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Alchemy
by Camel Audio
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KVR Rank: 62 40 62 [30-Day: 57; 7-Day: 63; Yesterday: 80]
75 members are watching Alchemy for news
Product Alchemy
Developer Camel Audio
Primary Type Synth (Hybrid)
Price (MSRP) $249 / €199 / £179
Plug-in Formats
Instrument(s)VSTAudio Unit
Operating System Availability
Operating
System
Latest
Version
Download Is it
Available?
Windows 1.11 Demo / TrialReleased
Mac OS XMac OS X Universal Binary 1.11 Demo / TrialReleased
Miscellaneous Information
Copy Protection Key File
Supported Sample Formats include AIFF, sfz, WAV
Banks & Patches Download Banks
Average User Rating Average rating - 10.000
Known to work
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Alchemy

Alchemy is described by Camel Audio as "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 included presets from many of the world's top sound designers or dive in and analyze 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 modeled 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.

Alchemy ships with over 2GB of samples and analysed content from in-house designers Tim Conrardy and Biomechanoid, as well as designers such as Ian Boddy, Robert Rich, Scott Solida and Nucleus SoundLab. A library of 300 presets from many of the world's top sound designers is included, arranged into categories for rapid access to the sound you require. A variety of expansion sound banks are in development.

Feature Highlights

Sounds:

  • 300 presets covering everything from pads and soundscapes to keys, basses and leads designed by many of the worlds top sound designers including Junkie XL, John Lehmkuhl, Ian Boddy, Richard Devine, Big Tone, Arksun, Beej, Summa, Xenox, Tasmodia, Paul Nauert, Christian Kjeldsen, Rory Dow, Artvera, Pendle, Dangerous Bear, Biomechanoid and Tim Conrardy.
  • Over 2GB of samples and analysed content from in-house designers Tim Conrardy and Biomechanoid, as well as designers such as Ian Boddy, Robert Rich, Scott Solida and Nucleus SoundLab.
  • Many years of dedicated sampling sessions of both unusual creative material such as the sound of chewing polystyrene to more conventional sampling of numerous acoustic instruments and voices, including a chamber choir.
  • Advanced resynthesis engines help keep the library small, reducing the need for a huge disk-straining sample library.
  • Samples are provided in open industry standard formats as SFZ and WAV files.
  • Intelligent random preset generation.
  • Add-on preset banks in development.

Performance Controls:

  • 16 controls per preset carefully assigned by the preset designer, for instant access to each presets most tweakable parameters.
  • 8 remix pad variations per preset - click and drag to morph between variations.
  • Two XY squares.
  • Unique 'auto assign' feature to assign a full set of performance controls with two clicks.

Morphable Sources:

  • 4 stereo sources each of which has additive, VA, spectral, granular and sampler engines.
  • Morph between sources using advanced harmonic blending and precise time alignment.
  • Crossfade between sounds with vector mixing.
  • Modulatable stretch and position knobs for anything from tempo synced loops to wave-sequencing.
  • Up to 100 zones per source using any synthesis method.
  • Easy to use file import browser with sample preview.
  • Micro tuning support with comprehensive categorized library of scales.
  • Highly optimized code including SSE and Altivec optimizations.

Analog Filters:

  • Up to 15 simultaneous filters.
  • 31 different filter types including 18 analog modelled filters, 2 comb filters, 3 CamelPhat distortion algorithms and polyphonic ring modulation.
  • Each source can be mixed between 2 parallel main filters each of which has an effects mix control.
  • 3 filters per source configurable between serial and parallel modes; applications include formant filtering with free control over the frequency and bandwidth of each formant.

16 Effects:

  • Camel reverb, acoustic reverb, 2 delays, 2 mod fx (each capable of flanger and chorus effects), 2 distortions (each has bit crusher, tube, mech and xcita effects), bass enhancer, compressor, multi mode filter, 2 bandpass filters and band reject mixers, 2 three band EQs, panner and amplifier.
  • All of the CamelSpace and CamelPhat effects included.
  • Virtually all effects parameters are modulatable.
  • Acoustic reverb with detailed control of time, damping and room design.
  • Up to five effects blocks can be applied in any order.
  • Flexible delay featuring two filter slots, crossover, offset and initial delay controls.
  • Band pass filters and associated band reject mixers allow you to apply effects to specific frequency ranges for effects such as multiband distortion.

Groove Arpeggiator:

  • Separate control of the velocity, pitch and pan of each note.
  • MIDI file import for drum patterns and melodies.
  • 'Groove import' to synchronize to a particular drum pattern.
  • Wide variety of modes including up, down, up/down, down/up, as played, random and chord.
  • Many parameters including multiple latch modes, key splits, played key velocity control, octave and source controllable from the modulation system.
  • Ability to control one source or all four.
  • Up to 128 steps.

Additive Synthesizer:

  • Very high quality analysis and resynthesis - import vocal phrases, drum loops, ...
  • Up to 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.

Virtual Analog Synthesizer:

  • PWM and symmetry control.
  • Initial phase control.
  • Up to 600 oscillator unison with pitch, amp and pan control of unison oscillators.
  • Large library of single cycle waveforms from classic synths to new designs by Galbanum.

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.

Granular Synthesizer:

  • 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.

