Highlighted is one of the excellent acoustic drum kits note the handy little 'library' graphic to the right of the display.3.iPhone Emulator for Mac. Multi platform (OS X, Windows, Linux) and multi format (VST, could build a AU.Everthing you need to know about, or do with, Sonik Synth 2 is done from this window. Edited Decemby Sensei.Dexed is a free DX7 style synth plugin developed by Digital Suburban. Set emulator to use just one CPU core and in Task/Process Manager on Windows (probably 99 of programmers don't know how to do it: you have to open Task Manager, LMB click on process, RMB to open context-menu, pick up 'Set Affinity.' and disable the all except one core).The first result of this closer relationship is Sonik Synth 2, one of an impending series of specialised sample and patch sets created by SR that are played back by a modified version of the latest Sampletank engine. You might call it a 'strategic alliance' if you were writing their press release. This all-new set of samples and patches came with a playback version of Sampletank.Fast-forward to now, and not only has Sampletank morphed into an even more serious instrument — version 2 offers improved effects, many more editing options, comprehensive user sample import and some funky loop-manipulation options — but we discover that Sonic Reality's relationship with IKM has grown rather more close. For example, American sample-library wizards Sonic Reality released a collection dubbed Sonic Synth back in 2002. The engine itself became a vehicle for other IKM and third-party sound sets.
Sure, the basic layout is very much like the parent product, but subtle graphic tweaks have been made, the most obvious being the colour scheme — gone is ST orange. The first Sampletank review was in August 2001:Sonic Synth was covered in November 2002:And finally, Sampletank 2 had its outing in February 2004:Whereas the original Sonic Synth just looked like Sampletank, the new product has its own look and feel, beyond swapping a 'c' for a 'k' in its name. That's a lot of samples!You can track the evolution of Sampletank and Sonic/Sonik Synth yourself by tracking down the SOS reviews. In all, 8GB of samples is provided, on two DVDs (the cross-platform installer has its own CD-ROM). But a healthy selection of bread-and-butter sounds is also provided, also all new and created by Sonic Reality. Ms Vcs3 Emulator Book Pro Mac OS X And WindowsThe plug-in runs on both Mac OS X and Windows XP/2000, and supports all major standards: VST, DXi, RTAS and AU — the installer CD is cross-platform, and the user has three authorisations. It even implements Sampletank 2 's three 'synth engines', of which more soon. The engine, however, is exactly the same, excepting that SS2 does not offer sample import: the system is closed when it comes to its basic sound set.Briefly, then, Sonik Synth 2 is a 16-part multitimbral playback synth module with a large sample ROM, eight stereo 'audio out' pairs, a decent effects complement, and plenty of editability. IK Multimedia's solution to the potentially tricky problem of selecting patches from such a large collection is the browser window, to the right of the Combi display. This multitimbral Combi can be saved by the user, and the healthy collection of themed presets supplied is worth exploring.Sonik Synth 2's rear panel: very attractive (the fan is even animated), but serves no operational purpose!SS2 has nearly 6000 individual Instrument patches. Additionally, the user can alter the MIDI channel (parts are layered by assigning them to the same MIDI channel), polyphony and stereo output pair. Each of Sonik Synth 2 's 16 parts can have one of these Instruments assigned to it, and is equipped with a set of basic mixing and other controls: mute, solo, pan and level are pretty standard fare, and the display also indicates how much memory the currently selected Instrument requires. There is a confusing mixing of the words 'instrument', 'voice' and 'part preset' in the manual and software, but all effectively refer to a 'patch' as most of us would use the term: a multisample and its attendant synthesis and effect settings, saved under a unique name. Half of Sonik Synth 2 's window is taken up by the 'Combi' display, which lists the plug-in's 16 multitimbral or layerable parts, in two switchable banks of eight. Few of the categories are strict, with interesting ready-sampled layers and massed sounds appearing in most categories. As an example, the Synths folder subdivides into Motion Synths, Synth Pads, Synth Bass, Synth Leads and Misc Synths. In this case, the list shows saved variants, including user edits, on the selected patch.The main folders are titled Synths, Keyboards (electric and acoustic pianos, Mellotron and organ), Guitar + Bass, Drums + Percussion, Orchestral Textures, Vocal Textures, SFX and Elements A and B. Most patches also have an arrow next to them, and clicking on this produces yet another sub-list. Click another, and you'll see a list of patches. Moog Minimoog, Taurus I and II, Polymoog and 900 series, 920 series and 3C modulars. Note that even if you don't take advantage of the option to save Combis and Instruments, any changes you make to SS2 will be saved from the host software in the song in which the plug-in is being used.In the preparation of Sonik Synth 2, patches and raw waveforms were sampled from a huge range of vintage synths, some well-known, some more obscure: Hits are speedily displayed in the browser window, and it's easy to toggle back to the full list.Users can save edited Instruments, but you can't start from scratch: user edits are always based on factory material, though when working with Elements presets, you have plenty of space for creativity. Drum machines have not been left out of the picture, and classic Roland examples are part of the SS2 sound picture: TR808, TR909, TR606, CR78 and SR120. The patch list suggests that related tape and disk-based machines, such as the Chamberlin, Novatron and Mattel Optigan, were also part of the sessions. Various organs appear in the general sound set, too, and a Mellotron 400 was comprehensively sampled, as was a rare disk-based Vako Orchestron. Steiner-Parker Synthacon and modular system.Phew! Non-synthesizing electric keyboards are also represented, courtesy of Wurlitzer, Rhodes, Hohner and Yamaha electric piano and Clavinet sets. Roland System 100 modular, VP330, Jupiter 4, 6 and 8, Super Jupiter rack, Juno 60, Juno 106 and D50. Initially, it may also appear not to function, but don't worry: it's hard-wired to the modulation wheel, so there's no LFO effect till the wheel is moved. LFO1 has a useful delay control, for gradually bringing in the modulation effect, and a 'free run' option which syncs the start of modulation to a key press or merely lets it run freely. Synth editing is thus broken down into eight button-selected sections: which parameters the knobs control, and how many knobs are active, is determined by the button you've pressed.There are two LFOs, each offering a choice of waveform, plus control over speed, depth and how much LFO is applied to level, pitch and/or filter cutoff frequency. There are more than 50 parameters available to tweak SS2 patches, but only eight knobs in the Synth Edit section. A multisample serves as oscillator, which is processed by a resonant filter, two envelopes and two LFOs. Usefully, all the curve controls are calibrated in milliseconds and seconds (except for 'sustain', whose level is calibrated in dB). Otherwise, they feature a fairly standard AHDSR curve. If I miss anything here, it's the option to sync LFOs to tempo, which appears to be missing from the basic Sampletank engine.The two envelope generators are also largely similar: Env1 is routed to level only, whilst Env2 can be routed to filter cutoff frequency and/or pitch.
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