Composer Paul Baraka takes a look at the Novation UltraNova synthesizer.
The bulk of the review focuses on Novation UltraNova sounds – which offer a nice preview of what the synth is capable of. But Baraka also offers his take on some of the pros and cons of the UltraNova. Continue reading
This is a preview and demo of Expert Sleepers’ Crossfade Loop Synth.
Crossfade Loop Synth is actually two plug-ins: Crossfade Loop Synth and Crossfade Loop Synth Effect. The effect version takes the power of Crossfade Loop Synth and turns it into a live sampler, a looper and a very unusual and powerful delay effect.
Here’s what they have to say about it:
Crossfade Loop Synth
Crossfade Loop Synth is at heart a simple sample playback synth plug-in. It plays samples in the classic sampler manner – by simply altering the playback speed according to the desired note. No fancy timestretching or pitchshifting is applied.
You can control how the sample is looped as it is played. An adjustable amount of crossfade can be applied to the loop endpoints to smooth the transitions. This makes it extremely easy to produce glitch-free pad sounds. The loops can also be played backwards and alternately forwards and backwards (pendulum-style).
Further sound processing can be applied in the form of overdrive/saturation, filtering, envelopes (for amplitude and filter), pulse-width modulation, oscillator sync and LFOs (one each for filter, pitch, PWM and sync).
The synth is 32 note polyphonic, and all parameters can be controlled by MIDI controllers.
Crossfade Loop Synth Effect
Crossfade Loop Synth Effect is the same as Crossfade Loop Synth except you can record live audio to use as the sample, rather than just loading it from disk.
You can record continuously, even while playing back. This allows you to use the plugin as an extremely unusual and creative delay effect. For example you can have the delays played back at double the pitch/speed you played them. Or at double the pitch and backwards. Or as a chord. Or repeat the first beat of every bar… the possibilities are legion.
You can save the recorded sample to disk as an AIFF/WAV file for later use.
Crossfade Loop Synth is $49 at the Expert Sleepers site.
Nwdlbots are a free suite of generative music devices for Ableton Live. These devices include MIDI event generators, pitch and velocity choosers and others.
As well as generating events at random, nwdlbots can respond to activity on other MIDI tracks in Live, or to input from a MIDI instrument. In effect, nwdlbots control the density of a piece by reducing their activity when things get too busy. They also have some rudimentary ideas about harmony and can follow a chord sequence.
This video, via HarmonyCentral, captures a demo by Scott Tibbs of the Roland Jupiter 80 synthesizer at the 2011 Summer NAMM Show.
The video quality on this isn’t great – but the demo features some more synth-oriented sounds, rather than the virtual instruments featured in Roland’s earlier Jupiter 80 demos.
VirSyn has released Addictive Synth, a virtual synthesizer for iPad.
Here’s what they have to say about Addictive Synth:
It was never so easy to create beautiful sounds and driving loops. The unique dynamic wavetable synthesis allows you to explore an unprecedented wide range of sonic territory. From acid loops, crystal clear percussions, realistic human choirs to complex musical sound scapes nothing seems impossible with only a handful parameters to tweak.
Together with the intelligent randomizer for both sounds and arpeggios you will loose any sense of time and space while exploring unknown sonic territories. Right from the beginning you?ll understand why it?s named Addictive.
It supports CoreMIDI via the iPad Camera Connection Kit.
It’s in the App Store now, selling for $5.99. If you’ve given it a try, leave a comment and let us know what you think about it! Continue reading
This is a presentation of the new ADDAC102 Voltage-Controlled FM RADIO – a voltage-controller FM radio for your modular synthesizer.
FM synthesis may never be the same. Continue reading