Chris Randall of Audio Damage has announced Tattoo, a percussion synthesizer for Mac & PC:

With the caveat that the UI isn’t 100% finalized, here you go. Have a gander at Tattoo, our first instrument. Some salient points:

1. No samples. This is a drum synthesizer. Each voice is purpose-built, as well, rather than just having a general percussion synthesis voice.
2. Every synthesis control has a sequencer attached to it.
3. If you own Replicant, you can immediately see how the randomization/likelihood works for each channel/voice.
4. The sequencer also outputs MIDI (in the VST only, of course) so you can use the randomization features in other drum synths or external hardware.

So, there you have it. We haven’t decided on a price, and I have no idea whatsoever as to when it will be done. We’ve got the synthesis all in place, but not “tuned,” and the sequencer is about 80% complete, but the hardest parts haven’t been done yet.

It’s just a teaser, at this point, but it looks like an interesting mix of old-school drum synthesis and modern features.

ValhallaFreqEcho is a free audio VST for Mac & PC that “combines a Bode-style frequency shifter with analog echo emulation to create skull melting chaos.”

That’s right – “skull-melting chaos”.

Can you put a price on skull-melting chaos?

You’ll never know until you download this bad boy.

Give it a try and then leave a comment with your thoughts. And if you create an audio demo, leave a link!

Download here.

Description:

Sonic results range from subtle chorusing and double tracking, to barberpole phasing and flanging, to runaway echos spinning through your skull, to endless glissandos. Perfect for those Dr. Who sounds, dub, and all of your psychedelic needs.

An OSX AU is planned.

via rekkerd

Audio Damage has announced the availability of Ronin, a long-deprecated Audio Damage product:

The original returns! One of the long-deprecated Audio Damage products, Ronin hails from a time not so kind nor gentle. This remade version features a new UI, full compatibility with current plug-in standards, and on the Mac side, the best news of all: Universal Binary VST and AU.

What we didn’t change, however, is the sound. Featuring pairs of BBD-style delays, multi-mode filters, saturation, and LFOs, Ronin also is fully modular. You can route the effects however you’d like, including (if you feel like living dangerously) in to themselves. The audio path is entirely modular. Ronin also has an extensive control routing mechanism, including MIDI inputs.

Audio Damage Ronin is $49. Audio demos are available at the site. If you are an owner of Ronin V1.0, this upgrade is free, and is currently in your account in the Audio Damage store.

If you’ve used Audio Damagae Ronin, leave a comment with your thoughts!

Audio Damage has introduced Eos, a relatively inexpensive ($49) high-quality algorithmic reverb plug-in for Mac & Windows.

You can preview Eos below:

This is an upright grand piano recorded to tape with a single Neumann microphone. A couple dry chords go by, then Eos at about 15% wet. The algorithm is Superhall, with a long decay, a medium size, and a bit of modulation.

More demos at the Audio Damage site.

Description:

Eos consists of three high-quality custom-designed reverb algorithms, made with the modern production environment in mind. Two different plate simulators and our own Superhall algorithm give you a broad palette of reverb, and the easy-to-understand interface makes adjusting the algorithms to suit your track incredibly simple.

Want a traditional dark plate reverb? Eos can do that. How about a short, dense room sound for your drum buss? Not a problem. But where Eos really comes in to its own is when you drop Superhall on your piano or synthesizer tracks. The incredibly long modulated hall sounds of Eno-style ambience are where Eos thrives, something that is made of unobtanium with convolution ‘verbs. Quite simply, an impulse response can not do what Eos does.

Features:

• Three custom-designed algorithms: Plate 1 (mono in, stereo out), Plate 2 (true stereo), and Superhall (true stereo) built with modern production in mind.
• All standard reverb controls, including modulation rate and depth, attack, diffusion, and full control over the EQ and multipliers of the reverb tail.
• Infinite control for “freeze” effects.
• Unique visual controls designed for quick and easy programming.
• Low CPU usage compared to other algorithmic reverb plug-ins, and far lower than the average convolution ‘verb.
• Full MIDI learn for hardware control of most parameters (VST only).

Description:

PulseModulator is a model of an extremely rare (and exceedingly strange) tremolo pedal from the 70s. Three LFOs effect the VCA at the same time, and the whole mess goes through a distortion circuit, resulting in strange modulating pulses of sound.

Audio Damage added tempo sync to the individual LFOs to make it more useful in a modern DAW environment.

