The BEST Software PAD Synths in 2022? Here's My Top 5

What makes a good pad synth? Let's talk about it. Here are my top 5 SOFTWARE synthesizers for pads and atmospheres (and a few others)
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Parallax-5
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Ambient Drones
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Monoliph
VC
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#synthesizer #musicproduction #sounddesign

[@LucaRossoDeVita]

I'm always amazed how you can give us the best explanations on ambient music hints and techniques. If anyone, like me, gets sometimes stuck with creativity, try using real sampled orchestral instruments. You will be surprised by the results. For example, I often use BBC SO and Eric Withacre Choir from Spitfire passed through Volcano 3 and Supermassive, but you can of course use any orchestral library, even cheaper ones and the effects of your choice. With real strings and brass you can get that mellow and lush sound that sometimes synthetic instruments lack. It's nowadays a common technique in cinematic and soundtrack music, but it can help even ambient musicians to further expand our sound palette and get to new music ideas.

[@08js45]

bro, phaseplant is extremely underrated, it doesn't get the attention it deserves, for me it's the best synth plugin and the more complete

[@HyperionSynth]

Thanks for the honorary mention. Hyperion has a lot of pad presets as it's my favorite kind, and with 16 layers, each with an unlimited number of oscillators/filters/vector mixing/wave-sequences etc and multi-FX chains per layer, there's a lot of scope for some very spacey stuff. I still go back to the original Korg legacy collection Wavestation plugin for some nice textures too :)

[@Tyrell_Corp2019]

As far as I’m concerned, Hyperion is one of my top secret weapons. It has a smooth and professional quality that I cannot find in most others. Let’s put it this way: I have listened to Vangelis Blade Runner for decades. It is burned in my brain. Hyperion has nailed it.

[@brentchadwell8101]

Hyperion is GREAT!

[@TheStainless69]

A video about VST's and pads, and it's contains 99% *talking* about them???

[@DavidLilja]

You can never go wrong with Omnisphere. But I most often open Pigments and initialise it to build something. It’s a really fast synth to work with. I’m still also using Massive (v1 that is) and layered with Augmented Strings by Arturia you can build some really nice soundscapes.

[@marcus268]

I have Omnisphere since 2011, its still the number one plugin i use after all these years. It never bores me, i just use other plugins when i need to save cpu. Hive 2 sounds good too, super saws on hive is top notch. Perfect for Rave anthems i think. i did not try pads , but at some point i will explore that to, could you create similar patches and compare these to complete this video?

[@bennyceca]

Sorry but Reveal Sound Spire is absolutely amazing for pads, for me, easily top 2! Bellatrix Audio and Howard Smith have some amazing pad presets, the pads can be lush, warm and heavenly overall!

[@delphisignal]

Spire is one of my main go-tos. Very underrated. Everyone thinks of it as an old trance synth but Reveal has tons of ambient sound libraries for it and of course you can make your own.

[@sossa57]

You're right bellatrix audios pads are Amazing on spire

[@bigboxerable]

Yep, I came here just to say that. Spire has truly extraordinary pads. Listen to presets such as Munich and Purity.

[@collateral-beauty]

Last Christmas i bought 26 Banks from Bellatrix to use on Spire... So yes it's amazing for pads

[@InXLsisDeo]

I have Spire and Dune 3, and imho Dune just sounds better and is more capable. Spire is no slouch though, but since I got Dune, I don't fire Spire anymore.

[@Gixerthouk3]

I love the warmth of Zebra2 for pads

[@AnthonyJimenez313]

came here to say that

[@Kmuggle]

No love for Diva?

[@GregoryCain]

Great video, Chris - thank you for posting. I own most of these synths, but now have interest in a couple of the others. I learned some things. Surprised Falcon did not at least make honorable mention?

[@s1gns0fl1fe]

I have never owned Falcon but I’ve seen it used and heard great things! Maybe one of these days… Cheers and thanks for positive feedback.

[@ronricherson6685]

Me too. Perhaps he doesn't have it. I love it.

[@daddylucles]

pigments dwarfs all of these options for me. With the latest addition of the harmonic engine paired with the granular engine, there is no contest for ambient pads imo

[@karmaindustrie]

You haven't discovered Omnisphere yet, right? To me Pigments always sounds like paper or plastic or mud ...somehow. But I have it too and like it tho.

