Nyr Sound Releases Chaosynth

Filters Display (Click for a larger image)

Envelope Display Screenshot

Granules Display Screenshot

Cellular Automata Display

Frequencies Display (Click for a larger image

Nyr Sound Ltd., a new software developer, has just released its first product, Chaosynth. This new software synthesizer is initially available only for Windows, but a Macintosh version is under development and should reach beta within two weeks time.

Overview

Chaosynth uses cellular automata and granular synthesis to create a new sound set for the electronic musician.

Chaosynth's primary mode of operation is as a one-shot sample generator. However, the program can be driven by MIDI to create a fully functioning monosynth.

Cellular Automata

The primary guide to the timbre of the Chaosynth sound comes from cellular automata. These consist of a group of cells that evolve over time following a pre-defined rule. At each time segment, every cell changes its state depending on the conditions of its neighbors. Starting with a random state, the cellular automata quickly settle to form organic and eventually oscillating patterns. When this is translated into sound, a complex evolving waveform is formed with a rich texture.

Granular Synthesis

This is the process of synthesizing a large sound using a stream of small packets (granules) of sound. Traditionally, the characteristics of the granules have been determined by probability mathematics or used as an effect by chopping up a sample into granules and streaming them back randomly.

Chaosynth's use of cellular automata as a controller produces a much more distant, controllable and varied sound than traditional granular synthesizers. This combination of cellular automata and granule synthesis is a first of its kind. The sounds produced cover ambient, strange and effects based styles. The program was even once used for producing fruit machine sound effects but in general it is targeted at dance/electronic musicians and academics.

Sporting a clean graphical interface, Chaosynth eases the user into the sound possibilities opened up by the new sound technique. At the same time, precise timing information allows seamless integration of the sounds into recordings.

One of the main strengths of Chaosynth is its output quality. It can save to disk with a sample rate up to 24-bit, 11 - 200kHz. Real-time synthesis also supports 24-bit output on some soundcards.

Feature List:

• Synthesis: Cellular Automata and Granular synthesis
• Oscillators: 64
• Waveforms: Sine, Square, Saw-tooth, Triangle and Noise
• Control: One sample to disk recording, MIDI real-time control
• Soundcard support: MME and DirectX
• Effects: Reverb, Modulation
• Filters: Envelope, Low/High/Band Pass filters
• Channel rendering: Mono, Stereo, Surround (2 channel)
• Output quality: 8,16,20 or 24-bit 11kHz - 200kHz
• Output options: WAV or MIDI
• General: Multiple undo and user defined presets
• System Requirements: Pentium or better (200MHz Pentium recommended), Windows 95/98, 16-bit Soundcard
• Price: Chaosynth costs £25 + postage and packaging. See web-site for details.

Customers will have access to unlimited technical support by e-mail, phone, and fax. Additionally, there will be supplementary documentation and files available on the web-site; there is an academic section already.