Great DAW which not only looks good visually but is also very powerful and a must for anyone who loves Ableton with the similar workflow.
Today it’s possible to make music with any DAW. What sets each one apart
is workflow, how quickly you can realize your ideas, and the freedom to
choose how you produce and perform.
Bitwig Studio is dynamic software for creation and performance of your musical ideas on stage or in the studio.
Discover
the new standard in customized workflow. Bitwig Studio inspires you to
take greater control of your music, giving you access to every aspect of
your production. Streamline your creative process and quickly evolve
your ideas into complete songs, tracks and compositions. Record and
arrange, improvise and perform, or do it all at once. Welcome to the
next generation of music creation and performance software for Windows,
Mac OS X, and Linux.
Bitwig Studio comes loaded with
industry-standard to industry-leading features, designed to meet the
demands of present day musicians, producers and sound designers.
Ultimate waveshaping control with dozens of sonic tools
Intuitive and graphically responsive interface
2,000+ professionally crafted presets
Built-in fully customizable studio quality FX.
Oscillators Section:
32-bit wavetable synthesis with three interpolation modes (DRAFT, NQ, HQ).
Full Stereo processing.
6 Oscillators, 60 built-in waveforms, 10 user loadable waveforms, PWM capable in all oscillators with any waveform.
Loadable
Wavetable Sets: Programs using different wavetable sets can be mixed in
a bank. z3ta+ will find and load the appropriate wavetable set when the
program is selected on-the-fly.
Loadable Oscillator USER Waveforms:
z3ta+ can load the USER oscillator waveforms 1 to 6 from standard wave
files (.wav). Up to six individual waveforms can be loaded per program,
and then transformed by using the shaper as the internal waveform set.
It is possible to load different waveforms in each preset. z3ta+ will
find and reload the used waveforms when the program is selected
on-the-fly. The wave files must be mono, up to 64k samples, in any
samplerate.
64 voice polyphonic (CPU dependant) with polyphony
limiter and Intelligent Voice Allocation (no clicks when maximum
polyphony is exceeded).
Full Stereo processing.
6 Oscillators, 60 built-in waveforms, 10 user loadable waveforms, PWM capable in all oscillators with any waveform.
Independent
Waveshaper for each oscillator with 14 wave transformations: WARP,
TWIST, MULTIPOINT, WAVE, SYMMETRY, DRIVE, WAVE, OFFSET, SHRINK,
SELFSYNC, BIT REDUCTION, HIPASS and LOWPASS filters, , DC-OFFSET and
WINDOW, all fully band limited and real-time capable.
Full Legato mode when operation is monophonic.
Circular inter-oscillator modulation.
Ring modulation, Hard Sync, PM and FM modes for any oscillator.
MULTI mode for any oscillator, which turns any oscillator in 8 oscillators (4 stereo oscillators) with adjustable detune.
Octave
(-5 to +5 oct), Transpose (-12 to +12 semi), Detune (-50 to +50 cent)
and Phase (0 to 360 deg) controls for each oscillator.
Key sync and Free Running, Normal or Inverted, with or without keyboard tracking modes for any oscillator.
Main Transpose, Main Tune controls.
Oscillator random tune control with per-oscillator generator.
Adjustable Punch control (drum machine-like DC burst).
Individual settings for Pitch Bend Up and Down (-12 to +12 semi).
4 Pitch Bend modes: Normal, Up, Down and Hold notes.
4 monophonic/polyphonic Portamento modes: Normal and Fingered, Fixed and Variable time.
One of the most underated VST's. Great sound quality, layout and routing capabilities.The arpeggio section is one of the best, which has dual voices, lots of different modes and also midi import. Another of my regular go to synths. The next generation in synthesis:
Hybrid
3 is the next generation in synthesis. This high-definition virtual
synthesizer combines the coveted warmth of analog synths with a full
range of futuristic digital manipulation capabilities. The result is the
best of both worlds — a virtual instrument with a comprehensive
set of precisely adjustable parameters that can sound like a synth you remember or something no one has ever heard before.
1200+ built-in sounds:
Hybrid
3 comes with over 1,200 inspirational presets designed to jumpstart the
creative process. Over 200 new patches, designed by the acclaimed AIR
sound designers, include everything from wobbles, synth pads, arpeggios,
poly synths, basses, leads, sequences, and much more. Hybrid veterans
will be pleased to find that the familiar Hybrid 2 presets have been
completely reworked, allowing users to experience their favorite sounds
with all the sonic improvements of Hybrid 3.
If you're prone to
tweaking, Hybrid 3 is loaded with a comprehensive set of user-adjustable
parameters that let you create unique sounds and fine-tune them to
taste. With support for two simultaneous parts (i.e. a powerful
combination of two separate, 3-oscillator synthesizers),
you can
layer, split, or spread sounds to produce deep, complex, and wide
patches. Plus, the simple patch browser makes it easy to find the preset
you're looking for and allows you to load two presets simultaneously,
one into each part, for experimenting with rich timbres and playing
multi-patch sounds.
