A Comb Filter & a Ring Modulator, both in the same App. 2 effects that I really love to use with any kind of audio source to create a Rhythmic pattern, to add an Electro side to a natural Drum, and sometimes also when I have no idea about what to do. With Ringabell I have this, but much more than this because of the of the Comb & the Ring automation parameters. They add a new dimension to these 2 effects and new horizons to the user. The Comb Filter comes with 3 rotating knobs. Time, Feedback and Mix. The Comb automation with an Order knob: Off, Sine, Saw Up, Saw Dawn, Triangle and Random. A Rate, a Min and a Max value knobs. These 2 last ones allow you to set the range in milliseconds. Pause! I don’t know if you know what is exactly a Comb Filter effect… why Ringabell comes with an Order selection knob for the waveform, why the range values are set in milliseconds, so, here a little description: “A comb filter adds a delayed version of a signal to itself, causing the constructive and destructive interference. The frequency response of a comb filter consists of a series of regularly spaced notches, giving the appearance of a comb. Audio effects, including echo, flanging, and digital waveguide synthesis. For instance, if the delay is set to a few milliseconds, a comb filter can be used to model the effect of acoustic standing waves in a cylindrical cavity or in a vibrating string.” Now the Ring Modulator: this time I will start wit a simple description. A ring modulator multiplies two signals together to create two brand-new frequencies which are the sum and difference of the input frequencies. So, in the Ring Modulator window, we have 3 rotating knobs. Speed, Depth and Shape. The shape will determinate the waveform of the new output signal: Cosine, Sawtooth, Square, Triangle or Noise. (Noise, it's great for a Ring Modulator...) The Ring Automation window is the same as the Comb one. In summary: Ringabell is much more powerful than most of the Ring Modulator or Comb Filter that I have ever used in my life. Here you can create a lot of sounds, even an Arpeggio from any kind of input signal. What I really love is that it’s not a “Usine à gaz” in French, in English: a Gas Factory, which means that it’s not a complex App to use. The cherry on the cake: all Comb Filter effects can be used as a Flanger, the Rate here allows you to set it as a Tremolo too. A Killer App, a Must Have!
Review by Ed
0 Comments
This is the App description: Tines emulates an electric piano. With internal effects like a stereo tremolo, a multiband distortion panel and a subtle roomy reverb, Tines can sound like anything between a dreamy slick Rhodes to a nasty Wurlitzer (however, it is not designed to be a ”vintage” emulation, but a modern and playable instrument). A fine-tuned velocity curve makes Tines a true joy to play on a MIDI keyboard. What can I add… Audio Unit compatible… Core Midi… and that it’s very difficult for me to rate this App… there are only 2 electric pianos that I love. The Wurlitzer and the Fender Rhodes… here is a bit like you just buy a brand new Wurlitzer or Rhodes, just out of the factory, without the sound of the keys, but has it is write in the description, Tines is not a vintage emulation of these 2 electric pianos… the sound is really great, the Leslie is really cool too. The 3 bands Distortion works well and the Reverb too. a Super or Killer App depending of your taste… Review by Ed Wth this part 2 of the tutorial, we are starting to enter for real inside BeatMaker 3... We can now say that BeatMaker allows you to work with 128 MIDI Tracks. That this tracks can control another App or external hardware. That they can be controlled by them too. That you can also load a Bank to them with an associated pattern or not, a Sample from the built in library or via iCloud Drive or AudioShare. That the Pad surfaces can be set to 16 or 64 individual Pads. That we can rename a Bank, Save or Copy it with the associated samples and pattern if we like That we can change the color of a track... All this is great, but I kept the Awesome for the end... The Layer mode! In this tutorial, you will learn how to create a new layer for a Pad. I wanted to know how many layers BeatMaker 3 allows me to create but after the 38 ones and a little bit boring I stopped. The Layer mode is awesome, because with one Tap on a Pad you can play 38 or 10000000 (I don't know...) samples! All the settings that you have made for this Pad will be applied to all Layers. You can use this to play a Chord with one Tap, to play a Kick with a Crash at the same time, to play several loops, or else. This is awesome! Coming soon, the Pads and Keyboards: Tutorial part 3 NFM is a virtual FM synthesizer. FM synthesizers are not my favourite ones… for example I really don’t like the DX7 which is certainly the most famous of them. So, when I launched NFM the first time, I tried to forget my personal taste and start to play. I load some preset and was very surprised by the generated sound. Cool, very cool… After, I started to use the Operator (s).I understood nothing and was a little bit disappointed. The day after, I read the user manual, and tried to use the Operators again. Hallelujah! Awesome! This is what I read: “FM Algorithm's interface is inspired by Native Instrument's FM8 FM Matrix. It allows you to wire up modulators and carriers in any way you like. Every operator can be a modulator, a carrier, or both simultaneously. Each modulator can modulate any number of carriers. For example, operator C can modulate D, E and F and send feedback to A and B operators. Tapping on an operator button (labeled A, B, C etc.) switches the active operator view.” When you look at the NFM main screen, on the left side, the FM algorithms, on the right side, the Operators. With a swipe of your finger on rectangle shape you will be able to send the output signal of an Operators to another one, with another swipe you will send the feedback of an Operator to another… it’s really great, and turns NFM into a real versatile synthesizer. You can play a percussive sound and turn it into a big pad. You can play a Pad and add noises to it. What you like... The second view of MFN is dedicated to the FX and the Output section. Check out the tutorial to see all the parameters available,. Watch the video demo to understand how it works. In summary NFM is a very powerful FM synthesizer which can make you love the FM synthesizers as it did for me. You can use it for live performances, for sound illustration, or as a classic synthesizer too. I have only one regret. It's the lack of a Midi implementation.to control tthe Operators with another App or an external keyboard. A Killer Synthesizer. A Must Have!
