analog modeling

NUSofting has announced microrock, their latest VST software synthesiser for Windows. Inspired by the simplicity of an electric bass or guitar through a series of effects pedals, microrock is a monophonic synthesizer based around a combination of physically modelled oscillators, NUSoftings DynaTone filter, and an effects section which includes distortion, overdrive, wah, chorus, vibrato and delay effects.

Capable of delivering aggressive and expressive sound for solos and riffs, microrock was created specifically for use in bass, lead and powerchord lines. However microrock does not specifically attempt to emulate the guitar, and firmly remains a synthesizer, with a character all of its own. Its architecture, internal filters and expressive modulation capabilities mean that it is capable of producing a very wide variety of original and imitative timbres, including even vocal and brass instruments sounds.

Features:

• A monophonic synthesizer architecture suited to bass and lead sounds
• Two physically modelled oscillators which work as a pair
• NUSofting’s DynaTone filter control, with Tonerama color mix
• Overdrive and Distortion effect units (with automatic ‘feedback’ generation)
• Wah effect unit
• Stereo Chorus unit
• Vibrato unit
• Delay unit, with sync, HP-LP filter and modulation.

microrock comes with 102 presets on board, and is priced at Euro 36.90. A special “sidegrade” price is available for registered users of “the Abstract Guitar” by Dash Signature, “sidegrade” price is only Euro 19.90. A demo version is available for download.

For more information, visit their web site at nusofting.liqihsynth.com.

Prosounds has introduced the PS-1 Performance Synthesizer, the result of a collaboration between ProSounds and DASH Signature which has been designed with the advanced sound designer and electronic musician in mind.

The PS-1 is a VST instrument plugin for Windows featuring four high quality oscillators, a mixer, 2 resonant multimode filters (routable in both serial and parallel), two Low Frequency Oscillators (LFOs) and two ADSR envelope generators. The PS-1 also includes some advanced performance features, such as a powerful arpeggiator and trancegate, as well as an effects unit.

The inclusion of an effects unit in the PS-1 means that where effects have been used in the sound design process they can be conveniently saved within an instrument patch with each sound for easy recall. The effects unit features four high quality effects including an ultra fat double chorus, a superb digital delay with modulation, a distortion unit, and a reverb unit.

The PS-1 also includes over 1000 professionally designed factory presets covering a wide range of different sounds (basses, pads, leads, sound FX, arps etc.) and suitable for every genre.

Features

Oscillators:

• * 4 high quality oscillators each with 12 different internal waveforms, and over 70 extra external waveforms (WAV files).
• * All 4 oscillators have separate controls for volume, pitch (octave, semitone, fine) envelope amount, LFO amount, PWM amount, PWM mode (LFO, envelope, manual).
• * Separate mixer section with oscillator volume, mod amount, ring modulation (oscillators 2 and 4), boost and a noise generation unit.
• * All 4 oscillators can load custom waveforms (WAV files, 16 bits, 44.1khz, mono).
• * True mono-legato mode with glide.

Filters:

• * Two resonant multimode filter units with low pass (12db, 24db, 36db), high pass, band pass, and notch filter types.
• * Both filter units operate in either parallel or serial modes (with mode selection and mix control).
• * Low pass (12db, 24db, 36db), high pass, band pass, and notch filter types with automatic gain reduction.
• * Optional keyboard tracking of cutoff frequency for each filter unit.
• * Both filter units have separate controls for type, cutoff, resonance, envelope amount, LFO amount and keyboard tracking.
• * Smooth filter option.

Envelope Generators:

• * 2 envelope generators each with attack, decay time, sustain level and release time (ADSR), as well as velocity control.
• * Envelope 1 is dedicated to oscillator volume.
• * Envelope 2 is used for filter cutoff, resonance, pitch and oscillator PWM.

Low Frequency Oscillators (LFOs):

• * 2 LFO units each with control over rate, shape and delay.
• * LFO 1 is dedicated to PWM control.
• * LFO 2 is used for filter / pitch / volume with delay.
• * Both LFO units can be synced to master MIDI Clock.

Performance Tools:

• * Arpeggiator with mode selection (up, down, up/down etc.), octave range, and speed controls.
• * Trancegate with a 16-button grid. Option to sync speed to master MIDI Clock.

Effects:

• * High quality distortion unit.
• * Digital delay with modulation.
• * Double chorus unit.
• * Reverb unit.

Other Features:

• * Digital display, that shows the value of each parameter during editing.
• * Up to 16 voices.
• * Global FX switch on/off.
• * Auto glide switch on/off.
• * MIDI learn functions.
• * Random preset generator.
• * Sound quality selector, for saving CPU usage.
• * Low CPU usage with advanced voice allocation.
• * Over 1000 professionally designed factory presets.

