Spicy Guitar is a free real-time acoustic guitar synthesis app for windows.

The Spicy Guitar project is the product of one year’s work by two students at the Ecole Centrale Paris:

“We wanted to combine our passion for music, specifically the guitar, with our experience in the sciences.”

Thanks to an original idea, we have developed a real-time sound synthesis software simulating acoustic guitar tones. It is based on physical modeling algorithms inspired by research works on modal synthesis, physical modeling, and convolution technology.

Since the mechanical and acoustic properties of the instrument are incorporated in our models, Spicy Guitar realistically simulates different guitars.

It is far from perfect, as we mainly focused our efforts on the synthesis method itself. Thus, you may find the playability to be basic, and you may experience some difficulties in using Spicy Guitar in your own compositions. But it is a good indication of the potential future of virtual acoustic instruments: more science and less use of samples!

Download here.

If you give Spicy Guitar a try, leave a comment with your thoughts!

We’ll admit it – this video of the V-Accordion Festival sort of freaked us out with its frightening majesty.

The technology behind Roland’s V-Accordion line, though, is pretty interesting – combining everything you know and love about accordions (Italian restaurants) with a slice of MIDI-controlled synth action. It does orchestral sounds, physical behavior modeling and has MIDI out for controlling Live, your bent Casio or whatever freaky gear you get your synth on with.

Anyway – Roland has announced an accordion contest, with the grand prize being a trip to Rome to jam with the V-Accordion babes at the V-Accordion festival.

Note: they actually make no mention of V-Accordion babes in the contest rules, but if you play the accordion, you can dream.

This is a demo of the biphonic vintage breath controlled physical-modeling synthesizer Yamaha VL-1.

Sound On Sound’s review of the Yamaha VL-1 said:

This is one of the most desirable instruments I have ever heard. I can see some session players earning lots of money from the VL1 — and that is probably where it sits in the market: for serious professionals only. The rest of us can sit and bite our fingernails hoping that a more affordable version does not appear to tempt us (but it probably will, eventually)!

Description:

The VL-1 is a duophonic synth with a 49-note velocity- and pressure-sensing keyboard, three wheels (pitchbend and two assignable mod), and inputs for breath controller, two footswitches, and two VC pedals.

Twelve control parameters per voice, including tonguing, embouchure, breath noise, throat formant, growl, and scream. The 49-key VL7 and half-rack VL70-m are monophonic, and the PLG150-VL soundcard ($199.95) provides monophonic VL synthesis for the Motif, S80, CS6X, MU100, and other Yamaha synths. The VL7 shares the VL1’s two-processor DSP power, while the VL70-m and PLG150-VL have only one processor.

Resources:

• Mark Vail’s take on the Yamaha VL-1 at Keyboard magazine
• Sound On Sound’s review of the Yamaha VL-1
• A very cool collection of Yamaha VL-1 audio clips
• Yamaha VL1-m V2 Editor/Librarian and Virtualizer for Windows and Macintosh OS X

This video captures a demo of Randy Jones’ $50 multi-touch interface prototype – an 8 x 8 touch sensitive array sampled at 1300 Hz. 

The project is part of Jones’ M.Sc Thesis, Intimate Control for Physical Modeling Synthesis.

Abstract:

Physical modeling synthesis has proven to be a successful method of synthesizing realistic sounds, but providing expressive controls for performance remains a major challenge. This thesis presents a new approach to playing physical models, based on multidimensional signals. Its focus is on the long-term research question, “How can we make a computer-mediated instrument with control intimacy equal to the most expressive acoustic instruments?” In the material world, the control and sounding properties of an instrument or other object are intimately linked by the object’s construction. Multidimensional signals, used as connections between a gestural controller and a physical model, can in principle provide the same intimacy. This work presents a new, low-cost sensor design capable of generating a 2D force signal, a new implementation of the 2D digital waveguide mesh, and two experimental computer music instruments that combine these components using different metaphors. The new instruments are evaluated in terms of intimacy, playability and plausibility. Multidimensional connections between sensors and a physical model are found to facilitate a high degree of control intimacy, and to reproduce as emergent behavior some important phenomena associated with acoustic instruments.

[PDF]

via Make

NUSofting has released Modelonia Physical Modeling Synth v1.7.0.6.

Modelonia is a physical-modeling synthesizer that uses a hybrid of two distinct model ‘types’-

a plucked-string model, and a blown-bore (ie trumpet-type) model. Each model may be used simultaneously, and the signal path allows cross-modulation between the two models for more interesting and complex tones.

Preview the sound of Modelonia below:

More demos are available at the NUSofting site.

Whats new:

• The 128 presets by Xenos explore new synthetic textures thanks to the Modelonia hybrid modeling
• Further engine optimization and stabilization
• Graphics updated
• Mac version for PPC and intel machines,

While the modeling is not slavishly strict, the results are nevertheless amazing. Demos are available at the site.

