Physical Audio Preparation V2 - Physical modelling of prepared strings

[WasteLand]

"Physical modelling of prepared strings

Preparation is based on mathematical modelling of 3 basic elements; strings which can be configured as bars, a rattle that joins strings together, and a dynamic fret. Each voice contains a pair of strings which are excited with either a customisable pluck, a bow, or side-chained audio. The acoustic model’s properties are tailored by you, generating a range of sounds from unique instruments to experimental soundscapes. Preparation uses our latest research into collision modelling and fast solver techniques."

MPE....

https://physicalaudio.co.uk/products/preparation-2/

!! changed this post to reflect the new version, version 2 !!

[Tj Shredder]

Wow, the sound demos are impressive. Seems to be the next generation of physical modeling…

[wakax]

coupled with a bunch of LFOs, it could go very wild.
a very good companion for their Derailer:) check that too.
I like both a lot.

[fairlyclose]

will demo and see how much variety. I did not find Derailer all that great particularly at that price but preparation seems a little more sonically unique.

[WasteLand]

Wow, the sound demos are impressive. Seems to be the next generation of physical modeling…

they sound indeed very impressive.

coupled with a bunch of LFOs, it could go very wild.
a very good companion for their Derailer:) check that too.
I like both a lot.

will try that! in combi with MPE, the Z isn't used, but i must demo it still, perhaps there is a design reason for it, not to map pressure.

will demo and see how much variety. I did not find Derailer all that great particularly at that price but preparation seems a little more sonically unique.

i don't know Derailer, as i said i will demo it. the variety is the key of course, but it certainly sonically unique. perhaps you can come close with some other synths, perhaps MSoundFactory, but still Preparation has (i will compare it to Generate) a unique generator/source.

the bandwidth/variety of Plasmonic is big, while it seems on the surface the usual suspects, Plasmonic is unique, in the whole workflow.

i reduce them too much, now. but i can say more, after i demo Preparation, Plasmonic i own, as Kaivo (and Kaivo will get more resonators/bodies, or better more capabilities at some point, Sumu is still not yet here).

but glad that there is again a unique synth on the market, wíth MPE. Sumu will come and another unique synth will come, with MPE, but that is not that known..

the bandwidth, i use the term again, of Phyiscal Modelling, but then more experimental, or can be used more experimental; Plasmonic, MSoundFactory, Kaivo, Preparation. i list only the MPE ones.

i will forget one or two or more, that can deliver..

[pdxindy]

will demo and see how much variety. I did not find Derailer all that great particularly at that price but preparation seems a little more sonically unique.

I'm curious about it... the sound demos sound interesting and nicely organic, but not too diverse.

I found Derailer a disappointment.

[cthonophonic]

This is a really fun instrument. It can sound more "natural" than Plasmonic, but is still tweakable enough to get pretty wild. The smaller number of parameters than Derailer make it a little more focused, but I would say that's a good thing.

My main complaint (which goes for Derailer too) is that It has a bafflingly inflexible implementation of MPE, with only 2 semitones of pitch bend range and no choice of what parameters are mapped to any of the MPE dimensions. When its MPE mode is off, velocity is mapped to pluck force (which is perfectly logical) but when it's on, velocity and pressure do *nothing at all*, and pluck force is remapped to the Y-axis CC74 control. The pitch bend range might just reflect a limitation in their modeling (it seems to be present in most modes of Derailer too) but their choice of fixed mapping for other dimensions is very strange and unnatural feeling.

[Tj Shredder]

Did you write them about this? Bend range is one of the most underestimated features in the majority of synths, but its strange for a MPE aware developer. We should ask if they fix those design flaws before the price rises…

[fairlyclose]

Small play with demo and I cannot see the value at the price. I wonder, given the other comments, how much input has come from practising musicians and composers? Both this and Derailer seem to have some interesting spaces they can get to or at least hint they can get to, but not as central to their design. Mostly they produce very conventional sounds that can be achieved easily with more versatile and cheaper systems.
I think they need to extend the parameter ranges quite a bit to make this worthwhile to more people. Even then I cant see me spending more than 50$ US or so on something this limited

[Sampleconstruct]

Sounds interesting...

[filulilu]

My main complaint (which goes for Derailer too) is that It has a bafflingly inflexible implementation of MPE, with only 2 semitones of pitch bend range and no choice of what parameters are mapped to any of the MPE dimensions. When its MPE mode is off, velocity is mapped to pluck force (which is perfectly logical) but when it's on, velocity and pressure do *nothing at all*, and pluck force is remapped to the Y-axis CC74 control. The pitch bend range might just reflect a limitation in their modeling (it seems to be present in most modes of Derailer too) but their choice of fixed mapping for other dimensions is very strange and unnatural feeling.

Also it has no setting for monophonic playing.

[Sampleconstruct]

Sounds interesting...

...but after demoing it, I'll pass.

[WasteLand]

Sounds interesting...

...but after demoing it, I'll pass.

limited? or?

[Sampleconstruct]

Sounds interesting...

...but after demoing it, I'll pass.

limited? or?

Yes, limited and not so pleasing to my eardrums, a one-trick-pony somehow...

[v1md]

I found some of the presets from this video quite interesting actually ...