Absynth 6

[WolfKay]

Because to some extent Absynth is still modular synth, so exposing individual parameters is problematic as one patch can use totally different modules than other. It is simple to implement for plugins with fixed structure, but not with modular...

This has been solved by many modular synth plugins though.

And this will be resolved by Massive X as well, without a doubt.
Then, let’s not forget that Absynth, Zebra2 or Complex-1, for example, are not truly modular, but semi-modular synths. Which of course takes nothing away from their respective merits — it’s one of their strengths.
Softube’s offering, however, is both fully modular and fully automatable. Granted, you sometimes have to dig a bit to find the parameters, since their names aren’t always clearly tied to the modules they belong to, but solutions do exist.

[KayVeeArt]

Have any owners of 5 come across the situation where 5 was part of the Komplete Classics Bundle from pluginboutique and don't qualify for the update price on either pluginboutique or NI's site? I'm experiencing this.

[FarleyCZ]

I like it, but that sample loading is a no go for me. I need previews and drag&drop from DAW. Once they add that, I'll gladly upgrade.

[enCiphered]

What a lazy excuse that doesn’t hold up. It absolutely shouldn’t be accepted as normal. It’s a design decision, not a forced limitation.
A modular architecture only means that components are connected dynamically. It does not prevent the host from automating parameters.

Reaktor is fully modular, VCV Rack-based plugins, Falcon, Omnisphere they all allow automation of oscillators, filters, envelopes, macros, etc., despite being far more modular than Absynth. If complex modular synths can expose parameters, Absynth absolutely can.

DAW automation only needs parameter IDs, not fixed architecture. Automation in VST/AU doesn’t care how a synth is built internally. All it needs is a unique parameter ID, a value range, a callback to update the synth’s internal state. Modules can exist or not exist, it doesn’t matter. You can simply register the parameter when the module is active and unregister it when it's not. This already exists in many modular/layered synths. Omnisphere lets you right-click any parameter and make it visible to the DAW — it works flawlessly. If that’s ‘too difficult’ for NI’s devs, something is seriously off.
There is no technical limitation here.
Absynth already has fixed, well-defined modules. Its structure looks modular but the building blocks are not fully dynamic like a real modular environment.
You always have Oscillator modules, Filter modules, Envelopes, FX blocks etc. They may be configured differently but they exist in fixed slots. That means their parameters already have predictable identifiers, so exposing them is trivial.

This makes automation exposure easier, not harder and Massive X proves this is a poor, wrong design decision and not a technical limitation. It originally lacked parameter exposure because NI’s internal framework changed. Later updates exposed more parameters proving the architecture was not the real issue.
The macro system shows automation is already wired internally. Absynth 6 exposes macro controls for automation. This means:

The engine already has automation callbacks.
Parameters already respond to external modulation.
The DAW / Synth connection is established.

If macros can automate internal parameters, DAW automation of those same parameters is fully possible.
Macros aren’t magic. They are just UI controllers mapped to internal values. People are not dumb and honestly exhausted by the same excuses being recycled every time.

[Echoes in the Attic]

Reaktor and Kontakt have a slot assign system.

Well, so does Absynth. It just has 16 slots, not 1000.

I guess we've identified the problem then.

[nusound mind]

Have any owners of 5 come across the situation where 5 was part of the Komplete Collection Bundle from pluginboutique and don't qualify for the update price on either pluginboutique or NI's site? I'm experiencing this.

Yes. I experienced exactly this, however when i test it out in the cart I have a 50(cdn) $ discount for reasons unexplained. I have the '3 classics' or whatever it's called from Plugin Boutique, which if I recall included Abysynth, Massive and FM8 as a bundle.

[EnGee]

I'm disappointed in general as it is only a GUI update in its core. Anyway, I might update when 50% discount. I'm not in hurry as I still can work with the 'blurry' magnified Absynth 5 (which has a far nicer futuristic design than all these new soulless GUI).

[perox]

What a lazy excuse that doesn’t hold up. It absolutely shouldn’t be accepted as normal. It’s a design decision, not a forced limitation.
A modular architecture only means that components are connected dynamically. It does not prevent the host from automating parameters.

Reaktor is fully modular, VCV Rack-based plugins, Falcon, Omnisphere they all allow automation of oscillators, filters, envelopes, macros, etc., despite being far more modular than Absynth. If complex modular synths can expose parameters, Absynth absolutely can.

DAW automation only needs parameter IDs, not fixed architecture. Automation in VST/AU doesn’t care how a synth is built internally. All it needs is a unique parameter ID, a value range, a callback to update the synth’s internal state. Modules can exist or not exist, it doesn’t matter. You can simply register the parameter when the module is active and unregister it when it's not. This already exists in many modular/layered synths. Omnisphere lets you right-click any parameter and make it visible to the DAW — it works flawlessly. If that’s ‘too difficult’ for NI’s devs, something is seriously off.
There is no technical limitation here.
Absynth already has fixed, well-defined modules. Its structure looks modular but the building blocks are not fully dynamic like a real modular environment.
You always have Oscillator modules, Filter modules, Envelopes, FX blocks etc. They may be configured differently but they exist in fixed slots. That means their parameters already have predictable identifiers, so exposing them is trivial.

