Swamped by new synths?
Are you like me starting to feel a bit swamped by all these virtual synths? Every week a new synth is released and very few are mind-boggling to say the least, but I think this one might be on the right track since it has put focus on alias-free oscillators. Make sure to check it out and btw it’s free 
Togu Audio Line has just released TAL-Elek7ro, a new free virtual analog synth with some special features like oscillator hard-sync and frequency modulation. It features alias-free oscillators, newly developed fast envelopes and LFOs with a wide range from 0.1Hz up to 400 Hz. A free routable envelope with attack and decay is available too. This synth is useful for a wide range of sounds from percussion to deep bass sounds.
Features :
– 2 oscillators with hard-sync, PW and FM (saw, pulse, triangle, sine).
– 1 sub oscillator (saw, rectangle).
– 1 noise oscillator.
– 18dB or 12dB non linear analog modelled low pass resonance filter.
– Mono mode, including portamento.
– Poly mode, up to 6 voices (not CPU optimized for poly mode).
– 2 free routable LFOs (0.1Hz – 400Hz, sine, triangle, saw, rectangle, s&h, noise).
– Filter and amplifier ADSR-envelope.
– Free routable AD-envelope.
– Mod-wheel and Pitch-Wheel support.
– MIDI Learn for all pots.
– Velocity to filter contour intensity.
– Panic button.
– Tutorial and installation guide.
– Factory presets.
DIY, the 8-step GorF step sequencer
This is a demo of the GorF, a minimal step MIDI sequencer that offers analog-style sequencing.
It sends MIDI notes and velocity on a user selectable MIDI channel, along with two MIDI CC’s (user selectable. the GorF offers variable sequence length. You can also turn steps on an off using the buttons, though this is not demo’d.
The sound is coming from the MonowaveII sound skin.
[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qHdpEM4l3Xg&eurl=http://createdigitalmusic.com/&feature=player_embedded]
With four sequences with parameters, steps with pitch, gate, and Control Change, sequencing controls, legato mode, and the planned ability to both send and receive clock, this is one useful-looking device. And from the video above, it looks like it’s progressing really nicely.
Product feature: EVE
EVE stands for Electronic Vintage Ensemble, which suggests the design philosophy behind the instrument. EVE was made to recreate in the virtual world of softsynths the exciting and immediate experience of the early age of electronics in pop, rock and jazz music from the 1960’s and 1970’s.
During this creative period in music history, many musicians started to employ the innovative sounds of the ‘electric keyboards’ which were newly available for use on stage and in the studio: Rhodes electric pianos, Hammond and Vox organs, Hohner clavinets, strings machines such as the Arp Solina string ensemble, Moog synthesizers, and all those that are now considered ‘classics’.
EVE takes these vintage sounds and this early approach to ‘electronic’ music production as a starting point, bringing this general philosophy and sound into the modern virtual environment with an intuitive and powerful interface. At the core of the EVE approach to sound design is the basic structure of 3 sample-playing layers, 2 multi-effect racks, and a selected library of multisampled ‘electric keyboards’. This enables the blending of several waveforms and instruments into a vintage wall of sound, or alternatively, the use of the 3 layers multi-timbrally as a vintage workstation. These layers can then be further processed through EVE’s powerful multi-effect racks.
EVE 2 adds several enhancements and new synthesis features to the simple yet powerful EVE design. All the original functionality and ease of use is still there, with the following changes and additions –
• The original LP resonant filter per layer in EVE has been replaced by a multimode filter (LP, HP, BP, BR) with control over cut, resonance and envelope modulation, as well as a special ‘fractal’ modulation parameter. This expanded filter design provides further tools for balanced layering of sounds, and deep pads.
• FM/AM modulation capabilities per layer have been added via the ~FM switch matrix. FM and AM can be used to add interesting harmonic distortions to the original instruments, or to manipulate new sounds from the existing samples.
• The vintage multi-effect racks have been updated, with an expanded ECHO rack, and a new overdrive effect in the MODULATOR rack, as well as various enhancements to other effects.
