Absynth 6

[machinesworking]

- is there a setting where i can make a sound to switch immediatedly when i select it ? as is right now i have to press the enter key to make a sound switch.

If you are navigating by your computer’s cursor keys, that’s the way the browser works in 4 and 5, so no surprise it’s the same in 6. I don’t know of any way to override that browser behavior.

If you use a mouse or trackpad instead, a double click loads the patch.

On Mac OS anyway, if you turn off sound Preview, factory patches load instantly with the up/down arrow keys. Disappointingly User Presets do not respond to cursor keys and require a double click to load no matter what. That's a bad idea in every way.

[enCiphered]

Version 6.0.2 is available.

Here’s the full changelog:

Release Notes

Version 6.0.2 (Latest)  2025-12-17

This update improves the organization of user content. Rescanning of user content is needed to benefit from the changes. Select “Rescan Presets” from the file menu on first launch when you use 3rd party or user presets. These presets should not be added to the factory content folder. You can use “Show User Content Folder” in the File menu to find the right location for user content.

ADDED
File Menu item: “Show User Content Folder”

IMPROVED
Patch Insert module, Ringmod/Freq Shift frequency mode menu changed "ST" to "Transpose"

FIXED
Absynth 6 would occasionally freeze loading legacy Absynth presets

FIXED
Bank names for 3rd party and user banks would not appear in the bank list. Rescan of presets is needed after installation

FIXED
Envelope Transform "Expand To Rhythm" could result in stuck notes

FIXED
Update problems with control driven envelopes in the Assignment page. This is now consistent with Absynth 5

FIXED
Assignment page Depth slider now has text display

FIXED
Patch page: all frequency mode menus (Hz, Transpose...), the actual menu could have incorrect font at different UI scale

FIXED
Fractalize Oscillator Detune control could be inactive depending on prior oscillator state

KNOWN ISSUE
In rare cases some older presets may not load correctly. If these are saved in Absynth 5 they will open correctly

KNOWN ISSUE
Presets saved within Absynth will not appear in Komplete Kontrol or Maschine. To see Absynth 6 user presets in Maschine or Komplete Kontrol, they must be saved from these applications

[machinesworking]

Disappointingly User Presets do not respond to cursor keys and require a double click to load no matter what. That's a bad idea in every way.

Seems to have been a bug in the open version of Absynth I was using. User presets change instantly when preview is turned off like factory presets do.

[Funky40]

If you use a mouse or trackpad instead, a double click loads the patch.

ahh, .....yes, Trackpad.

double klick is hard within all the dots in that view. I´ll see.
moving, using cursor keys, to press enter also, is not an issue.
It´s just when my fingers are on the trackpad (which is *directly* behind my piano keys)

Thank You

[synaesthesia]

Glory glory hallelujah! 6.0.2 has fixed my rescan/freeze issue! I can use Absynth 6 at last!

[Calagan]

It's nicely surprising they fix issues so quick.
It's not always what I experienced with NI...

[EvilDragon]

Brian works fast!

[machinesworking]

There is currently an AMA with Brian and Hanna on Absynth on Reddit.
https://www.reddit.com/r/synthesizers/c ... =post_body

[machinesworking]

Jeez why do these threads devolve by default. What if I told you..... you can enjoy both Absynth and Zebra... wait for it... at once! ..... plot twist: you can even enjoy additional synths.

Mentioned it before but pretty much any song I made in the 2010's had both Zebra and Absynth on them, it's great combo, there's not that much overlap really, strange to me people compare them? but it is KVR and people will argue about anything here.

[synaesthesia]

Has anyone been able to add/edit patch properties like author name, bank name and comments? I've made a couple of patches, saved them in the User folder but, haven't been able to fill in this info.

[Shabdahbriah]

Jeez why do these threads devolve by default. What if I told you..... you can enjoy both Absynth and Zebra... wait for it... at once! ..... plot twist: you can even enjoy additional synths.

Mentioned it before but pretty much any song I made in the 2010's had both Zebra and Absynth on them, it's great combo, there's not that much overlap really, strange to me people compare them? but it is KVR and people will argue about anything here.

