Product Reviews by KVR Members
All reviews by x_bruce
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Odo's A-Pad is a very competent and getting better VSTi. Although stated as a pad synthesizer to my tastes many of the presets are a bit harsh and may fit some styles of music. This sounds bad but it's actually good because A-Pad is a easy to program synth that can make lots of things well. It's good for basses but of course it does pads well.
The timbres available with the feature set are quite useful if you know how to program traditional subtractive synths. If not, this is a nice place to start. The basic sound engine has a hard sound with a metallic quality yet with some attention to A-Pad's filters you can warm it up considerably. There's a demo song I put up from the 1.0 version at http://artistlaunch.com/elektronique called, 'Green Sky After The Storm'. It uses several instances of A-Pad, no outboard effects, just the synth.
There is a 'floaty', 'spacey' sound to A-Pad that makes any timbre style you choose appealing for ambience. While not the absolute best it is good and deserving of your time.
People are often critical of SynthEdit based VST instruments but synths like A-Pad prove you can make good sounds with it.
The interface is attractive and well thought out. If there was documentation I missed or failed to bother reading it. Although useful for different sounds A-Pad is to a degree an intentional one trick pony. As a free synth the only thing lost are a few minutes to download, set up and try it which you should consider if anything in this review sounds appealing to you.
Read ReviewThe timbres available with the feature set are quite useful if you know how to program traditional subtractive synths. If not, this is a nice place to start. The basic sound engine has a hard sound with a metallic quality yet with some attention to A-Pad's filters you can warm it up considerably. There's a demo song I put up from the 1.0 version at http://artistlaunch.com/elektronique called, 'Green Sky After The Storm'. It uses several instances of A-Pad, no outboard effects, just the synth.
There is a 'floaty', 'spacey' sound to A-Pad that makes any timbre style you choose appealing for ambience. While not the absolute best it is good and deserving of your time.
People are often critical of SynthEdit based VST instruments but synths like A-Pad prove you can make good sounds with it.
The interface is attractive and well thought out. If there was documentation I missed or failed to bother reading it. Although useful for different sounds A-Pad is to a degree an intentional one trick pony. As a free synth the only thing lost are a few minutes to download, set up and try it which you should consider if anything in this review sounds appealing to you.
Cameleon 5000
Reviewed By x_bruce [all]
January 27th, 2004
Version reviewed: 1.x on Windows
Camel Audio went all out with Cameleon 5000 in creating their vision of additive synthesis. In this case additive should analyze one shot or multisampled instruments and be able to create an additive version of the sample. The good news is Cameleon 5000 succeeds in marrying analyzed sample data to morphing. In this case we aren't talking of morphing from one distinct sound to another, the morphing that takes place is calculated in the additive domain creating new instruments in the literal sense.
That might take a second to get your head around. What's the big deal? Here's the big deal. Rather than making the sum of two or more samples Cameleon 5000 is computing the structure of the waveforms as they change and creating a literal instrument from these calculations. There is a substantial library of sampled and analyzed samples including around 200 patches with sections available for making your own creations. The quality of the analysis is good though not perfect, nor is that the point to Cameleon 5000. You get impressions of "real" timbres combining and mutating. As a result it's easy to get a singing horn much like one would expect from a modeled synth.
You are able to use up to four instruments although it is often unnecessary to sample more than one. You also are able to program the Harmonics and Noise with the familiar bars used for representing frequency and multi point envelopes for time/pitch relational data. Also included is a flexible modulation matrix with values that can be edited in ranges helping to further refine your work. Two LFOs are included along with two morph envelopes that are multi point as well. By adding points a line can be changed, in the morph's case creating some drastic shifts to subtle crossover effects. In the morphing area is a morph square that enables you to arrange the complete patch in x/y coordinates or refine it further by using morph points for amplitude, harmonics and noise. More complexity but easily accomplished thanks to CA5000's highly functional interface.
Included is an easy mode for timbre, LFO, amplitude envelope and output. It should be mentioned that there is also a nicely functional randomizer on several pages including the Morph, Easy, and Effects pages, speaking of which you will find, distortion, multi- filter, chorus, stereo delay and reverb. The quality of the effects are excellent across the board, and of course, there is a multi-point formant filter to be found as well.
The Cameleon works well with pads, evolving soundscapes, swirling leads and deep basses. Use of your own samples is a pleasure. I tend to take short phrases or soundscapes (drum beats don't analyze well) and work on the subtle shades and overtones that make additive synthesis and Cameleon CA5000 so powerful. At times the sound is like recycled samples yet there is so much more that is available and in a friendly interface. Don't be fooled though, you will need to read the manual.
Highly recommended.
