbs that sell the product. turn those off, and...well......it's not as impressive.

[@fonarte]

brain hamster same is true of most hardware synths. Take the dx7 as the best example. Without effects, it is bland as ducks. All the recordings that made it famous were heavily processed.

[@jcBurton2094]

Without the effects, it's got a very nice, organic sound. The Synclavier name is more than enough to sell the product

[@floatershaw]

Have you not here,d of U-He Diva for me that is the best sounding VST Plug , very close to the real thing,,

[@Asmotiv]

floatershaw If you are interested in additive synthesis this is your Tool. U-he is a greate vst but has nothing to do with a synclavier. I think the Most People are preset junkies. They are Not able to create sounds at all.

[@TheRockandroy]

what real thing?

[@cubdukat]

Definitely beats the hell out of the UVI Beast. All of the samples they use in that one are full of aliasing.

[@derekbaker3279]

Didn't the real synth have artifacts, such as aliasing? I would think so, although, in actual recordings, the aliasing artifacts may have been masked by other instruments or filtered out during recording/mixing.

[@hervegilles7941]

Un instrument qui se révèle lorsqu'on le joue. Pour un vrai pianiste. Les autres circulez !....

[@emilshere]

HEY where's the big silver dial!!!

[@hoopiefrond9834]

And the rows of red buttons.

[@zentriceggofficial]

I will wait for the ios version at 15 pounds.

[@djdoolittle1315]

Me to man ! 😉✌️thanks Doug. Saved me a few grand

[@chrisstrobel3439]

Same here

[@issiewizzie]

+Grammaton Feather Good luck with that.... i will personally chew my iPad if that ever happens :)

[@zentriceggofficial]

+Issie Wizzie i know... But i haz a lot of good music apps on ipad so i can live without this one.

[@issiewizzie]

Agree ..:) i have spent so much on music apps on the iPad till i got my Macbook pro and logic pro. so for for me its no more purchasing of IOS music apps and besides you can only run on instance of the instrument anyway. Seriously though i hope Arturia releases some app pad.

[@derekriggs7659]

Well this is as close as you are going to get for under $150,000

[@onathanj]

A special sound for a digital synth, but I think it´s sound is highly overrated. But I understand how many people lust for the original when it was released.

[@pianoman7able]

gloryfied dx 7

[@cozmovox]

Who needs synclavier nowadays......

[@Asmotiv]

Cozmovox What ? It is a additive synth at its best. So every one hwo will create additive synthesis sounds will need it. Simple as that.

[@LFOVCF]

Ten a penny this kind of thing now. Yes of course it sounds nice, but at that price? nah. £99 tops! The point is, this kind of synthesis has a 'naffness' about it, almost as bad as Casio's PD sound. Back in the day, nobody had heard anything like it, but now? Meh.

[@argumentchannel]

Synclavier was the best synth ever made. sold mine to THE WHO. and i mis it

[@TheSoundTestRoom]

Awesome👍😊

[@ScoopexUs]

Had big hopes the way you talked it up, and then the sounds came... :D Really? I realize it's for the fans but the bleeps here simply do not impress any synthesizer programmer.

[@esoteric6178]

They need to make their plug-ins resizeable. From a programming angle for easy to do elbut they never implement this. Those of us who actually produce at a work station and who are using large dual display Setups don't want to have to squint in order to see the damn controls. It's features like that which keep me away from arturias plug-ins.

[@neuronmind]

Danielle, all vst 3 plug ins are scalable including all arturia's .The vst 2 versions are not. Time to upgrade ?!

[@josdurkstraful]

Didn't like any of these sounds. Cold, digital, not inspiring. I guess I am more a VCS3, Moog Modular and Mellotron kind of guy.

[@Ajoura]

Crystalline, futuristic, space age. Tube farts don't feel as futuristic as this.

[@danhackley]

Ajoura tube farts lol

[@NyakzOTSD]

Arturia makes Hella cool synths butttt.... They have way too man tech issues. I have a legit version and suddenly the program will tell me to activate my plugin, it freeze all the time, I get white screens etc etc! Great sounding plugin terrible bugs. I promised myself I would never buy another plugin from them again

[@joeyxl3456]

Sounds bad man. Sorry to hear that. My favourite synth is Zebra 2 with the Redux skin. Amazing.

[@NyakzOTSD]

I will check it out. Trying to work with the plugins I own! I am fed up of arturia despite being amazing

[@Asmotiv]

Nyakz Maybe it is something wring with your system ? I habe no Problems with it.

[@NyakzOTSD]

did you read my comment before you made a stupid comment?

[@alexstacks]

Nyakz did you read his comment before making a stupid comment?

[@Torrente70]

Synclavier>Fairlight

[@novagara1]

RRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRR.........phonetic RRRRRRR

[@MiloCarrete]

A prophet 5 sounds better

[@jcBurton2094]

A Synclavier is a different kind of beast than a Prophet

[@Cluless02]

Silly demo Great synth emulation but of a not so great sounding synth however

[@jcBurton2094]

Not an emulation. Original code from NED

[@Azzlad]

Sounds like a shitty old cheapskate FM synth.

[@buspalladium1880]

STOP TALKING PLEAAAAAAAAASE !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[@antonfirtich]

Sounds crappy and plastic, like every Arturia "emulation"

[@Asmotiv]

Anton Firtich Buy Better Speakers and a better soundcard of go and Check your ears.

[@leepicciotto]

Arturias plugins are featured prominently on a lot of hit songs. So much so that countless amateurs go out and buy any analog synth their budget allows to try and emulate those sounds not realizing they were made with plugins on a laptop.