Hi everyone,

the Hamburg-Audio Nuklear (Pulsar Train Synthesizer) was officially released today:
http://www.hamburg-audio.com/index.php?nav=1016&lang=GB
http://www.hamburg-audio.com/index.php?nav=1000&lang=GB

This synth uses "Pulsar train synthesis" which is related to Granular synthesis".

Download (use right-click and "Save As..."):
http://www.hamburg-audio.com/index.php?nav=1015&lang=GB

Current version: v1.0.4

Purchase (price 169 Euros incl. VAT):
http://www.hamburg-audio.com/index.php?nav=0003&lang=GB
For activating the demo version you need an activation key.

Activation Code request for registered customers (also for a second computer or OS change):
http://www.hamburg-audio.com/index.php?nav=1010&lang=GB

The manuals are included in the downloads (in German end English) or directly at the website: http://www.hamburg-audio.com/NUKLEAR_GB..pdf
I recommend to read this to understand all features of the synth.

There is also n new forum for Hamburg-Audio:
http://shop.hamburg-audio.com/forum/

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The current factory bank also includes 23 presets from myself, those are:
Bandlimited Pad, Biorthogonal Bell, Biorthogonal Vox, Fat Saw Brass, Fat Saw Strings, Frequency Sweep I, Frequency Sweep II, Frequency Sweep III, Gravitational Bell, Gravitational Echo, Gravitational Lens, Hybrid Vox I, Hybrid Vox II, Hybrid Vox III, Hyper Strings, J1231-3411, Pulsar Brass, Pulsing Pulsar, Quadrupole, Sequenced Saw, Uneven Steps, Vox + Strings

I'll try to do more presets for a next update or for publishing them here at KVR. In the demo version loading and saving presets is disabled so those could not be used once they are published.

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Audio demos:

As i didn't know the demo will be released today I made some Audio demos of my own Nuklear presets. Those are single instances of Nuklear played with both hands and with no external FXs used. in some cases additional modulation was added by the Modwheel.

links:
https://rapidshare.com/files/870256180/Ingo_Weidner_-_Nuklea r_-_Biorthogonal_Bell.mp3
https://rapidshare.com/files/2539545744/Ingo_Weidner_-_Nukle ar_-_Fat_Saw_Strings.mp3
https://rapidshare.com/files/345970249/Ingo_Weidner_-_Nuklea r_-_Biorthogonal_Vox.mp3
https://rapidshare.com/files/1461632885/Ingo_Weidner_-_Nukle ar_-_Frequency_Sweep_1.mp3
https://rapidshare.com/files/121103711/Ingo_Weidner_-_Nuklea r_-_Frequency_Sweep_2.mp3
https://rapidshare.com/files/3867851797/Ingo_Weidner_-_Nukle ar_-_Frequency_Sweep_3.mp3

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For giving a better insight into the Pulsar train synthesis for you (and also myself) i created a series of screenshots using a Signal Analyzer while changing certain parameters in the oscillator/pulsar section of Nuklear. No filter, envelopes or other modulation was used to keep it simple.
Each screenshot includes both the Oscillator section of Nuklear and the Signal Analyzer display.

I have added and sorted those screenshots into a pdf file (appr. 3,5 MB):

https://rapidshare.com/files/3931617668/Hamburg-Audio_Nuklea r_-_Influence_of_Pulsar_parameters.zip

The screenshots show the influence of the following parameters:
A) Influence of the Pulsaret envelopes (Note: C3)
B) Influence of the "Pulsar" parameter (Note: C3)
C) Influence of the "Freq" (Duty-Cycle frequency) parameter (Note: C3)
D) Influence of the "Phase" parameter (Note: C3)
E) Influence of the "Micro-Sequencer" (Note: C3)
F) Influence of the "Width" parameter (Note: C3)
F) Influence of the Octave/Note



Have fun,
Ingo
Last edited by Ingonator on Sat Mar 31, 2012 11:59 pm; edited 15 times in total

Activation key needs to be a registered user, but there is no option on their site to register as a new user?

Hi,
you have to purchase it to be are registered user and your email will be stored in a database. Maybe it's better to say "registered customer", i'll change that.

For the demo version you just have to use the download.


Ingo

Hi,

i just got an email that there is a remaining problem with the Mac AU version.
looks like i opened this thread a few minutes too early...
The problem (i don't know details) should be solved soon.