Read ReviewThat might take a second to get your head around. What's the big deal? Here's the big deal. Rather than making the sum of two or more samples Cameleon 5000 is computing the structure of the waveforms as they change and creating a literal instrument from these calculations. There is a substantial library of sampled and analyzed samples including around 200 patches with sections available for making your own creations. The quality of the analysis is good though not perfect, nor is that the point to Cameleon 5000. You get impressions of "real" timbres combining and mutating. As a result it's easy to get a singing horn much like one would expect from a modeled synth.
You are able to use up to four instruments although it is often unnecessary to sample more than one. You also are able to program the Harmonics and Noise with the familiar bars used for representing frequency and multi point envelopes for time/pitch relational data. Also included is a flexible modulation matrix with values that can be edited in ranges helping to further refine your work. Two LFOs are included along with two morph envelopes that are multi point as well. By adding points a line can be changed, in the morph's case creating some drastic shifts to subtle crossover effects. In the morphing area is a morph square that enables you to arrange the complete patch in x/y coordinates or refine it further by using morph points for amplitude, harmonics and noise. More complexity but easily accomplished thanks to CA5000's highly functional interface.
Included is an easy mode for timbre, LFO, amplitude envelope and output. It should be mentioned that there is also a nicely functional randomizer on several pages including the Morph, Easy, and Effects pages, speaking of which you will find, distortion, multi- filter, chorus, stereo delay and reverb. The quality of the effects are excellent across the board, and of course, there is a multi-point formant filter to be found as well.
The Cameleon works well with pads, evolving soundscapes, swirling leads and deep basses. Use of your own samples is a pleasure. I tend to take short phrases or soundscapes (drum beats don't analyze well) and work on the subtle shades and overtones that make additive synthesis and Cameleon CA5000 so powerful. At times the sound is like recycled samples yet there is so much more that is available and in a friendly interface. Don't be fooled though, you will need to read the manual.
Highly recommended.
Adder is another excellent VSTi from ConcreteFX. As many others have
ConcreteFX have tested the waters of additive synthesis with their
contribution, Adder. First, Adder follows in it's siblings footsteps with
a
clean, two dimensional interface. Sections of the synthesizer are clearly
marked and easy to learn quickly.
The sound engine for Adder consists of four possible places to load
data or analyzed sample data. With adder it's bet to keep the samples
mono and short. You want to look for what makes the sound and upload
it for conversion to additive format. This section allows you to phase,
several frequency modulation controls, additive and sample effects like
reverse. You don't need to use samples, in fact, on the opening screen
there are several traditional (for additve) settings such as vocal,
analog,
bells, and other pre-built waveforms to plug into a sound. In use they
are excellent ways of working without converted samples to create rich
sounding timbres.
An area that may be of debate and confusion regarding Adder is its
designer's choice to us 32 waveforms rather than the typical 128 or
more found in other additive synths. There is a reason however. Rather
than set up higher numbers of waveforms ConcreteFX has chosen to let
samples or internal preset waveforms have dramatic effect as you
manipulate the frequency ranges within Adder. It's very powerful and
can, as additive is so capable of doing, rip apart an semblance of the
original timbre, creating EBM style sounds all the way to soothing
ambient timbres. Leads and basses are strong as well although the
overall sound of Adder is a bit more digital than some of it's
competitors. As with this new breed of additive synths, Adder is it's own
idea, using additive theory in several ways and because of this
sounding and behaving differently than other additive synths to date.
There are enormous programming possibilities with eight LFOs, eight
variable step sequencers, a mod matrix, FM matrix, the previously
mentioned sample area where converted samples become additive
building blocks for timbres. There's also delay and modulation effects, a
slick randomizing section - you can go from subtile to wild and that's
just one section. You also have a section of the interface that allows for
two multi-filters with cutoff Q and and distortion on filter 1 and cutoff,
Q,
distortion and ring modulation on filter 2.
Above these controls are tuning and additional controls for filters and
other timbre shaping.
Wave manipulation is in the upper left site and controls individual
volume, harmonic, semitone, volume, pitch, wave response and filters,
all that can be graphically set up. In effect you have 32 oscillators to
work with, each harmoncially different to start with and capable of
having substantial synthesis applied to each group.
ConcreteFX took a promising additive system in Ethereal and unleased
a new way of thinking additive.
Highly recommended.
Read ReviewConcreteFX have tested the waters of additive synthesis with their
contribution, Adder. First, Adder follows in it's siblings footsteps with
a
clean, two dimensional interface. Sections of the synthesizer are clearly
marked and easy to learn quickly.
The sound engine for Adder consists of four possible places to load
data or analyzed sample data. With adder it's bet to keep the samples
mono and short. You want to look for what makes the sound and upload
it for conversion to additive format. This section allows you to phase,
several frequency modulation controls, additive and sample effects like
reverse. You don't need to use samples, in fact, on the opening screen
there are several traditional (for additve) settings such as vocal,
analog,
bells, and other pre-built waveforms to plug into a sound. In use they
are excellent ways of working without converted samples to create rich
sounding timbres.