High-definition oscillators:
With
three versatile oscillators and a sub oscillator per part, Hybrid 3 is
capable of stacking multiple oscillators together for huge pads, leads,
basses, and more. Two multifunctional oscillators can recreate the
classic subtractive synthesis waveforms for a dose of analog
nostalgia.
In addition, these oscillators feature algorithms for digital
wavetables. As a result, users can choose from nine different modes,
including the Multi-Square waveform, Saw Sync, Saw Cross Modulation
(which modulates the pitch of a saw wave with the output of a triangle
wave
for complex tones), Saw Multi (a stack of seven saws in unison), Square
Sync, Square Cross Modulation, Square Pulse Width Modulation (PWM) and
Wavetable. Hybrid 3 offers 100 wavetables with up to 64 single-cycle
waveforms each. A third oscillator includes saw, square or triangle
waves, plus a noise generator and a sub oscillator for deep bass
effects.
Dual filtering and saturation modes:
Hybrid
3 features two multi-mode filters that can run in series or in
parallel. In addition, the filters can be assigned one per channel to
the stereo outputs, or set so that Oscillator 1 feeds Filter 1, with the
remaining Oscillators being routed to Filter 2. Both of the filters
offer your choice of DCF (Digitally Controlled Filter) or VCF models.
The vintage Voltage Controlled Filter (VCF) makes it easier than ever to
achieve those fat, retro synth sounds of the '70s and '80s. This sound
filter brings the legendary soft and fat warmth of classic analog synth
hardware filters to Hybrid 3.
Use the revolutionary multimode
filters to control the tone color of a part by removing or accenting
certain frequencies. Choose from an extensive collection of 23 modes.
Then dial in the filter cut-off, velocity, and key tracking. Use the
resonance dial to change the tone
from a nasal sound to a ringing
tone by emphasizing frequencies around the cut-off and generating
self-oscillation. A blend of the third oscillator and noise generator
can serve as an audio modulation source for filter cut-off, producing
distinctive electronic audio effects.
To add some serious edge,
adjust the filter saturation. Hybrid 3 offers the original Overdrive
filter, which creates a soft tube-like clipping and includes five
additional filter saturation modes: Distort, which creates a harder,
brighter clipping; Hard Clip, which creates a very hard and bright
transistor-like clipping; Rectify, which creates a gentle distortion
that retains the character of the input signal; Bit Crush, which creates
deliberate aliasing by reducing the bit depth, and Resample, which
creates deliberate aliasing by reducing the sample rate.
LFOs:
Hybrid
3 includes four LFOs per part: two monophonic, one polyphonic, and one
special Pump LFO. Use the LFOs to modulate pitch, loudness or cut-off to
produce vibrato, tremolo, or electronic sweeps. Choose from eight
modulation types, ranging from sine and triangle waves to random,
"drift" and sample-and-hold modulation. Change the depth, rate, phase,
and sync mode to quickly and dramatically alter the sound.
Pump
is a special type of envelope that simulates studio side-chaining to
create the pumping-and-breathing effect. In the case of Hybrid 3, this
rhythmic effect can be applied to much more than the overall mix. The
Pump LFO can be routed to create a rhythmic effect on a variety of
specific parameters, such as pitch or filter settings.
Envelope editors:
Use
the four envelope editors to easily sculpt the filter, amplitude, and
any two other modulation envelopes. Adjust velocity, attack, decay, and
key tracking, and then type in the envelope rate.
Hype algorithm:
New
to Hybrid 3 is Hype, a quick way of enhancing the low- or high- end of
any patch. Beef up wobbles, basses, and kick drum sounds with deep,
sub-bass by adjusting the Hype Low parameter, or turn up Hype High to
polish off the high end with shimmer and sparkle; the latter sounds
great on pads, strings, brass, and percussive sounds.
Doubling:
Hybrid
3 offers a new way of making your patches sound enormous. Two Doubling
knobs, one for each part, are built into the Common tab for additional
widening and thickening. Turn up the Doubling knobs to full for a
dramatic response or mix it in subtly for a slight thickening effect.
Performance-oriented features:
Whether
you use it in the studio or in a live situation, Hybrid 3 is built to
perform. Use the step sequencers for arpeggiation or phrase generation.
Set the modulation matrix to easily map modulations from sources to
destinations. And set up "morph" groups to modify sounds on
the fly from the interface or a MIDI controller.
Step sequencers:
Hybrid
3's onboard 16-step sequencers have been revamped for more programming
and sequencing flexibility. Now, steps can be linked together to vary
sequencer rhythm, manipulate note dynamics, and create advanced
modulation patterns. Like before, both step sequencers can function as a
composition tool or an extra modulation source, making it easy to
create patches that move and evolve. You can set note values, velocity,
and modulation, and then pick from nine playback options to use the
sequencer as a step sequence, arpeggiator or MIDI phrase generator.
Plus, you can even import your own MIDI phrases for complete
customization.
Modulation matrices:
Hybrid
3 also offers flexible and easy-to-use modulation matrices with 16
assignable modulation sources and more than 20 destinations each. Assign
modulations to an oscillator or filter. Hybrid 3 allows multiple
assignments of sources and destinations, all with adjustable
intensities.
