# Native Instruments synths with most comprehensive modulation options



## Marko Dvojkovic (Jul 11, 2021)

I have been going through a lot of synths and their presets in Komplete Ultimate 12 and while modifying presets to my needs I often encountered the same problem over and over again, which is not enough modulation controls to modify the playability of a preset without destroying the sound of it.

Massive and Massive X seem so far the most flexible and in depth in that department, is that correct?

I have generally an idea of using melodic synth patches in basically the same way as we use sample libraries which means that customizing the synths response to velocity and modwheel for some kind of dynamic control (and switching between modwheel and velocity response depending on my needs) is the most important thing to me so that I can get expressive and musical performances with them.

Thoughts?


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## doctoremmet (Jul 11, 2021)

Marko Dvojkovic said:


> Massive and Massive X seem so far the most flexible and in depth in that department, is that correct?


Reaktor is far more flexible, at the expense of an increased complexity, but of all synths I own and use - Reaktor is one of the best sounding and the most modular.


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## Marko Dvojkovic (Jul 11, 2021)

Yes I understand that even commercial NI synths for Reaktor can be modified in all imaginable kinds of ways, but since I am a newb to Reaktor, it seems like a very time consuming journey. So for now I guess I am asking with out-of-the-box consideration of the synths possibilities.


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## SupremeFist (Jul 11, 2021)

For sure Massive X out of the box then.


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## Maarten (Jul 11, 2021)

Since 'the most important thing" for you is to control dynamics with ModWheel and velocity.

Most synths can modulate the amplitude with ModWheel and/or velocity.

In Massive X, use the T(rackers) modulators for velocity (source Velocity On).
And drag the M(odulation Wheel) in the upper left corner to the modulation slots of the Amp. 
After that you can tweak the amount of modulation.

With real instruments, the timbre, the characteristics of the sound change with the volume. So you probably have also want to assign ModWheel and velocity, to other parameters. Which ones? That depends on what you want. Good luck!


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## Marko Dvojkovic (Jul 11, 2021)

Maarten said:


> Since 'the most important thing" for you is to control dynamics with ModWheel and velocity.
> 
> Most synths can modulate the amplitude with ModWheel and/or velocity.
> 
> ...


I remember that I have managed to do 99% of what I wanted in Massive X, even a macro control that switches between velocity sensitivity (for example for staccato lines) and modwheel control of the "dynamics" for sustains. Usually I don't need anything more fancy than controlling the cutoff of a lowpass filter.
But haven't really made my sounds much yet, only modified presets, however now I finally feel that I know exactly how I would like to use synths and where to start. And with Massive X it seems possible to make something nice even with just a couple of components and controls by limiting myself to them on purpose to shape the learning curve to my pace, despite it being very complex and versatile.


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## doctoremmet (Jul 11, 2021)

Marko Dvojkovic said:


> Yes I understand that even commercial NI synths for Reaktor can be modified in all imaginable kinds of ways, but since I am a newb to Reaktor, it seems like a very time consuming journey. So for now I guess I am asking with out-of-the-box consideration of the synths possibilities.


With that restriction: Massive X, although that being said I would prefer Absynth soundwise (because Brian Clevinger is a genius developer and Absynth’s sounds way better, to MY ears)


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## muratkayi (Jul 12, 2021)

If you own Reaktor, the various racks by both NI and in the user library as well as 3rd party free ones (nano Pack e.g.) will let you influence any element of what makes a sound. Just map a knob to whatever midi Controller you have...


Edit: clarification, I am talking about Reaktor Blocks and modular synths


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## FlyingAndi (Jul 13, 2021)

muratkayi said:


> If you own Reaktor, the various racks by both NI and in the user library as well as 3rd party free ones (nano Pack e.g.) will let you influence any element of what makes a sound. Just map a knob to whatever midi Controller you have...
> 
> 
> Edit: clarification, I am talking about Reaktor Blocks and modular synths


This is also true for most (all?) other REAKTOR based synths, not only blocks. E.g. Kontour has mapped the mod wheel for some good modulations on most presets.


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## muratkayi (Jul 13, 2021)

Also:
Open one instance of Reaktor. Use Blocks. Configure a bunch of LFOs, Ramps, xypads, S&Hs and whatnot. None of those make any sound. Use a cv2midi block and send the midi data via a virtual midi solution (if on Windows, İİRC Apple does that natively) to another instance of Reaktor (both standalone).

Now you can have a generative modulation going which you can midi learn to any ole knob of whatever you have running in instance two. Modulationmayhem


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