I've always loved the moment when you accidentally stumble into a patch you'd never intentionally create. The problem is it takes forever to get there by hand, and not every synth has a built-in randomize function - and the ones that do usually don't give you much control over it.
So I built Synerator. It's a VST3 that hosts your synths and randomizes their exposed parameters. The key thing for sound design is the control it gives you:
• Set randomization anywhere from 1% to 100% so you can do subtle variations or total chaos
• Target specific parameter categories and lock them - randomize just the filter and modulation while keeping your oscillator intact, for example... simply by right-clicking
• Works with any VST3 synth, so you're not limited to whichever ones happen to have a randomize button
I've been using it to generate starting points I'd never arrive at on my own and then refining from there. It's also been interesting loading presets made in one synth into a completely different synth - the same parameter values map to different controls and you get something totally unexpected.
Would love to hear how other sound designers would use something like this. It's $19 at https://www.scottbrio.com/synerator - Mac and Windows. Video walkthrough on down below if you want to see it in action.
Scott
Anyone else wish they could randomize ANY synth's parameters? I built a plugin that does it.
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- KVRAF
- 20886 posts since 22 Nov, 2000 from Southern California
This looks awesome. Can you add AU loading?
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- KVRer
- Topic Starter
- 11 posts since 10 Jan, 2019
VST3 only for now! AU is on the radar but no timeline yet. I'm working on a MIDI output version for hardware synths next
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- KVRAF
- 2071 posts since 13 Dec, 2016
This is really very useful but one important feature feels missing: the ability to track down a specific parameter in the list.
With many modern synths, the parameter count can easily reach into the hundreds or even thousands. At that scale, manually searching through a long parameter list does not seem possible in Synerator.
It would be even better if the user could simply touch or adjust a control on the hosted synth, and Synerator would automatically detect that last-touched parameter and instantly bring it into focus in the parameter list, ideally highlighted and immediately visible.
That would create a much more fluid workflow. Instead of hunting through a massive list, we could simply interact with the synth directly and have Synerator follow that action in real time.
Also, there is another major issue.
When the loaded plugin exposes its parameters to Synerator, those parameters no longer seem to be available to the DAW. In my case, in Bitwig Studio, the device parameter list is completely empty which breaks any programmed automation entirely.
And it would be highly useful if Synerator’s own Randomizer button were exposed to the DAW as an automatable parameter. That is something I generally wish for in any plugin with randomization features, because it would make it possible to automate the randomization process itself for generative music and sound design workflows.
With many modern synths, the parameter count can easily reach into the hundreds or even thousands. At that scale, manually searching through a long parameter list does not seem possible in Synerator.
It would be even better if the user could simply touch or adjust a control on the hosted synth, and Synerator would automatically detect that last-touched parameter and instantly bring it into focus in the parameter list, ideally highlighted and immediately visible.
That would create a much more fluid workflow. Instead of hunting through a massive list, we could simply interact with the synth directly and have Synerator follow that action in real time.
Also, there is another major issue.
When the loaded plugin exposes its parameters to Synerator, those parameters no longer seem to be available to the DAW. In my case, in Bitwig Studio, the device parameter list is completely empty which breaks any programmed automation entirely.
And it would be highly useful if Synerator’s own Randomizer button were exposed to the DAW as an automatable parameter. That is something I generally wish for in any plugin with randomization features, because it would make it possible to automate the randomization process itself for generative music and sound design workflows.
Its over for Bitwig--CUBASE WON !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
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- KVRAF
- 20886 posts since 22 Nov, 2000 from Southern California
OK, thanks. As soon as you add AU, I'll buy.ScottBrio wrote: Sat Apr 04, 2026 7:48 pm VST3 only for now! AU is on the radar but no timeline yet. I'm working on a MIDI output version for hardware synths next
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- KVRer
- Topic Starter
- 11 posts since 10 Jan, 2019
Thank you, I'm having a ton of fun using it myself and glad it's been so helpful to so many people!
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- KVRian
- 1384 posts since 11 Jun, 2020 from Woop Woop
I agree too.enCiphered wrote: Sat Apr 04, 2026 8:55 pm
It would be even better if the user could simply touch or adjust a control on the hosted synth, and Synerator would automatically detect that last-touched parameter and instantly bring it into focus in the parameter list, ideally highlighted and immediately visible.
That would create a much more fluid workflow. Instead of hunting through a massive list, we could simply interact with the synth directly and have Synerator follow that action in real time.
Until forever fades away.