Controls:

• Pulse Speed: These three knobs control the rate of the individual LFOs. If the sync switch for an LFO is engaged (the “1″, “2″, and “3″ switches on the bottom) that LFO will be synchronized to host tempo and the knob will select different tempo divisions.
• Pulse Depth: Perhaps unsurprisingly, these three knobs control the depth of the individual LFOs. That is to say, they control how much each LFO affects the dry signal.
• Boost Amount: This is labeled as it is on the real pedal. However, the label implies a boost circuit, but in fact it was more of a fuzz. We’ve modeled it as a fuzz but called it “Boost” as well.
• Pulse Shape: This controls the waveshape of all three LFOs.

Installation: For Windows, unzip PulseModulator.dll and place it in your VST plug-ins folder. For OS X, unzip the archive and place PulseModulator.VST in your VST folder and PulseModulator.component in your AU folder.

Download page

Description:

With twelve sequencers controlling ten effects in six blocks, BigSeq2 is capable of everything from short staccato gate sequences to long, evolving filter sweeps and frequency shifts.

The six effect “Blocks” contain ten effects in total, and these Blocks can be re-arranged by dragging them, giving you full control over the routing of the effects.

Each effect Block has a gate sequencer and a modulation sequencer. The gate sequencer turns that effect on and off (or in the case of the delay Block, activates the “send” control), while the modulation sequencer can affect any and all parameters in that block.

More details below; audio demos at the Audio Damage site.

If you’ve used Audio Damage BigSeq2, leave a comment with your thoughts/ratings!

Features :

• Ten effects in six blocks, each with its own step sequencer, modulation sequencer, and time base.
• The gate and modulation sequencers for each effect block run on their own time-base, allowing different time signatures and step times for each effect.
• Each block has several parameters which can be altered via the modulation sequencer for that block.
• The effects blocks can be re-arranged in any order.
• Each sequencer has three independent modes of operation: forward, reverse, and random step. In addition, each of the twelve sequencers can be completely randomized at regular selectable intervals, for interesting modulation and gating possibilities.
• The included effects are VCA, pan, multi-mode filter, fuzz, sine warp, delay (with chorus and flanger modes), frequency shifter (also providing ring mod and phasing), sample rate reduction, bit depth, and our own “Error” effect.
• MIDI Learn on all published parameters for external hardware control. (VST only.)

BigSeq2 is available now for both Mac and PC in VST and AU formats at a price of $49 (upgrade : $10).

LIke it nice and rough?

Audio Damage has released Rough Rider Pro – a compressor plugin that promises to be three times as rough:

What do you get when you add an isolator section to a stack of three Rough Rider compressors? Rough Rider Pro! While most multi-band compressors are designed to do gentle dynamics control (and to be fair, Rough Rider Pro can do that sort of thing if you want) we added the Nuclear Option to this compressor. 1000:1 ratio? Check! Series mode for ludicrous squishing? Check! Full isolator for extreme tone carving? Check! 

In short, Rough Rider Pro is for those times when you want to know your signal is compressed. Other compressors are kittens, rainbows, and gumdrops. This one is a 40-foot-tall fire-breathing lizard.

This plug-in is available for Windows (XP SP2 or Vista) VST and Macintosh OS X VST and AudioUnit. Note that the OS X versions require 10.4.0 or later.

Features:
 

• Isolator section for simple control of input frequencies.
• Multi-band mode, for a single Rough Rider compressor on each band.
• Series mode, for three Rough Riders in a row.
• Attack time goes as low as 0.1ms, for use as a distortion unit.
• Ratio of 1:1 to 1000:1 for complete control of signal dynamics.
• MIDI learn for hardware control of all parameters (VST only).

A free version of Rough Rider is also available, with just one channel of compression.

This video demonstrates using TouchOSC, OSCulator, Ableton Live and AudioDamage’s BigSeq plugin. TouchOSC is an interactive control surface that outputs OSC messages, which can then be converted to MIDI notes and CC data by OSCulator and other programs.

Very cool demo and the video is very effective at combining the different sources to make clear what’s going on. 

Are you doing music using an iPhone/iPod touch?

Resources:

• TouchOSC
• OSCulator (for converting OSC to MIDI)
• Ableton Live
• AudioDamage BigSeq

chromedecay via CDM

Audio Damage has released a free compressor plugin for Mac and Windows, Rough Rider.

Description:

Rough Rider is a modern compressor with a bit of “vintage” style bite and a uniquely warm sound. Perfect for adding compression effects to your drum buss, it also sounds great with synth bass, clean guitar, and backing vocals. Definitely not an all-purpose compressor, Rough Rider is at its best when used to add pump to rhythmic tracks. Of course, you can use it however you’d like. The Compressor Police aren’t gonna come to your house and give you a citation. Slap it on a track and crank some knobs.

It’s a free download at the Audio Damage site.