Pricing & Availability:

The PS-1 Performance Synthesizer is anticipated to ship in Q4 2004 at an MSRP of EUR €119.00. You can pre-order the PS-1 now at a special price of EUR €89.00.

For more information, and to pre-order, visit http://www.pro-sounds.net.

The Korg Electribe ER-1 is an analog modeling drum synthesizer that combines great sounds, fantastic flexibility and hands-on control. Like other Electribes, the ER-1 is covered with knobs and buttons, making it easy to program rhythms and fun to tweak.

The ER-1 is one of Korg’s first generation series of Electribes. This include the Electribe EA-1, an analog-modeling bass/lead synthesizer; the ES-1, a rhythm sampler; and the EM-1, a groovebox workstation. Each of the Electribes has 16 step lightable keys that make programming rhythms a breeze. Each of the Electribes is programmed by pressing a step in a sequence and assigning it a value, or by putting it into loop mode and playing and tweaking a rhythm or melody until you get it the way you want it.

The Electribes are a blast to work with because of their ease of use, their good sounds, and the light show they put on as they play. The ER-1 is one of the stronger of the Electribes. It provide ten possible rhythm parts; four analog modeled voices, two audio-in parts, 2 hi-hat parts, and crash and clap parts

The hi-hat parts, crash and claps are sampled, and provide convincing sounds with a limited amount of editability. You can adjust the envelope on the samples top clip them, and pitch them up or down. It would be nice to have the choice of multiple samples, but the one provided do the job. The crash sample seems a little clipped, too, but is light years ahead of the crashes on classic drum machines.

The four analog-modeled sounds, on the other hand, are very flexible. Each voice can be edited to create bass drum sounds, toms, noise snares and more. You can even program simple bass and synth sounds, though, because the ER-1 is designed to be a percussion synth, programming melodies on it can be a chore.

The synth voices are fun to tweak. They can create quite convincing analog sounds, but also weird new sounds that seem to be a side-effect of trying to make a digital synth sound analog.

The ER provides just enough effects to create a polished rhythm track. The delay has a wide time range, which provides an interesting range of effects. It also can be sync’d to the tempo. There’s also a bass enhancer which adds a sort of distorted deep bass to sounds.

The audio-in parts are especially welcome, because they have become a rarity on modern equipment, but provide a great deal of power. Plug a cheap synth into one of the audio ins, program a rhythm for the audio part. Then play some chords on the synth, and the ER-1 will rhythmically gate the chords, making even a cheap synth sound very cool.

Once you’ve programmed the sounds you want, you can create arrange the sounds in a mix. Each sound can be panned, and its level can be set as needed.

Once you’ve got everything tweaked, you can create patterns, and then arrange them into songs. One appealing feature of the Electribes is that you can combine “motion sequences” with your patterns. Motion sequences record your knob twiddling, so that sounds can evolve and move throughout the pattern. You can use this to bounce sounds around the stereo image, to change the pitch of sounds, and much more.

If you’re looking for a drum machine to provide interesting analog-style sounds, the ER-1 is a good inexpensive machine to consider. It provides a broad range of sounds and has its own unique sound, too.

Specifications:

Number of Parts:
10 (4 synthesizer parts, 2 audio in parts, 2 hi-hat parts, 1 crash cymbal part, 1 hand clap part)

Memory:
256 patterns, 16 songs

Effects:
Delay (normal, motion sequence, tempo delay)

Sequencer:
(Pattern) 64 steps maximum per part, motion sequence, 1 parameter per part, 64 events, (Song) 256 patterns maximum per song, event recording 35,700 events maximum

Input:
AUDIO IN (1/4″ phone jack – mono x 2)

Output:

L/MONO, R, (phone jack – mono x 2), headphone (1/4″ stereo phone jack)

AD/DA Conversion:
18 bit linear

MIDI:
IN, OUT, THRU

Access is well-known for creating some of the most popular modern synthesizers. Their Virus virtual analog synthesizer was one of the first synths to give virtual analog technology a good name.

The Virus synth is in its third incarnation, as the Access Virux C. The awesome Acess Virus KC puts the magic of the Virus engine in a 5-octave semi-weighted keyboard, with aftertouch. Another cool variation on their VA technology is the Acess Indigo 2. It’s a portable keyboard with a three-octave range, but the same synth engine as the Virus.

Their site has the full low-down on all their equipement, but isn’t as exceptional as their equipment.