Tone2 Rayblaster: OUT NOW! (demo version available)

[zlatan]

Man, tone2 synths really do sound similar to each other. But I guess that happens sometimes. Arturia are like that too. Different features and functions on the different synths but very similar underlying sound.

My exact thoughts. Demoed for a few minutes then deleted.

+1


I had no problems installing it on my mac though ....

[reusenoise]

I play with demo,the sound is pure Tone2 ,for someone will be a minus,for me it's something like a trademark,the price it's a little bit high,but these still my opinion,I like the UI,easy of use and some patches sound really good.
I think will stay with Il Harmor for now.

Anyway a software house with such nice little dog in his team can't do it wrong

[Ingonator]

Man, tone2 synths really do sound similar to each other. But I guess that happens sometimes. Arturia are like that too. Different features and functions on the different synths but very similar underlying sound.

My exact thoughts. Demoed for a few minutes then deleted.

I don't think it's possible to get a clue how Rayblaster really works in a few minutes and not even in a few days...

This is no simple synth even if the GUI maybe looks like that.

The claim that you deleted it after a few minutes shows that both you did not check all presets (which is not possible in that time) and second did not try to program it yourself (maybe just by tweaking some of the presets).

Some people also seem to have a wrong expectation in what a new type of synthesis should look like.

Again: This does not really include a filter by default The filter response is based o the waveform you enter. If you use a waveform from an analog synth the result will sound familiar but the fact that you could import a filter response from a synth is new and IMO very interesting.
I have create single cycle wavers of several synths and even with using the same filter type they still sound at least slightly different in Rayblaster, especially when using Resonant waveforms.

Even if around 1000+ presets were submitted by the sound designers most of them agree that we just scratched the surface of what should be really possible.
This paired with an easy to use GUI is just great IMO.

Personally i have not really used the Resynthesis feature so far as i had enough work using my own waveforms.


Ingo

[Ingonator]

About import of filter responses:

Here is a PDF file i already published here:
https://dl.dropbox.com/u/53230726/Raybl ... es%201.pdf

This shows how the Spectrum of a Resonant waveform based on Saurus behaves while turning the Formant knob. At least for the first half of the range (-200 to 0) this corresponds to the behavior of the original synth.

At values above 0 the filter slowly transforms into a BPF filter which will happen with any waveform.

This would look totally different when the waveform is loaded into a normal sampler. In that case the "Resonant peak" would not shift but more likely you would just cut it off except you apply Resonance from another filter in the sampler.

With complex waveform or a waveform based on a source without any filter you will receive a complex filter response or a "fantasy filter". If you use the "Wave mix" for Wave 1 and and Wave 2 you could either do a morph (like e.g. with using the Modwheel in the preset "SaurusRezMorph IW") or just ado a mix of two waveforms which also means a mix of two filter responses.


For everyone who wants to do his own presets and waveforms i highly recommend to get the DNR Wave Designer plugin:
http://www.teamdnr.net/wavedesigner/



Ingo

[Frantz]

I spent a few hours demoing it today. Once you understand how it works, it's pretty easy to get nice evolving, wavetable-like pads with it. In fact, I may buy it just to be a digital pad machine. It has a few decent, analog-like presets but that's not its forte. It's much quicker and simpler to get analog sounds on a regular VA. Rayblayster really wants to let its digital freak flag fly and I see no reason to argue with it.

Ingo you did a nice job with your presets. All very tasteful and musical. I wish they were in a single bank for easy access. (Unfortunately, I had to flip through Markus' usual hoover, chainsaw, and burp presets.)

I wish it came with more built in waveforms (not presets). Perhaps more will be added in the future.

I did try to import my own 4 bar drum loop for resynthesis but the results were disappointing. An unusable lo-fi mutation of the original.

As many have mentioned, the price is high enough to prevent an impulse buy but I will be trying it again and quite possibly buying in the next couple of weeks.

Overall nice job Tone2.

[Ingonator]

Ingo you did a nice job with your presets. All very tasteful and musical. I wish they were in a single bank for easy access. (Unfortunately, I had to flip through Markus' usual hoover, chainsaw, and burp presets.)

Many thanks for your comment.

Those presets are only a part of what i have created so far.
Currently i have well over 130 presets an the amount is growing.

BTW you could get a quite convincing emulation of wavetable scanning as you coul "zoom" into a waveform with the "harmonic" value and then scan trough it with the "start phase" parameter.
A few "wavetables" (a long waveform that is based on several small waveforms and crossfading...) are also included in the factory content.

Currently i just created all 32 original PPG Wave wavetables (based on PPG Wave 3.V) for use in Rayblaster. That was done by scanning through the whole wavetable in PPG 3.V with an envelope. Most other wavetables i created so far are based on waveforms i created on filter responses of different synths, on DNR Wave Designer (mostly the formula editor so far...) and other sources like e.g. Cameleon 5000.

With Cameleon 5000 i had created waveforms based on different combinations of additive partials. A bunch of those waveforms are compiled in some wavetables like e.g. "IW_Additive wavetable 01". Also a bunch of my single cycles are included there which also includes some based on my Moog Slim Phatty.
With the Wave1/2 Wavemix and the two scillators you could combine up to four of those additive waveforms in a kind of additive synthesis emulation.
turning the Formant knob will usually deliver several different timbres even fro ma single of those waveforms.


