The story
In my experiments to create plugins with a rather leftfield control surface (inspired by modular synthesis techniques) I decided to make this virtual instrument based around the concept of subharmonics. To make the sounds I used a square oscillator routed through a module called ‘Maths’ which is a function generator (amongst other things). All samples are recorded straight from the modular synth into my interface (5 samples for each bank) and then mapped to the different layers.
The ‘random’ toggle switch engages a random engine that chooses a layer for you, you can turn it off and select the layers yourself with the little switches for every bank.
By adjusting the drift setting you’re able to decrease or increase the pitch drift (this is independent for every bank).
I added a ‘memory unit’ to the instrument that enables the user to loop phrases. There’s a spring reverb (convolution*) and a 7kHz low pass filter.
demo:
the making of:
Enjoy!
* the impulse response for the reverb (saved in the samples folder as IR_RE501_2) was downloaded from a thread on gearspace: https://gearspace.com/board/music-computers/1337546-free-impulse-responses-not-only-spring-reverbs.html
Contributors
BRiES
Interface
Reviews for NT: Subharmonic Memory Unit v1
- Sound
- Character
- Playability
- Inspiration
- GUI
Leave a review to let others know what you thought of the instrument!
Sparking Creativity: Let's Explore!
"Wow, this looks great, but what is all this stuff?" was probably one of my first thoughts about this Decent Sampler instrument. This is probably because the GUI makes a stunning impression but the individual control functions are not exactly familiar in the Decent Sampler world plus the concept of subharmonics is used here....
So first I watched the two videos about the instrument and got bigger and bigger eyes. What Bries makes available to us here for free pushes for me the limits of what is possible with Decent Sampler once again. This, because Bries uses creatively existing possibilities of the DS (a "memory unit" built out of the delay effect, "Diftlock" to emulate the unstable pitch drift of analog oscillators...) and finds a good balance between possibilities to influence the sound and limiting the functions to not get lost in the jungle of possibilities (switches for slow/fast amp env, spring reverb and fixed value filter).
This instrument invites sound experimentation and can ignite just the spark of creativity that is sometimes needed to start a new song.
I thank Bries for this really great instrument with one of the most beautiful and attractive GUI I have seen so far on a decent sampler instrument plus for showing what else is possible with DS if you manage to think outside the box. I am impressed!
I highly recommend watching the instrument videos to get a good introduction to the concept of subharmonics and how to use the instrument!
So clever!
Subharmonic Memory Unit. This is one of my favourites!
For deep repetetive looped and very organic drone sounds, for example.
To change Buffer Size when Memory is on gives some very strange and organic effects loops which I love very much.
Because of my love for granular synths, randomizers and such, really makes me happy with this synth!The interface looks great!
happy accidents machine
This thing is NOT for playing ordinary music, although if you enable string reverb and 7k filter it sounds surprisingly "accoustic" for being essential bunch of square waves.
But real magic start when you enable random switch and delay looper. With this combo you can create some pretty sequences and even put some solos over it (but "looper" is basically just one long delay so everything is in one layer). It's great tool for ambient improvisations and inventing new melodies.