Review by Ed I already reviewed Troublemaker from this developer. I will review soon, Ruismaker FM, the FM version of Ruismaker… I hope that I will be able to review the other Apps from Bram Bos. If not, very very sad I will be, because a big fan of this developer I am… (one more time, I am talking like a Jedï…). I love the UI, I love the generated sound, I love the concept… I also love their User manual which allows me to save a lot of time while I am making my review and tutorial… So, Ruismaker… first, the first time you will launch this App, use an headphone,.. you will be able to listen to the quality of the generated signal. A lot of dynamics which is not so easy to find with in a Drum Synthesizer Machine and this, even if you start to shape the sound of an instrument. I love this… Ruismaker its two modules. Euh, no, it’s 2 Apps in one. A Midi Drum Synthesizer Machine and a Sequencer, an Euclidean Pattern sequencer… an Euclidean Midi Pattern sequencer… an Euclidean Polyrhythm Midi Pattern sequencer… I think that I have to make a little break to give you some explanations… Why it’s not 2 modules, but 2 Apps? With the Audio Unit version, there is no sequencer. Does it means that we can not use the Ruismaker Euclidean Pattern sequencer? No… with Audiobus 3 you can load Ruismaker as a Midi input… at this moment, you can use it as midi sequencer to control another App. But you can also use it to control the Audio Unit version of Ruismaker loaded in Audiobus 3 or in another App. Check out the tutorial below… note that you can Tap on the GM keymap button located on the first parameters line of the Drum Synthetiser to play the 8 available instruments with the Audiobus Midi keyboard or another one. Jump to the C3 octave of your MIDI Controller and play.. Now Euclidean. Euclid was a Greek mathematician from 300 B.C. who came up with an algorithm to calculate the Greatest Common Divisor (GCD) for any set of two numbers. http://cgm.cs.mcgill.ca/~godfried/publications/banff.pdf. It means that this sequencer is not a classic sequencer… don’t try to tap on the grid,… no events will be added to it. Use the Beats button to add beats… set the number of steps from 1 to 32 for each of 8 available tracks, then use the shift button to move all the events of the selected tracks in an Euclidean style. Add an accent or not, use the Mutation button to add random beat to your track and if your not happy, tap on the randomize button… you can also load a sequence from the Factory Library or load yours. Before to conclude, let’s talk about the Drum Synthetiser. 8 instruments. You can load 8 Snares, 8 Kicks if you like and save this as a Preset. The first line of parameters are applied to all instruments: Delay time & Feedback / Reverb and Volume. A randomize button is also available. On the second line, the parameters for the selected instrument: Tune / Decay / Personality / Drive / Bitcrush / Delay Send, Pan and Level. The last line: 8 switches below allows you to select an Instrument sound preset. So, now my conclusion… I love the Drum Synthetiser… the generated sounds… I also love the sequencer… the possibilities that he can offer to an ex Punk, ex New Wave, ex Rocker and old Electro music lover. I remember the day I listened to the first Tom York solo album… the Eraser… the Drum programming… so far fom my internal Drum Machine programming system. And it’s too bad because, I love this kind of rhythms, so much… Euh, no, it’s was too bad…. Now, I will use the Ruismaker App… a Killer App. A Must Have! Audiobus / Audio Unit / IAA / Stand Alone / Midi If you look at the What's hot today banner, you can see that I received most of all the Apps from Klevgränd. Even if I didn’t post all the reviews at this moment, I already played with all of them. Conclusion, Klevgränd belongs to my favourite developers. I love all their Apps, and not only the Apps from the Music category… Wizibel for example, is totally awesome… Videos editors, you can already download this App without to wait for my review… AWESOME! Jussi is my “Coup de cœur”. I love him, so much! Every time that we jam together, I ask myself: “I am sure that somebody already released a radio Hit with him’. I am sure, but if nobody did it, you should download this App and try to do something with him! I also think that Godfrapp (the band) will be really happy to know Jussi... It’s very hard to explain how a voice sound, so, the best is that you watch the 2 videos demo. (The first video shows you all the thing that Jussi can do with his voice.. The second one is from the ChordFlow review, it shows you how he can jam with you.) Jussi is not from a Western country, this is sure… Africa, South America, perhaps from the father side and Cheyenne or Sioux from his mother side… I tried to ask him a lot of time, but every time he answers. Hey, Heyii, Heyaa, Heyum,… For his, weight height, shoe size, etc…. ADSR with ”Turn-in” and ”Turn-out” option (Turn-in and Turn-out affects the pitch and maps it to attack and release) Voice character XY pad (Intensity and Narrowness) / Legato mode (glides between notes and velocity levels) / Legato Hold mode (polyphonic legato when using a sustain controller) / Throat emulation XY pad (Grain and Tonality) / Built-in Reverb. In summary: Jussi is not a Must Have. Jussi is not a powerful synth. Jussi is Jussi! And this is the most important! My rating? A Killer App! For me? A Must Have too, because if nobody use it to make a Hit, I will try to do it…
