Sylenth 1

Sylenth 1 – THE Virtual Analog VSTi Synthesizer

You must have heard about Lennar Digitals Sylenth1 by now. If not, you are in the right place. Whether you are new to composing or producing your own music, or a veteran, this program is a surefire way to add to your arsenal. In this article, we will take a look through the VSTi synthesizer, see what it can do, and see how it can help you in your quest for better music production.

As you are sure to know, there are a lot of software synthesizers on the market. However, very few of them live up to the expectations and standards of a hardware alternative. Yet, not many people have the money or space for a real synth. So, what do you do? Do you settle for sub-par sound, or do you choose the Sylenth 1? My money goes straight to Lennar Digitals.

Sylenth 1 – Introduction

Launched in 2007, this synth is undoubtedly not the newest on the market. However, since then, Lennar Digital has released over twenty updates, with the most recent only last month (February 2020). Most software of any type is usually long gone by now, especially in the music arena. However, the constant updates of this program shows that it still has a long life ahead of it, and a very prosperous one at that. So, fear not at the age, it is like a fine wine, it gets better with age.

Why Choose Sylenth1 Over Competitors?

Yes, on the face of it, this may seem like just another synth. However, the answer is extremely obvious as soon as you fire it up. The sound quality of this software is better than possibly all of the other virtual synthesizers on the market, and it is even better than some of the hardware ones, too. There are a lot of programs out there that fail to meet the expectations and audio depths of the real musical instruments, and when you are making music, you want them to sound like they are the real thing.

The richness and attention to detail that Lennar Digital has managed to get into this is certainly second to none. Those capabilities are not only for the sound sets that you can purchase separately, either, – even the standard presets are amazing.

Interface

When you compare this to some of the newer synths on the market, your initial reaction will probably be that it seems very basic. While we agree with you, we think that simplicity is one of the best features. Not only is it easy to start with as a beginner, but it is also easier for you to get the desired results. While this program was not initially capable of running on MACs, since version 3, that is not an issue. The UI has HD support, a refined layout, and beautiful new skin, too.

Best Features

We have already told you that this is one of the best virtual synths that you can get, but that is not where the wonders end. The preset folder holds some beautiful sets, including a stocky electro house bass (Exceeder), a staccato string group, and a slick evolving pad.

• Tweaks. – As a music lover, you also love tweaking your equipment. The Sylenth1 is undoubtedly set up for tweaking. It sounds incredible straight “out of the box,” but when you get adjusting all of the dials and sliders, you will be blown away. This section is really where the simplicity of the interface comes into its own, it is easy to see what is happening at any point in time, and further adjustments come super easily.
• Initialized patches. – These starting points are great when you want to start to produce your own music, and you get a bank full of them. That means that you can get your teeth into many different patches all at once, or work your way through them to create a whole set.
• Oscillators. – There are four oscillators available to you when you start the program, meaning that you can get the sound that you want when you want. There is a downside to having four, though – only two are visible at any one time. It is easy enough to switch between them, using the A and B buttons, but so far, that is the only downside. Each of those oscillators will offer you eight waveforms to choose from, and you can assign several voices to one oscillator.
• Filters. – Each part of the Sylenth1 has its own filter, and they sound amazing. Furthermore, you can set the filters to go through each other to add to the flexibility. There is not a vast number of modes with the filters, though. You will get high-pass, low-pass and band-pass. However, you do get 12 and 24dB options for each and also drive control. There is also a global filter panel that has a cut-off dial to adjust the frequency cut-off of each filter and a resonance control that works in a similar way.

Sylenth1 Extras

The modulation option for the Sylenth1 comes with two envelopes, the LFO or MIDI. Each of them has designatable amount controls with two destinations to add to the routing possibilities. There are a few downsides to the LFOs, such as triggering methods, but as this sounds so good, with an extremely straightforward, yet comprehensive UI, those things seem to be pretty insignificant.

Conclusion

While I will agree that this synth doesn’t have some of the more complex features that you may want to find on some of the newer, more advanced options, we think that is a good thing. Getting straight into the bread and butter of music-making with no complicated extras is where the Sylenth1 is at home. The sounds that it produces are second to none, except the real instrument, perhaps.

So, as I said at the beginning of the article, whether you are an experienced music maker, or if you are just beginning to dip your proverbial toes into the sea of sound, you should certainly check this out, you will not be disappointed.

META: If you are looking for the best virtual analog synthesizer that you can buy, then this oldie is certainly a great option. Read about the Sylenth1 here.