An area that may be of debate and confusion regarding Adder is its
designer's choice to us 32 waveforms rather than the typical 128 or
more found in other additive synths. There is a reason however. Rather
than set up higher numbers of waveforms ConcreteFX has chosen to let
samples or internal preset waveforms have dramatic effect as you
manipulate the frequency ranges within Adder. It's very powerful and
can, as additive is so capable of doing, rip apart an semblance of the
original timbre, creating EBM style sounds all the way to soothing
ambient timbres. Leads and basses are strong as well although the
overall sound of Adder is a bit more digital than some of it's
competitors. As with this new breed of additive synths, Adder is it's own
idea, using additive theory in several ways and because of this
sounding and behaving differently than other additive synths to date.
There are enormous programming possibilities with eight LFOs, eight
variable step sequencers, a mod matrix, FM matrix, the previously
mentioned sample area where converted samples become additive
building blocks for timbres. There's also delay and modulation effects, a
slick randomizing section - you can go from subtile to wild and that's
just one section. You also have a section of the interface that allows for
two multi-filters with cutoff Q and and distortion on filter 1 and cutoff,
Q,
distortion and ring modulation on filter 2.
Above these controls are tuning and additional controls for filters and
other timbre shaping.
Wave manipulation is in the upper left site and controls individual
volume, harmonic, semitone, volume, pitch, wave response and filters,
all that can be graphically set up. In effect you have 32 oscillators to
work with, each harmoncially different to start with and capable of
having substantial synthesis applied to each group.
ConcreteFX took a promising additive system in Ethereal and unleased
a new way of thinking additive.
Highly recommended.
WNAdditive
Reviewed By x_bruce [all]
January 26th, 2004
Version reviewed: 1.2 on Windows
2003 has been a good year for additive synthesizers. Include WhiteNoiseAdditive to the list. Taking a page out of programs like the Mac only Metasynth and PC only Coagula which enable sound to be structured through the use of drawing and reading of bitmaps WhiteNoise come through with a new and interesting interface for sound creation with a real-time graphic to sound interpreter. Unlike many programs that attempt this, Additive does a fine job of implementing the interface.
What it basically means is drawing with a toolkit and import of bitmaps that generate sound, formant filter and spectrum information. Ok, so it's a fancy program with a lot of graphical input, but how does it sound?
We're not supposed to say but it rocks. The methods used to paint your timbre allow for organic voices, organs, analog style synths and noise/industrial squelches that will find you playing with Additive for the fun of squeezing out sounds that are at once familiar yet a bit on the weird and wild side.
There are two oscillators that work this way, an x/y pad that does a good job of vector emulation, a sensible spread of effects, mostly modulation based and time based. There are also compression and distortion available as well. Also included, two LFOs, a nice little modulation matrix. And beyond the visual controls for each oscillator a general section including frequency modulation, ring modulation, pan and volume. Also cool are the adjustments you can make within each picture to sweep or change timbre in real time.
WMAdditive may sound difficult but it's easy as there are a large number of visual sections useable for the oscillator/formant/spectrum/noise generators. A large number of changes can be made using just these controls, yet like any other great synth, there is more and most important, there is variety. Although not sample based as several other additives are WNAdditive delivers sonically for PWM, microWave, and evolving timbres and does so with a minimum of screen space to boot.
This is one side of additive, more are available and they have their own charms, but in terms of overall fun and useful sounds WNAdditive is a bargain and fairly light on CPU. Customer service is excellent and responsive to requests.
One area I'd like to see change are in the numeric controls. If you are at 24 steps (2 octaves) above the base frequency there is no way other than to click 24 times. A better way to do it would have been scrolling on the control and/or clicking on the readout and entering data.
These are minor functional quibbles. Additive is the big story for new technology synths and looks to have a brighter future in 2004.
Highly recommended.
Read ReviewWhat it basically means is drawing with a toolkit and import of bitmaps that generate sound, formant filter and spectrum information. Ok, so it's a fancy program with a lot of graphical input, but how does it sound?
We're not supposed to say but it rocks. The methods used to paint your timbre allow for organic voices, organs, analog style synths and noise/industrial squelches that will find you playing with Additive for the fun of squeezing out sounds that are at once familiar yet a bit on the weird and wild side.
There are two oscillators that work this way, an x/y pad that does a good job of vector emulation, a sensible spread of effects, mostly modulation based and time based. There are also compression and distortion available as well. Also included, two LFOs, a nice little modulation matrix. And beyond the visual controls for each oscillator a general section including frequency modulation, ring modulation, pan and volume. Also cool are the adjustments you can make within each picture to sweep or change timbre in real time.
