Tone2 Icarus 1.6 Released

[PieBerger]

A really handy feature with WT editors, like in Serum and Phase Plant et al, is being able to edit individual partials. This is especially nice for us psytrance producers who take bassline EQing and processing in general, to ridiculous level Instead of using an EQ to tame/boost individual harmonics, post patch, with all of the problems that brings such as phase issues in min phase or pre-ringing when using linear phase modes and having to potentially process each note separately, you can shape adjust the tone at the patch level. This avoids the phase-shift/pre-ringing problems with the added bonus of tracking the pitch so there's no need to render out individual notes to EQ them (as is common in the genre).

[recursive one]

A really handy feature with WT editors, like in Serum and Phase Plant et al, is being able to edit individual partials. This is especially nice for us psytrance producers who take bassline EQing and processing in general, to ridiculous level Instead of using an EQ to tame/boost individual harmonics, post patch, with all of the problems that brings such as phase issues in min phase or pre-ringing when using linear phase modes and having to potentially process each note separately, you can shape adjust the tone at the patch level. This avoids the phase-shift/pre-ringing problems with the added bonus of tracking the pitch so there's no need to render out individual notes to EQ them (as is common in the genre).

I keep reading about this, but what if you want to add any further processing to the bass, like multiband distortion (also very common for psytrance)? I think it may mess the crap out of your manually ajusted harmonics

My typical process is resampling one note with all processing (saturn, lin phase eq etc) and manually cutting off the pre-ringing, actually I'm dying to learn a method which would allow me using the direct synth output in the mix instead of resampling because I love key changes.

I also make some psytrance.

[PieBerger]

A really handy feature with WT editors, like in Serum and Phase Plant et al, is being able to edit individual partials. This is especially nice for us psytrance producers who take bassline EQing and processing in general, to ridiculous level Instead of using an EQ to tame/boost individual harmonics, post patch, with all of the problems that brings such as phase issues in min phase or pre-ringing when using linear phase modes and having to potentially process each note separately, you can shape adjust the tone at the patch level. This avoids the phase-shift/pre-ringing problems with the added bonus of tracking the pitch so there's no need to render out individual notes to EQ them (as is common in the genre).

I keep reading about this, but what if you want to add any further processing to the bass, like multiband distortion (also very common for psytrance)? I think it may mess the crap out of your manually ajusted harmonics

My typical process is resampling one note with all processing (saturn, lin phase eq etc) and manually cutting off the pre-ringing, actually I'm dying to learn a method which would allow me using the direct synth output in the mix instead of resampling because I love key changes.

I also make some psytrance.

It depends on how you normally order the processes in the chain and whether after balancing within in the synth like this, you actually need to process it further. In the track I'm working on right, I managed to get a really nice sound, that I may even stick with, straight out of the synth! I always EQ before sending to multiband processing so it's perfect for my workflow/taste, to make adjustments within the patch.

If you're using Live with M4L, you can kind of have real time pitch tracking of effect parameters using the Keytracking source in the Expression Control device. Otherwise, another time saver/workflow improvement is to slice the audio to a Drum Rack, adjust the settings for one note, then copy paste the device to the next note and, adjust and then repeat. This way you can at least select all nodes in your EQ of choice and shift them together as a group.

[recursive one]

A really handy feature with WT editors, like in Serum and Phase Plant et al, is being able to edit individual partials. This is especially nice for us psytrance producers who take bassline EQing and processing in general, to ridiculous level Instead of using an EQ to tame/boost individual harmonics, post patch, with all of the problems that brings such as phase issues in min phase or pre-ringing when using linear phase modes and having to potentially process each note separately, you can shape adjust the tone at the patch level. This avoids the phase-shift/pre-ringing problems with the added bonus of tracking the pitch so there's no need to render out individual notes to EQ them (as is common in the genre).

I keep reading about this, but what if you want to add any further processing to the bass, like multiband distortion (also very common for psytrance)? I think it may mess the crap out of your manually ajusted harmonics

My typical process is resampling one note with all processing (saturn, lin phase eq etc) and manually cutting off the pre-ringing, actually I'm dying to learn a method which would allow me using the direct synth output in the mix instead of resampling because I love key changes.

I also make some psytrance.

It depends on how you normally order the processes in the chain and whether after balancing within in the synth like this, you actually need to process it further. In the track I'm working on right, I managed to get a really nice sound, that I may even stick with, straight out of the synth! I always EQ before sending to multiband processing so it's perfect for my workflow/taste, to make adjustments within the patch.

If you're using Live with M4L, you can kind of have real time pitch tracking of effect parameters using the Keytracking source in the Expression Control device. Otherwise, another time saver/workflow improvement is to slice the audio to a Drum Rack, adjust the settings for one note, then copy paste the device to the next note and, adjust and then repeat. This way you can at least select all nodes in your EQ of choice and shift them together as a group.

Cool No, I don't use Live and my Studio One doesn't seem to have pitch tracking functions.

