Recommed me Granular Synthesizer

[BBFG#]

FWIW, 'granular' is perhaps the thing I look for most in software since it seems to really beg the power of computers to do it well. However, those 'simple' plugins (sample-manipulators) that specialize in that with limited synth functioning have proven to me to not be worth the costs compared to those that include the feature in a 'toolbox' synth. And some that have been repeatedly mentioned here also have developers that are most known to disappear soon after they release something and not be seen again until they cycle back in with another product to promote and just as quickly disappear.

IMO - For all intents of granular as a feature that adds more to the synth and is still cross-platform I feel the only real contenders here are:

Absynth
Falcon
HALion
Omnisphere

(Alchemy would be on the list if it hadn't decided to lock itself to only one OS)

[Neon Breath]

FWIW, 'granular' is perhaps the thing I look for most in software since it seems to really beg the power of computers to do it well. However, those 'simple' plugins (sample-manipulators) that specialize in that with limited synth functioning have proven to me to not be worth the costs compared to those that include the feature in a 'toolbox' synth. And some that have been repeatedly mentioned here also have developers that are most known to disappear soon after they release something and not be seen again until they cycle back in with another product to promote and just as quickly disappear.

IMO - For all intents of granular as a feature that adds more to the synth and is still cross-platform I feel the only real contenders here are:

Absynth
Falcon
HALion
Omnisphere

(Alchemy would be on the list if it hadn't decided to lock itself to only one OS)

Always depends on what you are looking for. Sometimes you want a true granular synth (no need to list them again here, we all know the usual suspects) but sometimes what you want is a granular effect / delay for processing incoming audio and don’t bother using a synth. Depends on the needs really. Can be for clouds of grains, glitches, pads, there are flavors for all needs now in the granular world. Those you listed are far away from the only ‘real contenders’ I must say.

[BBFG#]

FWIW, 'granular' is perhaps the thing I look for most in software since it seems to really beg the power of computers to do it well. However, those 'simple' plugins (sample-manipulators) that specialize in that with limited synth functioning have proven to me to not be worth the costs compared to those that include the feature in a 'toolbox' synth. And some that have been repeatedly mentioned here also have developers that are most known to disappear soon after they release something and not be seen again until they cycle back in with another product to promote and just as quickly disappear.

IMO - For all intents of granular as a feature that adds more to the synth and is still cross-platform I feel the only real contenders here are:

Absynth
Falcon
HALion
Omnisphere

(Alchemy would be on the list if it hadn't decided to lock itself to only one OS)

Always depends on what you are looking for. Sometimes you want a true granular synth (no need to list them again here, we all know the usual suspects) but sometimes what you want is a granular effect / delay for processing incoming audio and don’t bother using a synth. Depends on the needs really. Can be for clouds of grains, glitches, pads, there are flavors for all needs now in the granular world. Those you listed are far away from the only ‘real contenders’ I must say.

Should have been more specific, "the only real contenders for me."
But without re-listing all those previous sample-manglers again (of which I'm only partial to PadShop Pro, but not enough to feel it necessary since I do have HALion 5) What other cross-platform 'tool box' synths like them would you put to contend with them? (I'm genuinely interested.)

[cron]

IMO the only useful distinction to make is how the synthesiser/effect produces pitch. There are two very different ways of going about it in the granular world.

The one you see much more often in granular synths/effects involves relying on the pitch already present in the source sound. You play back fairly long grains and change the pitch of each grain.

The one you see much less often makes pitch by triggering new grains at audio rates/frequencies - e.g. triggering a a grain 440 times a second gets you an A note.

The first category is hugely oversubscribed compared to the second IMO. In the first category you've got synths like The Mangle, while the only one I'm aware of in the second (that'll let you do it with your own sounds) is Padshop Pro. The choice you make will really depend on whether you want the added flexibility the second option can add. If not, I'd recommend going for something simple like Granite or The Mangle. When people talk about 'lush' granular sounds, they're always talking about the first category. There are a whole bunch of caveats with the second method, like the pitch only being stable if you're triggering the same grain repeatedly. If you want something a bit more surgical where that's an option, Padshop Pro has you covered.

Here's a sound example from my bits and bobs page I made about 10 years ago in Cecilia. It generates pitch by triggering grains at audio rates (with resulting pitch strongly dependent on how the 'playback head' is moving), while varying the pitch of the individual grains themselves (i.e. how you'd usually produce the sensation of pitch when triggering grains at non-audio rates) begins acting more like a formant control. https://soundcloud.com/chqtestsubjects/ ... in-the-fog

[BBFG#]

Stepping aside from the ad nauseam of the the thread, I personally don't consider the three that keep getting mentioned to be much of a synth really. And the one where there is as much discussion about the developers' mostly MIA status, I wonder why anyone would even consider owning it now (and I did and was thankful I was able to sell it before he went where ever else).

Regardless of method in achieving it, I am still interested in what is available in cross-platform multi-synthesis that include 'grain synthesis/effect' software. Besides for the ones I listed or the ones everyone else has.

[ghettosynth]

There's a cool Kontakt instrument called granulator as well if you have Kontakt...

That would be Granulate. Kontakt can be quite capable. I made somewhat more relaxed attempt at the topic.

Dude, is that your site? Don't mean to embarrass you with my fanboi tone, but, really nice stuff, love the quirk!

[wagtunes]

Okay, so then what are the Cadillac of Granular Synthesis synths?