Morph groups:
With
Hybrid 3, you can assign any rotary control or fader on the plugin's
interface to one of the four "morph" groups. Assign pan, filter or
amplifier envelopes to a morph group to alter sounds from your
controller while recording or playing live. Each morph group can control
several
parameters simultaneously. You, in turn, can control morph groups from
the dials on the interface or from a MIDI controller.
Effects:
Hybrid
3 provides two insert effect sends per part, each with more than 40
effect types, so you can quickly change the sound of a part. A separate
master effects section lets you select reverb, delay, and chorus effects
to enhance — or warp — any of the sounds at the patch level. Easily
adjust effect parameters and sync effects to a chosen tempo.
Seamless DAW integration:
Hybrid
3 is available in VST plugin format for both 32-bit and 64-bit Windows
operating systems. With its rich set of analog and digital sounds and a
large array of adjustable parameters, Hybrid 3 gives musicians,
arrangers, composers and sound designers the qualities and character of a
unique hardware synthesizer with the convenience and flexibility of an
integrated plugin.
FEATURES:
- Six-oscillator subtractive and wavetable virtual synthesizer with 1200+ inspiring presets.
- Includes 200+ all-new sounds and 1000+ refreshed patches from Hybrid 2.
-
Comprised of two simultaneous parts, each loaded with 3 oscillators and
a sub-oscillator, filters, LFOs, envelopes and effects for
creating complex patches.
- All-new Doubling controls for quickly thickening and widening patches.
-
Revamped step sequencers allow you to link steps together for rhythmic
variation, syncopation and advanced modulation patterns.
- All-new Oscillator Restart for punchy bass sounds, runs and sequences.
- Dual series or parallel filters with vintage Voltage Controlled Filter modes for retro synth sounds.
- Flexible modulation options with 8 LFOs including Pump for the pumping-and-breathing effect.
- Comprehensive editing parameters for the ultimate in sound tweakability.
- Sample-accurate synthesis for super-fast envelopes and high-definition sound.
- Performance-driven features, including modulation matrices and multiple step sequencers for maximum playability.
- 32-bit and 64-bit VST.
Tons of reverb and FX plugins out there but Warmverb combines the best of both worlds beaautifully. Most definitely one of the very best and probably one that i personally will often use.. Going much further sonically wise than others Warmverb has a plethora of excellent and original presets. A touch CPU heavy but being much more than just your usual reverb with Multi FX, i can live with this!!
Tone2 Warmverb is definitely the best multieffect unit on the markt. Point.
There
are 35 different effect modules which can be combined to create new
effect sounds. Load warmwerb with 'freeware-sawtooth-only-crappy-synth'
and get blown away.
Sound:
------
Reverb:
There are 3
different algorithmic Reverb modules. Two of them are known from their
excellent Gladiator synthesizer. The third one called 'Reverb ulta' is
an even more pimped version. I know that tastes are different, but for
my ears this reverb is the best sounding one on the market. It's clean,
diffuse, warm and does not muddy the mix.
Other modules
Vocoder:
There
are 2 different vocoder algorithms. One uses left-right as modulatior
and carrier and a second one which does generate the carrier wave
autmotically and is very easy to setup. It sound better than most
vocoders on the martket.
Dolby Prologic II encoding:
Allows you to encode your tracks in surround!
Delay, Pingpong, Filter pingpong:
All delays automatically sync to the BPM rate.
Chorus, Ensemble, Flanger:
Warm sound, real stereo.
Superstrings:
Some kind of new effect. Sounds like 'trancy stereo mega chorus'.
Phaser:
Some kind of 8 stage phaser. Reminds me of the Oxygen recordings from Jean Michel Jarre.
Talkbox:
AIEOUAIEAUAUA
Distortions:
Warm sound, no digital crap, no aliasing.
Further modules:
Bitcrush,
waveshape, stereo enhance, autpanning, rotary, EQ, stereoizer, ringmod,
pitch shifter, feedback, tremolo, some filters
User interface:
---------------
The
interface is very easy to use and self explaining. The design looks
very professional and hardware-like. The knobs and their ranges are easy
to adjust. The random button works well. The interface reacts quickly.
Fetures:
--------
35 different outstanding effect modules in one plugin. Any questions?
Docs:
-----
Are availabe in several languages. The modules are well explained, but i did not like the layout design and the colors.
Presets:
--------
150 well sorted presets which show the power quite well. The random button work fine for creating own sounds.
Customer support:
-----------------
Tone2 support answered my email within 8 hours.
Value for money:
----------------
I would have bought this plugin even if it would cost $200. I hope that they won't rise the price in the future.
Stability:
----------
Never had a problem with it.
Conclusion:
-----------
Sell your VST effect collection and buy warmverb!
This plugin is an absolute must-have. It's cheap, innovative, inspiring and offers outstanding sound. Review from KVR
reFX NEXUS2 is one of preferred ROMplers of EDM hitmakers everywhere,
and in this video tutorial series, synth expert Scottie Dugan takes you
through how you can find and tweak just the sound you're looking for in
this massive library of sounds.
Scottie begins by explaining that
a ROMpler is an instrument in which you don't create your own sounds,
but rather select sounds from a huge internal library and then adjust
parameters to taste.
