Native Instruments Generator Software Synth

It's not as hard as other people say.

I use stuff to make samples, so I don't worry to much about polyphony. At first glance, it LOOKS like it can do anything - when you see that you can open up instruments and fuck with it at that level... but you quickly run into limitations with speed. Even on my pentium 400, I have to have a 15ms latency, which is totally unacceptable for precise electronic stuff.

Doesn't "feel" like a real synth, mostly cause of the latency latency.

crashes somewhat. I wouldn't use it live.

haven't used it.

This could have been a killer product if they had made it more sleek and concentrated on the ever-crucial response speed.

Generator is one of those interesting products where the more effort you apply, the greater your reward. At the high end, I find no perceptible "limit" -- that is, given the program's modularity, you could really be innovating indefinitely. At the low end, though, where a beginner steps in, well, there are a good number of presets to play with but you're not going to realize the sonic potential.

Make no doubt about it: Generator is a tall order for your PC to run. I'd like to get a good external sequencer like an AKAI MPC and let my computer (p2 233) live happily as sound module running Generator.
Nevertheless, the capabilities of the software are amazing. Build your own synths from oscillators, amplifiers, filters, etc... You can even use it as a directX filter for digital audio. Wow. In an ideal world, I'd run Cubase alongside Generator, save the output to wave files, then process the entire mix again with Generator. Eh, a pipe dream.

Nothing in my experience has the sonic range of Generator, but then, I've never tried a Nord Modular or the new Audity from E-mu. For what it's worth, Generator has a substantial _potential_ edge over my JP-8000, which mind you I love dearly. The idea here is that Generator is capable of making some incredible synthesized sounds however you're really at the mercy of your PC in order to actually hear them. My JP, by contrast, suffers no such problems. (Latency, for example.)

I'm scared of software in general, but this hasn't wreaked as much havoc on my machine as, say, Opcode Fusion: Vocode. The software does everything it purports to do and won't mysteriously bring down your computer. If it does, you know you've been pushing it too hard.

Great piece of software, but not for the squeamish. People who want a quick, mellow fix of the analog sound should dive into Rebirth or Rubberduck. The daring and ambitious should get Generator and master it. I'm caught somewhere in the middle of these two groups.

ver 1.28
oky, takes a little getting used to, since this is not your ordinary run of the mill synth it's a software modular beasty, and needs to be treated as such.
at first youll have to understand the patching scheem, instruments and ensambles, but ones you master this, it becomes easy to understand. the preset ensambles and instruments are fine as building blocks, the real fun comes from building stuff from the presets.

the major problem with this software is the fact that you need a powerfull pc, a lowly petium 100mhz gets you about 4 simple voices at 22000hz,while the systems coughs and spits..
(the sound is worth it though) the program comes with simple effects (that are also instruments), every thing is editable.
expansion: this is where the program shines, since new instruments and ensambles are going to be added by native, and by diligent users.. as time gows by, I'm personaly looking for other people who have generator, to share info ( eshefer@scso.com )
midi: every aspect and parameter can be controled through any midi fader. simple.

the sounds potential is high, the minimoog emulation sounds nice (I'm not sure if it's like the original) the pads are great, and the leads can kick ass (I'm not talking about the presets).
the program is still in a relativly early stage, I'm pretty sure it will get even better over time.

hmm, it runs on a pc, thrfore the reliability is dependant on the rest of the system. (hmmm.. MS windows 95)
I would not use it in a live gig.
the program hangs when the cpu usege is high.

a great program that will only get better over time.
the future of sound synthsys, comparing it to other PC based softsynth ( reality, and rebirth) is missing the point, this compares with the high end Kyma system. totaly mad.