Flexible Modulation:

  • Up to 16 LFOs, 16 AHDSRs, 16 MSEGs, 16 step sequencers - only those you use are displayed.
  • Virtually every knob is modulatable by up to five different modulators (including modulation-depth knobs, modulator parameters, ...).
  • Advanced mod-map feature for anything from drawing custom velocity curves to creating algorithmic random note in a scale effects.
  • XY-mseg shows you a vector style view of two parameters such as morph X and Y position, with ability to import XY timelines.
  • Per destination 'smooth' control.
  • Modulation arcs intuitively show the range of modulation.
  • Modulation details of selected knob automatically displayed.
  • Right click on knob and select 'add modulation' to rapidly add and assign modulators.
  • Playing speed modulation source allows variable response to fast and slow playing; for example to crossfade between staccato and legato samples.
  • Unique flip-flop modulation source for customizable round robin effects.

Other:

  • Personalized keyfile for hassle free copy protection.
  • Available as a download or on DVD.
  • Tutorial videos.
  • Graphic interface by BitPlant.

User Reviews by KVR Members for Alchemy.

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By LeVzi
On 12th November 2009
Version: 1.11.14

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LeVzi


4 of 5 people found
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I've owned Alchemy since the day of it's release, and it's only now i've decided to review it here, mainly due to the fact that it has literally never ceased to amaze me in what it can do. During the early days when i'd fire it up and just try things, you could spend endless hours playing with what seems like unlimited synthesis options. Some people will get this purely for it's VA options, but it does so much more. What amazes me with Alchemy is that you can setup what you may think is a good sound, and then realise there are so many more ways to improve it, just by using some of Alchemy's many modulation options alone. Not to mention the filters, of which there are many. It's sample mangling power is unsurpassed in my honest opinion, it does everything you could throw at it in that area, and then some. The Spectral and additive sections are again very in depth and infinitely tweakable with Alchemy's vast array of modulation options and filters, effects, you name it.

It really is what it says on the tin, a true Hybrid, as it does handle samples, yet you can use it to create your own synth sounds from scratch, it's GUI is very well laid out and very easy to understand. The snapshop/morphing options are something you'll find very interesting, as that allows you to take various snapshots of sounds/synth setups, whatever, and literally morph between them, which can be unreal. Camel Audio have literally piled in everything into this plugin, there is nothing left out. The effects section alone is of an extremely high quality as you'd expect from the creators of Camelspace & Camelphat.

I cannot recommend this plugin enough to any producer/sound creator, or just someone who enjoys doing something different. Alchemy will not only deal with anything from a "Supersaw" to a spectral square.

Each and everytime I open Alchemy, not only is it a pleasure to work with, not only does it allow me to be that little bit different, it allows me to go deeper into synthesis than i've been before, as it really is that good.

Camel have set a new high in plugin quality with this animal, alchemy will be the front runner for plugins for many years to come, maybe by which time, Alchemy 2 will be ready.
 
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By dune_rave
On 12th July 2009
Version: 1.10

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6 of 6 people found
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Alchemy is one of the most powerful "hybrid" synths at the moment: It's a bit Absynth-like, but can load SFZ and has several synthesis methods and a very easy-to-use modulation system. All knowledge of Camel-Audio has been put into this software: It can do everything, that Cameleon5000 did (the previous flagship synth of Camel-Audio), and has much more : several effects from camelphat and camelspace plugins plus some new. However, currently it is not possible to load cameleon5000 presets into Alchemy, but it's on the wish-list, and this feature will be achieved in the future updates. Advertised as "the ultimate sample manipulation synthesizer" I think they made a little mistake: they don't highlight the importance of the different synthesis methods - Alchemy can perform very vell without samples...
The Graphical interface is clear and now exists in different colors (for me the original fits best). Alchemy has a detailed manual that even describes how to program things that worked in cameleon5000. The software comes with 2GB factory sound content - It is really cool that Camel-Audio did keep this "factory size" not too large, I think it's horrible, when you have to install a huge software from several dvds. There's no annoying protection or validation, installing is easy. One last word about the presets: each of them can contain 8 version thanx to the "remix pad". With this 1.10 version come several bonus presets - Camel-Audio listened to the voice of the users saying they need some other presets beyond the existing ones. The product support is professional, I mean C.A. does several things online and users can participate in the development of the software.
 
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By muLperi
On 11th July 2009
Version: 1.10.6

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muLperi


6 of 6 people found
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Alchemy really is a "synth powerhouse", very deep and you can achieve
for example huge complex pads and drones with ease.
Alchemy features additive, spectral, granular, resynthesis, analog modelling.... Actually I had to do some studying because I wasn't familiar with all of them before. That's also one good thing about Alchemy, you can learn and try many different styles of synthesis.

The interface: CamelAudio really has done great job designing an intuitive interface. Perform controls, X/Y Pads and 8 Morph Pads (like Kore) are just perfect for altering the sound and for live use as well. You can go to "SIMPLE" mode where only the Perform controls are visible.
It's easy to do modulation routings, just right click a knob and that's it.

The sound and features: What can I say, it sounds great. It's very interesting to import your own samples and just resynthesize the crap out of them. It can produce supersaw in a second if you like trance :D
I think Alchemy has everything I need. The sound is built from 1-4 "Sources" that can be an imported audio file or a basic waveform produced by Alchemys analog modelling engine. Alchemy comes with actually a quite good 2 gigabyte sample library that can be mangled in many different ways.

Presets: With the free bonus preset update I think presets are perfect now.
Actually I always try to build my sounds from scratch so they were always good to me.

Support and stability: The CamelAudio crew is almost always online and you can get help from their forum here on KVR or by email.
I've only had one problem and it was with the Alchemy installer. I'm from Finland and I am using Windows in Finnish language and the installer didn't understand that my license key file was in directory called "Työpöytä" and not Desktop :D But that was fixed easily. No crashes or anything.

Value for money: Alchemy really is one of a kind. There's nothing quite like it on the market so in my opinion it's worth the money.

Try the demo!
 
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