He then shows you around the interface, and
the main parameters on the front panel for precise sonic tweaking, as
well as the Display and how you can use it to get real-time information
on how you have modified the loaded presets.
After that, Scottie
explains how you can control the synth with a MIDI controller and other
modulation sources, such as the Modulation Matrix and LFO section.
The
flexible and easy to use arpeggiator is next, as well as a breakdown of
the Trance Gate, which uses a gate to automate volume and more.
Scottie
now explores the Frequency Analyzer which displays NEXUS 2's output, so
you can also see your sound instead of just hearing it, which allows
for better tweaking.
That leads to a deep dive into Layer and Oscillator parameters, as well as the mixer and routing of effects.
Finally, Scottie reveals more global parameters wrapping up your tour of this monster EDM machine.
Whether
you're new to NEXUS2 or an existing user looking to expand on the
factory settings and find you;re own voice, watch "reFX NEXUS2
Explained" today!
Very nice innovative user friendly mastering tool with a simple and fun interface to get the best out of your mixes.
Metering plugins are dull and unintuitive, yet crucial for getting a
technically excellent mix. So we developed a tool that artists and
producers would actually WANT to use. We wanted to give music producers a
simple solution to assessing the technical details of their music, but
with an AWESOME user experience.
Headroom
- True peak meter to make sure your masters don't clip.
- Standard peak meter. Keep it below -6dB for a perfect final mix
- EBU R128 compliant integrated and short term LUFS meters. The most accurate way to analyse perceived loudness.
Stereo Field
- Vectorscope to visualise stereo width.
- Correlation meter to monitor phase issues.
- Left/Right meter to assess the balance of your mix.
- Low Pass button solos your low frequencies below 300hz so you can see their stereo width.
Dynamic Range
- Instantly see if your music is overcompressed
- Oscilloscope glows green if your music is dynamic.
- 'DR' Dynamic Range display based on reliable Short Term LUFS to peak ratio.
Bass Space
- Identifies if any channels are outputting unwanted low frequencies.
- Helps you clean up your low end giving your track punch and clarity.
- Level meters for 40Hz, 80Hz, 120Hz, 160Hz.
LEVELS v1.1 New Features
*
Significantly Improved Stereo Field graphics - The stereo field section
now provides much more detail and information, giving user a better
understanding of their stereo spread.
* Significantly Improved Dynamic Range graphics - A visual improvement to enhance the user experience.
*
Mixing and Mastering Presets - It has been the norm to create one final
master and use it in all scenarios. However, given that music is
consumed in many different ways, it’s more appropriate to create a few
variations to best suit the distribution mediums you will be using. The
mixing presets include ‘Balanced’, ‘Dynamic’, ‘Loud’, and ‘Punchy’,
whereas the mastering presets include ‘CD’, 'Club', 'Composer',
'iTunes', 'Soundcloud', 'Streaming’ & 'Youtube’. Mastering The Mix
aim with these presets is to help music producers present their music in
the best possible quality to their fans, whatever platform they use.
*
Total reset button - Rather than having to click each individual
section to reset from red back to green, you will be able to to a total
reset which will speed up your work process.
* Dynamic Range
Section Free After Trial Ends - Once the standard 14 day free trial is
over the Dynamic Range section will continue to work fully.
*
CPU improvements & Bug fixes - Mastering The Mix haven't specified
these but we understand that they are a raft of under the hood tweaks
and fixes.
Wonderful beat making machine with an intuitive interface and limitless possibilities. I love the fact that one can totally randomize everything and vary the levels to what you like . Great FX and modulation features too. One of the best for beats.
Polyplex by Native Instruments has been designed in collaboration with Twisted Tools and is an eight-part drum sampler with an emphasis on randomizing all kinds of elements to create new, interesting and unique kits. It’s probably aimed most directly at producers making electronic music though these days that means casting a net much wider than EDM and can encompass soundtracks, TV music and other genres. It runs in the free Reaktor 5 Player or in the full version of Reaktor 5 and thus can run either as a standalone app on your Mac or PC or as a plug-in inside your DAW in all of the major plug-in formats. At just £59 / $69 it’s remarkably good value too as you may agree after having read about its capabilities.
Color-codedPolyplex has eight slots and each one of these can hold up to four samples which make up the different layers of that specific drum sound. Layering sounds together to build beefier sounding kits isn’t new but the way the instrument works with them is much more ambitious than you might expect. Each layer can have a type and a subtype selected such as Kick > Analog or Snare > Acoustic for example. Polyplex comes with around 200 MB of samples which isn’t a lot but once you see how flexibly it lets you work with them, will almost certainly seem like enough. There is a “User” option in each layer which allows you to use your own samples as layers, though this does mean delving into Reaktor’s Sample Map Editor which might mean spending some time teaching yourself how that works if you don’t already know. In truth although it’s nice to have the option (albeit a slightly fiddly one) of using your own samples you may well be happy with the bundled content.
