WTF do sample pack producers mean by "keys" and "synth"?

The Lounge
1

I honestly can’t figure it out, even vaguely. Looking at one sample pack that includes (amongst others)

  • pad
  • keys
  • bass
  • synth
  • pluck

and all of those my ear tell me came from synths. I used to think that by “synth” they meant something like “wooshy swooshy thing” but that doesn’t really fit in this case … the criteria for inclusion in “pad” and “synth” seem to be the same. And I was given to understand once that “keys” meant something like “electric piano” but that doesn’t work here … they’re all clearly synthetic, not close to a piano.

I can’t figure out if

  • I’m looking at a poorly categorised pack, or
  • there’s some secret translation for these terms I’m not aware of.
2

I think they could perhaps mean with keys something that has a pronounced attack, but not so much like a pluck, that has a very very very pronounced attack.
Perhaps, perhaps.

Pads are for me something that doesn’t often change note like keys do.
Synth is more artificial sounding for me, for leads…

:ok_man:

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3

i see those categories as the recommended situation for the sound. a single note of a pad sound may sound like it would also fit in the synth (lead?) section, but maybe it does better stacked in large polyphonic chords versus the sounds in the synth category, which may work better as singular monophonic sounds.

in my head, keys should be able to be played polyphonically with a short to mid length release and lower sustain, bass should be mono and most interesting in the lower octaves, pluck should be tiny, arpable, firm transients, synth category sounds should be cool lead sounds, maybe sound cool with legato etc.

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This particular pack has separate sections for “synths” and “leads”. For this pack I can’t tell, by ear, why they are distinct sections … possibly slightly less attacky in the synths section.

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5

I wouldn’t think too much about it.
Just use what u like for what you think fits. :wink:

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6

You’re probably right :slightly_smiling_face:

EDIT: It’s a bit like trying to pin down music genres I guess :slightly_smiling_face:

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7

Keys usually means Pianos, Organs, E-Pianos like Rhodes, Wurlitzer, etc…
But in times like these where everybody can create their own sample packs it obviously doesn’t matter too much.

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8

i’d imagine that “synth” is a holdover category from home keyboards like casios and yamahas and now they are ingrained in the culture so we got “synth” categories on synths.

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9

My understanding of keys is also piano, organ, EP, harpsichord etc. Definitely not synths, although the sounds may be “synthesized”.

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The lines are blurry, but taking that aside, there are more or less clear differentiating factors. Do a bit googling and listening and you will get this.

I personally was googling the difference between pluck and stab recently and have found good descriptions…

Pluck = usually a one or two two note sound, which has a sharp attack with a very short decay and or release. You hear plucks in Trance / EDM type songs. pluck to be a synthetic variation on a pizzicato type sound from one string instrument playing by itself. Suitable forinstance for arps and little melodies.

Stab = usually a three or four note chord, which sometimes will have longer attack and with a relatively longer decay and or release than a pluck. You hear Stabs in Downtempo / Hip Hop type songs. A stab as I think of it originally came from sampling an orchestra playing a chords. Not so suitable for arps and melodies, I think of it as more for dramatic emphasis.

They both have an immediate attack. A pluck then fairly quickly fades down to zero volume. A stab keeps its volume but then cuts off immediately; or, it could fade but it does so almost immediately, but in any case its sustain level is the same as its maximum level.

A stab for me is something unmelodic, rather like a percussive sound, which you use in your music as kind of a counterpart, or something which stands out, while a pluck is something melodic, like a sequence, or a pattern. A stab usually has a hard attack, and sounds harsh, or percussive too. A pluck i would usually characterize as softer.

stab = chord (3 or more notes), envelope is very short…short release short decay, used in progressive trance and house, usually filter envelope is short decay medium sustain and cutoff is medium to low…env amount is higher >50%

stab is usually triad or 6th, 7th chords…etc

usually saw waves detuned

pluck= single note (2 or less notes), envelope is short, short decay, but longer release here notably, add delays, big delays, good for arps and melodic lines, used in prog trance, prog house, bigroom

pluck is usually single note or 1st+3rd, 1st 5th, etc

usually higher freqs and triangle waves or squares, (not saws)

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11

The keys probably sound like keys, and synth probably sounds like a synth.

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12

I don’t know? Keys has more of a synth vibe and synth has a keys vibe!

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This is the answer

Synth sounds are more synthetic, like pads, synthesised strings, ripping leads etc

Keys is classic keyboard (piano, electric) sounds

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14

Roland calls it: Synth PolyKey in the MC-707 /101.
And for me Synth Brass falls kind of in the same category in the way it is played, only with a certain timbre.
I love synth polykeys. EVH was inspired by this guy when he wrote ‘that song’.

15

So … I guess … “synth” might make sense as a catch-all for polyphonic keyboard sounds that can’t be classified as piano-like or organ-like … and doesn’t fall into any other of the more specific categories (bell, pad, stab)

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