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Many years ago, I used to dabble with Reaktor (V2 I think) and made up a few synth ensembles 'modeled' on synths and stuff I had owned in the past. It was great fun! However, such is the way with all things virtual, a disk crash lost me my Reaktor installation and I never did dig out the original CD to re-install as I wasn't really using it at the time, had loads of other (paying!) work on and didn't have time to spend messing around with Reaktor.
However, it ocurred to me recently that some Reaktor users might like to play with them so I am making them available here, for free, for the first time. I have checked them in the demo version of Reaktor 5 and they all seem to work fine - in fact, I was very pleasantly surprised how good they sounded!
Each one comes with a handful of presets but these synths - like the originals - are all about making your own sounds up. I hope you enjoy them and can find a place for them in your music.
Please note that I cannot enter into correspondence about these.
I made them years ago and forget the details now and no longer use Reaktor.
They are provided here, as is, if you want to try them out |
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This is a re-creation of the ARP Axxe.
Like the original, the Axxident features a single oscillator offering sawtooth and variable pulse width waveforms which are fed to a lowpass, resonant filter and out to an amplifier.
There is a simple LFO offering sine and square waves and a simple ADSR envelope.
There is also a noise generator for unpitched sounds and a sample+hold unit for random control events. |
The envelopes can be triggered from the LFO for a variety of different 'repeat' effects.
The original Axxe also had a variable portamento (glide) function and a +/-2 octave transpose switch. All these have been re-created as accurately as possible but I have also added a simple 'vibrato' LFO that is controlled by your modwheel thus freeing up the main LFO for other duties such as filter sweeps and/or pulse width modulation. The layout has also been modified to create a compact operational window.
The strength of the Axxe lay in its flexible modulation possibilities and almost anything could be patched to anything by way of variable sliders. This has been re-created here.
Despite its relative simplicity, the Axxident is capable of producing some great sounds from fruity basses to leadlines and special effects and having once owned an original black-and-gold faced Axxe, I can testify that my Axxident re-creation sounds pretty much like what I remember of the original. |
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This is a re-creation of the ARP Odyssey.
Like the original, my Odyssey+ features two audio oscillators that offer sawtooth and variable width pulse waves. Oscillator 1 can be switched to a special 'low frequency' (LF) mode to act as a second LFO whilst Oscillator 2 has a hard-sync option for classic sync sweep effects.
The two audio oscillators are fed to a resonant lowpass filter and onto a simple static highpass filter. Finally, the signal passes to an output amplifier.
There is a simple LFO that provides sine and square waveforms and two envelope generators are also provided for amplitude shaping, filter and pitch sweeps and pulse width modulation. These envelopes can also be triggered from the LFO in a variety of ways.
The Odyssey+ also features a noise generator offering white and pink noise and also a very flexible sample/hold processor that is an authentic recreation of the original's |
Not only does this provide the usual random S/H effects but by using Oscillator 1 in its LF mode, various arpeggio and other effects can be produced. The Odyssey+ also has a ring modulator for the creation of a wide variety of dissonant, bell-like sounds.
As with the original, almost any of the controllers can be routed to any of the audio sources and processors in variable amounts. Via the sample+hold mixer, linear FM (cross modulation) is also possible. In all, this is a very flexible monosynth that re-creates the possibilities available on the original ARP synth as authentically as possible. However, I have also taken some liberties.
I have added a simple vibrato LFO that can be controlled via your modwheel. This provides sine (for vibrato) and square (for trills). I have also included two ADSR envelopes instead of the original's rather limiting combination of an ADSR and an AR envelope. Another limitation of the original Odyssey was that the LFO always re-triggered with every note-on - I have provided a 'KEY SYNC' switch so that the LFO can be 'free-running' if you prefer. The Odyssey+ also has a stereo 'ping-pong' delay. I have also re-arranged the layout to fit into a comfortable operational window.
I cannot guarantee that it sounds exactly like the original but it sounds pretty good nonetheless and is capable of a wide range of classic synth sounds as the presets will show. |
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This is an authentic re-creation of a typical string synth of the '70s such as the ARP String Ensemble, Crumar Performer, Elka Rhapsody, etc..
Like the originals, it uses a simple polyphonic oscillator that is shaped by a simple AR envelope which is then passed through a swirling, multi-delay chorus effect to add the lush ensemble sound that was so typical of these instruments. |
Two registers are available (8' and 4') which can be independently mixed. Synphony also offers a simple 3-band EQ to modify the tone of the sound quite dramatically - this also helps re-create the tonal characteristics of different manufacturers' instruments.
It was very common to feed a string synth through a phase shifter to create a swirling, spacey sound and so one is built-in to Synphony. A simple stereo delay is also included to enhance the 'spacey' sound of a string synth.
There is very little else you can do with Synphony as it is optimised purely to produce a wide range of authentic string synth sounds.
It offers 16-voice polyphony (though you can change this if you wish) and, unlike 'real' string synths that only had one envelope to process all voices, Synphony has separate envelopes for each voice allowing proper articulation of notes. Also unlike 'real' string synths, you can optionally select to control it with velocity control of level. |
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