Expert Sleepers Silent Way is a suite of plug-ins designed to let you control a modular analog synthesizer system from your computer, using control voltages.

Like MOTU Volta, released earlier in the year, Silent Way works within your sequencer, sending signals to your audio interface to output control voltages compatible with modular synthesizer and classic analog gear.

The plug-ins produce no sound themselves, nor do they process sound – rather, they generate signals to be used as control voltages (CVs), which can be patched into the control inputs of oscillators, filters, VCAs etc. of an analogue system.

There are currently two plug-ins in the Silent Way suite – Silent Way DC and Silent Way Voice Controller. These are described in more detail below. It is anticipated that more plug-ins will be added to the suite in the future – watch the website for product announcements.

Silent Way plug-ins also feature

• full MIDI and OSC control.
• MIDI/OSC scriptability.
• sample-accurate handling of MIDI note messages.

Expert Sleepers is also offering a bounty for early users that are willing to help test the plugin with untried audio interfaces:

Since there are far more audio interfaces and synth modules in the world than any one person or even company is ever likely to own, it seems unlikely that Expert Sleepers will personally be able to test every combination.

Therefore we’re offering a bounty for people who buy and use Silent Way with their setup and document the results. To qualify, you need to do the following:

• buy Silent Way (you don’t qualify if you use the demo version to do the below).
• send us the details of your system (computer, host application, audio interface, synth modules).
• put up a video on YouTube demonstrating that Silent Way works with your stuff.

The offer is:

• a coupon for $25, good for one purchase from the Expert Sleepers store, if you do the above, or
• a coupon for $50, good for one purchase from the Expert Sleepers store, if you do the above and you’re the first to document the successful use of Silent Way with a particular audio interface or synth module.

More info on Silent Way below.

If you’ve used Expert Sleepers’ Silent Way, leave a comment with your thoughts!

Silent Way DC

Silent Way DC is a simple plug-in that generates constant output signals. It is intended to be used in conjunction with parameter automation (via MIDI or directly by the host application) to generate varying signals. For example, you could use it as an LFO where you draw out the LFO waveform in your host’s parameter automation GUI.

Silent Way Voice Controller

Silent Way Voice Controller is a virtual instrument plug-in designed to directly control an analogue synthesiser by generating the appropriate CV and gate signals via an appropriate audio interface.

By listening to the synthesiser’s output signal, the plug-in is able to calibrate itself to generate the appropriate pitch CV for the incoming MIDI notes.

As well as the basic pitch and gate signals, the plug-in can generate three multi-stage envelope CVs which you can feed to VCAs, VCFs etc. in your synth.

Pricing and availability

Silent Way is available immediately in Mac OS X Audio Unit format, priced at $49. Mac and Windows VST formats to follow.