• New routing options between the layers and the effects allow the MODULATOR rack to function in both ‘send’ and ‘insert’ modes.
• EVE 2 now supports the loading of WusikSND SoundSets, opening up a whole range of extra sample content that can be loaded into the EVE engine. Due to synth design differences, EVE 2 does not load Wusik presets (FXP, FXB, BNK or WusikPRST files). For EVE 2 to read WusikSND SoundSets, they must be installed into the ‘EVE Data’ directory in any subfolder.
discoDSP Discovery Pro for MAC
12 oscillators Virtual Analog VSTi and Audio Units Synthesizer featuring 4 layers, WAV and SoundFont (SF2) support, 2X oversampling/undersampling, built-in arpeggiator, sync, FM, 12 filter types, panning modulation, stereo delay and gate effects, graphic envelope modulation. Imports Nord Lead 2 SysEx data.
Features :
– 128 Patch Memories per bank
– Parameter Morphing using Modulation Wheel or MIDI velocity
– 2x oversampling
– 2x oversampled distortions
– Bank browser (by clicking arrows in display led and bank name)
– More than 300 presets in 3 banks (including a percussion one)
– Nord Lead 2 and 2X patch import
– 4 Layers per Patch, each with :
* 1 Wave Oscillator. Can load WAV files using high quality interpolation. User banks are easily added
* Resonant Filters (LowPass, HighPass, BandPass, BandReject, Formant, 8 taps phaser, X 12/24 dB and Y 12/24 dB are Moog modeled)
* ADSR for Amp & Filter. Amplitude envelope can switch between linear and exponential curves
* 2 LFOs
* Modulation Envelope
* Graphical Modulation Envelope
* Arpeggiator
* Built-in Chorus, Phaser, Panning Delay and Gate effects
* Symmetric, Asymmetric and Asymmetric 2 Distortions
* Limiter
* Portamento
* Poly/Mono/Legato modes
In need for 600 oscillators – Alchemy is here
Alchemy is the ultimate sample manipulation synthesizer. It’s a synth powerhouse and yet is very easy to use thanks to its performance controls and remix pads. Just tweak the library of excellent presets from many of the world’s top sound designers or dive in and analyse your own samples – it’s up to you!
Alchemy features additive, spectral and granular synthesis and resynthesis, sampling, and a very capable virtual analog engine with unison and PWM. You can morph or crossfade between sources. You can import your own samples from SFZ, WAV or AIFF files. A wide range of analog modelled filters are included, in addition to a flexible rack of effects which includes all those from CamelPhat and CamelSpace as well as many new effects such as a high quality reverb. The innovative modulation system is extremely flexible, yet easy to use. Alchemy also features a powerful arpeggiator with the ability to import the groove from any MIDI file for immediate synchronization to a beat.
What is Alchemy all about?
- Additive, spectral and granular synthesis and resynthesis, sampling, virtual analog engine with unison and PWM.
- 4 stereo sources each of which has additive, VA, spectral, granular and sampler engine, morph between sources using advanced harmonic blending and precise time alignmen, crossfade between sounds with vector mixin.
- Performance controls and remix for easy tweaking by non-programmers. 16 controls per preset carefully assigned by the preset designer, for instant access to each presets most tweakable paramete.
- 8 remix pad variations per preset – click and drag to morph between variations two XY squares
- You can import your own samples from SFZ, WAV or AIFF files.
- 2GB of samples and analysed content.
- 300 presets covering everything from pads and soundscapes to keys, basses and leads designed by many of the worlds top sound designers.
- 16 effects types including all of the CamelSpace and CamelPhat effects!