WMAdditive may sound difficult but it's easy as there are a large number of visual sections useable for the oscillator/formant/spectrum/noise generators. A large number of changes can be made using just these controls, yet like any other great synth, there is more and most important, there is variety. Although not sample based as several other additives are WNAdditive delivers sonically for PWM, microWave, and evolving timbres and does so with a minimum of screen space to boot.
This is one side of additive, more are available and they have their own charms, but in terms of overall fun and useful sounds WNAdditive is a bargain and fairly light on CPU. Customer service is excellent and responsive to requests.
One area I'd like to see change are in the numeric controls. If you are at 24 steps (2 octaves) above the base frequency there is no way other than to click 24 times. A better way to do it would have been scrolling on the control and/or clicking on the readout and entering data.
These are minor functional quibbles. Additive is the big story for new technology synths and looks to have a brighter future in 2004.
Highly recommended.
For disclosure purposes, I was a beta tester for CUBE.
Having gotten that out of the way I must say CUBE is everything I had hoped for and a few things beyond what I expected.
CUBE is based on additive synthesis. There are a number of segments that additive oscillators can be edited with. The method of editing most intuitive is graphically. Draw the envelope that comprises the additive frequencies that make up an oscillator. Change a few around, it is easy to hear the change in timbre. Consider that you have envelope control as is typical of any synthesizer but that you also have the ability to have up to 512 LFO's that can modulate one another using the "ensemble" control. There is also noise and filter controls. And that's one of four available sound sources.
Beyond multilayering or zones you are able to manipulate sound using what VirSyn call "spectral morphing". Here you create envelopes that are multisegmented. On the main view screen you see them drawn. They can be manipulated by traditonal controls or by mousing on various segments of a line. The effect ranges from subtle to impossible to describe crossfades of sound sources, filter behavior and other simple things such as pan. Best of all, you can play around and see just how easy it is to make sounds.
Speaking of the main view screen, CUBE itself is one screen, you go to the main screen view to change each sound sources editing properties. These include partials (the sound source), attack, decay, pan, filter and noise; all graphically.
On the main screen there are also a setup and effects buttons that take you to the main view screen. Below that interface section you will find the envelope areas which is also hand drawn, similar to Absynth, z3ta, Rhino and Crystal. You can set up morphs in the 'x' and 'y' axis' along with additonal editing features in use. There is a randomize function and highly functional arpeggiator.
CUBE has 8 channels of polyphony. CUBE is a large scale and processor intensive synth although for what it does it is fairly light and the sounds you get are so substantial you won't be playing slabs of chords although CUBE can certainly provide the ability for simple sounds to do so.
It is the cleanest, most impressive sounding software synth to date. It's timbres go beyond describing other than to say if you liked the Kawai K5000 you will probably love CUBE. The bells, percussive, sweeping, resonating, modulating pads and more percussive sounds are exceptional, and you get 300 out of the box to play around with and tweak to your heart's content.
This is a digital synth and sounds like just about the most perfect one you will hear. It is more flexible than FM and far more intuitive. CUBE is an extrodinary pad synth with striking leads, syncopated percussive grooves and morphing that beats the Wavestation.
It is not the ultimate in analog but it does a fine emulation.
Highly recommended. CUBE is now the VSTi quality standard.
Read ReviewHaving gotten that out of the way I must say CUBE is everything I had hoped for and a few things beyond what I expected.
CUBE is based on additive synthesis. There are a number of segments that additive oscillators can be edited with. The method of editing most intuitive is graphically. Draw the envelope that comprises the additive frequencies that make up an oscillator. Change a few around, it is easy to hear the change in timbre. Consider that you have envelope control as is typical of any synthesizer but that you also have the ability to have up to 512 LFO's that can modulate one another using the "ensemble" control. There is also noise and filter controls. And that's one of four available sound sources.
Beyond multilayering or zones you are able to manipulate sound using what VirSyn call "spectral morphing". Here you create envelopes that are multisegmented. On the main view screen you see them drawn. They can be manipulated by traditonal controls or by mousing on various segments of a line. The effect ranges from subtle to impossible to describe crossfades of sound sources, filter behavior and other simple things such as pan. Best of all, you can play around and see just how easy it is to make sounds.
Speaking of the main view screen, CUBE itself is one screen, you go to the main screen view to change each sound sources editing properties. These include partials (the sound source), attack, decay, pan, filter and noise; all graphically.
On the main screen there are also a setup and effects buttons that take you to the main view screen. Below that interface section you will find the envelope areas which is also hand drawn, similar to Absynth, z3ta, Rhino and Crystal. You can set up morphs in the 'x' and 'y' axis' along with additonal editing features in use. There is a randomize function and highly functional arpeggiator.
