Modulate This! - Electronic & Experimental Music Tech, Technique, & People

Camel Audio Group Buy

Modulate This reader Steve C. sent me a heads-up email on a group buy from Camel Audio. Here is a brief summary from the group buy page:

As widely requested by potential customers in our recent survey and in view of the tough economic times, Camel Audio are pleased to announce the Camel Audio Group Buy opportunity.

The price of Alchemy is currently $249 outside of the Group Buy, but with a maximum discount of 50% you could end up paying just $125 for Alchemy, $43 for CamelSpace/CamelPhat or $29 for a soundbank. Whether or not we reach this level will depend on your efforts as well as ours to tell more people about this program.

Ben of Camel Audio mentioned on the KVR forum that “Its been four years since we last ran a group buy, and we don't plan to run another for a similar period of time” so if you are at all interested in Camel Audio products this seems like the time to buy.

The interesting thing is that this group buy applies to many products, not just alchemy.

They are using a survey to register your commitment to buy and will send out a discount link at the end of the group buy. The group buy also benefits existing customers. Free bonuses based on points include:

Points : Bonus
75 : Free Alchemy Soundbank: Choirs, Basses & Keys - 500MB samples + 30 presets <- Current Level
400 : Free Alchemy Soundbank: Viral Infection from Nuceleus Soundlabs - 1GB samples + 30 presets
800 : Free Alchemy Soundbank: Extra 90 presets

They hit the 75 point mark yesterday.

CLICK HERE to visit the group buy page. Pass it on!

Before you go, check out this awesome YouTube video by Torley where he walks you though some features and presets of Alchemy:

Links

• Modulate This posts on Alchemy
• Visit official Camel Audio Page

Mark Mosher
Electronic Music Artist, Composer, Sound Designer
Louisville/Denver/Boulder

http://www.modulatethis.com
http://www.markmoshermusic.com
http://www.twitter.com/markmosher

Download/Buy my album REBOOT

What's New in Camel Audio Alchemy v1.10

Article Update 7-21-2009: Just got this from Camel Audio. “IMPORTANT: An update to the original v1.10.6 release has been issued to correct a problem with some presets being too loud. If you have previously installed v1.10.6 of Alchemy, or the release candidate, you are strongly advised to update to v1.10.10 to avoid any issues. Registered users can download the latest update for free by logging in on the support page, and going to the Product Downloads section.”

200 New Sounds 
 In addition to new features and bug-fixes, they’ve released over 200 free sounds. They describe these sounds as “purer and less experimental sounds, the Electronic bank now has an additional 35 dance sounds and the Atmospheric bank has 30 extra smooth pads and soundscapes.”

Context Sensitive Help 
Simply right-click on an interface element to bring up a corresponding help page in a browser.

Sample Import Improvements
1.10 adds ability to “analyze files up to 5 mins in length, an easier to use file import dialog including scroll wheel support”.

Miscellaneous New Features

• New additive pitch setting
• Easier to use import file dialog including scroll wheel support
• File browser recognises alias's (OSX) and shortcuts (Win)
• Reduced GUI opening time
• Improved auto assign and remix pad variations
• Choose whether Alchemy should start in simple or advanced mode
• Option to invert performance knobs on right click menu
• Effects rack scrollbar shrinks/expands depending on number of effects loaded
• Mod depth snaps to semitone values when applied to tune
• Additive editor shows active partials
• Snap additive partials to semitone/dB
• Copy/paste commands in additive file menu update depending on view
• New snapshot volume control
• Extra 6dB of volume
• User details displayed in about box and at startup
• Sampler now supports forward/back loop mode
• Right click option to assign single knob

Links:

• Official Web Site
• Modulate This articles

Mark Mosher
http://www.modulatethis.com
http://www.markmoshermusic.com
http://www.twitter.com/markmosher

Camel Audio Alchemy Tips: Link to Manual, Keyswitching, and Manager Presets for Controls

 

The more I use Camel Audio’s Alchemy, the more I like it. I’m using it right now to create some original content for some of my music, and for some upcoming libraries for Modulate This!

As I use it, I’ll be sure to pass along tips. Here a few.