These were mentioned

Omnisphere
Falcon
Halion
Absynth

I own all but Halion and don't really consider any of the others granular synths, especially Absynth, unless I just need to dig deeper into it but on the surface it looks like, well quite honestly, I don't know what the hell it is. The interface has always left me scratching my head. Probably why I hardly touch it. But hey, if there's something there, granular wise, to really dive into, I'll make the effort.

[aMUSEd]

Reaktor
Halion/Padshop (both have similar granular 'engines' but Halion's works on multisamples)
Falcon (the granular engine is on a level with Halion's)
Crusher X

Good article on granular synths here

http://www.soundonsound.com/techniques/ ... -synthesis

[BBFG#]

Okay, so then what are the Cadillac of Granular Synthesis synths?

These were mentioned

Omnisphere
Falcon
Halion
Absynth

I own all but Halion and don't really consider any of the others granular synths, especially Absynth, unless I just need to dig deeper into it but on the surface it looks like, well quite honestly, I don't know what the hell it is. The interface has always left me scratching my head. Probably why I hardly touch it. But hey, if there's something there, granular wise, to really dive into, I'll make the effort.

Absynth is probably so long in the tooth and therefore the least of these. I included it more because it does fit the bill, albeit not in a way that keeps up as much to the multi-tool as the others. I surprisingly enjoy the all around abilities of HALion and wonder what its next inception will bring to the table. The reasons I have against the other two are subjective and have nothing to do with the plugins themselves. I would jump on Falcon the moment it cures itself of requiring PACE. Omnisphere has a harder battle since I recoil at the idea of becoming part of the cult-like group think it seems to attract like a magnet.

[SODDI]

Crusher-X - but I do not know how the current VSTi version works. I only worked on it in standalone. It is oriented to avant-garde synthesis and performance.

It is not designed to make pretty sounds.

[Sampleconstruct]

Crusher-X - but I do not know how the current VSTi version works. I only worked on it in standalone. It is oriented to avant-garde synthesis and performance.

It is not designed to make pretty sounds.

Oh, it does pretty sounds alright and everything else. You can either use it as an effect to process external audio or load a wav file and play it via MIDI, and/or use the internal synth oscillator - it is the most complete granulator out there, but it doesn't come with onboard FX, just some more basic filters.

[wagtunes]

Crusher-X - but I do not know how the current VSTi version works. I only worked on it in standalone. It is oriented to avant-garde synthesis and performance.

It is not designed to make pretty sounds.

Oh, it does pretty sounds alright and everything else. You can either use it as an effect to process external audio or load a wav file and play it via MIDI, and/or use the internal synth oscillator - it is the most complete granulator out there, but it doesn't come with onboard FX, just some more basic filters.

Simon, can it create very complex soundscapes that morph continuously over time?

[Sampleconstruct]

Crusher-X - but I do not know how the current VSTi version works. I only worked on it in standalone. It is oriented to avant-garde synthesis and performance.

It is not designed to make pretty sounds.

Oh, it does pretty sounds alright and everything else. You can either use it as an effect to process external audio or load a wav file and play it via MIDI, and/or use the internal synth oscillator - it is the most complete granulator out there, but it doesn't come with onboard FX, just some more basic filters.

Simon, can it create very complex soundscapes that morph continuously over time?

Totally, and it provides grain length times between 1 ms and 60 seconds which is unique. Each parameter has a dedicated LFO with plenty of shapes and you can draw your own shapes too, even for the grain shape which is awesome. And it provides up to 100 parallel grain streams (from the top of my head) if your CPU can handle it.

EDIT: I just checked, it has 199 parallel grain streams, just doing a video now.

[wagtunes]

Crusher-X - but I do not know how the current VSTi version works. I only worked on it in standalone. It is oriented to avant-garde synthesis and performance.

It is not designed to make pretty sounds.

Oh, it does pretty sounds alright and everything else. You can either use it as an effect to process external audio or load a wav file and play it via MIDI, and/or use the internal synth oscillator - it is the most complete granulator out there, but it doesn't come with onboard FX, just some more basic filters.

Simon, can it create very complex soundscapes that morph continuously over time?

Totally, and it provides grain length times between 1 ms and 60 seconds which is unique. Each parameter has a dedicated LFO with plenty of shapes and you can draw your own shapes too, even for the grain shape which is awesome. And it provides up to 100 parallel grain streams (from the top of my head) if your CPU can handle it.

I assume you own it (what don't you own? LOL) and maybe have something either on YouTube or Soundcloud I could listen to?

[Sampleconstruct]

Crusher-X - but I do not know how the current VSTi version works. I only worked on it in standalone. It is oriented to avant-garde synthesis and performance.

It is not designed to make pretty sounds.

Oh, it does pretty sounds alright and everything else. You can either use it as an effect to process external audio or load a wav file and play it via MIDI, and/or use the internal synth oscillator - it is the most complete granulator out there, but it doesn't come with onboard FX, just some more basic filters.

Simon, can it create very complex soundscapes that morph continuously over time?

Totally, and it provides grain length times between 1 ms and 60 seconds which is unique. Each parameter has a dedicated LFO with plenty of shapes and you can draw your own shapes too, even for the grain shape which is awesome. And it provides up to 100 parallel grain streams (from the top of my head) if your CPU can handle it.

I assume you own it (what don't you own? LOL) and maybe have something either on YouTube or Soundcloud I could listen to?

You would be surprised how many synths and effects I don't own, haven't bought a synth in ages, I stick to my favorite tools for long/ever and only buy new things if something really interests me or a dev gives me an NFR and invites me to a Beta team.

Here are some crusher tracks I made years ago, meanwhile the plug-in has evolved even more.

https://soundcloud.com/sampleconstruct/ ... er-x-files