The front panel layout is done the same as many hardware compressors, so it will be immediately obvious how to use it. A brief overview of the controls:

Ratio: The ratio knob is logarithmic in operation. Completely anti-clockwise is 1:1, and completely clockwise is 1:1000. The 12 o’clock position is 1:10, so everything to the left of center is single digits, and everything to the right is “atom bomb squish,” essentially. 

Attack and Release: We left off the actual time values, so you’re gonna have to use your ears, like the he-men did it in times of myth. 

Meter: That honking big dial in the middle of the UI is the gain reduction meter. It basically shows how much compression is occurring. 

Sensitivity: usually called “threshold” now, but we think “sensitivity” always made more sense. Turn to the right, you get more compression, essentially. Turn it all the way to the right, and you’ve got a distortion box, the sound of which is tuned by Ratio, Attack, and Release.

Makeup: 30 dB of gain to compensate for the attenuation caused by the compressor. 

Active: From the front panel, this is simply an off/on switch, but if you automate it, strange things happen…

MIDI Learn: Like all of our products, the VST version has MIDI Learn. Download any manual from the current product line for an explanation of how this works, as it is common among all our VST products.

Rough Rider is available as a VST effect for Windows, and an AU or VST for OSX. The OSX versions are Universal Binaries, and require OSX 
10.4.0 or later.

Automaton isn’t the application to bring the Game of Life to music; see our coverage of GlitchDS for discussion of a free cellular automaton music sequencer for the Nintendo DS.

The basic idea of the Game of Life is to start with a simple configuration of counters (organisms), one to a cell, then observe how it changes as you apply Conway’s “genetic laws” for births, deaths, and survivals. Conway chose his rules carefully, after a long period of experimentation, to meet three desiderata:

There should be no initial pattern for which there is a simple proof that the population can grow without limit.

There should be initial patterns that apparently do grow without limit.

There should be simple initial patterns that grow and change for a considerable period of time before coming to end in three possible ways: fading away completely (from overcrowding or becoming too sparse), settling into a stable configuration that remains unchanged thereafter, or entering an oscillating phase in which they repeat an endless cycle of two or more periods.

In brief, the rules should be such as to make the behavior of the population unpredictable.

Here’s a version of the game that you can try in your Web browser:

Analog Industries has announced the Audio Damage Rough Rider, a plug-in compressor that is going to be a freebie. Details to come.

Chris Randall continues with his video overviews of Audio Damage sofware with this introduction to Dr. Damage.

Dr. Damage Features:

• Multi-mode filter (4PLP, 3PLP, 2PLP, 4PHP, 2PHP, and 4PBP modes). The 4PLP self-oscillates at high resonance without audio input, allowing Dr. Device to be used as a theremin-type instrument.
• “Tube” style soft saturation and bit reduction.
• Stereo bucket-brigade-style delay, with two filtering modes and tempo-synced time.
• 2-node XYZ control pad, hardwired for control from popular hardware XYZ pads.
• Sophisticated motion recording and kinetics control over the XYZ pad

This Replicant screencast by Chris Randall demos the latest sound mangling software from Audio Damage.

Here’s the Replicant description:

Replicant is a delay-based effect in the “beat slicer/looper” vein, with some tricks of its own that separate it from the herd. From a simple delay or panning effect, on up to massive random beat mangling, Replicant is a capable plugin well in line with today’s modern electronic music styles. Stuttering buffers and filter drops are easy to program, and the comprehensive randomization features give it a mind of its own, if so desired. If you’re looking to add some chance to your programming, you’ve come to the right place.

Replicant is available as a VST effect for Windows, and as an AudioUnit/VST effect bundle for OSX Universal Binary. Note that you must have OSX 10.3.9 or greater to use the Macintosh version of this plugin.

Features:

• Tempo-based delay and looping effects, from 1/128th note to an entire measure.
• Six independant randomization controls, for subtle changes or extreme aleatoric madness, including a global randomize button.
• Unique “Hold” feature, to store a random sequence you like.
• Resonant low-pass and high-pass filters that change over time.
• Pan position that changes over time.
• Two separate direction modes, for entire events or individual repeats, with randomization.
• Full MIDI Learn for hardware control of every parameter. (VST only; handled by host in AU version).

Audio demos are available at the site.

Audio Damage has introduced Kombinat – described as “a complete toolbox of sonic warfare” and “the single most annihilating effect available today.”

Description:

With seven different options in each of the three distortion engines (plus pass-through), Kombinat is capable of sophisticated and unique sounds. Want to add a ring mod to the low end, a mild saturation to the mids, and a bit-reduction algorithm to the high end? No problem. Want to run your signal through three sine-warps in series? This is your box.