This makes automation exposure easier, not harder and Massive X proves this is a poor, wrong design decision and not a technical limitation. It originally lacked parameter exposure because NI’s internal framework changed. Later updates exposed more parameters proving the architecture was not the real issue.
The macro system shows automation is already wired internally. Absynth 6 exposes macro controls for automation. This means:

The engine already has automation callbacks.
Parameters already respond to external modulation.
The DAW / Synth connection is established.

If macros can automate internal parameters, DAW automation of those same parameters is fully possible.
Macros aren’t magic. They are just UI controllers mapped to internal values. People are not dumb and honestly exhausted by the same excuses being recycled every time.

No, you are wrong. For example in Falcon you have to explicitly assign control to the host slot automation or better create macro, because if you return after some time to your project, maybe the naming will tell you what is actually going on and it works within the patch... Omnisphere gives you some generic naming with postfix numbering...

[enCiphered]

No, you are wrong. For example in Falcon you have to explicitly assign control to the host slot automation or better create macro, because if you return after some time to your project, maybe the naming will tell you what is actually going on... Omnisphere gives you some generic naming with postfix numbering...

You’re actually proving my point.
In Falcon you can assign any parameter to a host automation slot or macro. Same idea in Omnisphere. Whether it’s via macros, host slots, or generic names is just implementation detail.

The issue with Absynth is that we don’t even get that option. Naming conventions are not a valid reason to block parameter exposure entirely. Give us automation first and we’ll deal with how things are labeled.

[KayVeeArt]

Have any owners of 5 come across the situation where 5 was part of the Komplete Collection Bundle from pluginboutique and don't qualify for the update price on either pluginboutique or NI's site? I'm experiencing this.

Yes. I experienced exactly this, however when i test it out in the cart I have a 50(cdn) $ discount for reasons unexplained. I have the '3 classics' or whatever it's called from Plugin Boutique, which if I recall included Abysynth, Massive and FM8 as a bundle.

I had an inexplicable discount too but it wasn't much. I meant to write 'Komplete Classics Bundle.' Hopefully NI customer support will look after us.

[perox]

No, you are wrong. For example in Falcon you have to explicitly assign control to the host slot automation or better create macro, because if you return after some time to your project, maybe the naming will tell you what is actually going on... Omnisphere gives you some generic naming with postfix numbering...

You’re actually proving my point.
In Falcon you can assign any parameter to a host automation slot or macro. Same idea in Omnisphere. Whether it’s via macros, host slots, or generic names is just implementation detail.

The issue with Absynth is that we don’t even get that option. Naming conventions are not a valid reason to block parameter exposure entirely. Give us automation first and we’ll deal with how things are labeled.

Nope in Absynth you have an option to assign individual parameters to macro controls which are visible in daw. Plus some obvious like volume, pan, etc are exposed by default.

[nusound mind]

Have any owners of 5 come across the situation where 5 was part of the Komplete Collection Bundle from pluginboutique and don't qualify for the update price on either pluginboutique or NI's site? I'm experiencing this.

Yes. I experienced exactly this, however when i test it out in the cart I have a 50(cdn) $ discount for reasons unexplained. I have the '3 classics' or whatever it's called from Plugin Boutique, which if I recall included Abysynth, Massive and FM8 as a bundle.

I had an inexplicable discount too but it wasn't much. I meant to write 'Komplete Classics Bundle.' Hopefully NI customer support will look after us.

On the plus side for me, this update rejuvenated my interest in Absynth and I learned to use version 5 in standalone mode and lazily bank mutation presets while I watch my creepy tiktok compilation videos on youtube in a minimized browser window. Prob. not the most musically productive way to do it.

In any case, 5 still works for now. Hopefully they sort us out, otherwise I can wait down the road when it's inevitably on sale for $29.50 or thereabouts.

[machinesworking]

I'm disappointed in general as it is only a GUI update in its core. Anyway, I might update when 50% discount. I'm not in hurry as I still can work with the 'blurry' magnified Absynth 5 (which has a far nicer futuristic design than all these new soulless GUI).

It's not, new filter, new sampled editing capabilities, browser, MPE, poly aftertouch... I'm missing some things here, but this is not just a new GUI, if those things don't interest you, then welcome to the world of upgrades, for me personally a better way to deal with samples was on the list, MPE and a new filter or two were also.

[nusound mind]

@KayVeeArt - I'm already on the first round of support email exchange about it, so I'll let you of know any developments or verdicts. You'd think we'd qualify given we have a license for 5, but who knows.

[WolfKay]

What’s surprising is that many parameters do respond to the Mutate and Randomize functions, so you’d think those same parameters could have been made available for automation.

Those things are completely unrelated.

OK, you’re right on that one.
Well, I think everyone agrees that NI was never going to embark on a full rewrite of Absynth. It’s already an extremely complex synth, so it’s probably unrealistic to expect the kind of deep adjustments that more recent competitors have benefited from the start.
There’s clearly been a lot of work put into this new version, and it can certainly justify investing in the upgrade.
In any case, it’s just great to have an old friend back.