Biotek 2 Available Now

[recursive one]

Thanks Wags! I guess it should be possible to automate it like a usual VST GUI knob then? I mean something like the XY controllers in Diversion or Zebra, I can just draw automation curves for these in my DAW without any CCs.

@Simmo75, these were Biotek1 demos but I gather that Biotek2 should be able to make all the same sounds + some more.

[wagtunes]

Thanks Wags! I guess it should be possible to automate it like a usual VST GUI knob then? I mean something like the XY controllers in Diversion or Zebra, I can just draw automation curves for these in my DAW without any CCs.

@Simmo75, these were Biotek1 demos but I gather that Biotek2 should be able to make all the same sounds + some more.

I suppose, because you can control them by hand and I guess with automation turned on, your DAW will know what you did at every point in the time line. It just would have been so much easier if I could have controlled this via my sliders on my keyboard controller. That way you don't have to have the GUI open and don't have to be near your PC.

[zzz00m]

I picked up Biotek 1 with a discounted upgrade to the Waveform ultimate pack over the holidays.

It's an interesting synth that I have not had time to fully explore yet. The version 2 looks like an interesting enhancement, and I have not tried the demo yet, but for a $99 upgrade price I may have to wait a while.

For a quick rundown of Biotek 1:

The nature and organic appeal is through the use of natural and environmental samples, layered with standard synth waveforms: "the choice to use natural and environmental samples gave the instrument its unique character"

So think iZotope Iris 2, but without the spectral filtering... well not exactly, but that is the closest analogy that I could think of...

The basic structure of the synth under the hood is the familiar VA architecture (plus sample playback), with 4 oscillators per layer. And as many layers as your computer can deal with. Each of those oscillators can use a sample file, or a standard waveform such as sine, triangle, pulse, saw, white noise, or pink noise. For samples you can browse the included content, or user samples.

So then you get the standard filter and amplifier envelopes, effects (distortion, chorus, phaser, compressor, filter, delay, reverbs), and arpeggiator.

And then there is the mod matrix, and the bazillion things you can do with that. And the x-y morphing. Yup. This is where this thing gets deep. It's one thing to get sound out of it, quite another to put it to full use, LOL!

[zzz00m]

Thanks Wags! I guess it should be possible to automate it like a usual VST GUI knob then? I mean something like the XY controllers in Diversion or Zebra, I can just draw automation curves for these in my DAW without any CCs.

@Simmo75, these were Biotek1 demos but I gather that Biotek2 should be able to make all the same sounds + some more.

I suppose, because you can control them by hand and I guess with automation turned on, your DAW will know what you did at every point in the time line. It just would have been so much easier if I could have controlled this via my sliders on my keyboard controller. That way you don't have to have the GUI open and don't have to be near your PC.

It appears that while parameters are available for automation, they really should make the morphing available via MIDI controller. Without that it is not really fully playable in real-time without one hand on the mouse, or a touchscreen.

[Gamma-UT]

The basic structure of the synth under the hood is the familiar VA architecture (plus sample playback), with 4 oscillators per layer. And as many layers as your computer can deal with. Each of those oscillators can use a sample file, or a standard waveform such as sine, triangle, pulse, saw, white noise, or pink noise. For samples you can browse the included content, or user samples.

One important thing to note is that those four voices within a layer can be grouped into a four-operator FM layer. I'm not sure if the algorithms are identical to a 4-op DX but they look close enough (EDIT: checked and the algos are different to a DX as Biotek doesn't have feedback on FM modulators, though you can probably simulate its effects with a custom waveform). And you can FM on a sampled waveform.

From the demo of Biotek 2, it seems you can FM a granular oscillator, though the results are often not that exciting - you wind up making a granular sound a bit noisier most of the time. However, that might be useful with a fast attack envelope to add a bite to the sound at the beginning.

You can't, as far as I can tell, FM the Spinal Saw. You can try but it won't do any modulation on the waveform. But that's not a great loss: FMing a heavily unisoned voice probably isn't that useful in most cases.

Personally, I'm not convinced the changes justify the upgrade price, though I might relent down the road.

Another advantage of Biotek is the inclusion of a set of MIDI-controlled playback rules that determine when a layer plays. You can, for example, have a layer only play with the pitchbend or CC in a certain range as well as map out keyzones, and define groups of rules, which can be handy for some one-finger soundscaping.

[zzz00m]

Another advantage of Biotek is the inclusion of a set of MIDI-controlled playback rules that determine when a layer plays. You can, for example, have a layer only play with the pitchbend or CC in a certain range as well as map out keyzones, and define groups of rules, which can be handy for some one-finger soundscaping.

That sounds like a great tip there. I'll have to look into that. Thanks!

[Gamma-UT]

That sounds like a great tip there. I'll have to look into that. Thanks!

The pitchbend rule is a bit tricky as the range values in the UI don't correspond to the actual pitchbend MIDI values, so it involves a bit of trial and error. The settings didn't seem to work properly in the early versions but it seems to be fixed with the most recent versions of Biotek 1 (and 2). The CCs are more intuitive.

[nichttuntun]

The basic structure of the synth under the hood is the familiar VA architecture (plus sample playback), with 4 oscillators per layer. And as many layers as your computer can deal with. Each of those oscillators can use a sample file, or a standard waveform such as sine, triangle, pulse, saw, white noise, or pink noise. For samples you can browse the included content, or user samples.