Trumpet Collection Features:

• Instruments: Bass Trumpet, Classical Trumpet, Jazz Trumpet, Piccolo Trumpet and Cornet.
• All the instruments have their full natural range.
• Like real Trumpets, you can ‘blow’ the models from very soft to very loud with an increment of brightness (the high frequencies become more and more prominent). This is done via modulation wheel or breath controller.
• Low CPU load
• Controls: Lip tention, Breath noise, Vibrato (amplitude and/or pitch), EQ, Mute, Fine tuning.

Trumpet Collection is available for Windows PC (VST/Standalone) for US $179.

Overview of The Pianoid.

The Pianoid synthesizes not only the sounds of a piano, but their behavior as dictated by the specifics of a musical performance. The Pianoid is an idealized piano model. Users can create and save as presets the characteristics of any existing piano or related instrument, such as a harpsichord, glockenspiel — even imaginary combinations.

The Pianoid offers the real-time experience of an actual piano. It mirrors all the effects of an actual performance: pressure upon the keys, the striking of chords, pedal-pressure, and so forth.

The Pianoid’s computational ability takes into consideration the significant parameters of a sound’s production, beginning with the setting or damping of strings, the hammers’ firmness, and their place of contact. Any resulting sonic dispersal or resonance is then recreated in relation to other factors, such as the inertia of a sounding board or pedal work. These audible effects and their dynamic interaction are all replicated.

Video via Audiofanzine

Samplemodeling has introduced The Trumpet – a modeled virtual trumpet that sounds amazingly realistic. 

This is not a sample library. The Trumpet is a Kontakt Player 2 Virtual Instrument, working either standalone, or as a plugin (VST or RTAS for the PC) and VSR, RTAS or AU for Mac. A master keyboard with some configurable MIDI controllers, pitchwheel, modwheel, and an expression pedal mapped to CC11 is required for real time playing.

The base material of the instrument consists of 237 MB of samples, chromatically performed by a professional trumpet player over a very wide dynamic range, in an anechoic environment, and recorded with state-of-the-art technology. All samples are 24 bit, are unlooped, and have a minimal duration of 10 sec.

The Virtual Trumpet engine is structured according to an adaptive model, based on the performance “fingerprints” of the real trumpet. The purpose of the model was to minimize the differences between the real phrases and those played by the virtual instrument. Dynamic interpolation is carried out at 32 bit, using a development of our proprietary “harmonic alignment” technology, successfully employed for the Stradivari Violin and the Gofriller Cello.

Proprietary modal resonance IRs, innovative techniques for sample modulation, and advanced AI midi processing are used for real time construction of all articulations and morphing across dynamics, vibrato, legato, portamento, trills, vibrato-like endings, shakes and so forth.

Check out this demo:

What do you think? Pretty amazing?

More demos are available at the Samplemodeling site.

The Trumpet package consists of seven instruments belonging to the same family: three different Bb trumpets, suitable for solo or sections, Cornet, Flugelhorn, German and Piccolo Trumpet.

The three Bb trumpets may be played with several mutes, including Straight, Bucket, Cup, Harmon (with or without stem). Two different plungers are also available for wah-wah effects.

The Trumpet is available now for a price of €149 + VAT (if applicable).

Applied Acoustics Systems

The Modeling Collection comprises Tassman 4, Lounge Lizard EP-3, Ultra Analog VA-1, and String Studio VS-1. These four applications are based on AAS’ award-winning physical modeling technology for outstanding sound quality and playing feel.

“The Modeling Collection bundle is the one-stop solution in physically modeled software instruments,” said Marc-Pierre Verge, CEO of Applied Acoustics Systems. “This bundle provides musicians, producers and sound designers with incredibly expressive instruments at an unbeatable price. The range of sounds included in the preset libraries of these instruments is a remarkable collection of rich and organic analog and acoustic sounds, and other-worldly textures available nowhere else.”

Overview

• String Studio VS-1 ? String Modeling Synthesizer
  Plays guitars, basses, clavinets, ethereal pads, organic textures, and lots of other-worldly sounds with the realism and expressiveness of real string instruments.
• Ultra Analog VA-1 ? Virtual Analog Synthesizer
  From vintage synthesizers to modern VAs?with every control at your fingertips.
• Lounge Lizard EP-3 ? The Electric Piano
  An electric piano that can be tweaked in seconds for that perfect vibe.
• Tassman 4 ? Sound Synthesis Studio
  Create monster hybrids that process and synthesize by combining subtractive, additive, FM and acoustic objects.

Pricing and Availability

The Modeling Collection bundle is available now for both the Windows and Mac OS X plateforms at a suggested retail prices of US$499. Each included program is available as a standalone application and supports DXi, VST, Audio Units and RTAS (Mac OS X only) plug-in formats. Upgrade paths are available for users who already own one or two AAS products at the price of $375 and $249 respectively.