Art Pyrite

A contemporary successor of H.G. Fortune's ambient synths.

H.G. Fortune aka Günter Hager, who passed away in 2014, was a legendary figure among free VST synthesizer developers, notable for a long line of unconventional synthesizers especially suitable for complex, gloomy and lo-fi ambient sounds. Hager was involved in the early stages of the development of Art Pyrite but didn't live to see the final product. I'm sure he would have appreciated it.

Similar to Fortune's synthesizers Art Pyrite is especially suitable for all kinds of pads, ambient sounds and complex soundscapes. But it can do more than that. Two pairs of oscillators are fed thru a lowpass and a combined bandpass/highpass filter, each with their own envelope. The first two oscillators feature conventional analogue-style waveforms, the other two a selection of high-quality samples (much more in the full commercial version of the synth). While Fortune liked harsh and diffuse sounds, the waveforms here are generally much more clear and transparent.

What makes this synth so versatile and a true gem in the tradition of H.F. Fortune are its extensive modulation capabilities, You have two conventional LFOs, one Sample & Hold and one special slow LFO, each with its own matrix of preset modulation tagets, and on top of that a 16 step sequencer. The speed of each modulation source is, as in Fortune's synths, always set in relation to the host tempo. So whatever you do with it - you are always in sync. Soundshaping is completed with usable reverb and delay effects and a special kind of chorus called "Drone". As the name implies it's especially suited for all kinds of drone sound.

Overall one of the best free VST synths for pads, ambient and more. The only drawback is that patches from the free version are not compatible with the commercial product. But since the price is moderate it may be worth to consider purchasing the full version.