Kombinat’s signal structure allows for a fairly broad palette of sounds, as each segment of the overall effect is a versatile tool in its own right. The Isolator is a full “DJ-style” band-killer EQ; this leads to the three distortion engines, which may be used in multi-band mode for subtle surgery, or in series mode for complete signal destruction. The engines go in to a four-pole lowpass filter of our own design, and then in to a compressor which we have configured for one-knob operation.

Taken as a whole, Kombinat is a tweaker’s paradise, yet designed so that it is easy to just grab one of the 64 presets and touch it up a bit to suit the source material.

Features:

• “DJ” style three-band isolator EQ for band-killing effects
• Three distortion engines, consisting of seven algorithms each (plus pass-through) that can operate per-band or in series. The included algorithms are Fuzz, Distortion, Saturation, Warp, Clip, Bit/Sample-Rate Reduction, and Ring Mod
• Self-Resonating Four-pole lowpass filter
• Compressor, configured for one-knob operation for ease of use
• Full MIDI learn (VST version only) for hardware control of all parameters

Kombinat is $49, and is available in VST & AU formats for Mac & Windows.

Featuring a 16-step grid for programming tap time, Ricochet is designed specifically for modern electronic music production, and is much quicker to program than the run-of-the-mill multi-tap.

Features

• Five independently controllable taps with individual multi-mode filter, panning, level, sync, mute, solo, and time.
• Unique dual-filter model for overall tone control.
• Two feedback modes (master and tap).
• A specially designed chorus that affects only the taps, for feedback smearing effects.
• Tempo-sync or free time operation per tap and overall.
• Full MIDI learn for CC control of every parameter (VST only)

Ricochet is a $49 download. Details and demos at the Audio Damage site.

Description:

Dr. Device is two (two! two!) hi-octane analog-style effects in one. First in the chain is a multi-mode filter, featuring our own private reserve 4-pole lowpass, along with 5 other tasty musical modes. Then, your audio takes a trip through our true-stereo analog delay. Couple these effects with a two-node XYZ pad, motion recording, and kinetics (you have to see it to believe it) and you’ve got an effect well-suited for both live performance and studio tweaking.

Dr. Device is available as a VST effect for Windows, and as an AudioUnit/VST effect bundle for OSX Universal Binary. Note that you must have OSX 10.3.9 or greater to use the Macintosh version of this plugin.

Features:

• Multi-mode filter (4PLP, 3PLP, 2PLP, 4PHP, 2PHP, and 4PBP modes). The 4PLP self-oscillates at high resonance without audio input, allowing Dr. Device to be used as a theremin-type instrument.
• ’Tube’ style soft saturation and bit reduction.
• Stereo bucket-brigade-style delay, with two filtering modes and tempo-synced time.
• 2-node XYZ control pad, hardwired for control from popular hardware XYZ pads.
• Sophisticated motion recording and kinetics control over the XYZ pad

Here are the updates:

• Dubstation now works at all sampling rates, up to 192kHz. There was a problem with RAM allocation that made long delay times at higher sampling rates work oddly. This has been fixed, and Dubstation now works (and sounds) exactly the same at any sampling rate.
• Automation bugs with AudioUnits fixed. Users of Logic and Digital Performer were experiencing some troubles with automation. This has all been addressed, and AU automation should be fully operational now.
• On OSX machines, some users would experience trouble with the installation, where the installer wouldn’t put the plugins in the correct location. This has been fixed.

Dubstation VST is now at version 1.2, and Dubstation AU is now at version 1.2.1. Log in to your account in the Audio Damage store, view the pertinent transaction, and re-download the installer. This will give you the latest versions. This update will not affect existing projects.

Audio Damage has announced the release of Reverence, a digital plate reverb simulator, as a plugin effect for VST and AudioUnits hosts.

Reverence is heavily inspired by vintage digital hardware, and recreates the thick sonic character and easy-to-use interface of those early units, while providing the low noise floor and big headroom inherent in modern software-based reverb.

Perfect for synths, vocals, and guitar, Reverence is also capable of creating the unusual effects that are typical of vintage hardware units. Reverence has a much lower CPU load than convolution reverbs, and can be used as either a send or insert effect.

Features:

• Simple-to-use reverb settings, with pre-delay, time, and size, plus an extensive filtering section to shape the reverb tail
• Fluid and logical vintage-style user interface
• Optimized reverb algorithm for low CPU load
• MIDI Learn feature for full hardware control of all parameters (VST only; handled by host in AudioUnits version)

Reverence is available as a VST effect for Windows, and as an AudioUnit / VST effect bundle for OSX Universal Binary, and is US$39.00 for instant download from the Audio Damage store.

More information is available at the Audio Damage site.