CUBE has 8 channels of polyphony. CUBE is a large scale and processor intensive synth although for what it does it is fairly light and the sounds you get are so substantial you won't be playing slabs of chords although CUBE can certainly provide the ability for simple sounds to do so.
It is the cleanest, most impressive sounding software synth to date. It's timbres go beyond describing other than to say if you liked the Kawai K5000 you will probably love CUBE. The bells, percussive, sweeping, resonating, modulating pads and more percussive sounds are exceptional, and you get 300 out of the box to play around with and tweak to your heart's content.
This is a digital synth and sounds like just about the most perfect one you will hear. It is more flexible than FM and far more intuitive. CUBE is an extrodinary pad synth with striking leads, syncopated percussive grooves and morphing that beats the Wavestation.
It is not the ultimate in analog but it does a fine emulation.
Highly recommended. CUBE is now the VSTi quality standard.
Make no mistake, FM7 is a great plugin and when it first came out it was beyond anything in this type of sound really available. For DX-7 emulation and enhancement you won't find anything better. But almost two years after release independent developers like Big Tick and it's excellent Rhino, fellow NI Absynth, almost ready to be released at 2.0 and to a degree rgc:audio's z3ta+ all cover a similar range with Rhino and z3ta+ and the VirSyn CUBE on the horizon being more flexible in their own sonic signatures.
But that is the issue to consider. Do you want a DX-7 that is super-sized with filters, effects and a modulation matrix that really allows for some outstanding timbres or do you want a synth that works differently but achieves similar timbres? That is the central question to ask about FM7.
The manual will not teach you how to program FM synthesis, and this is the real deal, not a analog subtractive emulation as many FM implementations attempt to use. To seriously program you will need to study. To convert DX-7 patches and mess with them FM7 will rock, but it is something to consider especially when looking at the price.
I like FM7 and some of the timbres that are included are exceptional although one wonders why NI couldn't have included more banks of DX-7 freeware and spent more time exploiting the synthesizer they unleased. And it is important to take a historical consideration to FM7 because it was one of the first new breed VST instruments, one that was able to emulate and beat the hardware hands down.
So, I appreciate what FM7 can do although it's time for a new version, maybe one with a step sequencer, formant filters or a similar design to Yamaha's FS1r which had incredible potential and a horrible interface. It would also be good if NI took a look at the SY77/99 as sample import and/or interpolation would make FM7 2.0 a top of the list synth.
As FM7 stands it is pricey but worth having if you like FM synthesis. Being able to work exactly like you did on a hardware synth only with a vastly better interface may be priceless to the right user.
Casual users spend time with the demo and see if you are happy with the programming options. There is a simplified mode but you get simplified results from it.
Considering other 2 year old synths FM7 has aged well, but it 'has' aged. At the $69 deal it's a no brainer purchase. At it's normal price you will need to give some serious consideration.
Recommended.
Read ReviewBut that is the issue to consider. Do you want a DX-7 that is super-sized with filters, effects and a modulation matrix that really allows for some outstanding timbres or do you want a synth that works differently but achieves similar timbres? That is the central question to ask about FM7.
The manual will not teach you how to program FM synthesis, and this is the real deal, not a analog subtractive emulation as many FM implementations attempt to use. To seriously program you will need to study. To convert DX-7 patches and mess with them FM7 will rock, but it is something to consider especially when looking at the price.
I like FM7 and some of the timbres that are included are exceptional although one wonders why NI couldn't have included more banks of DX-7 freeware and spent more time exploiting the synthesizer they unleased. And it is important to take a historical consideration to FM7 because it was one of the first new breed VST instruments, one that was able to emulate and beat the hardware hands down.
So, I appreciate what FM7 can do although it's time for a new version, maybe one with a step sequencer, formant filters or a similar design to Yamaha's FS1r which had incredible potential and a horrible interface. It would also be good if NI took a look at the SY77/99 as sample import and/or interpolation would make FM7 2.0 a top of the list synth.
As FM7 stands it is pricey but worth having if you like FM synthesis. Being able to work exactly like you did on a hardware synth only with a vastly better interface may be priceless to the right user.
Casual users spend time with the demo and see if you are happy with the programming options. There is a simplified mode but you get simplified results from it.
Considering other 2 year old synths FM7 has aged well, but it 'has' aged. At the $69 deal it's a no brainer purchase. At it's normal price you will need to give some serious consideration.
Recommended.
I was not a fan of the original AnaMark synth, it worked well but wasn't my cup of tea. However after a recent thread about version 2.11 I decided it was time to try it again and am I ever glad I did. :)
While still a bit harder sounding than my tastes it is easy to warm the sound up with the filters. Beyond that the programming choices are updated with bezier curve user adjustable multi-point envelopes. It is worth mentioning that AnaMark II uses a unique (for synthesizers) implementation of bezier curve adjustment with the curve handles similar to a drawing package. It's a nice touch and very sensible.
