Psssst Urs is working on a free synth

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played with it a bit last night. supreme.

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I heard about this instrument recently, and was writing a note for friends to forward the information. So it is written, from kind of an explanatory viewpoint. - When I start writing, it turns into an article in no-time... :shock: That is, if I'm all riled up about a subject. And the "Tyrell N6" caught my attention like no other free VST instrument...in years.

So, I thought I might just post it. See it as an opinion or something.
BTW: Don't get hung up on my general opinion about freeware VST. It's not going to change, and this thread is all about the "Tyrell N6."
Well, here goes nothing:


The "Tyrell N6" is a synthesizer VST by Urs Heckmann, the inventor of respectable instruments like ACE, Zebra, Uhbik, Filterscape and such.

http://www.u-he.com/

The "Tyrell N6" is a freeware contribution by Urs Heckmann, for the music-community.

It's safe to say, that most freeware VST synthesizers sound terrible. Except for the exceptional "Synth1" and very few others. The problem is, that most of those freeware VST synthesizers were put together with an application called SynthMaker. SynthMaker is a construction kit, that enables people to puzzle together their own synthesizer or effect, by using pre-defined modules. Constructing a synthesizer like that can be done very sketchy, over the weekend. Just like making music with Acid, it can give people an initial feeling that they are geniuses, while they're not. That contributes to an avalanche of freeware VST(i), just like the free music on MySpace. And in general, it's free because nobody wants it.

For somebody who is serious about making music, there is a rule of thumb for me, as far as freeware VST synthesizers and effects. Look for freeware that is produced by professional companies and/or producers. Companies downgrade some of their once commercial instruments on occasion, cause their new products have become terribly advanced. Or they produce free "player versions" of commercial software, like Native Instruments Kontakt Player or Reaktor Player. And those "player versions" always come with free libraries to get started. - There are free instruments and effects that operate on a high level, and for a serious musician, there is no reason to waste time with hobby-products.

So, "Tyrell N6" is a freeware synth by renowned producer Urs Heckmann. You could be picky and say "it is not free", cause you have to get an account for the forum at...

http://www.amazona.de/index.php

...to get the latest version of "Tyrell N6." But, that is legit marketing. It works for producers of an instrument and the websites that finance the production. And in return the financers draw attention to their site. - In general, the instrument is free.

At first glance, the "Tyrell N6" looks like a harmless synthesizer. But it is a so called matrix-synthesizer. Matrix means, that virtually everything can be routed to everything else, and modulate it. If you lose track about "what's doing under the hood", you're lost. - I know about common synthesis layouts. I like the Pro53 for example, cause I know how to get a certain sound I want. - But with a matrix structure under the hood, the sound-possibilities increase exponentially.

I started my first tryout with the initial sound of the "Tyrell N6", thinking "let's do this." And I got nowhere. It did something, and I'm still not sure what or why. :o :lol:

But luckily there were presets to be found on the net, done by people who knew how to work this synth. And..., it seems that there is something on the horizon with real substance. I managed to adjust some presets (to my liking) to get some tight bass sounds. I heard something in the direction of Supersaw... The sound possibilities must be really, really, unlimited. And my first impression of the overall sound was "substantial!"

I would assume that the "Tyrell N6" is paradise for sound programmers. People who can overlook all the possibilities. If the sound of the instrument holds up, there is a gratification for those people, and they will continue making more sounds. I could see a future sound-pool for the "Tyrell N6" similar to the one that the "Synth1" already has. I could see professionals like Ummet Ozcan making sound-sets for the instrument.

As far as freeware VST instruments: The "Tyrell N6" might have the potential to become as big as the "Synth1."

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Robinette wrote:You could be picky and say "it is not free", cause you have to get an account for the forum at...
http://www.amazona.de/index.php
Amazona is free to join so that pretty much makes TyrellN6 free.
Robinette wrote:As far as freeware VST instruments: The "Tyrell N6" might have the potential to become as big as the "Synth1."
What are you talking about? I've been using Synth1 for quite some time now and programmed some banks on it and been using TyrellN6 from the first alpha and got to say that TyrellN6 is so much better in most ways than Synth1 so far. .. So TyrellN6 is an instant "BIG" .. and it's not released yet! :hihi:
Cheers,
3ee

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You might be right with the last part. To put my statement in perspective you have to know that "Synth1" is my all time #1 of all freeware VST synths.

So far.

My first tryout of the "Tyrell N6" gave me the feeling, that something big is happening here.

We'll see. :D

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not all freeware vsts take advantage of synthedit/synthmaker built in sound generation. some are coded from the ground up in other languages and only use the "kits" for basic construction, graphics etc. I know I won't change YOUR mind about freebies, but they are not all equal. And to me, synth1 is fine but not the best I've heard in freeware.
but everyone's opinions are valid.
I don't know if Tyrell uses built in oscilators or externally coded.

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wwjd wrote:I don't know if Tyrell uses built in oscilators or externally coded.
Coded by the developer himself.

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3ee wrote:I've been using Synth1 for quite some time now and programmed some banks on it and been using TyrellN6 from the first alpha and got to say that TyrellN6 is so much better in most ways than Synth1
Tyrell's audio engine, the quality of the oscillators and filter, is obviously so much better than Synth1's and in some ways (e.g. the mod matrix) it is slightly more flexible.

But then Synth1 has a whole load of features that Tyrell doesn't - EQ, delay, chorus/flanger, phaser, supersaw, arpeggiator, stereo output...

You could probably make a fist of emulating most if not all Tyrell patches in Synth1, but they wouldn't sound as crisp, detailed, punchy etc. OTOH, there's many really good Synth1 patches that you couldn't hope to get close to emulation in Tyrell.

Apples and oranges. :shrug:

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Urs wrote:
wwjd wrote:I don't know if Tyrell uses built in oscilators or externally coded.
Coded by the developer himself.
I love how you state these things in the 3rd person :hihi:

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Exhile wrote:
Urs wrote:
wwjd wrote:I don't know if Tyrell uses built in oscilators or externally coded.
Coded by the developer himself.
I love how you state these things in the 3rd person :hihi:
:hihi:

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hakey wrote:Apples and oranges. :shrug:
Yes, I agree! I was reffering to sound quality mostly, because that is something that should be the first thing on everybody's list.
And I was using Synth1 all the time before I had Zebra so I like it as well! :)

If I would list some things that Synth1 has and I am missing the most in TyrellN6 those would be:
-some effects
-unison (right corner down)
-polyphony
-stereo
and not found in Synth1 .. a big modulation matrix! :P

Assuming that Urs will gladly whip those up on DIVA! :D

And btw... TyN6 can emulate the "superwave" Just mix 2 oscs, detune them a bit, stack up several voices (right corner up), and detune a bit from master detune.
These setting should work with the actual version of TyN6

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so do you have to register on that german forum or is it buried in the 38 preceeding pages? ;)

If it's not here, why not?! :D

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As far as I know it's and will be available only @ amazona.de because it's their project.

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Thanks, guess I'm off to register then ;)

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3ee wrote:DIVA
Yep, we'll have to wait and see what Urs comes up with, but hopefully Diva will be the free synth to beat. 8)

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hakey wrote:...Diva will be the free synth...
:hihi:
OK, OK! :P

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