[@sossa57]

The sound is shitty

[@daddylucles]

@@karmaindustrie I have discovered omnisphere, not for me. It can take some processing, but sending Pigments through a delay and a lush reverb like blackhole, or any of the valhalla stuff brings it to life. Definitely no plastic or mud for me

[@karmaindustrie]

@@daddylucles but in Omnisphere there is way more love put into recording awesome instruments, you agree? This is for me :) - I feel like I discovered, how Minecraft music was made. Maybe you haven't discovered the full potential of sounds in Omnisphere. Hardware Library is pretty new. D-50 classics... all the "psycho acoustic" stuff. Pigment has only a fraction of it, as far as I know. Omnisphere is for musik like the bible for preaching. Period. You can preach out of Harry Potter if you want.

[@theARDISAN]

Yeah I prefer Pigments too. Omnisphere UI isnt for me, and the engine feels too sluggish for my taste.

[@pawneelou1790]

As I'm french, I love Pigments from Arturia. But for sound design, you should take a look at UVI Falcon, an hybrid synth (16 osc, 90 effects and more). It costs 261€ until 08/15/2022. 😉

[@Kmuggle]

The Falcon UI is too complex for my tastes ... so I rarely use it.

[@InXLsisDeo]

UVI Falcon is not really user friendly and Phase Plant does the same for cheaper.

[@federicovalmassoni3827]

I think that, as said at the end, with a really deep and well known synth programming anyone of these softwares can do everything at the top. Personally I pay attention to the effect section virtual analog algorithms and available wavetables quality. Really interesting video as usual with you 👍🏻🙂

[@davidpurple3698]

Thanks for the video. Great topic to bring up. Omnisphere is great yes - but the GUI is completely outdated - wonder why they haven't worked on that...

[@kevincowart362]

Does any use FAW Circle or Rob Papen Blue? I know they are older but the sound quality and workflows are solid.

[@Tyrell_Corp2019]

Years ago I had Rob Papen’s Albino. It was one of my best at the time. Sadly he has discontinued it. Good products from him overall!

[@aquaticborealis4877]

OB-E , Pigments, Dune 3, and Hyperion. Those are the ones for me. Vital is also great. Haven’t tried Omnisphere though, and I would like to dig into Hive 2 at some point. Hardware-wise, the Summit is amazing for pads, and I imagine the OB-6 is also top notch. So much stuff out there though.

[@beattorrentsweeper5477]

Im a sucker for old school sounding synths , Sylenth1, Korg Legacy Collection, Retrolougue 2 ❤ , Anything by U-He

[@InXLsisDeo]

These synths simply can't compete with the bunch of the video in terms of sound and power. Except U-he of course but these are more recent synths.

[@rafsandomierz5313]

Well I'm using vital and it's so good and with time easier to understand than Serum, though at first I did a lot of tweaking lol.

[@jeffevansmusic]

Omnisphere is great but recently I got Luftrum Lunaris2. For pads its simply breathtaking. Thats all it does but it is seriously good though. Great GUI and all sounds very editable. Another amazing synth is Unify by Plugin Guru. Many of his libraries have the most amazing pads you will ever hear. Sound quality is top notch too.

[@axelmaldini4218]

one of the best synthesizers for the best PADS is from Tone 2 and is called Electra v3, if you have not tried it you are missing a marvel of sounds, among the TOP 3 of 2024.

[@Outfitandy]

Oohhh... Now then... I bought into Hive prior to first release but I have to admit that I rarely go to it for pads... It does, however, have one of the best onboard sequencers in my opinion I also have Pigments and only personal time constraints have prevented me from getting the best out of it Vital is in my arsenal too but I am relying more on presets provided by others, including S1gns... More time needed on this synth also Omnisphere has always sounded great... Problem for me is the cost and, because its capabilities are so vast, I would need to ditch everything else in order to learn how to use it properly My fault, really, because I just can't help myself when it comes to getting new soft synths.....

[@Steger13]

NOVUM is amazing

[@matteogazzolo1]

No Diva, no Zebra?

