HG Fortune has announced the release of the new ScapesWizard 2 VSTi plug-in and also a new page on his site offering access to lots of free to use SF2 files.

ScapesWizard is a machine for soundscapes with a very different control concept by triggering different samples assigned to keys via keyboard, or, using Lazy Sequencer to play the sets in sequence, or at random with varying intervals of step lengths. This is a completely reworked and largely enhanced version to its predecessor offering more dedicated and flexible control in general.

There are two different sound engines: Slow Motion Scapes (Main Slot 1&2), OneShots and Loops (FX, Natural, etc.) (Main Slot 3 & 4). Each slot has got a dedicated sound modifier (color with resonance) plus pan, & delay with two sets of knob settings for most controls. You get 2 x 24 samples (= 2 x 2 octaves) in direct access via keyboard and 2 sets to assign waves to keys with an optional pitch offset of +/- 12 semitones at each slot, plus a further +/- 12 semitones per wave, slot and patch. This makes 96 samples in straight access with a tuning range of max. +/- 2 octaves. Lazy Sequencer's Ghost Mod will move (morph) between the two sets of knob settings and this motion is visible on the GUI by respective knobs in motion. Furthermore nearly every knob has got a selectable mod source.

In fact with this machine it is quite important to assemble best matching waves for a project into the wave slots. You can trigger or gate i.e. switch samples with a dedicated tune setting via keyboard (with velocity to control level) which is ideal for live interaction.

There is a kind of keyboard split to trigger a sample of Slot 1 & 2 from C2 to B3 (left side) and Slot 3 & 4 from C4 to B5 (right side). So simply give a key a short push and the resp. sample will play until it's changed by pushing another key in that resp. range; unless you select KeyMode Gate which allows to play a sample as long as a key is held down. Anyway you can play only one sample in each slot at a time. But those four samples played can give already quite a massive sound.

There is also an SF Slot Mode supporting SF2 files with stereo samples.

Demo videos:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o4vC5TxIRp0
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TdCWQUW0O_E

Pricing & Availability

ScapesWizard 2 Pro costs €79 but is currently available for the introductory price of €49. Besides the registered Pro version there is a fully featured demo and a mini free version available.

The registered Pro version comes with access to about 1.65 Gigabyte of samples in additional SF2 files.