Dear SynthMaster users,
 
Since our official release of SynthMaster 2.8, we have received very positive feedback from our user base regarding the new features, especially the new filters!
Also, we made a historic achievement: In MusicRadar's 2016 poll, SynthMaster was voted "Best VST AU Synth" of 2016. We'd like to say thank you to those of you who have supported us in this poll!
 
After our official v2.8 release, we had some important fixes, so please do not forget to download SynthMaster / SynthMaster Player v2.8.4. This update has the following fixes:
 
1. NEW: Added new global parameter to turn on/off arpeggiator MIDI Output. By default it's off now.
2. FIX: SynthMaster/SynthMaster Player AAX crashes Protools upon launch due to buffer overflow (Might be happening with other hosts as well, we detected the issue on ProTools 10)
3. FIX: Sustain pedal implementation not working correctly
4. FIX: KeyScaler view doesn't display notes correctly
 
http://www.synthmaster.com/downloadupdates.aspx

The is a fabulous sounding instrument and I love it.
 
I have been having some issues with 2.8.3 not behaving as a stand-alone. It works perfectly inside my DAW while being hosted (Studio One 3) but as a stand-alone it can work for a little while but lock up and freeze.  It used to be a stand-alone many years ago and they stopped it for a while but now it is again. There were the same issues back then on some other forums.  Hope this fix may have sorted it out.
 
If anyone has 2.8.3 and can test it is a stand-alone I would be interested.  I have a few other stand-alone synths and they all work perfectly. So I think my audio and midi interface are all OK etc.
 
But Synthmaster has a very broad palette of sounds and can go from being very analog and fat to wildly digital and complex.

Are you sure it should work as a standalone?
This is from their FAQ:
"I installed SynthMaster but it doesn't show on my desktop, or under "Applications" folder

SynthMaster or SynthMaster Player are not standalone applications, they are plug-ins. You can instantiate them under applications known as DAW (digital audio workstation). If you don't have a DAW application, you can download a freeware VST/AU host application off the web, and use SynthMaster inside it."

Edith says to read this (from the 2.8 launch): "Standalone Format: On Windows we bring back the standalone version of SynthMaster, and also SynthMaster Player!" Yeah, sure, no Mac love.

It certainly is a stand alone now.  But you don't get any automatic desktop icon in Windows.  You have to navigate right to where the program icon actually is and drag it out onto the desktop.  Then you can double click on it and it will open as a stand alone. (try that on the Mac BTW)
 
Note also when upgrading from say 2.8.3 to 2.8.4 you have to ditch the existing desktop icon and do this all again.  If you don't you end up opening the previous stand alone version.  (eg 2.8.3)  After ditching and dragging out the new one it will open 2.8.4
 
I am still having issues though with the standalone (even 2.8.4).  It is not behaving all that well and freezes up usually pretty quickly.  Everything totally normal though running inside the host DAW.  I am not over worried but I do like the stand alone versions sometimes as it just means you can play them direct from the desktop and not have to boot up your DAW at all. Good for browsing etc and making patches etc..
 
 

Jeff Evans
It certainly is a stand alone now.  But you don't get any automatic desktop icon in Windows.  You have to navigate right to where the program icon actually is and drag it out onto the desktop.  Then you can double click on it and it will open as a stand alone. (try that on the Mac BTW)
 
Note also when upgrading from say 2.8.3 to 2.8.4 you have to ditch the existing desktop icon and do this all again.  If you don't you end up opening the previous stand alone version.  (eg 2.8.3)  After ditching and dragging out the new one it will open 2.8.4
 
I am still having issues though with the standalone (even 2.8.4).  It is not behaving all that well and freezes up usually pretty quickly.  Everything totally normal though running inside the host DAW.  I am not over worried but I do like the stand alone versions sometimes as it just means you can play them direct from the desktop and not have to boot up your DAW at all. Good for browsing etc and making patches etc..
 

the highlighted part above is incorrect. at least in my case there was no need to discard the old desktop shortcut/icon and create a new one, the old one worked fine and opened up version 2.8.4 i purposely tried this very thing because i have come across similar with other things, but in this case it was fine.
 
i have not had any issues with standalone either under 2.8.3 or 2.8.4, i have put them through extended usage and no issues to report. equally as a plugin, and i use studio one 3 as you do as my main daw, and all is fine.

i just installed 284 over the top of 283, i had no desktop icon before or after, but win10 listed the standalone under "recently added" in the start menu...
also, no crashing with the standalone, but i don't use it very often... did you try another micro host like savi host?
hth

The desktop icon thing did not work for me until I removed it and put the new one in place.  Interesting to see it worked for you and also you are not having problems with stand alone mode as well.  Might be something that is happening at my end.  I get the feeling it is something to do with midi.
 
No issues at all working within the DAW though here.  It is a great instrument.

The stand alone seems to working OK for me, but I have not given it an extensive test. I had a different problem, when Sonar did its VST scan I got a message about a maiising licence file. I bypassed this to sort it out later as the serial number information was on my internet PC. After that Sonar's VST scan would not find the plug in. I authorised using the stand alone and it worked fine, but no joy in the plugin manager until I did a full rescan with "rescan failed plugins" enabled.
 
Its working fine now. 

One thing is for sure and that is 2.8.4 has quite a few new features. This video is well worth a look to get the full handle on what they have added:
 
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JB69dov8sHk
 
Another one:
 
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qc67pc4rUSk
 
This video tutorial looks pretty in depth as well:
 
http://www.adsrsounds.com/product/courses/kv331-audio-synthmaster-masterclass/
 
Might be worth the money. Not a lot to get some really deep information on it.
 
Thanks for the help re stand alone operation. Looks like it is good for you guys. Pointing to some possible stand alone issue on my system.  It actually behaved normally as a stand alone for me for a short time but quickly jumped back into instant crashing. I will keep digging. Still not too fussed as it all works great inside my DAW though.
 
 
 

I just updated to 2.8.4, and opened the stand alone version, but it's not responding when I play my midi controller keyboard (which is connected via my Focusrite 2i4). SynthMaster sees the 2i4 and I tried both 44.1 & 48 sample rates and I tried unplugging/plugging in the 2i4 and restarting SMaster......no luck.
 
The only sound I can get is when using the PC Keyboard. 
 
 
Will test it out in Sonar later on, but it's nice to have a Standalone to go audition the sounds etc...