[@303machine]

It depends what you expect from pads. If you want forever evolving pads than you need synthesiser with more modulation options, otherwise, Obsession, Repro~5, OB-E, Diva and any other vintage gear VST emulation will suffice with analogue sounding classic pads. DUNE 3 sounds beautiful, Hive 2 is second, actually it is hard to say. Also u-he have the best support.

[@VeganKebabDoRuky]

Hm, mine is Phase Plant. But I don't have too mamy other synths. Instead I have lots of FX. Also, kind of Kaleidoscope from 2CAudio, it's not exactly a synth, but it also kind of is 😅

[@Kmuggle]

I love playing around with Kaleidoscope ... but the results are so unpredictable I haven't found much use for it.

[@M80-]

Arturia : JUP-8, OB-XA, Prophet V, Synclavier. TAL-J-8, Korg Triton Extreme.

[@wendigo2442]

Downright weird picks

[@artheca7887]

Hi if I understood correctly, you finally put Novum as the No1 in your ranking before omnisphere, right? All the best

[@s1gns0fl1fe]

Incorrect. I'd still put Omnisphere above NOVUM simply because it has far more features than NOVUM and it's library is one of the biggest ever. Version 3 should be right around the corner too...hopefully

[@StarMaze]

Omnisphere, Vital & Lunaris

[@mrfuzztone]

Luftrum Lunaris 2 has great pad sounds. It is a Kontakt sample library. I have a zillion software synths. All the good ones. Dune 3 does have great sounds. It seems to be overlooked. Needs a better browser. I have too many Omnisphere 3rd party libraries. Ha.

[@s1gns0fl1fe]

Some of my patches are included in the Lunaris 2 factory library! Look for presets ending in [SOL]

[@iamelohym]

#7 Surge XT

[@StefanNitzsche]

Which Serum skin is this?

[@s1gns0fl1fe]

Prometheus

[@towardstar]

the wavestate VST should be on this list give it a review when you can

[@themattschulz3984]

Vital is such a beast, it is close to obscene that this thing is free ... or maybe it is obscene that others charge so much for basically same functionality and ability (yes, Serum, i am talking of you)

[@ilo0076]

Dune 3 and Serum the best sound

[@spiritualtheory4042]

Please check out Soundmorph - Dust.... Its stated as a Binaural Granular Synthesizer... A monster if you know how to use it.

[@s1gns0fl1fe]

Been using Dust for years! A great synth...good for experimental stuff. Never really clicked with it but am always open to giving it another shot.

[@rashpeg]

Dune 3 and OB-E.

[@omnione7894]

❤

[@radaget3459]

Any love for Lunaris by Luftrum?

[@s1gns0fl1fe]

I have presets in the factory library of Lunaris 2! Huge fan of Luftrum.

[@andydebaeke9668]

For me Spire is great for pad sounds

[@Spalacidae]

not even a sound can be heard. only words. well done.

[@kreuhnkohrman4948]

well, how seriously should I take a padsynth ranking that doesn't include Tone2 Icaraus, one of the most powerful synths around?

[@moonstrobe]

For pads and atmosphere? Aparillo is the pad master.

[@mvv1408]

Pads? Blue III!

[@kentxx12]

For me now it is just Stand Alone FREE Software that is a Synth for ME NOW,FUCK ALL THE NEW ONES THAT COST OVER A POUND ;)

[@Harzurner]

Come on man Zebra 2

[@karmaindustrie]

Thank you for worshipping Omnisphere 🙌

[@AbideinChristFully]

1 Thessalonians 1:5

[@karmaindustrie]

@@AbideinChristFully are you sure?

[@CarneyColours]

Just like Beauty is in the eye of the beholder...Music is in the ear of the listener, and I have to say that much of the music over the past 30/40 years offends my ear.

[@madhurjyamahanta]

You must play the sound that we can judge the sound rather than talk more

[@frankyoualot]

SO much time looking at the BACK OF YOUR HEAD...Dude, at least FOCUS ON THE CONTENT your discussing, thanks a lot!!

[@mikemodern8264]

😊aa😊

[@montazownianr1]

You could at least play a few second of each presented synths...