That '80s goth synth sound?

[mmmiddle]

I don't even know if that's what you call it, but I have been putting down ideas for a new recording project inspired by Joy Division/New Order, Bauhaus, Echo&The Bunnymen, and the like. The thing is I'm not a synth player. I have a MIDI controller and software for VST instruments.

 

Are there any good quality yet affordable VSTi's that folks could recommend me with good sounds for this style of music?

[setAI]

although most of the music I realese comes from state-of-the art granular/FFT/spectral/wavetable/additive synthesis- I used to produce more 80's style post-punk/goth/wave/industrial/EBM/early acid house stuff- and still do frequently for my own enjoyment-

 

for drums-I find Microtonic is really good at creating the late 70's early 80's sound-[especially New Order/ Cabaret Voltaire style raspy snares-]- Martin hannet would be proud- unfortunately none of the many presets really go there- so you have to find the sounds yourself- but the patch randomizer features can get you were you want very quickly

 

for synth strings I like Falke's Stringer/ Wombat Solina/ or EVM Occam- Stringer only has a few sample-based sounds from classic string boxes- but there are all pretty good and not clean sounding at all- sort of like the difference between early 80s and late 80s when the production values got a little too clean- these are the kind of string sounds the Cure used in 1982

 

for synth pads/bass sequences/etc a good idea is to look for classic emulations of 80's hybrid/sampling gear- it's pretty easy since most programers are still obsessed with 70's analog subtractive- of course the PPG 2.v is a must-have- but it sounds way to thin and clean on it's own- I recommend opening up the filters and envelopes on all PPG patches and send the output to a good filter plug with a snappy envelope follower/ audio-rate filter mod/ compression- it makes the ppg 2.v sound alive and authentic- I hear impOSCar nails it well- also there are some new ensoniq emulations out there that seem promising: SQ-8l and Morganna [8bit mirage sampler emu]

 

oh yeah- always use some bit-reduction on samples- if the sound is supposed to be clean then just a subtle amount-

 

and pay attention to dynamics- use PSP vintage warmer and Voxengo Lampthruster everywhere you can- comp the {censored} out of everything-turning dynamic tracks into punchy lumps of mid-rangey greyness actually adds a nice sound to this sort of music- almost all pop/rock music sounds better on AM radio- adding details like using TPT tapestop to add realistic tape behavior helps a lot as well-

[polar69]

Not entirely sure I would class myself as an expert, but as I spent the 80's being a miserable spotty youth I feel I am slightly qualified to point out that New Order, Echo and the Bunnymen et all were more New Wave than goth. In fact I wouldn't class anything as "goth" until the late 80's , ie Sisters of Mercy, Fields of Nephilim, Black Lace etc

[The Audacity Works]

Baritone guitars are a staple for that 80's New Order / The Cure sound. Or samples thereof, I suppose.

[JohnN]

 

...Black Lace etc

Is that a really good joke : -)

Or are you not from teh UK and this refers to an altogether different band?

 

BR

JN

[polar69]

 

Agadoo certainly made me want to end it all, don't get more "goth" than that

[setAI]

 

Not entirely sure I would class myself as an expert, but as I spent the 80's being a miserable spotty youth I feel I am slightly qualified to point out that New Order, Echo and the Bunnymen et all were more New Wave than goth. In fact I wouldn't class anything as "goth" until the late 80's , ie Sisters of Mercy, Fields of Nephilim, Black Lace etc

 

 

 

this is odd considering that goth basically died after 84- all of the late 80s and 90s 'goth' were various later generations inspired by the original late 70's post-punk bands tht established the scene in northern england- the 80-83 4AD/Beggars Banquet era is considered the main goth years- this period saw the releases of Bauhaus' In the Flat Field' / THe Cure's Pornography/ Siouxsie's Juju ["and their goth anthem 'spellbound']/ Cocteau Twins' Garlands/ the Birthday Party's Junkyard/ clan of xymox's eponymous first record/ all the Sisters' first singles/ X-mal Deutschland's Fetisch/ etc

[polar69]

My point entirely, post punk Cure Banshees etc to me were new wave, certainly noone was wandering around my Northern England town talking about the new goth band recording there until the second half of the 80's. ( Sisters of Mercy recorded some album at a local studio )

[stikygum]

Oh My Goth!

 

No really, that's actually a really really cool song by Razed in Black. It's more industrial trance with guitars. He's gothed out, but the music isn't traditional goth. Check this song out if you haven't heard it, you'll be glad you took the time to listen to it. It's really good!!