Ingo

[Frantz]

BTW you could get a quite convincing emulation of wavetable scanning as you coul "zoom" into a waveform with the "harmonic" value and then scan trough it with the "start phase" parameter.

Yes, I did all that and more.

Currently i just created all 32 original PPG Wave wavetables (based on PPG Wave 3.V) for use in Rayblaster.

I would love for them to be included with Rayblaster.

[MaxSynths]

My suggestin to all is to take some time to experiment with Rayblaster. You can't test a synth like this in two minutes and then "delete it". It took some time for me (I think the same is true for the other sound designers as well) to understand exactly how IMS synthesis works and a couple of minutes are not enough.

Try the factory patches but try also to put your hand on the controls, sculpt the sound and play with the different options. There are an infinite numbers of possibilities if you start to import custom waveforms... so test it, test it and test it! It's a synth, not a toy keyboard... you HAVE to turn all that knobs!!

Concerning the overall sound yes, it has the Tone2 fingerprint and as reusenoise said it's a feature (at least for me)

[ariston]

I'll demo this baby later, but for 149 Euros, it needs to be VERY special indeed. Griping about the price isn't a nice thing, but maybe the devs can take it as honest feedback. Plugin prices are plummeting (say that sentence a few times as fast as you can!), and a synth that costs this much is implicitly making a rather bold claim.

[Kriminal]

500 outstanding presets from some of the world's top sound designers

who are they? cant find any info on the website.

[jdieks]

Wow, it's pretty impressive, the best from Tone2.

-It's got a lot of edge & bite, but there's this Allpass filter sounding thing everywhere that I need to turn off.

-presets are yesterday's sounds, needs to be repatched.

1.) What do you mean with "Allpass filter". The filter response is different for each waveform but if you move the Formant knob above 0 (0 is the middle position) it will turn into a BP filter.

Ingo

I think he means that it seems to have a rather large mid-boost in the sounds. That's my impression on all the sound demos anyway.. I have not tried the actual synth, so maybe it's just a "mastering" thing.

[PietW.]

My suggestin to all is to take some time to experiment with Rayblaster. You can't test a synth like this in two minutes and then "delete it". It took some time for me (I think the same is true for the other sound designers as well) to understand exactly how IMS synthesis works and a couple of minutes are not enough.

Try the factory patches but try also to put your hand on the controls, sculpt the sound and play with the different options. There are an infinite numbers of possibilities if you start to import custom waveforms... so test it, test it and test it! It's a synth, not a toy keyboard... you HAVE to turn all that knobs!!

Concerning the overall sound yes, it has the Tone2 fingerprint and as reusenoise said it's a feature (at least for me)

You are so right. It took me a few days to understand Rayblaster but now he is my absolute favorite.
There are also very nice Tutorials with sound examples can work through it. Since you can learn a lot about Rayblaster such as single-cycle waves with Looppoints and a slow Pitch (for Example 50 Hz)
10 minutes because too little.

[zlatan]

My suggestin to all is to take some time to experiment with Rayblaster. You can't test a synth like this in two minutes and then "delete it". It took some time for me (I think the same is true for the other sound designers as well) to understand exactly how IMS synthesis works and a couple of minutes are not enough.

Try the factory patches but try also to put your hand on the controls, sculpt the sound and play with the different options. There are an infinite numbers of possibilities if you start to import custom waveforms... so test it, test it and test it! It's a synth, not a toy keyboard... you HAVE to turn all that knobs!!

Concerning the overall sound yes, it has the Tone2 fingerprint and as reusenoise said it's a feature (at least for me)

It took me only a few minutes to hear that synths like zebra , diva , strobe , dune , twin , synplant etc.. were perfect for me !
I think I can catch the overall sound and vibe pretty instantly and the sound and vibe of Rayblaster was pretty much identical to the other Tone 2 synths I tested ........ I guess not my cup of tea .
I also doubt that it can make sounds impossible to make with other synths.

I would love a demo of never heard before sounds .... until then I don't see a reason to buy this ... especially not for $199

[Ingonator]

My suggestin to all is to take some time to experiment with Rayblaster. You can't test a synth like this in two minutes and then "delete it". It took some time for me (I think the same is true for the other sound designers as well) to understand exactly how IMS synthesis works and a couple of minutes are not enough.

Try the factory patches but try also to put your hand on the controls, sculpt the sound and play with the different options. There are an infinite numbers of possibilities if you start to import custom waveforms... so test it, test it and test it! It's a synth, not a toy keyboard... you HAVE to turn all that knobs!!

Concerning the overall sound yes, it has the Tone2 fingerprint and as reusenoise said it's a feature (at least for me)

Hi,

i could agree to your comments and basically i alraedy made comparable comments.

Thanks for your (and those from the other sound designers) contributions to Raybblaster.


Ingo

[LeVzi]

500 outstanding presets from some of the world's top sound designers

who are they? cant find any info on the website.

No need to be bitter, just because you weren't asked.