Anyway the other versions should work.

UPDATE:
A corrected version is available now.


Ingo
Last edited by Ingonator on Wed Aug 31, 2011 4:55 am; edited 2 times in total

Interesting Synth.
However the noise bursts in the demo completely put me off this synth.

The bursts are completely unacceptable imo and could damage possible sales.
How can you evaluate a synth when hardly a second goes by without a burst.?

Yes, the pulsating noise is a bit crazy... First time I think it's a bug.
Interface is too small for me, it makes no fun to work there hours.
There are some presets giving a quick idea about the synth... Hmm... To be honest I don't like the sound very much. May be it needs some more hours to dive deeper into the details to find the "special" sound of this synthesis.

I really wanted to like (and try) this synth, as I am very interested in new and experimental types of synthesis, but unfortunately, I'm pretty disappointed so far about the demo. This is an honest post, and not for hating here. Here's what I dislike about it:

-In Ableton Live both VST & AU, the automation of the parameters don't seem to work. This is a huge problem for me, as I automate many parameters in my music. Maybe this is because it's the first version, but this seriously needs to be addressed.

-the noise bursts every 5 secs are very annoying, and totally killed the experience after few minutes for me.

-clean and nice gui, but way too small, the fonts and the knobs are difficult to read and tweak, I can't see myself working on this for 2 hours in a row...

-in general, not impressed by the overall sound, I scrolled pretty much every presets and I'm still looking for the ''stunning, never heard sounds''. Maybe someone will tell my I really need to work that synthesis myself and forget about the presets, I agree with that but for me the presets in general tell alot about a synth and its capabilities.

Not my thing. I think I'll have to skip this one, especially since I'm trying at the same time the amazing Medrona Labs Aalto...

Hi,

i'm not the developer but i'll try to answer as good as i can.


I'll forward this to the developer. I have not tested this myself i admit but i entered the betatest/presets team very late.


I agree that this is could be a problem. I'll forward a request to the developer.


Can't really agree 100%. I worked for hours while doing presets and had no bigger problem. Even on a full HD display the GUI seems to be big enough but maybe it could be bigger for some other people. I guess that mostly the fonts are too small or am i wrong?


This is difficult to reply as it's also a matter of taste. It's strengths are the more digital sounds for sure while it's also able to to some analog sounds.
Another point is that you could modulate almost any paramater with it's own small mod matrix (click on a knob and see the display at the top right of the GUI). For that 8 LFOs, envelopes and step sequencers are available.
Sound wise the most interesting parameters are "Frequency", "Pulsar" and "Width" in the OSC sections which lead to some great results when modulated with one or more sources. The envelopes in the OSC section work like a waveshaper.
Some nice examples (IMO) are my presets "Frequency Sweep I - III" (see my audio demos at the OP) where the fundamental frequency ("Freq") of the Pulsars is modulated with an envelope.

The "Micro-sequencer" in the Osc section is quite important too as it allows to set the amount of Pulsars (upper row) and on/off for certain Pulsars (lower one) which could have a big influence on the harmonics of the resulting sound.

Besides this the Pulsar train synthesis is a special kind of Granular synthesis so like in the "traditional" Granular synthesis in most cases the sound slightly or significantly changes from lower to higher Octaves. A good example is the preset called "Gravitational Echo".

For me the synth could create a quite "raw" digital sound like some wavetable synths (e.g. Largo, PPG wave 3.V) which i like. Anyway it does not really sound identical to those IMO. Comparable synths should be other Granular synths like e.g. Absynth 5 or Alchemy.


Ingo

Cool downloading the Demo version now. I've been waiting to try this synth out!

Important for Mac users:
I just got a message that corrected Mac versions (especially AU) are online now. Please check the download link at the OP.


Have fun,
Ingo
Last edited by Ingonator on Wed Aug 31, 2011 11:11 pm; edited 2 times in total

Thanks Ingonator for your time and all this.

The GIU is a bit small and unclear. Remains?

Already contacted the dev about it so let's see.
I could agree about small fonts but i don't think it's unclear (except some screenshots in the manual maybe).

BTW anyone want to add some positive comments?


Ingo
Last edited by Ingonator on Tue Aug 30, 2011 7:47 am; edited 2 times in total

I see the same problem in the manual. The screenshots are unclear but the sound is very interesting.

Yes, finally a positive comment. Thanks for that.


Ingo