Next to this section are various sound control sliders. Samples lets you
specify which sample to use and is set as a MIDI value between 0 and
127. Pitch and Pan do what you probably guessed they do and Start sets
the starting position of each layer in time. Finally there’s a volume
section to mix the layers against each other. If you click through to
the other control sections you will find similar sliders for Envelope
parameters and also for EQ and all these controls have configurable
minimum and maximum values so you’re not always varying between 0 and
100% of any given control.
Totally at random
Here’s where stuff starts to get
interesting: you can randomize almost anything in Polyplex. Starting
with the master control panel at the top, you’ll find a Master
Randomization button. If you press this, Polyplex will alter each slot
and each layer within each slot plus the controls of any layer that has
randomization enabled. You can actually switch randomization on or off
for any slot and also for any parameter where the small dot button
appears. So you can either randomize a whole kit, or if you’re mostly
happy with it, just randomize one drum sound to alter it. Or, just
randomize the start position of one layer and nothing else, or any
combination of the above!
There are seven Kit Variation slots
available per instance for copying and pasting setups and creating
modifications as well as the ability to map MIDI keys or notes to
individual slots using MIDI learn. For any sound slot, there’s also a
quick controls bar where you can control volume, balance, tuning and
decay with the mouse for quick sound alteration. You might notice the
sound slots are color-coded, and these sync up with the colored keys
(Light Guide) on NI’s new Komplete Kontrol range of hardware MIDI
control keyboards.
Sounding great
This all works brilliantly and it’s a breeze
to create whole new kits or make cool sounding changes to existing ones
using these randomize controls. There are also some great onboard
effects to liven things up: 18 to choose from including dynamics, reverb
and glitch and you can use up to four at once, two inserts and two
sends. These are very cutting edge, modern-sounding effects and
encompass stuff like stutter, grain delay, frequency and pitch shifting,
and they sound awesome!
These are very cutting edge,
modern-sounding effects and encompass stuff like stutter, grain delay,
frequency and pitch shifting, and they sound awesome!
Better
still, you can add movement and life to the effects by assigning the
envelope follower section to effect parameters for rhythmic modulation.
Also assign the LFO, envelope or velocity sections to modulate many
different parameters, such as the attack envelope or sound pan with
variable amounts and you can quickly create a fluid, dynamic, shifting
effect. And remember that all this stuff can be set up for each
individual layer of each of the eight slots. You can see how much
control you can have over the drum sounds.
Poly is a cracker
All of this would be a bit dry were it not
for the fact that Polyplex sounds excellent. Check out the audio demos
on NI’s website and you will surely be blown away by just how usable
these sounds are. They beg you to build epic tracks around them, with
their huge kicks, crisp, animated snares and cymbals and a weird and
wonderful assortment of bleeps, sweeps and futuristic sound effects.
This is a very different instrument to something like Battery that comes
with a stack of content and focuses on waveform manipulation. Here, you
are presented with a rather different set of controls but ones which
are even more useful for the majority of electronic producers. The 142
presets are mostly great too.
Final Thoughts
Let’s be honest, building drum kits can be
pretty dull, cycling through hundreds of vaguely similar sounding
samples until you start to go nuts. Polyplex does away with a lot of
that tedium. Sure, you can go into great detail with tweaking the sound
if you like, and sometimes you might. Maybe you’re obsessive about this
stuff, and that’s cool. If on the other hand you want to keep hitting a
button until the snare sounds like you want, you can do that too. Or hit
the Master Randomize button to just fire all-new settings across the
instrument. Dial in some cool sounding effects, tweak them and use MIDI
to modulate them too for an even more interesting and dynamic sound, and
you’ll wonder why you ever spent hours looking for drum hits that
worked well together. With the really quite affordable Polyplex, it’s a
snap to build massive, cutting edge kits and tailor them to your needs
quickly and easily.Review from ASKaudio
Probably my go to synth for almost everything. Exceptional sound quality, layout and routing. Zebra can be simple or extremely deep , with endless possibilities. One of my favourite features are the 4 customizable x y pads and the comb filters.
Some synthesizers are household names (relatively speaking). You'll find them piled high on retailers' shelves, and their developers spend loads of cash on marketing.
Others, however, have a much lower profile and have to be actively sought out. Initially favoured only by those in the know, their popularity gradually widens via word of mouth. You won't find these products in your local music store – they exist slightly beneath the radar.
Zebra is a perfect case in point. Urs Heckmann (the main man at u-he) began by developing products for discerning Mac users, but such was the buzz surrounding the first version of Zebra that a PC version was all but inevitable.
Overview
And now it's here: Zebra 2 is cross-platform and supports the AU and VST formats. Furthermore, MacIntel owners will be glad to know that it's a Universal Binary, too.
For those who missed it first time around, Zebra is a 'wireless' modular synthesizer that combines a variety of synthesis techniques under one roof.
Though it's primarily fueled by subtractive analogue synthesis features, intrepid explorers will also discover FM and additive elements hiding beneath the user interface.
Its flexibility means that it's capable of producing richer, more complex sounds than you'll get from a standard subtractive analogue emulation.
Installation is as easy as it gets – it's simply a matter of copying the plug-in files into the appropriate folders on your hard drive.
It sould be noted that the main Zebra synth is but one of three plug-ins that comprise the package, the other two being the nifty Zebralette and the ZRev reverb plug-in (see the Bringing up baby boxout for more).