Manual
The manual is quite good. In case you somehow missed it, it’s available in two forms:

• Online Searchable Alchemy Manual
• PDF Alchemy Manual

Keyswitching

You can use keys on a MIDI controller to switch between performance snapshots (Keyswitching). Click the Octave pop-up menu next to the Remix Pad select the bottom MIDI note you want to user for control. Eight notes starting from the one you selected (including white and black keys) now map to the Remix Pad and will no longer trigger notes.

File Pop-Up’s

 

Alchemy has  “FILE” buttons in various locations on the interface. These button open a context-sensitive menu and can be used manage presets for a particular control. Menus typically include load, save, copy, paste, clear, and randomize. In the above image, I clicked the file button in the MSEG section to load Pulse 16 Multi-Segment Envelope Generator. You can also build your own presets. The same idea applies for managing presets for LFOs, Envelopes, Effects and more. This is simply a fantastic feature you use over and over.

See other Modulate This! articles on Alchemy.

Mark Mosher
www.modulatethis.com
www.markmoshermusic.com
www.twitter.com/markmosher

Camel Audio Alchemy Now Available. What can you do with 600 Oscillators?

I've been anxiously awaiting the release of Camel Audio's new monster synth Alchemy (click image above to see large view). The technology and presets been being developed for years. Their web site had a "Coming Soon Autumn 2008" teaser on it for quite some time. Well the wait is over and today Alchemy is available for purchase!

What is Alchemy all about?

• Additive, spectral and granular synthesis and resynthesis, sampling, virtual analog engine with unison and PWM.
• 4 stereo sources each of which has additive, VA, spectral, granular and sampler engine, morph between sources using advanced harmonic blending and precise time alignmen, crossfade between sounds with vector mixin.
• Performance controls and remix for easy tweaking by non-programmers. 16 controls per preset carefully assigned by the preset designer, for instant access to each presets most tweakable paramete.
• 8 remix pad variations per preset - click and drag to morph between variations two XY squares
• You can import your own samples from SFZ, WAV or AIFF files.
• 2GB of samples and analysed content.
• 300 presets covering everything from pads and soundscapes to keys, basses and leads designed by many of the worlds top sound designers.
• 16 effects types including all of the CamelSpace and CamelPhat effects!
• 128 Step Groove Arpeggiator
• Extensive modulatation routing with midi learn

I think what's most exciting is that Alchemy builds on the strong additive feature set of Cameleon 5000 and takes additive, spectral synthesis, and granular synthesis to the next level. Alchemy has 600 oscillators. At this resolution, post resynthesis audio sounds almost like a sample but you get additive control. Fantastic! I've pasted in the feature set from their site and bolded what I think are the most innovative items.

Additive:

• Very high quality analysis and resynthesis - import vocal phrases, drum loops made possible by  600 stereo oscillators
• Realtime modulation of amplitude, pitch and pan spectrums by any modulator - for example, control the odd/even harmonic balance, pan partials using LFOs, stretch or contract the harmonic spectrum and lots more
• Individual amplitude, pitch and pan envelopes for each partial
• Easy to use additive editor with unique detail knob to simplify sounds for editing

Spectral Synthesizer

• Phase vocoder analysis for high quality pitch and time stretching
• Noise resynthesis mode using 256 band noise shaping
• Advanced graphical sonogram editing - choose from a range of brushes and select the colour and opacity
• Graphical spectral cut, copy and paste - cut or copy and paste specific frequency and time regions

Granular Synthesizer

• Sampler or granular playback modes
• freely modulatable parameters including grain size, density (up to 10 simultaneous grains), random grain time and random pan
• Selectable and customizable granular window shapes

Alchemy costs $249 / €199 / £179, and is now available. To really get your mind around Alchemy checkout videos on the page listed below as they are very detailed. If the videos and sample audio are any indication, this synth is going to be a monster and a fantastic tool not only for musicians but for sound designers.

Links:

• Learn More, Listen to Samples, Watch Videos, Buy
• Demo version coming soon...
• Manual
  
• Add-on sounds: Atmospheric Alchemy | Electronic Alchemy
• See other Modulate This! articles on Alchemy

Mark Mosher
www.modulatethis.com
www.markmoshermusic.com