KVR Audio

secretkillerofnames · Post by **secretkillerofnames** » Mon Nov 26, 2012 1:48 am

Hi all,

There is a comparison between PsyBox and Ambitron but i'm interested in a comparison between PsyGen and PsyBox.

I'm a Mac user but these looks like fairly unique tools and with the current discount i'm interested in trying them.
I will be using them with Bidule in Win7 Bootcamp.

I'm wondering what are the differences between the two "Psy" VSTi's?

So far I gather PsyBox is more a setup and play style device. Something like this but made with Synth Edit.

PsyGen seems more like a playable synth - it has a sequencer but it seems to only move with noteon/off messages. It seems more like Padshop Pro but with more than 2 tracks at a time, each being triggered in a fashion similar to the Turnado "Dictator" mode.

How far off am I?

chrs
Lloyd

Bobbotov · Post by **Bobbotov** » Mon Nov 26, 2012 3:03 am

psyBOX is good for long ambient drone type sounds. It has two channels and works on granular synthesis of source samples. You can make other sounds besides drones but that is what it is primarily best at doing.

psyGEN is a sixteen channel sequencer, also using granular synthesis but can also make conventional synth type sounds. You can demo both to see for yourself what the differences are. psyGEN has an extensive modulation matrix that can routed to most parameters. With both psyBOX and psyGEN you can import your own samples aside for the ones it comes with.

You can hear samples tracks of psyGEN here.

This track uses Ambitron, psyBOX and psyGEN together.

secretkillerofnames · Post by **secretkillerofnames** » Mon Nov 26, 2012 3:09 am

I take it you can make the long droney sounds in PsyGen also? So it would be potentially more flexible?

Bobbotov · Post by **Bobbotov** » Mon Nov 26, 2012 3:13 am

secretkillerofnames wrote:I take it you can make the long droney sounds in PsyGen also? So it would be potentially more flexible?

Yes, of course. With the 16 channels in psyGEN you can dovetail sounds to create more complex, evolving textures.

secretkillerofnames · Post by **secretkillerofnames** » Mon Nov 26, 2012 3:20 am

I guess that was kind of a stupid question. Can I be more specific? Take the track Meme from your soundcloud playlist. Is this ALL done in PsyGen? Was their much post editing or was it live? We're the rhythmic parts done is PsyGen also or were they made elsewhere and imported?

Bobbotov · Post by **Bobbotov** » Mon Nov 26, 2012 3:25 am

secretkillerofnames wrote:I guess that was kind of a stupid question. Can I be more specific? Take the track Meme from your soundcloud playlist. Is this ALL done in PsyGen? Was their much post editing or was it live? We're the rhythmic parts done is PsyGen also or were they made elsewhere and imported?

Actually, that was done with psyDUO a 2 channel version of psyGEN we have not released yet. However, the sounds can be duplicated between the two synths as the granularizer and mod matrix are the same.

No post editing and all parts, including the rhythmic ones, played live and recorded directly into Sonar in separate tracks through overdubbing.

This one is a track of just the presets, played live with overdubbing of just pysGEN.

secretkillerofnames · Post by **secretkillerofnames** » Mon Nov 26, 2012 4:27 am

Thanks for the info. I guess I need to play around with the demos a bit more but am leaning towards PsyGen.

alexfalcao · Post by **alexfalcao** » Mon Nov 26, 2012 5:10 am

I already have Psybox and I'm also doing some comparison between Ambitron and Psygen and so far I'm leaning towards Ambitron, it has more ambience controls.

secretkillerofnames · Post by **secretkillerofnames** » Mon Nov 26, 2012 5:26 am

alexfalcao wrote: it has more ambience controls.

Can you explain what you mean please?
More reverb? Less harsh sounds/more drones?

alexfalcao · Post by **alexfalcao** » Mon Nov 26, 2012 7:14 am

secretkillerofnames wrote:
alexfalcao wrote: it has more ambience controls.
Can you explain what you mean please?
More reverb? Less harsh sounds/more drones?

Yes, more reverbs, paning and widening controls.

secretkillerofnames · Post by **secretkillerofnames** » Wed Nov 28, 2012 2:49 am

Actually I can see a use for both PsyGen and Ambitron.
PsyGen does remind me of Padshop Pro but with 16 channels instead of 2. I've used Padshop to make some nice morphing drones and I imagine this would be even better at that. Ambitron seems much more useful as a remix tool, mixing prepared material in unexpected ways.

Bobbotov · Post by **Bobbotov** » Wed Nov 28, 2012 4:52 am

secretkillerofnames wrote:Actually I can see a use for both PsyGen and Ambitron.
PsyGen does remind me of Padshop Pro but with 16 channels instead of 2. I've used Padshop to make some nice morphing drones and I imagine this would be even better at that. Ambitron seems much more useful as a remix tool, mixing prepared material in unexpected ways.

The one thing Ambitron does that psyGEN does not is something called "pilotless" mode. What this does is allow you to morph between all of the patches in a bank with control over cross-fade time, play duration and randomization of samples. Basically, you could program it and just let it play for hours and it will never repeat itself. It can also be useful for coming up with new patch ideas and can produce some unexpected results.

PsyGen & PsyBox?