These might be free bonuses, but they're still of the quality we've come to expect from u-he. When you open Zebra 2 for the first time, you have to enter your name and a series of numbers.
That's all there is to the copy protection, but don't even think about using an unauthorised copy: u-he have devised something rather special for the bootleggers – if you install a dodgy copy of Zebra 2, the software's interface will eventually start to melt away in front of you!
Tecnically speaking, Zebra 2 is semi-modular. Although the included modules can be installed and patched as you like, there is a limit to how many of each you can use.
However, when you consider that you can load up to four oscillators and four FM oscillators, four of each style of envelope generator and four LFOs, there's plenty of sonic power on offer. The oscillators offer full waveshaping and up to 16 user-definable waves.
Additionally, there's a Spectral Editor that throws additive synthesis (with an unlimited number of waveforms) into the works. Once you've shaped your waves to taste, you can drop in up to four different filters with which to chip away at them.
There are 19 filter types to be had, and all of the usual suspects are included. In fact, there are nine different low-pass filters, not to mention comb filtering, ring modulation and more. We should also mention that Zebra 2 sports no less than 28 modulation sources.
These include the LFOs, obviously, but more importantly, multistage envelope generators that can be synced to the host sequencer's tempo. If you feel more inclined to use traditional ADSR-style envelopes, there's a quartet of those too.
Other key features include flexible effects processors and a modulation matrix. Predictably, one of the Play Modes is an arpeggiator, and there are also legato, polyphonic and step sequencer modes.
Sounds
We simply don't have the space to describe all of Zebra 2's many magnificent tools, but we have to give a special mention to the supplied preset patches.
There are hundreds of them in the package and most of them are a cut above what we're used to finding in a factory bank.
Some of the patches are of the 'song on a key' variety, while others are more utilitarian. Most importantly, a significant number of them inspired lengthy jam sessions during the review process.
In fait, we were having so much fun that we almost missed our print deadline! Put bluntly, Zebra 2 kicks some serious stripey ass – we were hard-pressed to find anything wrong with the thing at all.
The sound is superb – it easily matches (and usually exceeds) almost any other synth you could name. Whether you're looking for punchy, analogue basses or swirling, evolving pads, this is a powerful yet intuitive solution that's as simple or as complex as you want it to be.
Our only minor grumble concerns the lack of a dedicated manual; we like u-he's ever-expanding instructional blog, but it isn't much good for people who keep their DAWs offline.
This slight reservation aside, Zebra 2 is a masterpiece, and at just under two hundred bucks, it's thoroughly deserving of full marks. Review from Musicradar
Probably my new favourite synth from Tone2. A truly powerhouse synth with exceptional sound quality. Check out the excellent pads. The resynthesis and vocoder sections are particularly nice with endless sonic possibilities at hand.. Only slight reservations is the by now dated modmatrix section and an unusual lack of stacking FX chains.
Said to be exceptionally powerful, this is boosted by what the company is calling '3D wavetable synthesis'.
The
'3D' prefix has been added because, as well as being able to
cross-blend waveforms, Icarus also offers an additional morphing
'dimension'. The result, says Tone2, is a synth that has a signature
sound that's very hard or impossible to create in other instruments.
In
fact, the company reckons that Icarus is so good and can produce such a
wide variety of sounds that it will be able to replace the majority of
your existing hardware and software synths. It promises an easy-to-use
interface and an inspiring collection of factory presets.
Why a musician should know about Icarus
Icarus is an exceptionally powerful, new synthesizer with '3D wavetable synthesis'. It offers a fresh signature sound, which quickly catches your audiences' attention. The innovative resynthesis can rebuild any sound with a mouse-click. An easy to use interface and a massive amount of inspiring factory sounds allow you to create professional tracks rapidly and with very low effort.
The sound quality surpasses conventional synths, however you don't need to own a NASA computer to be able to use Icarus, since it offers the best possible sound quality and low CPU requirement.
What's new with '3D wavetable synthesis'?
Icarus is a '3D wavetable synth', because we extended the popular traditional wavetable synthesis, which is capable of cross-blending waveforms, with an additional dimension for morphing. Together with many other innovations, this is one of the secrets, why Icarus can create sounds with lots of dynamic expression and movement. Many ‘Icarus sounds’ can not be created by other synthesizers. Get instantly inspired by a massive amount of fresh sounds and create tracks with an unique character!
Is Icarus the most powerful synthesizer?
(iMPRESSiVE Edit): NO
It has: 53 effects, 3x10 stereo oscillators with hypersaw, dual stereo filters with 62 filter types, a powerful wavetable editor.
Create great songs quickly and with low effort
If you want to save time you need audio products which are reliable and efficient to work with. Furthermore you need instant access to a great and inspiring library. Discover over 1000 production-ready sounds with Icarus' comfortable patch browser. Each sound has been carefully built by a professional sound designer and has been crafted with lot's of love and great attention to detail. The patches are very easy to mix, because they've been carefully EQed, pre-mastered and are running in perfect sync to the tempo of your track.
