Angelina

This is the kind of vsti that I can really get into, for a couple of reasons. Firstly, it produces a sound that I enjoy AND use. Secondly, it is simple and reliable for me to use effectively. Thirdly, it doesn't cost an arm and a leg.

I really like the x-y pad morphing, this is a great feature that probably sold me in the end. The fact that it doesn't do tons of different sounds is appealing to me. I like one-trick ponies, but only if it does the trick in an excellent manner! The less cross-over I get between synths, the better. I'm very picky about the synths I end up buying, and this is one of them.

sluggo

Everyone has certain sounds that they enjoy using. Some find the Mini Moog irresistable. For me it has been voices.

There is something about the voice that is evocative and commanding for leads and pads. At first I used samples of choirs, mellotrons, and synths that had decent synthesized voices. But I could never find a timbre I designed on a DX7 that sounding etherial, synthetic and yet very much like a human voice.

Well, I found a much better implementation of it in Angelina.

The design of Angelina is simple. There are four voices available in two pairs within a patch. You are able to morph between these two voice sets which have a distinct FM like sound, digital, crisp but very, very realistic.

In part this is because of the use of formants, giving the vocal sound a lifelike character. Each pair of formants consist of various ranges of the voice using "a, e, i, o, u" sounds to create a wide range of expressive timbres manipulated by the morph knobs or the Wavestationesque x-y pad. It is easy to design patches that center as a choir and mix out to individual voices.

Controls include Osc 1 and Osc 2 main volume and FM, Osc 2 has a detune control as well. Both oscillators have shape controls. The third oscillator is called Breath and creates a breathing type of sound, from a huff to sounds like exhalinig. Controls include mix and color.

Each envelope is graphically represented on a LCD readout style screen. Envelopes are six points with bezier points to curve segments. Each envelope is graphically editable as well as numerically or by clicking on buttons. Other controls include Granular, a type of slicing effect, Chorus, Reverb and Velocity Mod, enabling you to model most any synthetic choral or vocal timbres that are convincing whether a lead, choir or pad.

Angelina is a great pad machine. From Eno like stark voices to rousing choirs and shapeless angelic soundscapes.

Angelina is a steal at $39. It has many uses especially moody timbres.

A specialty plug that's very well-done. Good positioning, too.

The implementation of the envelope window is one of the best I've seen among VSTis. Extremely usable.

Agree with some other reviews here, I tend to remove the bottom of the tone too. Sometimes I also disable the onboard reverb and replace it with my own, and that also can give the sound an interesting twist.

All in all, a good plug to have.

When I finally could download Angelina I was sold right away. It’s a so called one trick pony, cause it’s made for one purpose: Creating lovely, spacious dreamy pads. If you happen to know the classic album ‘Intrucion Dimension’ from F.U.S.E (Richie Hawtin), you now the sound I mean. Big Tick is very generous by making the demo almost full. The only things disabled are automation and patch saving.

I have searched for this sound for years, but always were stuck with samples. Big Tick made an an unique sounding synth with Angelina, I haven’t heard those sounds in a vsti up to date. The sound is so professional you could trick lots 'o' people by saying it’s a hardware synth (while only listening ofcourse :). That is also because the filter is not your standard low pass, but made out of formants. oooh, aaah, uuuh sounding choirs..(I don't know if I explain it the right way here, but that's how I see this synths structure) With the XY controller you can make very ‘living’ soundscapes.

So much for the sound: I found it absolutley great. But if you don’t like the choir-like basic sound, Angelina is not made for you. If you search for pads, check it out!

The two things on the interface I really like are the envelope and the XY controller. The envelope is easy to control and makes it able to make a long evolving pad. In combination with the XY controller you get massive control over time/sound. And this all in a beautifull interface...

Hmmm negative things? I can’t really think of one. Maybe more presets could be included in the full version.. Also the manual could be more detailed.

I use this in just about every tune lately - somehow it just "fits". I have never had a crash with this VSTi and the interface is straight forward. All-in-all it is a great "airy-pad" generator and, since that's all I really wanted it for, I could not say if there are any other sounds it is able to make.