There are 53 oscillator waves to work with ranging from the typical sine, saw and triangle and getting more complex along the way. Each oscillator can contain 2 waveforms which can be balanced to taste. There are three oscillators in all with graphic envelopes for filter, filter modulation, a combiner which works similarly to a control matrix, 19 effects of the delay, modulation, crossfading and stereo variations.
The synth uses a modest amount of screen space with 8 pages of controls divided into logical groupings.
The filters deserve special mention, there are seven different ones sorted by visual representation of the waveform. They are quite different from older versions of AnaMark.
All this control enables a wide variety of timbres. Because of the flexible envelopes and combiner lush pads and evolving soundscapes are easy to program. The effects sound very good and add to the overall character of AnaMark II but like any good synth they are not necessary to get great sounds.
AnaMark II doesn't get the publicity some other synths do but it should. At it's price point it stands alone and is closer to a traditional synth interface compared to synths that do similar things.
The most reasonably priced complex synth available, AnaMark II holds it's own regardless of price. The presets are a good representation of it's sound too.
Read ReviewWhile still a bit harder sounding than my tastes it is easy to warm the sound up with the filters. Beyond that the programming choices are updated with bezier curve user adjustable multi-point envelopes. It is worth mentioning that AnaMark II uses a unique (for synthesizers) implementation of bezier curve adjustment with the curve handles similar to a drawing package. It's a nice touch and very sensible.
There are 53 oscillator waves to work with ranging from the typical sine, saw and triangle and getting more complex along the way. Each oscillator can contain 2 waveforms which can be balanced to taste. There are three oscillators in all with graphic envelopes for filter, filter modulation, a combiner which works similarly to a control matrix, 19 effects of the delay, modulation, crossfading and stereo variations.
The synth uses a modest amount of screen space with 8 pages of controls divided into logical groupings.
The filters deserve special mention, there are seven different ones sorted by visual representation of the waveform. They are quite different from older versions of AnaMark.
All this control enables a wide variety of timbres. Because of the flexible envelopes and combiner lush pads and evolving soundscapes are easy to program. The effects sound very good and add to the overall character of AnaMark II but like any good synth they are not necessary to get great sounds.
AnaMark II doesn't get the publicity some other synths do but it should. At it's price point it stands alone and is closer to a traditional synth interface compared to synths that do similar things.
The most reasonably priced complex synth available, AnaMark II holds it's own regardless of price. The presets are a good representation of it's sound too.
Free Alpha
Reviewed By x_bruce [all]
March 22nd, 2003
Version reviewed: 2.x on Windows
The freeAlpha is one of my favorite Juno/80's sounding synths. The feature set is actually substantially better than the Juno but it has a warm character that fits well in literally any type of timbre.
In particular synth strings, basses, synth swells and synth pianos are easy to program and have a certain 'rightness' to them. You have nothing to lose trying freeAlpha, it's free and a small download.
Although far from being a programming monster freeAlpha is fairly simple which is in it's favor. In a cluttered arena of analog-like synths and one synth does everything freeAlpha is refreshingly direct and highly effective for the style of sounds it was developed to create.
High marks because I turn to this over shareware and commercial synths.
Read ReviewIn particular synth strings, basses, synth swells and synth pianos are easy to program and have a certain 'rightness' to them. You have nothing to lose trying freeAlpha, it's free and a small download.
Although far from being a programming monster freeAlpha is fairly simple which is in it's favor. In a cluttered arena of analog-like synths and one synth does everything freeAlpha is refreshingly direct and highly effective for the style of sounds it was developed to create.
High marks because I turn to this over shareware and commercial synths.
This is an update and adds to the comments below.
Rhino is now at 2.0 and has seen several improvements ask for by users; are you listening Steinberg? Key words here, update, new features, improved, listened to customers.
As a user I care about these things and can't imagine anyone spending a reasonable amount of money not caring.
Changes: a user database that lets you search for patches and describes them by a three letter prefix. Would that all synths do this or Albino's bank system that tells you what to expect when you load patches in it. Either way is good, as long as more developers offer this. Since Rhino now has a lot of patches available it is important as Rhino 2 is a large-scale synth that has tons of possible timbres to be made from it.
Rhino 2 has been optimized and is easier on the CPU, everyone likes better CPU useage. It's like asking if you like mom and dad; most people sure do after their teens.
The base patch library is larger. When Rhino debuted it was what some considered a difficult to learn synth with not many patches. Anyone purchasing Rhino 2 can't make that complaint. Not only that but Daniel Maurer and the developer have gotten better with their understanding of this great synth.
