Seaweed Audio updates Fathom to v2.23 with Fractal Reverb

Seaweed Audio has updated Fathom to v2.23 with a new Fractal Reverb algorithm that uses pure digital delay without the resonance of comb filters.

The user can select between 16 and 256 reflections with non-linear timing to create complex room acoustics and bright, resonance-free reverb. Separate controls are provided for shape, attack, sustain and release durations, along with time and filter controls for two independent echo channels.

Each of the 256 reflection delays contains its own multi-mode filter. Filter cutoffs are graded so the frequency content attenuates in proportion to distance. A bank of 256 chorus units with distributed oscillating speeds are used to create both subtle and orchestral room acoustics.

A new Solidtrax sound bank has also been added with 30 film score stingers.

All changes in v2.23.0:

• Added new Reverb Fractal effects unit with non-linear reflection algorithm.
• Added new Reverb Echo unit which combines some of the Reverb Pro power with the simplicity of the Reverb Easy unit.
• Added filter frequency controls to the Reverb Easy unit.
• Made numerous improvements and bug fixes to the modulation timing system. These changes are explained in more detail below.
• Improved modulation timing so that envelopes remain aligned to the beat if the host beats per minute is changed manually in real time. Also added a beat alignment check which is executed when the host transport cycles to the start of a loop.
• Fixed a timing bug in the modulation processor. If an envelope modulation amount is modulated by another modulator and the second modulator has a period longer than the first modulator then the calculated buffer must have a length equal to the second modulator. Without this change the modulation would repeat before executing the full period of the second modulator.
• Fixed another timing bug in the modulation processor. This is also a case in which the envelope modulation amount is modulated by another modulator. If the user clicks and drags the host beats per minute the entire modulation system must switch to real-time processing which means it grabs values from the raw envelope function rather than a pre-calculated buffer. The error was caused by the modulation processor attempting to use the buffer from the second modulator rather than the real-time functional value. This led to modulation timing errors when the host beats per minute was changed in real-time. This has now been corrected so that the real-time values from both modulators are used so that the timing remain correct if the host beats per minute is changed while playing.
• Fixed the envelope vertical amplitude snapping so that points can be placed halfway between horizontal grid lines and one quarter of a grid line under the bottom line. This was done to handle the common situation where the user wants the vertical grid to set to a particular value for the entire graph without losing the ability to set the start of the envelope decay to a very low amplitude under the bottom horizontal grid line.
• Fixed the ADSR envelope timing when the detune trigger is set to note instead of free. In trigger mode the start of notes are delayed until the oscillator cycle passes through zero amplitude in order to prevent clicking. In this case envelopes which are triggered by note should also be offset by the exact same amount, otherwise the sharpness at the very start of ADSR attacks can be lost. This seemingly obscure change has a dramatic impact on the sharpness of envelopes for stabs, piano presets and plucked sounds.
• Fixed a clicking bug in the Reverb EZ unit caused by an error in the digital delay buffer wrapping.
• Changed the default wave draw waveform to a slighter richer sounding sawtooth with a Bezier curve that is easier for the user to edit initially.
• Added a full suite of Regression Tests. The tests consist of 25 Ableton projects, including over 250 tracks of Fathom playing an extensive combination of note sequences. These regression tests are now executed every release and improve the quality after feature development each release by drastically increasing test coverage. These tests cover all functional domains especially in the areas of modulation timing and double modulations.