Modulate This! - News, Tips and Links for Electronic Musicians and Producers

Future Audio Workshop Releases Circle, A Software Synthesizer that Focuses on Flow and Ease Of Use

Circle is a new subtractive/wave table software synthesizer that runs on Mac and PC. What makes it unique is it's interface. It has a fantastic new work "Flow" and feedback mechanism all presented via a high contrast single page user interface making it much easier to tweak and program than most synths.

Part of this flow is a scheme where modulate sources (LFO, Envelopes, Sequencers) have corresponding color coded "circles". Simply drag the circle to the parameter you want to modulate and you'll hear a preview. Drop the circle and the parameter is now connected to the modulation source (see a link to videos below). Very cool! The color coding makes it very easy to identify which modulation source is tied to what parameter making it easier to learn how Circle works.

The interface offers real-time feedback on parameters for the selected sound. For example, if you hit a note on your controller, this sends a circle down the volume envelope. Hold a key down and watch the LFO shape pulse. Again, this feedback system makes it much easier to see what's happening inside the synth and then tweak to get a different result. Awesome!

Aside from the interface a few other features to note are:

• Midi Learn capability. A real time saver when it comes to assigning knobs from your favorite controller. Each instance of Circle in your host can have it's own set of mappings.
• Wave morphing. Circle has a pre-defined set of waveforms. You can assign two to an oscillator and then use a modulator to morph.
• Built-in FX
• Sound browser not unlike Native Instruments Kore.
• Interesting "Keyboard" screen for setting up keyboard related modulations and more traditional arpeggiation.

To really get your mind around what I'm talking about, check out these Guided Tours of Circle.

Circle is now available for $199.00 / €149.00. Even you have other similar sounding synths in your rig, you should try the demo to get a feel for this innovative user interface.

More Info:

• Circle Web Page (mp3 demos of Circle in Action).
• Download a free demo

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

TONE 2 Gladiator tip: How To Open The Editor Interface to Expose Parameters

Gladiator has a great user interface. However, if you insert the synth into your host, the default view hides the editor panel. Click the "Editor" button and you'll then see...

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

Tone2 Gladiator Synthesizer - A Great Interface Takes the Pain Out of Complex Synthesis

Update: checkout the discount link on the right side of the blog.

If you are looking for a synth that can morph between subtractive, FM, wavetable, and addditive synthesis yet has a simple interface check out Gladiator by Tone2.

OVERVIEW:

Tone 2, the developers who created Vanguard, released Gladiator a few months back. I'd seen mention of it in magazines for a few months and finally took the time to download it and all I can saw is wow! The interface not only looks great but offers a nice metaphor for controlling the complexity under the hood (click the image above to see a larger view). The variety of sounds is huge and the sound is fantastic.

Gladiator is described by Tone2 as a Harmonic Content Morphing (HCM) synth. They explain this as a new synthesis method "based on a large and expandable repertoire of standard waves like pulse, unique synthetic waveforms as well as resynthesis waves like trumpets, organs, pianos and voice samples. These waves can be modified in real-time by e.g. FM modulation, altering its harmonic structure, syncing, waveshaping,... Any modification of a wave can be modulated producing lively shimmery sounds (recall: with only one oscillator!). In total there are more than 30,000 different spectra available for combination and modulation."

MY LIST OF TOP FEATURES:

1) Programmable Arpeggiator that lets you turn steps on, set pitch, slide to pitch. I really like this interface.

2) Step LFO. This is like the trancegate on Vanguard but has many more features.

3) A refreshingly straight-forward modulation routing scheme.

MORE TO COME:

According to Tone2's web site, there are going to continue to expand Gladiator in the future with additional sounds, wafeforms, resynthesis of custom content, custom sounds for the vocoder section, and add the ability to import of wav samples.

LINKS:

• Other posts on Gladiator
  
• Learn More & Buy (€149, $199)
• Download demo for PC
• Download demo for Mac

MP3 DEMOS:

• MP3 demo Dance&Pop
• MP3 demo Nature&Retro
• MP3 demo Trance
• MP3 demo Experimetal
• MP3 demo Ambient

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

NAMM Show 2008 YouTube Channel + KORG Kaosillator

The 2008 Winter NAMM Show in Anaheim just wrapped up. I was happy to find that NAMM created a YouTube channel for those of us who didn't get the opportunity to attend.

http://www.youtube.com/profile?user=TheNAMMShowChannel.

Here is a video highlighting some KORG products. They've released a cool little product called the Kaosillator.

Use this link if you can't see the video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=30EX3s3uZSI

Here is the blurb from the official product page:

"The KAOSSILATOR is a new pocket sized instrument that packs Korg's world renowned synth sound along with innovative performance features into an ultra-compact unit. Anyone can instantly play musical phrases by simply tapping or sliding their finger across the KAOSSILATOR’s touch pad – no previous skills required! The KAOSSILATOR is a portable, travel friendly device that runs on batteries, so you can have fun creating music anywhere your life takes you, with seemingly endless possibilities. Whether you’re an established “tweaker”, an aspiring electronic artist or somewhere in between, KAOSSILATOR is one musical sketch pad that you should not be without!"

Mark Mosher
Blog: http://www.modulatethis.com
RSS Feed: http://feeds.feedburner.com/modulatethis

New Patches included with Sytrus 2.3 Upgrade

Just a follow up to my last post. I took the time to document the new patches that came with Sytrus 2.3. See my list below. Very cool additions for sure.

Again, preview Sytrus here, click here to buy and  get 10%.

Arp:

Action 2
Action 3
Cyberarp
Hypersaw 2
Hypersaw 3
Phased
Phased 2

Bass:
Squelch

Bell:
Dream Bell

Drum:
Crash Cymbl
Hi hat

DX7:
Timpani

Guitar:
Acoustic steel
Electric 5

Organ:
Drawbar

Pad:
Dawn
Scythe
Scythe 2
Swirling

Plucked:
Raspy
Sitar

Short synth:
Basci subtracting 7
Bite size
Celestial 2
Guitar Harmonics
Hyper Resonant 3
Hypersaw pluck
Mooginsh 3
Moogish 4

Synth string:
Asian string
Conan
Detuned saw
Hypersaw 2
Phased
Phased string
Slyce
Total brokeness 2

Image Line's Software Synth Sytrus 2.3 Has Released - Get 10% Off!

One of my favorite software synths Sytrus has been updated. The update is free for registered users. For everyone else, click here to get 10% off Sytrus or any other image line product.

For those of you not familiar with Sytrus, image line describes it as "a powerful and versatile synthesizer featuring six customizable operators for FM (Frequency Modulation) and RM (Ring Modulation) synthesis, plucked string synthesis, 3 filter modules, an effects module with chorus, three delay lines and unique programmable unison mode."  The synth can be used inside of FL Studio, or as a VST/DXi inside of your host.

Words don't do it justice, so check out the very cool Flash-based microsite http://www.sytrus.com/ to hear it first hand. Note you can also get a free demo version of this synth when you download FL Studio. Note, this is a full fledged VST

Here is what's new in 2.3:

- New Cherry phaser filter.
-  New edit options in the harmonics editor.
- LFOs have a "bipolar LFO tension" option now.
- The shape loader now loads AIFF samples.
-  New envelope point modes: "stairs" and "smoothed stairs".

It also looks like they've added some new patches as well.