Editing Synths

Hi,

I am trying to figure out what it takes not to let free synths sound like they are from the eighties.
There are all these free synths available and are there really a Massive,Sylenth or Albino needed
to get a fresh sounding sound or recreate a synth I’ve just heard on the radio?
Are there some tips for it?
I am very new to synthesis but I am very intrigued and want to develop myself in this.

i don’t think all free synths sound like they are from the 80s. i do understand why you are not looking for that sound :)
i don’t use synths often, but when i do, i often use the free Crystal VSTi, because it is very versatile.
if you are really into synthesis and want to develop yourself you might want to check out software like Csound (free) or Reaktor (not so free) where you can do your own synthesis.

hi, i’m by no means an expert but i often find that the “modulation over time” of a synth note is what makes it sound fresh. (sorry if this is an obvious thing that i point out!) (=

so, pitchbends, note cuts, eq, envelope editing, filters, portamento, distortion, and other fxs is really what makes a difference. when one just play them with a keyboard they sound kind of lame but in a context and with “modulation” it sounds cool.

a simple saw can sound amazing when automated and fxd right. (= for example, i would imagine that a tb303 would sound pretty lame when played and there’s no knob twiddling going on at the same time.