Do You Really Know What Synths Are Being Used? – Page 2 – Instruments Forum

I tend to think that the “big producers” are relying mostly on tried-and-true tools and don’t necessarily have a huge incentive to try the latest shiny new thing. All the more so because at this point those shiny new things are mostly long past the point of diminishing returns in terms of how much newness do they really bring to the table. Especially when you consider that a large part of what makes the sound of a professional record stand out is much less to do with the original sound sources and more about overall production, signal path, effects, etc.

That being said, Taylor Swift is a sample size of 1, so I don’t think the above list really means anything in the grand scheme of things. I’m sure there are charted songs/records that lean more heavily into new and “boutique” tools. And I also have learned not to necessarily trust artists and producers to fully disclose everything they used, especially if it’s something interesting or a “secret sauce” they don’t want to see in every recipe.