The powerful arpeggiator instantly creates inspiring and wonderful melodies. Smart playing aids like autochord speed up the production process and assist you whenever you wish this. All patches can be morphed with the modwheel. This makes it easy for you to add exciting movement to your tracks.
A customizable interface allows you to select your favorite color. With several instances of Icarus loaded at the same time, it's even possible to show single instances with different colors. This helps you to keep the orientation, when you're working on a complex project with many tracks.
Why you need vocals to create a chart hit
If you listen to successful chart hits, you'll quickly notice that nearly all of them use lots of vocalic sounds. We humans instinctively love them, because they are close to our speech. But adding unique vocals to your tracks is difficult and requires lots of work: You need lots of time, a singer, a microphone, a recording studio, you need to cut samples and finally process the "not so" talented singer with autotune...
With Icarus you can avoid this hassle, because it can sing hymns for you! All you need to do is to pick one of the vocoder patches and play a melody on the keyboard. But these sounds are not just a bunch of 'vocal samples' – this is real speech synthesis. That's one of the secrets why these vocal chants are never out-of-tune. Like magic they are correctly time-stretched for the 'right groove' and synchronize to your song automatically!
With the built-in vocoder module you can easily create your own phrases and make yourself sound like a robot.
It has never been so easy to create professional tracks with vocalic sounds!
Entertainment with effects
Icarus comes with a mighty and flexible effects section. 53 different effects can be combined in modular slots to build new and exciting effects. Save them to your harddisc, use them to tweak existing patches or simply get entertained by your own creations!
Discover the wonderful world of synthesis!
Don't miss the experience of creating your own sounds! With Icarus and a little patience anyone can become a great sound designer, since tweaking the intuitive user interface is fun and very easy to learn. Many animated displays give you visual feedback and make tweaking accessible to anyone, regardless of the skill level. With Icarus you can always instantly see and hear what you're doing.
The innovative resynthesis function in Icarus allows you to rebuild nearly any sound with a single mouse-click: Simply click on the resynthesis button and select a wav file. Like magic, Icarus will automatically assemble a patch, which sounds very close to the original sound. Our new algorithm gives better results and is easier to use than traditional methods.
You can shape your sounds with many exciting morph modes, rich oscillators, a massive amount of wonderful filters and a modular effect section.
A mighty wavetable editor is available for experts. It includes a massive amount of professional tools to tweak wavetables, like an additive spectrum editor or the possibility to paint waveforms with the mouse.
If you design your own sounds, they are automatically stored within your tracks. There will be no broken songs because there are files missing on your hardisc. This means that your musical creations will be always safe. Also, your own patches, waveforms and wavetables can be saved to fxp or wav format. This makes it easy for you to manage your own creations. Exchange your sounds with friends, export them to 3rd party software or create your own sets.
Spice up your tracks with exciting movement
Modulation is where the true power of the synth emerges. Do you want to use the LFO to wobble your filter? Simply turn a knob and you're on your way.
Modulation can be as simple or complex as you want it to be. By using the modulation matrix, Icarus allows you to connect dozens of modulation sources to all important sound parameters. Modulate almost any parameter, well into audio-rate speed, from internal modulation sources like LFOs, punchy envelopes, gates, step sequencers, and a wide variety of MIDI signals. We've also included midi-learn, so assigning CC's is as simple as a right-click.
Is Icarus ready for the future?
Icarus comes with free personal support as well as frequent, free updates and improvements. It will be extended with new features and additional sounds regularly. This synthesizer has been designed in a way that it can be expanded easily. The open structure allows you, us and 3rd party developers to extend it with our own content.
Features & technical details
3D wavetable synthesizer: Wavetables can be morphed in several dimensions
Powerful and flexible sound engine with true stereo architecture
High-end sound quality with low CPU requirement
Easy to use interface with direct visual feedback
Huge sonic range
Many exclusive sounds, which are not possible with other synthesizers
Perfect for modern, as well as all other music styles
Over 1000 sounds by professional designers
Patch browser and flexible preset management
New resynthesis method, which is easy to use and gives good results
Modular effect section with 53 effects
High quality vocoder with 1024 bands
3 oscillator blocks, each offering up to 10 stereo oscillators, which can play hypersaws, unison, stacks or chords
54 different morph modes (FM, PWM, formant, phase distort, sync, ...)
All morph modes can be combined with any kind of wavetable or hypersaw
Wavetable editor with many features
A wavetable generator can create completely new wavetables
Waveforms can be painted using the mouse
Additive spectrum editor
Import and export of wavetables/waveforms from other synthesizers
Dual multi-mode filter section with 62 filter types and 8 distortion types
Arpeggiator with advanced features like chords, glides, swing & shuffle
Fast and punchy envelopes
LFOs with audio-rate modulation speed and BPM sync
Flexible mod matrix
Midi learn support
Dynamic microtuning to enhance chords
Customizable user interface with 40 colors schemes
Expandability
Lots of stereo panners out there but Stereo Savage is a particularly nice one with an intuitive interface and excellent presets.
