New Reason Refill from Peff
Peff has released Monologue Refill, a free monophonic analogue synthesizer library for the Reason 4.0 NN-XT sampler.
The sets include the standard sawtooth, square, triangle waves. Also included are a fixed rate pulse width modulation set, and hard sync sawtooth set. Other sources include, detuned pulses, frequency modulated oscillators, tuned oscillator layers, white noise, and sine wave samples from a self-oscillating resonant filter.
Each category of oscillator waveform is multisampled and looped (some more carefully than others). The NN-XT patches are expanded in dozens of combinator patches (Record and/or Reason 4.0 only) which cover classic bass tones, mono leads, sound effects, arpeggiated and sequenced patches, and a set of analog drum sounds. Also, a pseudo voice set was created using a hard sync sawtooth modulating the filter frequency. This was particularly challenging as each sample zone required careful tweaking.
Monologue Refill is available as a free download (Record & Reason 4.0 required to fully use all combinator patches).
More information: Monologue Refill
Pantheon II – probably the best Reason refill in 2009
I have had the great opportunity to review the Pantheon II Reason Refill during the past week and I must conclude that the Pantheon II is probably the best refill released during 2009. I had high hopes of already when I downloaded the Demo refill, which contained some 15 or so exciting CMBs.
And after have been playing around with the full Refill, containing more than 10 times as many high quality CMBs, and from my perspective bonus material in the shape of straight forward sounds for the now almost ancient Subtractor, but also for Malström and Thor, I can only conclude that this is worth investing in. Perhaps some might argue that it is somewhat small in size, but trust me – they are nicely handcrafted little gems.
The Refill is mainly, I would say, suited if you are in to making electro, electronica,g litch or ambient music styles, but I am sure you will be able to spice up your dance/tecno tracks as well with several of the CMBs included. What I am most impressed with is the clarity and the mix of sounds, often you come across nice lead synth sounds and ARPs that you want to make use of, but you often have to make some tweaking to them to make them morecrystal clear, this you do not have to worry about here. Another things that feels refreshing is the Pantheon IIs take on pads. Normally you will find these utterly boaring ambient electro/Tanering Dreams type pads (well you will find a couple of them here as well), but PantheonII broadens the spectrum and has produced some more complex pads that are fit for any modern type ambient track.
Downsides are few; you could of course always want more, but I am personally not very keen on CMBs saved in autorun format, since I seldom need the CMB to dictate how and when I want to have it play, which means you need to go in and remove this little feature, if I want autorun stuff I go to REX files.
The bonus section is pretty standard at least if you look at the Subtractor and Malström stuff but adds value if you want to play around with the sounds in more detail or simply work in the matrix to produce fat bass beats. 244 Thor patches is another thing, here Nucleus shows that they know how to treat a powerful synth, I have just begun to explore these sounds in detail, but so far – Nice 
Conclusively: My favorite refill launched in 2009 and I already have inspiration coming for 3-4 new songs that you might here from me during 2010. Download it here >>
What Nucleus says about it:
Nucleus SoundLab proudly releases Pantheon II, the next in their series of ultimate Thor Refills for Propellerhead Reason 4. Pantheon II carries on the the fine lineage set by the original, with a massive new variety of intricately constructed patches ready to inspire you. Once again, these patches inner workings are revealed with refined and detailed PDF documentation.
Imagine a Refill without compromise. Instead of patches consisting of a single good idea, you’ll find patches that contain several great ideas, tweaked to absolute perfection. As is now the Nucleus SoundLab standard, these patches are totally unique and fully mapped – ready to start or jump-start your new track. You won’t have a problem finding a suitable patch either – not only are all Combinators categorized intelligently across diverse categories, but all Thor patches are as well!
The original Pantheon brought detailed and informative patch documentation to mainstream Reason Refills. Now with Pantheon II, that concept has been further refined and fine-tuned. PDF bookmarks now make finding the exact patch you are looking for simple. Further, the new documentation is more concise and takes up less pages, while offering even more useful information about the performance, inspiration and design behind every patch!
Pantheon II doesn’t seek to retread old ground. If you already own Pantheon I, you’ll find virtually no sonic overlap. Instead, new directions are explored: Malstrom/Thor hybrid synthesizers are featured; hardware-inspired monophonic beasts are uncovered; the Thor Step Sequencer is harnessed and taken to the next level; massive atmospheric washes using wavetable and FM techniques are explored; and RPG8 creates both classic dance arpeggios and exotic and delicate physically-modeled algorithmic patterns.
Details:
- 173 fresh and unique Combinators.
- 244 Thor patches.
- 30 Subtractor and Malstrom patches.
- 8 .rps demo songs.
- All Combinator and Thor rotaries/buttons uniquely mapped.
- All Combinator and Thor patches categorized intelligently.
- PDF Design documentation for each patch, detailing important aspects of its design, inspiration and performance.
Listen to what Pantheon II offers by downloading the videos and MP3 demos on the right panel. In addition, a Demo Refill is available for free download. Every single MP3 demo is also packed inside the full Refill in .rps format, allowing you to examine their sequencing and sound design construction in detail.
