Bad Gear - SERUM

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Welcome to Bad Gear, the show about the world's most hated audio tools. Today we are going to talk about SERUM. Is this cpu hungry software synth released by Steve Duda s company XFER the industry standard for wavetable synthesizer s, dubstep wubs & wobbles, EDM synth donks or are there better alternatives out there when it comes to modern VST instrument s. Is it too hard-sounding for analog synthesizer aficionados? Can it keep up with its competitors Phase Plant or Vital?

Chapters:
00:00 Intro tune
00:45 Overview XFER SERUM
01:29 Wavetable Oscillators
01:57 Wavetable Editor
02:10 Wavetable Warp (Sync, FM, Stretch)
02:27 Unison
02:32 Sub Oscillator, Noise (Samples)
02:43 Filter Section
03:06 Envelopes (Drums)
03:11 LFO Section (Dubstep Sounds)
03:23 FX Section
03:32 Mod Matrix (Drag & Drop Modulations)
03:52 Modulation Sources (MPE, Macros, Chaos Generator)
04:05 Patches
04:32 CPU consumption, Limitations
04:51 Where does SERUM come from? Pricing, Alternatives
05:20 Hate
05:45 Jam 1 (Analog Techno)
06:40 Jam 2 (Outboard Industrial)
07:38 Finale (Hard Psytrance)
08:06 Verdict
09:13 Patreon Vocoder Shoutout (Ableton Live Vocoder x SERUM)

[digidope]

Fun fact: Steve Duda has never advertised Serum, gives free updates for life and still makes a living with it. Not bad for a VSTi.

[jbognap]

It sucks when the kind of sounds you've dreamed of for 40 years are so easily available, but are now considered passe.

[SeamlessR]

Fun fact: the Monster 3 table is a recording of me going "woau" into a mic ! :D

[Baegus]

The best thing about Serum has always been its design. Everything is so easily accessible, so intuitive and easy to learn, the visual feedback is amazing.

[uly]

going directly for the virtual jugular, i love it

[elephantapede]

I'm amazed at how you can kick the crap out of any genre consistently.

[rdmoonie]

Serum has been my main driver for years. Making presets and having them sound amazing is so simply in Serum. Hats off to Duda!

[voltijuice]

I've only played with Serum a few times, but what stood out for me is the filter selection. As a mostly west-coast/modulation person it blows my mind when I do reach for a filter and am surprised that most softsynths don't offer many types. Also while it's obviously designed and marketed for EDM I'm sure that Serum can sound more subtle and varied without too much work.

[koalemos]

I love it but Serum definitely is the DX7 of our times. It’s digital sound is burnt into my brain.

[Nova_Afterglow]

i did rent to own on serum through splice like 3 years ago when i first got started. it has been my go-to synth because of how many sound packs are being offered by really good sound designers. there are things you can do in processing to add warmth to the synth. i personally run all my serum tracks through a tape vst to add that subtle warmth and grit that can make all the difference.

[naswalt]

long time coming, I've been waiting to come home from work to check this one out. Love how the serum drums sound!

[napotronix]

Wow, great tunes, Florian. I've been using Serum for ages but usually remain stuck at talking refrigerator bs but you make it sing!

[lucasbowerman]

The visuals especially on the second jam are sooo cool

[SlackerMcCracker]

like always: u r a good musician. It doesnt matter what u use 4 your tracks. they r always fire. props

[PanopticMotion]

Brilliant! More software synth reviews please.

[peterbondmusic]

The video production is great with the perspective stuff etc. And of course the jams are always great.

[drudigger]

The psytrance goes so hard man. Sounds great.

[TheChrisBagel]

Single most used plugin I've ever bought! The possibilities feel truly endless, I still get new sounds out of it all the time. The ability to render the entire patch as a new wavetable is wild, and continues to yield new results.

[PeanutButterAM]

So much respect for the time that must be put into these videos.
💪🏽🤘🏽

[BellXllebMusic]

This is going to make many people angry :D