It is possible to import sampled waveforms in Rhino 2. Previously you had to have a developer's kit and it wasn't as easy as this version's importing. How important is this? You can convert most timbres and then work with them in Rhino's sound engine (very good) and create some timbres Rhino wasn't as adept at before (fantastic!)
The look and feel has changed for the better and is easier to navigate around. The actual sound quality has improved. Before it was difficult to keep sounds quiet, now the opposite has happened to the point where a volume increase update is available to those who feel it necessary.
Verdict? The great synth got better. More along the lines of non-sexy updates that deal with function and quality rather than lots of new features, Rhino just got better sounding and more stable.
Sytrus users; have a look at how that synth is designed and think a bit before getting upset when I say there is more than a bit of influence is Sytrus' design. It goes about trying to be an analog sounding synth on the outside to a digital (more FM based than Rhino) on the inside.
These things happen and I'm not saying anything bad about Sytrus, it too is an excellent synth, but give the one that influenced it a try as well. Rhino 2 has it's own sound which is something to love about it. It's never going to be a DX-7 but will always give a great impression of the sysex it can import. There is a natural warmth to Rhino that started at 1.8 and is now beautifully paired with the otherwise digital nature of the synth's engine. This is on my desert island list with TERA, CUBE, Albino 2, Absynth and some spaces left empty because of all the great new synths made.
Sound banks are available from Daniel. They are stellar, check them out.
NOTE: I was a beta tester for Rhino.
Rhino is a synthesizer that has a wide diversity of sonic capabilities. With use of FM, AM and subtractive synthesis along with interpolated, proprietary sample based waveforms along with a waveshaper there is a lot of variety the user has at their disposal.
Rhino features six oscillators, two filters and a constantly available modulation matrix. It is fixed but allows for some interesting capabilities not available in other synths. You can mix timbres per oscillators or have them effect one another. The filters include low pass, hi pass and band pass, the filters have their own envelops as well.
Envelopes are multi-point with user defined breakpoints. This is particularly nice if one wants to create expressive pads.
There are several effects including choruses, reverbs, delays, and a few killers like the octaverb and quad phase. The octaverb is a combination of reverb and pitch control that can make a couple of simple, bland waveforms sound great. Most important, Rhino sounds good without effects too.
The 16 step sequencer is graphical which make it easy to create rhythmic patterns and movement style sounds.
The sound character of Rhino is warm yet digital. It's the kind of thing potential users will need to try.
One area some might be intimidated by is the interface. There are a lot of controls and perhaps some synthesis features people are unfamiliar with. The good news is this interface is very intuitive and well described in the manual. Also of importance are the 64 presets which cover a good range of timbres. If you like very strange sounds this is your synth although the presets are along the more restrained side.
The only downside is the 64 patch bank. It's not a big problem but you should expect to be programming Rhino. As of now it is not a preset machine. The upside, programming is rewarding and dramatically simple with a small learning curve.
One of the top synths available.
Read ReviewRhino is now at 2.0 and has seen several improvements ask for by users; are you listening Steinberg? Key words here, update, new features, improved, listened to customers.
As a user I care about these things and can't imagine anyone spending a reasonable amount of money not caring.
Changes: a user database that lets you search for patches and describes them by a three letter prefix. Would that all synths do this or Albino's bank system that tells you what to expect when you load patches in it. Either way is good, as long as more developers offer this. Since Rhino now has a lot of patches available it is important as Rhino 2 is a large-scale synth that has tons of possible timbres to be made from it.
Rhino 2 has been optimized and is easier on the CPU, everyone likes better CPU useage. It's like asking if you like mom and dad; most people sure do after their teens.
The base patch library is larger. When Rhino debuted it was what some considered a difficult to learn synth with not many patches. Anyone purchasing Rhino 2 can't make that complaint. Not only that but Daniel Maurer and the developer have gotten better with their understanding of this great synth.
It is possible to import sampled waveforms in Rhino 2. Previously you had to have a developer's kit and it wasn't as easy as this version's importing. How important is this? You can convert most timbres and then work with them in Rhino's sound engine (very good) and create some timbres Rhino wasn't as adept at before (fantastic!)
The look and feel has changed for the better and is easier to navigate around. The actual sound quality has improved. Before it was difficult to keep sounds quiet, now the opposite has happened to the point where a volume increase update is available to those who feel it necessary.
Verdict? The great synth got better. More along the lines of non-sexy updates that deal with function and quality rather than lots of new features, Rhino just got better sounding and more stable.
Sytrus users; have a look at how that synth is designed and think a bit before getting upset when I say there is more than a bit of influence is Sytrus' design. It goes about trying to be an analog sounding synth on the outside to a digital (more FM based than Rhino) on the inside.