One important thing to note is that those four voices within a layer can be grouped into a four-operator FM layer. I'm not sure if the algorithms are identical to a 4-op DX but they look close enough (EDIT: checked and the algos are different to a DX as Biotek doesn't have feedback on FM modulators, though you can probably simulate its effects with a custom waveform). And you can FM on a sampled waveform.

Hi. Yes that´s true. There is no feedback loop build into the 4 operators. You can choose 11 combinations for the 4 FM operators. BioTek2 clearly is no pure FM synthesizer but you can make sine-wave based sounds true to the DX-sounds and 4 OPs are more than some other FM-synth out there offers. Each OSC can have its own envelope what is important for FM-modulation. And it is to mention that BioTek2 sounds very good, no matter how you feed the OSCs. For me it is a big bonus to hybrid-modus the synth, meaning that you can use samples, granulator and waveforms all together and FM and RingMod all in one layer plus having the freedom of adding as many layers (each with 4 further free definable more OSCs) as your CPU can handle. Thats awesome in my opinion.

From the demo of Biotek 2, it seems you can FM a granular oscillator, though the results are often not that exciting - you wind up making a granular sound a bit noisier most of the time. However, that might be useful with a fast attack envelope to add a bite to the sound at the beginning.

Depends totally from the chosen FM-algorythm.

Personally, I'm not convinced the changes justify the upgrade price, though I might relent down the road.

It´s totally worth it. You didn´t mention the killer modulation matrix that came with version 2. You have an "unlimited" amount (in fact its limited to 256 modulation modules) of modulation sources that leaves most other synths far behind regarding that aspect. The granular-synthesizer module is veeeery good and non-glitchy if you like that (you can make it glitchy also but in some granular VSTs out there you can´t get rid of the glitchiness - BIOTEK2 offers everything here) and due to the many cool LFO-shapes, the detailed ramp and windows-options combined with the vast modulation matrix it is far more versatile than most single granular-synths out there. You have total control and so many options here. I of course want to exclude programs like Glitchmachines PALINDROME, because they are built for a special purpose, are specialized for certain results and should not be compared.

Please have in mind that you can modulate EACH and EVERY parameter of the synth! So and now please listen closely:
You have 8 LFOs within EACH layer!!! Remember you can use 8 more freely designable LFOs within each new layer! And you can use up to 12 layers. How awesome ist that? It´s getting better...

...Every single LFO can have up to 8 slots in which you can freely arrange 8 different shapes, phase, hz (speed - goes up to 500hz!!!) and of course modulation amount. You can do the coolest and most freakiest sound design with those LFO-8-slots-sequences alone. I am not ready yet...Each of the 8 slots definable parameters can be seperately modulated via the matrix!!! Any more questions? This is crazy stuff. That, the mod-matrix and the grain module alone is worth the full price...it´s getting better...

...You have 4 Envelops again for EACH layer!! and Each envelope can have up to 32!! step-points...yesssss!

By the way TRACKTION is offering 40% sale reduction for all their sites products including the upgrade prices for BIOTEK2 at the moment (call it 4th of July offer). Go out and get WAVERAZOR and BIOTEK2 now, they are the most innovative and huge synth out there at the moment and they are sounding excellent. Plus the customers care is perfect. They listen to all your suggestions and are working continously on improving these two products. I got a list of appr. 10 positions after testing WAVERAZOR in detail and the answered fast and they were already awere of those things and already working on a or thinking about a solution for upcoming patches. Taiho and Rob are simply great, innovative and competent in any aspect. They should get more attention and your support.

[nichttuntun]

sorry - double post

[brewt]

So, uh, microtuning?

[wagtunes]

Where do we download the content for the Biotek 2 demo?

[Gamma-UT]

It´s totally worth it. You didn´t mention the killer modulation matrix that came with version 2.

Probably because it's the same as in version 1. Maybe you'd like to point out some differences if you think you found some.

@wagtunes: On the downloadable products page look to the right of the main download links and click on "archive". The content links are hidden away there. However, if it no longer crashes on instantiation without the content you can click on the logo and do a check for updates from there, which should download the content file.

[nichttuntun]

It´s totally worth it. You didn´t mention the killer modulation matrix that came with version 2.

Probably because it's the same as in version 1. Maybe you'd like to point out some differences if you think you found some.

@wagtunes: On the downloadable products page look to the right of the main download links and click on "archive". The content links are hidden away there. However, if it no longer crashes on instantiation without the content you can click on the logo and do a check for updates from there, which should download the content file.

Ah okay. I am starting with version 2 and I thought the mod matrix was implemented in this version.

[wagtunes]

It´s totally worth it. You didn´t mention the killer modulation matrix that came with version 2.

Probably because it's the same as in version 1. Maybe you'd like to point out some differences if you think you found some.

@wagtunes: On the downloadable products page look to the right of the main download links and click on "archive". The content links are hidden away there. However, if it no longer crashes on instantiation without the content you can click on the logo and do a check for updates from there, which should download the content file.

Thanks. The only question as to whether or not I get this is if it works. I already demo'd Biotek 1 and loved it. But held off since it was so close to this release. So as long as this doesn't crash my DAW, I'm in.

[nichttuntun]

Works fine in Cubase8 Win7 64bit.

In the full version after installing 2.0 you have to enter your mail and password to unlock from demo to full version. In the same window than you have the option to download the content. Should be the same with the demo because as I am aware there is only one version for download. But I am not quite sure.

But you don't need the content necessarily. You can of course use your own samples for the granular module. Okay I am not too much the kind of preset person