Physical Audio Preparation V2 - Physical modelling of prepared strings

[Erisian]

I took the demo for a quick spin and from the presets alone, I am not impressed as far as physical modelling goes although it has a unique SF kind of sound that may be useful for dark ambient pads and effects. I will experiment with the controls and see what I think then.

[databroth]

I understand not everyone seems impressed (tbh kvr seems to be a bit "too good for anything new" sometimes)
but I had a blast with this synth

I think it sounds great, though keep in mind i enjoy horror and creepy sounds, this synth reminds me of playing with weird sheets of metal and letting things scrape and rattle about (if you don't like this synth you won't like my sample pack CONSTRUCT)

it is rather limited and I wish it had more feedback or sustain, but almost every combination of settings creates something new and interesting to listen to, it's a sound designers playground

yeah if you're looking for flutes or cellos or lush pads, not really the place to go
but if you want something unique and expressive that haunts houses, Preparation is a great option

try it out for yourself ofcourse, or watch my stream (I go through almost every combination of controls, yes it is limited, but there's nuance between those settings)

EDIT: Hey everyone, sorry for my comment "tbh kvr seems to be a bit "too good for anything new" sometimes" this was not meant to be targeted at anyone specifically, and I should have phrased it in a nicer manner.

to clarify:

I very regularly see people here on KVR act a bit too high and mighty for any new tools that come to the market

if you personally don't like it that's one thing

I should have worded it a bit differently, wasn't trying to hurt anyone's feelings
I love you all and respect your opinions

it's just sometimes a lot of the synth crowd comes across as elitist and that can be off putting for many new comers

I can't tell you how many times I've had someone express to me that I changed their mind on a synth, they assumed it was really bad or lame because they read loads of comments on sites like this saying the synth wasn't very good

so I still stand by what I said, but I do apologize for it being insulting or hurtful in any way, I want to keep my criticisms constructive

[WasteLand]

when you indeed work with the parameters while playing (with a normal keyboard, MPE seems not that well implemented, design choice, or oversight...), you can get some great sounds.
last night (my timezone, i am in thé zone) i experiment with all different kind of settings, and playing styles.

it is fun, but still limited, but it can be because of the lack of modulation. that can be solved of course, bitwig, live.
with bitwig you can do more with MPE perhaps.

but i had the same experience, as @databroth; minor tweakings, or big tweakings, settings all over the place (using a touchscreen = fast), it delivers.

unique and and expressive that haunts houses; well a lot of synths can do that... or sample treatment...
and the most comments i get, about what i make, that it haunts houses, the synth must deliver something i can't approach, with others, and has a great workflow.

still interested, and must experiment, or explore more.

it has a lot, and it is limited, but the limitations could be less, with better MPE (mapping as you like), and it reacts great to a touchscreen, so....

[Unaspected]

Sounds great to me. Might have to check this out.

[jbraner]

Does anyone know how long the sale lasts for?

[fairlyclose]

Went back for another go and still not hearing it. There's a few nice sounds in there but my early thoughts have not changed all that much. Could do without the databroth insults, no need for that at all.
For me I think they could benefit from consulting string players and looking for parameter extensions into the contemporary performance space. Basically Preparation is way too mild

[databroth]

Went back for another go and still not hearing it. There's a few nice sounds in there but my early thoughts have not changed all that much. Could do without the databroth insults, no need for that at all.
For me I think they could benefit from consulting string players and looking for parameter extensions into the contemporary performance space. Basically Preparation is way too mild

Hey sorry man, it wasn't necessarily targeted towards you
I very regularly see people here on KVR act a bit too high and mighty for any new tools that come to the market

if you personally don't like it that's one thing

I should have worded it a bit differently, wasn't trying to hurt anyone's feelings
I love you all and respect your opinions

it's just sometimes a lot of the synth crowd comes across as elitist and that can be off putting for many new comers

I can't tell you how many times I've had someone express to me that I changed their mind on a synth, they assumed it was really bad or lame because they read loads of comments on sites like this saying the synth wasn't very good

so I still stand by what I said, but I do apologize for it being insulting or hurtful in any way, I want to keep my criticisms constructive, I'll attach this message to the end of that comment to clarify for anyone who comes across it

[fairlyclose]

Went back for another go and still not hearing it. There's a few nice sounds in there but my early thoughts have not changed all that much. Could do without the databroth insults, no need for that at all.
For me I think they could benefit from consulting string players and looking for parameter extensions into the contemporary performance space. Basically Preparation is way too mild

Hey sorry man, it wasn't necessarily targeted towards you
I very regularly see people here on KVR act a bit too high and mighty for any new tools that come to the market

No probs, thanks for responding. I see where you are coming from and that it is a fair enough remark. I actually love your videos, I think they make a genuine contribution

[WasteLand]

i ended up with Preparation & Derailer. how more you work with them, how more you discover the bandwidth of results/sounds.
of course they are focused, but these kind of sounds work for me, for how i make music. and still, they are focused, but the results can so differently, and as a source, you can always treat them, softly...

great instruments.

[WasteLand]

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.

i have spoken with the developer about this, and he is prepared (...) to give it a second look, how to handle a better MPE implementation.

at this moment i get more expression with my 'normal' keyboard (with channel aftertouch) + touchscreen then with MPE.....

[cjwseven7]

There's a summer sale on now. You can get the Preparation or Derailer instruments for $69.

[WasteLand]

There's a summer sale on now. You can get the Preparation or Derailer instruments for $69.

yes indeed! quite cheap now, for great instruments.

[WasteLand]

also the effects are on sale, here, on KVR; or you can buy via the physical audio website, whichever is the lower cost....

they work quite well togetther with Derailer and Preparation, they add more, well sonic vibrations.... the Plate Reverb is quite excellent, also the Spring Reverb. and the combo with the instruments, wel....

[fairlyclose]

I went back and demoed again - I really want to like them but still for me they are not venturing out into uncharted territory enough.

[WasteLand]

I went back and demoed again - I really want to like them but still for me they are not venturing out into uncharted territory enough.

i can get that, for me it look a long time demoing, before buying, no regrets. even if i have also Plasmonic, MSoundFactory, etc. (the usual suspect Physical Modelling synths, not all, me thinks, Kaivo, Friktion..., and yes, yes, Chromaphone 3...).

but still, and it is of course my music my style, i can use them, they 'fall' into my style.

MPE will be improved, i just received a message. which will lead to more expression possibilities.

but with a normal keyboard, the MIDI CC's, and/or a touchscreen, you can get more.

but indeed they are quite specific, uncharted? i guess you are right, but still it has for me at least, enough of an uncharted territory.