Developer Paul Carter has introduced Hyperion, a new software synth plugin for Windows and Mac that features multiple synthesis types, flexible patching, and up to 10 layers of polyphonic sounds, with individual key and velocity zones, pitch bend ranges, tuning, arpeggiator and individual per-layer effects.
Key Features:
- Modular audio nodes cover classic oscillators, with wave-shaping and unison detunes with stereo spreading, wave-sequencing oscillators, 4 operator FM, wave-sequenced FM, a plucked string model, a flute model, sample playback, and sound-fonts (multi-samples).
- Multiple kinds of filters, distortions and bus effects, as well as logic & math nodes for generative patch design.
- Patches can have an unlimited number of nodes, and node control inputs can have multiple modulation sources allowing extremely complex modulations.
- Auxiliary effect buses allow to send audio between layers, and control data and MIDI notes can also be sent from one layer to another allowing for deep modulation.
- The number of sound processing elements is limited only by the available CPU power.
Overview:
Pricing and Availability
Hyperion is available now, with an intro price of $99. A demo version is also available.
I like and use both Biotek and Waverazor so will definitely check this out.
This looks really nice (slick UI) and seems to have a lot of power under the hood. The irony is that something modern and full-featured like Hyperion receives very little coverage in comparison to a softsynth reproduction of a vintage Oberheim or Roland.
If you read the comments related to the reproduction synths, people ramble on about how they dislike Skeuomorphic interfaces or copies of existing instruments, yet people buy them instead of the cool modern stuff simply because they relate emotionally to the classic instruments they’re based upon.
+1
Though at first I was a little intimidated by that patch panel, after watching the interface overview I’m really impressed. It’s quite intuitive, but also that developer has not only made a very logical design and UI, but he has explained it really effectively.
I’m a little concerned about the potential lack of graphics and depth of editing with the envelope & LFO. But I’m very glad to see that samples and sound-fonts as oscillators are supported. The way the layering is setup is very intuitive and flexible.
There’s another application (can’t remember name) that’s been around a few years… with a patch manager GU and a large user baseI.
Do you mean Pd, which has a similar (albeit uglier) UI? It’s very powerful but I’ve never been able to get into it because it looks like it was designed for monochrome graphics 30 years ago, and there are so many nicer-looking programs that offer as much or more flexibility.
Pd is very good for computer music, ie academic electronic music where the algorithms need to be documented with mathematical precision, converted to CSound programs, or released in the most open-source format available. If you just want to jam or explore, there are many better options available.
Alexander Zolotov’s SunVox meets those criteria
Audulus… that’s it.
Plough bidie
Someone was inspired by Plogue Bidule.
Hmmmm…..
http://audulus.com
The structure of virtual patch cables to connect control sources to parameters is pretty widely used, as is that knob style– so the comparison to audulus is stretch.
The comparison to Bidule is a bit more fair as there is some visual similarity with those little tabs along the tops/bottoms. However, that’s a pretty insignificant part of the design of this thing.
Perhaps, but beside the layers, at first blush, the two seem pretty similar. I do think Hyperion has more built-in functionality though and I’ve definitely enjoyed playing around with the demo.
Everything’s node-based today: Blender, Fusion in DaVinci Resolve, Houdini, Maya, Unity, Cinema4D, Qt, Boris FX, Editor.js, Lightwave, Octane, Quartz for MacOS, Pd, NodeBox, Jasuto, MaxMSP, etcetera.
Support a solo developer and get a badass synth in the process = win/win!
Had it about a week. Works & sounds great. Dev has already patched some UX wonkiness and is very open to feature requests. Great guy that you can tell believes in this project.
Message from the developer:
Yes Hyperion is inspired from lots of different modular environments – I have tried to take the best elements of those to make a relatively easy to use patching environment with the power of up to 16 (was 10) layers each with their own bus effects and midi effect/arpeggiator/velocity and key zones.
Sound generator nodes are complex generators built into a single node, for example 4 operator FM synth with multiple algorithms and wave-sequences is a single node.
The ‘classic’ oscillator nodes feature built in unison detunes with stereo spreading, wave shaping and a hard sync mode – all built in without requiring to build a complex node tree to provide those features.
Hyperion Synth v1.07 has just been released at Tracktion.com.
Since v1.06 extra knob modulation animations have been added to provide extra visual feedback.
(a response to Robin’s review at https://youtu.be/z_2YihMYSlg)
V1.07 features touch-oriented vector audio or data mixer, XY pad, trigger pad and slider controls.
This plugin is under constant development and refinement and a larger mode multi-column patch browser interface is in development for the next release.
Here’s a demo of the vector mixer in action:
https://youtu.be/fmxsn2EskcQ
More details at http://www.hyperionsynth.com