- 128 Step Groove Arpeggiator
- Extensive modulatation routing with midi learn
Additive:
- Very high quality analysis and resynthesis – import vocal phrases, drum loops made possible by 600 stereo oscillators
- Realtime modulation of amplitude, pitch and pan spectrums by any modulator – for example, control the odd/even harmonic balance, pan partials using LFOs, stretch or contract the harmonic spectrum and lots more
- Individual amplitude, pitch and pan envelopes for each partial
- Easy to use additive editor with unique detail knob to simplify sounds for editing
Spectral Synthesizer
- Phase vocoder analysis for high quality pitch and time stretching
- Noise resynthesis mode using 256 band noise shaping
- Advanced graphical sonogram editing – choose from a range of brushes and select the colour and opacity
- Graphical spectral cut, copy and paste – cut or copy and paste specific frequency and time regions
- Sampler or granular playback modes
- freely modulatable parameters including grain size, density (up to 10 simultaneous grains), random grain time and random pan
- Selectable and customizable granular window shapes
Music that will give you World War II vibes
Found this little clip that really give you that feeling of being stuck in a bunker or better yet down in a sub. The music is really telegraphic and VERY cool enjoy. Yah, and by the way when I was in SanDiego I did visit the old USS Midway – speaking on the theme of World War II, really awsome, enjoy!!
[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LcZoISmd99k]
USS Midway
Want to try out some old drum machines??
Than check this page out, it is really nice. It is not new but if you haven´t seen it before
They have recreated some of the Drum Machines from the Audio Playground Museum. The virtual machines run with Shockwave/Flash so if don’t have the flash plugin for your web browser you will not be able to see and run the drum machines.
The machines are as close to the real thing as they could get them (so far). Some are large files and can take a few minuets to download others are smaller and only take a few seconds to download.
Here is one sample of what you can find:
The Eletro-Harmonix Rhythm 12 Virtual Drum Machine Ver. 1.0
DrDrone VST – electro beauty
Make sure to check this little sucker out, I have tried it with Live and it works really well
The DR1 DR.DRONE is a VST synth plugin created by Martin Wheeler (aka. Vector Lovers). The DR1 makes it easy to produce fat electro bass, rich analogue style drones, and circuit-warped FX from the convenience of your laptop. Developed and tested alongside vintage hardware (Moog, Octave Cat, Polivoks) the DR1 has a classic analogue-inspired sound all of its own. Arriving March the 1st 2008! Check for more at www.drdrone.com! First Samples now up!
Today´s synth porn :-)
Came across this bautiful video clip today showing the famous Buchla synth – its a MUST see for all you geeks out there, hehe. Clic the picture to watch – re-directs to a friendly site
/ / / / / Viewing with headphones or a stereo source is highly recommended / / / / /
This colorful video features sound artist Charles Cohen improvising on a 1970’s Buchla Music Easel. This extremely rare instrument is one of Don Buchla’s 200 series. Buchla (a pioneer of audio synthesis) only manufactured 14 of these units. The entire film was edited from an hour-long set of free improvisation, with audio was taken directly from Charles’ mixing board.
All of the photography and editing was produced by Alex Tyson, a sound and video artist from Pennsylvania. The film was shot in 16:9 720p High Definition format, using the Letus35 Extreme and a 35mm LensBaby 3GPL.
Schaack Audio – new version – 2.0 of Transient Shaper
Schaack Audio has announced that version 2.0 of Transient Shaper is now ready to go. This update introduces both adjustable attack and release shapes as well as analog saturation.
Transient Shaper itself shapes dynamics using a trim two knobs. It’s easy and quick to use, but despite simplicity can manipulate scape ranges like either gates or compressors.
Version 2.0, which features analog saturation, three attack shapes and three release shapes is compatible with V1.11. Here’s a look at some main points.
- Makes your sound louder, gives it more expressiveness and more punch
- Ideal for individual or summed drums/percussions shaping
- Unique two-knob manipulation characteristics, not obtainable with any other type of gear
- Excellent Gate replacement (sounds smoother than a gate)
- Processed sound ranges from gate-like to compression-like
- Resizable GUI (minimized by clicking in top left corner)
- Low CPU Usage (typically less than 1% on half-decent systems)
- Windows VST (for Windows 98 or better)
- Apple OS X AU (Universal Binary for OS X 10.4.9 or better)
DATAMASKIN
