Two oscillators and two filters. Oscillators can be used in additive, ring mod, FM and sync modes, filters in 12/24db low/high/bp/br mode with interfilter distortion.
Each oscillator can used sine,tri,sqr,saw,noise or 2 user waves. Lots of shaping options for the oscillators, such as feedback (normal or inter-osc), symmetry, rectification, limit boosting, sub-osc.
4 unison oscillators, each can be detuned to created richer sounds, chords etc.
Works in poly,mono and legato modes with 2 portamento modes.
16 slot modulation matrix, all the controls are modulatable with envelopes, lfos, step sequences, midi cc, velocity, note etc.
3 seven stage envelopes, 3 multi-wave LFOs and two 16 step sequences.
You can create your own user waves using 32 partial additive synthesis, hundreds of these waves are included with Rock and you can save your own to disk.
Six effects, delay/chorus, reverb, distortion+amp, compressor, 2 band EQ, low-fi. You can set the order these effects are applied and there is FX feedback so the output of the effect is feed back into the fx path.
Big thick sounds that can get dirty as heck are available here in Rock World. I really like this synth. Complex distorted pads, fat hits, and hoover blasts are really grabbing my attention. Mod matrix is cool, instead of trying to show every possible combo like some do, you just send a source to a destination as desired.
I really wish every synth install was like this: put all files associated with a synth in a single sub-directory of a user-chosen VST directory, period. Seems like expensive synths want to dump stuff all over your file system and small ones tend to clutter your VST directory with unidentifiable junk because they don't create subdirectories. I also love the fact that the start menu items are listed under "Rock" instead of the developer's name. I've wasted too much of my like searching the start menu 'cuz I can't remember the vendor name of a program. Other vendors might think they're getting some kind of brand-awareness by sticking their name on my start menu, but in fact, I'm more likely to give a ConcreteFX demo a try 'cuz I know that they won't clutter my directories and menus. Anyway, Rock sets the Gold standard for installs as far as I'm concerned.
The GUI, though quite simple looking by default, is skinnable and the supplied XT-style skin replaces the dials with vertical faders, which I adore. The PDF docs are good, although they left out the bit about how to change the skin, the info is in the README.TXT. The GUI Layout is a good compromise between availability of the controls and space consumption with the less commonly used stuff on series of pages and the core functions always available for a tweek.
All the standard effects are built in, so it's not surprising that the CPU usage can be high. Unfortunately, the CPU spikes keep me from using Rock in a live setting on my current (very modestly endowed) laptop, but it's perfectly usable in the studio. Maybe next year a new laptop will cure this huge yearning in my heart to unleash this in real time in a real space.Read Review
