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French manufacturer Arturia launches a new software instrument based on the legendary Oberheim OB-Xa. The recreation comes with some extra features to get a little more experimental with its sounds. Arturia kept the OB-Xa V’s sound true to the original, but has included a stereo spread feature for a wide and precise stereo image, plus […]
In January, Roland unveiled its ZEN-Core Synthesis System – which the company called “the most advanced sound engine ever made by Roland”, and the culmination of its five-decade-long experience in synth building. Now, the company has unveiled ZENOLOGY, an in-the-box version of that very synth engine that boasts “seamless sound compatibility” with their equally-equipped hardware. […]
If you’re in need of new sounds while self-isolating, it looks like SampleScience has you covered. Having already released several plug-ins over the last few weeks, the brand is back with version 2 of Toy Keyboard, a free ROMpler based on the Yamaha PSR-78. Toy Keyboard v2 packs 72 sounds and a drum kit, with […]
In our Weekend Workshop on FM synthesis basics, we looked at the fundamentals of frequency modulation synthesis, and saw how we could use one operator to dynamically change the timbre of another over time to create simple bass and keys patches. This time we’re going to see how we can make a more involved patch […]
Frequency modulation synthesis has something of a reputation for being complicated and difficult to master, and while FM synths can definitely be intimidating, they’re really quite straightforward once you’ve got your head around the basics. That said, programming patches on the quintessential hardware FM synth, 1983’s Yamaha DX7, would have been a slog. The instrument […]
SampleScience has been on a bit of a roll this month, with two plug-ins launched in the first week of April, both with lo-fi characteristics. Both VHS Waves and 80s TV Drums romanticised the sounds of the 1980s and the two new plug-ins announced this week appear to continue the trend – albeit with a […]
Native Instruments has launched three new Expansions to its wavetable giant, Massive X. Each Expansion contains 150 presets which have been “cooked up by the finest sound designers, with a meticulous approach to squeezing the very best out of Massive”, according to the Berlin-based brand. Rush, Pulse and Scene each contain sounds suited for different […]
Superbooth 2020: Arturia has already made their outstanding V Collection 7 more affordable with a snap 50% off sale in light of the global pandemic. However, if you’re looking for even more inspiring sounds from yesteryear, look no further than Vangelis Tribute 2: Android Dreams. The new preset pack made by sound design master Paul […]
Giorgio Sancristoforo is offering you the keys to the Substantia Physical Modelling Laboratory for 15€. The software uses modal synthesis, a form of physical modelling, to generate intriguing, resonant sounds and sports a euclidean sequencer and recorder to produce patterns and sequences. Modal synthesis has gained some popularity in recent years, particularly in the modular […]
Price £99 / €119 / $129 Contact Krotos Audio Edinburgh’s Krotos Audio is approaching synthesis from a different perspective. The software-development company’s core products are aimed primarily at those writing music for picture and video games, with sound design, vocal manipulation and effects processing their key components. Concept, then, is a logical step into synthesis […]