Some forget... others weren't here (obviously). I too do not see much overlap either, and have always had a general aversion to going along with being limited to using only one thing that someone(s) have stated to be "THE" one thing. As always, use what works FOR YOU, and disregard what is not 'true' for YOU. Simple... Carry on.

[aMUSEd]

Jeez why do these threads devolve by default. What if I told you..... you can enjoy both Absynth and Zebra... wait for it... at once! ..... plot twist: you can even enjoy additional synths.

Mentioned it before but pretty much any song I made in the 2010's had both Zebra and Absynth on them, it's great combo, there's not that much overlap really, strange to me people compare them? but it is KVR and people will argue about anything here.

I do think they have much in common and I think this is why they both attract such a wide range of sound artists including those of a more experimental persuasion. Both really nailed the multi point envelope back when this was pretty new, both have drawable waveforms and additive synthesis - in Absynth this was a major innovation back in the day, but it is Zebra 3 that has taken that to another level. Both also have some similarities in the multi channel / lane approach to being semi modular, both have always supported micro tuning, and both have the ability to create and use libraries of building blocks like MSEGs and OSCs. Both also bring a wide range of sound generation and processors into the mix, both have FM, comb filtering, resonators, Absynth had a form of fractal OSC way before Bazille had them, but here the biggest differences emerge in that Absynth has always (well since v2) included sample and granular based synthesis which Zebra eschews, and Zebra 3 now brings in some physical modelling. Both for me are deep sonic laboratories for synth nerds:)

[Shabdahbriah]

^^^ Well, o.k., there's that.

[aMUSEd]

Has anyone been able to add/edit patch properties like author name, bank name and comments? I've made a couple of patches, saved them in the User folder but, haven't been able to fill in this info.

Just so people know, NI have released an important update to Komplete Kontrol today that adds the ability to edit all metadata for NKS content - so not just editing tags but also bank and sub bank names - and in fact all NKS properties fields that were previously unavailable. So while Absynth 6 definitely needs this addressing (and I think it will be) in the meantime it can at least be done in Komplete Kontrol - and for Massive X too which also lacks user properties editing.

Also the 6.02 update does at least make it possible for Absynth 6 to create bank names based on folder names.

[machinesworking]

I do think they have much in common and I think this is why they both attract such a wide range of sound artists including those of a more experimental persuasion. Both really nailed the multi point envelope back when this was pretty new, both have drawable waveforms and additive synthesis - in Absynth this was a major innovation back in the day, but it is Zebra 3 that has taken that to another level. Both also have some similarities in the multi channel / lane approach to being semi modular, both have always supported micro tuning, and both have the ability to create and use libraries of building blocks like MSEGs and OSCs. Both also bring a wide range of sound generation and processors into the mix, both have FM, comb filtering, resonators, Absynth had a form of fractal OSC way before Bazille had them, but here the biggest differences emerge in that Absynth has always (well since v2) included sample and granular based synthesis which Zebra eschews, and Zebra 3 now brings in some physical modelling. Both for me are deep sonic laboratories for synth nerds:)

Sure, but delays, I mean flatly Zebra has always had vanilla delays, Absynth has always had insane delays, ones that could easily be sold separately and still hold up to this day. Absynth for lack of better descriptive terms has always had simple thin sounding waveforms as opposed to Zebras thick Waldorf style, and Zebra has not spent as much time on wave shapers throughout the signal chain. The ADSR in Zebra is straight until you want it not to be, you could go your whole time using it not addressing them, but Absynth encourages you at every step to.

It's pretty much like comparing a Sequential Circuits to a Moog during the analog 70's, they both were essentially doing the same things in terms of what was available, but the areas that they excelled in were different. Maybe even further away than that, I think Zebra is amazing at bread and butter sounds and complex synthesis whereas Absynth excels at feedback landscapes, and noisier sounds. It makes sense that Absynth has sample capabilities and Zebra is going more towards physical modeling for all of these reasons.

In short, I really do not think the overlap is that great, Abysnth is highly specialized, and Zebra is a workstation level synth. In terms of composition and emotive descriptions I've always thought of Absynth as cold or burning and Zebra as warm. Zebra is IMO more versatile in terms of synthesis, but Absynth knocks it out of the park in the areas it excels at.