These things happen and I'm not saying anything bad about Sytrus, it too is an excellent synth, but give the one that influenced it a try as well. Rhino 2 has it's own sound which is something to love about it. It's never going to be a DX-7 but will always give a great impression of the sysex it can import. There is a natural warmth to Rhino that started at 1.8 and is now beautifully paired with the otherwise digital nature of the synth's engine. This is on my desert island list with TERA, CUBE, Albino 2, Absynth and some spaces left empty because of all the great new synths made.
Sound banks are available from Daniel. They are stellar, check them out.
NOTE: I was a beta tester for Rhino.
Rhino is a synthesizer that has a wide diversity of sonic capabilities. With use of FM, AM and subtractive synthesis along with interpolated, proprietary sample based waveforms along with a waveshaper there is a lot of variety the user has at their disposal.
Rhino features six oscillators, two filters and a constantly available modulation matrix. It is fixed but allows for some interesting capabilities not available in other synths. You can mix timbres per oscillators or have them effect one another. The filters include low pass, hi pass and band pass, the filters have their own envelops as well.
Envelopes are multi-point with user defined breakpoints. This is particularly nice if one wants to create expressive pads.
There are several effects including choruses, reverbs, delays, and a few killers like the octaverb and quad phase. The octaverb is a combination of reverb and pitch control that can make a couple of simple, bland waveforms sound great. Most important, Rhino sounds good without effects too.
The 16 step sequencer is graphical which make it easy to create rhythmic patterns and movement style sounds.
The sound character of Rhino is warm yet digital. It's the kind of thing potential users will need to try.
One area some might be intimidated by is the interface. There are a lot of controls and perhaps some synthesis features people are unfamiliar with. The good news is this interface is very intuitive and well described in the manual. Also of importance are the 64 presets which cover a good range of timbres. If you like very strange sounds this is your synth although the presets are along the more restrained side.
The only downside is the 64 patch bank. It's not a big problem but you should expect to be programming Rhino. As of now it is not a preset machine. The upside, programming is rewarding and dramatically simple with a small learning curve.
One of the top synths available.
DR-008 is the most flexible drum synth/sample playback instrument currently available. If you looked at the features you will see several drum synthesis modules, several pattern and fill creation tools and a rock solid performer as a VSTi.
Most everything has been said about DR-008 so I won't add too much more other than mentioning the smart idea to make a development kit available for people to create new modules for DR-008. This extends the use and purpose of this VSTi. Using something like the 3rd party Slicy Drummer module with DR-008 and you have a formidible rhythm section.
It is nice to see pattern sequencing in a drum VSTi. In fact, it's the biggest negative I have towards DR-008's competitors. It is especially nice to be able to set up a kit set up your drum rhythms and assign to a midi note. In effect you can get as simple or complex as you want and with tools for creating fills and shifting textures you've got an all inclusive kit.
The only negative (if you want to call it that) are the lack of high quality samples. That said there are good samples on the net for free and available at reasonable prices. If you have LM-4 you are in luck because you can import any LM-4 kit, very nice. I haven't seen the Battery kit conversion - been too busy creating and experimenting.
On the final note, DR-008 is great because it allows for simplicity but can be complex. It allows for working fast or with great precision. Although lacking Battery's sample editing tools DR-008 makes up for it with it's ease of use and different approach to how a drum VSTi should work. Attack users note, Attack is a good synth and different from DR-008. That said you can do a lot with what is provided and what will be.
BTW, there is a generous library of over 1 gb of drum samples available free in highly comressed kits. They range from good to excellent - tastes depending.
The reigning king of drum plugins.
Read ReviewMost everything has been said about DR-008 so I won't add too much more other than mentioning the smart idea to make a development kit available for people to create new modules for DR-008. This extends the use and purpose of this VSTi. Using something like the 3rd party Slicy Drummer module with DR-008 and you have a formidible rhythm section.
It is nice to see pattern sequencing in a drum VSTi. In fact, it's the biggest negative I have towards DR-008's competitors. It is especially nice to be able to set up a kit set up your drum rhythms and assign to a midi note. In effect you can get as simple or complex as you want and with tools for creating fills and shifting textures you've got an all inclusive kit.
The only negative (if you want to call it that) are the lack of high quality samples. That said there are good samples on the net for free and available at reasonable prices. If you have LM-4 you are in luck because you can import any LM-4 kit, very nice. I haven't seen the Battery kit conversion - been too busy creating and experimenting.
On the final note, DR-008 is great because it allows for simplicity but can be complex. It allows for working fast or with great precision. Although lacking Battery's sample editing tools DR-008 makes up for it with it's ease of use and different approach to how a drum VSTi should work. Attack users note, Attack is a good synth and different from DR-008. That said you can do a lot with what is provided and what will be.
BTW, there is a generous library of over 1 gb of drum samples available free in highly comressed kits. They range from good to excellent - tastes depending.
The reigning king of drum plugins.