Native Instruments Ships Absynth

NATIVE INSTRUMENTS announced ABSYNTH, a new software synthesizer. ABSYNTH's powerful semi-modular architecture and clean interface show the future of software synthesizer development. It has never been so easy to effortless sculpt everything from organic textures to rhythmic madness to vintage sounds with one synthesizer.

ABSYNTH was originally released in 2000 by Rhizomatic Software and distributed as an internet download only. Because of their admiration for NATIVE INSTRUMENTS they agreed to join the company and to work together on a new exciting version of ABSYNTH.

Mate Galic, Native Audio Evangelist at NI raves: "When I received an early beta-version of the original ABSYNTH I was completely flashed all over the place. ABSYNTH's sound-quality is extraordinary and those unique functions like the seemingly endless envelopes lets you create truly alienated textures and organic sounds no other synth can offer. It is alive!"

Brian Clevinger, the creator of ABSYNTH, adds: "I was a big fan of REAKTOR and always felt that these people share similar visions to mine and have a deep love for sound. I am excited about being part of such a creative company and to work as a team on the next level of ABSYNTH and it's addictive sound."

Product Information: ABSYNTH

ABSYNTH's unique strengths lies in its multiple synthesis techniques combined with the most flexible envelope control ever. With ABSYNTH it is possible to easily create everything from timbrally morphing percussive loops to physical modelling textures to time-evolving soundscapes.

ABSYNTH's flexible patching scheme lets one intuitively combine subtractive synthesis, FM, AM, ring modulation and waveshaping. Six oscillators, four filters, three ring modulators, a waveshaper and a delay processor are available per voice along with the unprecedented graphical modulation capabilities.

ABSYNTH's waveform editor allows one to freely model waveforms which can be used by oscillators, LFOs, and as waveshaping distortion functions. Draw waves directly or use the spectrum mode to trim individual harmonics. Mix, modulate, filter or fractalize waves. Best of all, you hear the results continuously while you edit. Waveforms become an expressive parameter that adds new depth to classic synthesis techniques like FM and ring modulation.

The 3 LFOs can each modulate pitch, amplitude, filter, FM depth, pan or delay time. Sample and Hold turns the waveform into a discrete step function, a classic effect of modular analog synths. Best of all, waveforms can be drawn and edited directly in the Waveform Editor for ultimate versatility and ease of use.

Absynth gives you more than a dozen envelopes with up to 68 breakpoints each. Envelopes can loop or retrigger to creating cyclic rhythms and constantly evolving ambient textures. The Editor Window displays multiple envelopes simultaneously, so you can precisely sychronize the evolution of different layers of sound in time against a tempo grid.

Modulated delay effects can be tightly integrated into each patch. Delays can be modulated by the 3 LFOs and MIDI controllers just like any of Absynth's other parameters. Multiple parallel delay lines modulated by ABSYNTH's versatile LFOs are flexible enough to build physical models of acoustic instruments. Delay times can be as short as one sample and as long as 10 seconds - imagine controlling that with your mod wheel!

ABSYNTH is designed for maximum expressive control. Parameters can be modulated by MIDI continuous controllers, aftertouch, velocity and note number. Continuous controller input can be smoothed with a lag control, making wide ranges possible (for example ±6 octaves for pitch bend). Notes can control parameters through note scale maps, where each parameter can have a different value for every note.

It is difficult to compare ABSYNTH to any other softsynth, but ABSYNTH is among the most efficient software synthesizers yet. In any VST 2.0 compatible host program eight ABSYNTH instances can be used simultaneously. For smooth integration into other popular virtual studio environments Absynth also supports Digidesign's Super DirectConnect, MOTU's MAS and Steinberg's ASIO interface.

Maximize your polyphony in multitimbral mode and still have plenty power left over for mixing and composing ,

ABSYNTH will be released in April 2001 and is priced at $299.00.

Feature Overview: ABSYNTH

Semi-modular synthesizer combining multiple synthesis techniques

Exceptional wide range of organic and expressive sounds

Extensive sound library

Multitimbral in VST 2.0 with 8 parts

Intuitive and convenient graphical editors

6 oscillators, 4 filters, 3 ring modulators, waveshaper and delay processor per voice

Freely drawable waveforms for oscillators, LFOs and waveshaping

Many graphical envelopes with up to 68 breakpoints each Runs stand-alone and as a plug-in on Macintosh

Supports VST 2.0, Super DirectConnect, MAS, ASIO"

SYSTEM REQUIREMENTS: Mac OS 8.6 or higher, G3 300 MHz, 64 MB RAM