SCREE SWARM — public beta of a new feedback network 'hive-modelled' synth, looking for ears

[SCREE_AUDIO]

Hi all, I've been building a synthesiser called SCREE SWARM for the past few months and it's ready for outside ears. It's a 49-cell hexagonal feedback network — you populate a hive of cells with module types (oscillators, samplers, filters, granular processors, delays, envelopes, LFOs, sequencers and more), and a dynamic routing matrix called the SWARM shifts the signal paths in real time based on a set of hive-state controls, modelled around real-world hive behaviour. Risk, Waggle Dance, Swarm Density, Smoke, Queen's Frequency, Hive Presence. It's generative, it's live-performance focused, and it's built to be unpredictable in useful ways.

macOS only for now — Universal Binary, so M-series and Intel both covered. Notarised, so it installs and launches without any fuss.

If you're into generative synthesis, feedback systems, or just curious what a synthesiser modelled on a bee colony actually sounds like, I'd love to have you test it.

What I'm looking for:

Stability reports — crashes, audio dropouts, anything breaking
Module behaviour — anything that sounds or acts wrong
Musical feedback — does it feel expressive? Where does it surprise you, where does it frustrate you?

Download and more info: https://github.com/screeapps/SCREE-SWAR ... _Beta1.dmg

Feedback here, via GitHub Issues, or info@sirreal.biz

Thanks in advance

Neil / Sir Real

[VariKusBrainZ]

Just from the description........drool

[vurt]

bees are good, bees are good...

[SCREE_AUDIO]

Just from the description........drool

Let me know how you get on, I think it's definitely got summat going on

[SCREE_AUDIO]

bees are good, bees are good...

I see what you did there

[VariKusBrainZ]

Just from the description........drool

Let me know how you get on, I think it's definitely got summat going on

Im on Windows so will have to watch from the bench with envy

[SCREE_AUDIO]

Just from the description........drool

Let me know how you get on, I think it's definitely got summat going on

Im on Windows so will have to watch from the bench with envy

Dammit, Windows version planned for v1.1 FWIW

[vurt]

same here, windows user, also interested in the concept

[SCREE_AUDIO]

same here, windows user, also interested in the concept

I'll let you know when 'official' release v1.1 appears

[vurt]

awesome thanks.

[Tj Shredder]

This looks very interesting. Is there a plan to do a plugin version? We want to integrate it into a common workflow…

[SCREE_AUDIO]

This looks very interesting. Is there a plan to do a plugin version? We want to integrate it into a common workflow…

There is, and that will likely happen with the first 'official' build, v1.1

However, even as it stands it is fully MIDI and OSC compatible in/out, and so can run comfortably alongside any DAW. It also has a built-in audio recorder, enabling easy capture of any generated material, and a fully functional preset system.

[c0nsilience]

Maybe I am entirely clueless, but I cannot figure out how to get it to make sound. I've loaded a sequencer, sample, filter, and LFO. What am I not doing correctly?

[SCREE_AUDIO]

Maybe I am entirely clueless, but I cannot figure out how to get it to make sound. I've loaded a sequencer, sample, filter, and LFO. What am I not doing correctly?

Thanks for giving it a go! Difficult to say without seeing exactly what's going on, but reading the manual would probably help, my bad for not including it with the GitHub resources, I'll do that now...you can download it here -

https://github.com/user-attachments/fil ... Manual.pdf

But what I'd say is make sure your audio settings are correct (set up output in the audio settings tab at the top of the main window), and then you will need to have a cell loaded in the hive that actually makes a sound on its own - sample cell will do that, but only after you've actually loaded a sample into it (top entry of the file menu). Beyond that, it's just a case of routing stuff and experimenting. Well worth loading presets too and seeing how they work.

Shout again if you still can't work it out after doing that and/or reading the manual

[c0nsilience]

Maybe I am entirely clueless, but I cannot figure out how to get it to make sound. I've loaded a sequencer, sample, filter, and LFO. What am I not doing correctly?

Thanks for giving it a go! Difficult to say without seeing exactly what's going on, but reading the manual would probably help, my bad for not including it with the GitHub resources, I'll do that now...you can download it here -

https://github.com/user-attachments/fil ... Manual.pdf

But what I'd say is make sure your audio settings are correct (set up output in the audio settings tab at the top of the main window), and then you will need to have a cell loaded in the hive that actually makes a sound on its own - sample cell will do that, but only after you've actually loaded a sample into it (top entry of the file menu). Beyond that, it's just a case of routing stuff and experimenting. Well worth loading presets too and seeing how they work.

Shout again if you still can't work it out after doing that and/or reading the manual

Thanks man! I am unable to find any factory samples to dig into. Is it possible they weren't included with the download? The preset folder is empty, fwiw.