It’s always refreshing to review any of the plugins from Plugin Boutique,
and in this case, something completely different from what most of us
are used to. Open your plugin list, and check how many stereo image
manipulation plugins you’ve got. I’ll wait… Maybe a couple?Three at the most? Now, check again and count how many of them can do almost anything you could imagine with the stereo image. Again, I’ll wait… Probably zero, right? Well, the StereoSavage plugin might be one of those plugins you can’t live without once you use it for the first time! Let’s check it out!
The GUI is very much in the style of other Plugin Boutique plugins, like the BigKick plugin,
dark, gray interface with yellow indicators. StereSavage’s GUI features
five different sections, plus Metering at the end.
The first section is the Effect section, with three
different effects, mainly to widen mono sources. Those effects
are: “Vox”, which actually pitch shifts one of channels and adds some
short delay in time, with then results in somewhat a “chorus” Fx. You
can go pretty crazy and detune by one semitone.
Next is the
“delay”, which goes up to 40 ms (Haas effect), so, it can even do the
“outside the speaker” trick, when using this effect on something really
important, like vocals, always be careful to check mono compatibility.
Finally,
the last effect in this section is the “expander”, which works pretty
much as the Roland Dimension D vintage hardware, you can add a fixed low
pass filter using the Warm button.
Each of this effects has an FX amount knob, so you can dial how much FX do you wanna apply. Clever feature indeed
Next section is the Stereo Adjust with a simple Pan
knob, a width knob -which can actually widen your track or mix a lot!-, a
rotation knob, and a level correction knob -in most cases, you’ll need
to take the level a couple dBs lower when you mess with the width. Also,
there’s a pre-function for the pan.
Next, you’ll find an Input Routing
with various options and modes, as well with the ability to input just L
or R channel, and reverse the phase of each. Modes are stereo, Mono sum
-L+R summed in mono- and swap L/R. You can do some clever things with
stereo tracks with this section, but, most important, it’s a great tool
for monitoring your mixes.
The next section works great with the stereo adjust when you use this plugin for mastering a track, and that’s the Bass Bypass.
Probably, you wanna keep your bass and kick right in the center, so,
this section works as a filter side chain for the width. Pretty straight
forward, you select the frequency and gain, and that portion, will stay
on the center. Great tool for mastering purposes.
Finally, you’ll find an LFO which can modulate lots of
parameters. The most obvious one is Pan, for creating the auto-pan
effect, but, you can also modulate the rotation, the width, the level,
for tremolo, maybe, the delay time -for the delay effect – and the size
for the expand effect. You’ll find all expected analog waveforms, like
sine, triangle, square, saw and random, plus a square+saw waveform. It
can be sync’d to host tempo and the speed can go right up to audio rate
(30Hz), you can change the phase of the waveform and, of course, the
amount is bidirectional, so, you can, in fact, create some crazy effects
with this!
Last but not least, there’s a quite handy Metering for checking Input & Output levels and Stereo Field & Phase.
The new StereoSavage
plugin work on both PC and MAC based digital audio workstations, being
available in 32-bit / 64-bit VST, AudioUnit and AAX plug-in formats.
Conclusions
Well,
I’ve got to say, this is the first time I see a plugin that’s so
complete for the stereo field. I mean, with this set of tools, you can
manipulate pretty much anything you can think of in the stereo image.
This is great for mixing and adding dimension to mono tracks, as well as
stereo sources. Again, some tools are great for using with busses, and
even for mastering purposes. You can go very subtle or very savage. In
any case, when messing around with the stereo image, you should
definitely check your mixes in mono, for phase problems (and if you go
savage, chances are you’ll end up with phase problems!). I
don’t know any other stereo image plugin that’s so complete, so, as I
said before, once you try it, you’d probably won’t be able to live
without it! So, hey, try it!!! Review from Producerspot.com
The new sample instrument from Native Instruments is quite the beast,Dragging and dropping one of the most mundane of samples in here can be transformed into sounds unimaginable. Completely destroy it or mangle it to your hearts desire. A relatively simple looking interface hides the true depth that lies within. Wrap your head around how this works and you will be amazed, like i was! Definitely the most fun i have encountered with any sampler for sure!
TRANSFORMATIVE SAMPLE-TRACKING SYNTHESIZER
Discover a powerful new form of expressive sound design
Expand your sonic versatility – create anything from evolving
soundscapes and textured pads to earth-shaking basses and searing
digital noise
Generate original results quickly and easily with an intuitive interface, or dig deep for detailed tweaking
Extend
sound creation beyond traditional synthesis, and transform samples into
anything you can imagine. Intriguing and playful, FORM offers a
refreshing approach to sound creation that delivers beautifully organic
and powerful results.
START WITH A SAMPLE
Start creating
something new – just drag and drop a sample into the FORM interface.
Using a sample as the primary oscillator for the synth engine, FORM lets
you craft complex new sounds rapidly. Scrub the sample to discover new
worlds within its waveform, then select the section you want to
manipulate.
CREATE MOVEMENT
Breathe life into samples and
enhance the sense of realism by generating movement from even the most
static starting points. Choose the direction and behavior of sample
playback, and set playback rates according to sample length, frequency,
or BPM. For in-depth manipulation, carve up and modify the amplitude
curve, applying presets or using the Curve Editor to redraw segments.