Cheers Ola
Me and DEVO wishes you all a Merry Christmas
Within short I will post a full review of last week’s ElectriXmas party where among others; VNV Nation, Aestethic Perfection and Rotersand performed, so stay tuned. Till than myself and DEVO give you some Xmas spirit.
Cheers Ola
Tonehammer's Xmas VSTs
Tonehammer is offering 8 virtual instruments that are Christmas-themed as free downloads.
The free virtual instruments include:
- Ball Choir
- Helium Choir
- Holy Ambience
- Kazoo Ensemble
- PVC Beatbox Ensemble
- Sleigh Bells
- Snow Drums and
- Toy Glockenspiel
The “Gnomehammer” instruments are all a bit twisted.
Here’s Tonehammer’s description of the latest:
The Ball Choir represents a landmark in sampling, as its the first time anybody has captured the sound of Santa’s manic dungeon. The patch is a delicate recording of Santa punishing the Gnomes for their negligent and reckless behavior. The patch is essentially a Helium Choir patch contain a nasty “Auuuuchhh” Gnomehammer scream, however the modwheel controls the amount of gnome testicle ball crunch sound, so use it care and do NOT try this at home!
Emphasis ours.
Tonehammer has also announced a related contest.
The time has come … the stakes are up … Tonehammer and Gnomehammer are proud to announce our first annual Christmas MEGA-Contest!
The contest is divided into two different categories: “Best Tonehammer Demo” and “Best Gnomehammer Demo”, which each represents opposite sides of the compositional spectrum.
Xmas gift from Ohm Force
That’s the Ohm Force 2009 Christmas gift for the music production scene: the Performer Edition of their Symptohm:Melohman powersynth is now freeware, you can download freely download it from here. What are you waiting? Don’t be the last to grab it…
This ‘Performer Edition’ is a simplified version of our Symptohm:Melohman powersynth, especially made for live use – but being also handy at the studio. The core of the synth, its oscillators and all the filters are there: it’s the same audio engine of the ‘normal’ version. The only difference is that they’re all already programmed/fixed for each one of the (up to 1200!) patches from Symptohm’s sound library, the result being a simple and straight forward interface.
C64 – Odo synth – free download
Odo Synths has released version 4.0 of 38911 Bytes, a free virtual synthesizer plug-in for Windows.
38911 Bytes is a one oscillator synth. It`s a synthesizer based on Commodore 64 software but it can do a lot more
38911 Bytes v4.0 features
- 1 oscillator with 4 waveforms (saw, triangle, pulse, pitched noise) ringmodulation waveforms (saw, triangle, pulse). PulseWidth Octaves from -3 to 4.
- 1 ringmodulation oscillator with 3 waveforms (saw, triangle, pulse) PulseWidth, octaves range -3 to 4 and notes C to B
- 2 LFOs with 19 waveforms, 16 different BPM rates and manual rate
- ADSR with curves for the depth of the LFO.
- Low/hi depth button
- LFOs can start when hitting a key (GATE), when you hit play in your sequencer (FIRST) and start at any point (FREE).
- LFO destinations: pitch, pw , cutoff and resonance.
- 4×16 step sequencers: 11 BPM rates, manual rate and c64 rate (The BPM rates only work when you set the sequence to BPM mode, in Manual and c64 rates all the sequencers have the same rate).
- 1 waveform sequencer with 7 waveforms (saw, triangle, pulse, pitched noise, rm triangle, rm saw, rm pulse).
- 1 octave sequencer range from -3 to 4.
- 1 Octave and notes sequencer, notes from C to B and octave range -3 to 4.
- 1 Filter with a sequencer and envelope.
- Envelopes for Pitch, PulseWidth, Cutoff and Volume.
- Lofi effects, bitcrusher.
- Mono/Poly mode, Retrigger on/off.
38911 Bytes is available as a freeware VST instrument plug-in for Windows PC.
New free equalizer from Terry West
Terry West has released Twelve, a free graphic equalizer effect plug-in for Windows.
Modeled after some famous hardware units.
Note this is a beta version, expect some bugs (or hopefully not). Todo: Auto-bypass per band, Autogain, Automation.
Twelve features
- Bypass.
- Output gain.
- 12 graphic bands.
- 3 Q settings.
- Limiter.
- Exciter.
- 14 presets.
Twelve is available as a freeware VST effect plug-in for Windows PC.
Download it here + 3 other nice plug-ins from Terry West >>
The Swedish synthpop act PAGE reunited
30 years ago Page was launched as probably the first real synthpop act in Sweden and was very successful during a couple of years in the early 80’s, I remeber myself seeing them live in Malmö :-), sneaking in as being under age at that time
Well now they are back and plans for a new album is all set and I expect to see them live during festivals next year. To read more go here (sorry it is in Swedish) >>
This is a clip from back in 1995:
and another one:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NDFKi00eUnE
Sneak preview of the new Access Virus TI2
This teaser, via Novamusik, showcases the Access Virus TI2 Whiteout Synthesizer.
Cheers Ola
Suicide Commando to release double-CD
DATAMASKIN