Anyway, I have Serum so I'll try that you method, maybe if the harmonic content of the synth is good I won't even need to add Saturn and other stuff I typically use. Are there any tutorials for a quick start by chance?

The other benefit of resampling is a very precise an visual adjusting of note length/decay (i do it on the audio track) but I have to forget about octave jumps and bass playing around complex chord progressions, otherwise the bassline woould take weeks

[pdxindy]

I love wavetable synhs with lots of waveform shaping tools that can be controlled in realtime, like Serum's warp, Rapid's osc FX, Virus' grain and formant complex. Massive X also seems to have enough of such tools. Basically you can bend the waveform into a completely different shape, control this in realtime but you don't need to go back and forth between the synth and the wavetable creation tool, don't need to worry about the transition artifacts and the whole process seems more intuitive and visual. If the synth comes with enough waveforms/tables to work with the possibilities are already endless.

Yeah, the possibilities are vast... and I like all those warping tools too.

The thing is, 'endless' possibilities is not the same as specific possibilities and sometimes I have a specific task in mind. Say I want to make some vocal presets. In Icarus I can resynthesize some audio and turn it into a wavetable and then those warping tools are there to twist it in interesting directions (either morphing over time or controlled per note by velocity etc). That is different than just using a sampler to play back recorded audio.

Icarus has a number of resynthesis modes and it does not take great skill to effectively resynthesize some audio into useful wavetables for specific use. It's quite good that way.

[recursive one]

Say I want to make some vocal presets. In Icarus I can resynthesize some audio and turn it into a wavetable and then those warping tools are there to twist it in interesting directions (either morphing over time or controlled per note by velocity etc). That is different than just using a sampler to play back recorded audio.

Icarus has a number of resynthesis modes and it does not take great skill to effectively resynthesize some audio into useful wavetables for specific use. It's quite good that way.

Okay, that looks cool I might try doing something like that one day (don't have Icarus but have a couple of others that do resynthesis, Serum, Harmor). I intentionally keep myself from going deep into "geek level" synthesis, like making my own wavetables, patching things in Reaktor, using modulars (i have Bazille and got Blocks recently though) - it's all very exciting but i'm afraid I won't ever finish a single track then.

[nichttuntun]

Yes indeed. It´s very cool. In general this is a very versatile and deep synth which is sounding great too! Must have for me.

[zerocrossing]

Oh, well we all know that Native Instruments released Massive X six months too early. I agree with all your points, it’s definitely not finished, but I think when it is, it will be hot.

It could potentially end up really good... and it might not. It could be an excellent MPE synth. It was disappointing for me that they called it a next gen synth and then it is so lacking in basics. No matter... I'll check it out again in a year or so.

Yeah, the only reason I have it is because I had already decided to update my Komplete v8 to v12, but had it not been for that, I don’t think I would have shelled out money for it.

[zerocrossing]

Say I want to make some vocal presets. In Icarus I can resynthesize some audio and turn it into a wavetable and then those warping tools are there to twist it in interesting directions (either morphing over time or controlled per note by velocity etc). That is different than just using a sampler to play back recorded audio.

Icarus has a number of resynthesis modes and it does not take great skill to effectively resynthesize some audio into useful wavetables for specific use. It's quite good that way.

Okay, that looks cool I might try doing something like that one day (don't have Icarus but have a couple of others that do resynthesis, Serum, Harmor). I intentionally keep myself from going deep into "geek level" synthesis, like making my own wavetables, patching things in Reaktor, using modulars (i have Bazille and got Blocks recently though) - it's all very exciting but i'm afraid I won't ever finish a single track then.

I’d hardly call making your own wavetables in Icarus “geek level.” They designed it so intuitively that it is super easy. Just pick a cool sounding sample and try out a few different import types until you get something interesting and go to town. It couldn’t be more simple.

Also, if you don’t feel like building Reaktor Blocks patches from the ground up, you can find lots of different great premade patches in the user library and then you can just use them like you would a fixed architecture synth and make Snapshots as your presets.

[Echoes in the Attic]

One thing I’m looking forward to is the random patch. I used to have gladiator and it’s randomizes came up with some cool stuff sometimes. Haven’t had a tone2 synth for a while but have been wanting one and it looks like Icarus is the king and includes things I like in both gladiator and Electra. Tone2 synths make such great soundscapes and pads (among other things) that I’m very much looking forward to using mpe with it for expressive pads and washes.

[Examigan]

About the randomizing, the current version already can create random patches.

[Obsolete317542]

About the randomizing, the current version already can create random patches.

I love this feature but it often crashes Icarus. Generating random wavetables does the same. I hope that gets fixed in v2!

[Markus Krause]

We can not confirm any crashes with the randomize functions. During the last years did not receive a single bug report about this from our customers...
Please submit a detailed bug report to us and we will try to reproduce and fix it, if the problem should be caused by our software.

[pdxindy]

Tone2 synths make such great soundscapes and pads (among other things) that I’m very much looking forward to using mpe with it for expressive pads and washes.

Yeah... Icarus is gonna be sweet with MPE for soundscapes and pads...

[Obsolete317542]

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