Review by Ed Review update 2 I also forgot 2 things... 1) you can save the preset also by a Press and hold on the Preset name... Check out the first image of the tutorial below.... 2) you can also record an Automation! (Check out the Top Class! And More post... So, definitely FAC Chorus is perfect, it miss nothing... For the third time... FAC Chorus is a Killer App! A Must Have for guitar players and sound engineers... next review update in 1 hour... :-) In this review, I made a big, no a very big mistake.... You can save your own Presets! So, all my apologies to the developer! And because of this, I do,'t know what new feature can be add to make FAC Chorus better than today... As I will say at the end of this review and more now since I corrected my mistake. FAC Chorus is a Killer App! A Must Have for guitar players and sound engineers! Fac Chorus is a? Chorus! Yes, you win! When you look at the UI it looks like a real 19 inch rack Chorus… And when you listen to the processed signal, you also believe that you have a real physical Chorus… when you start to set some parameters, you also think the same… there are not so many Chorus App in the App Store… And most of the time, they can do much more than a Chorus… And sometimes too much more… I mean when you only want to add a “simple’ Chorus to a guitar, it can be a little bit boring to remember how an App works, how you can bypass a filter or a resonator, or else…. Also most of all our DAW come with a Chorus, but most of the time they are very “Simple".. Too much… here we have an easy to use Chorus… the best is to start from one of the built in preset. FAC Chorus is “normal” Chorus that can generated also versatile chorus effect with an usual physical interface. And this is really cool… now, there are 3 things that you will not find in this App… the IAA and the Audiobus features… I don't think that it’s a big problem because Fac Chorus is Audio Unit compatible and all the Pro DAW must have to be Audio Unit compatible. The third thing is that you cannot save a preset. This can be a little bit more annoying… only the last state will be realiseded after that you re launch the App again. This is the only defect of Fac Chorus but I am sure that the developer will add this feature in a future update. So, to conclude. Fac Chorus is a Killer App! A Must Have for guitar players, sound engineers too!
For my video demo, I used one of my favourite tune. Merry Christmas Mister Lawrence. This version is interpreted by Kaori Mura, and Riuychi Sakamato himself! Here is the link of the video:: https://youtu.be/ZA-NjYpRn34 Review by Ed So, here is the new App from Klevgränd. A polyphonic Synthesizer. It's a new App, but not a real new Synthesizer. It's a new version of their Syndt synthesizer. I will post it's review the next week... Wait... Sorry... "Hey, you, the man with the black shirt! Please wait a little bit! I know that you already bought Syndt but I have not finished my review and if you go now, you will make a big mistake! So, please come back, seat down and wait until the end of my review! Thanks! So, what I was saying.... Ah, yes, SyndtSphere is a new version of Syndt... A new version with a totally different and unique UI. Here, by rotating a Sphere with one of your finger, you will "surf" between presets. 70 states. All parameters are morphed according to the proximity of the different presets and this is totally awesome! This is for this reason that I love so much the iPad, or I should say the Apps that we can have in our iPad. Here, with a different UI we have a totally new Synth... I am sure that you the man with the black shirt you will not be able to create the same sounds that mine with your Syndt, even if it's the same Synthesizer! So, before to conclude, I have to talk about the Ping Pong delay and the legato mode (with a glide speed setting) available in a little pop-up window... Also, one thing that you can think weird, but in fact totally normal, it's the lack of preset in the Library menu... Yes, it's so easy to create a preset, I mean a good one, that the developer team could have had 10 000 presets or none... They choose none, to let you create yours... To conclude, one more awesome App and creative App from Klevgränd with a unique UI and an awesome sounding that everybody can use... A Must Have! A Killer App!
Review by Ed Mersenne is a melodic percussion synthesizer that combines two FM synthesis modules, a noise generator and a resonator. With simple operation, you can easily create a clear bell sound with complex attack sound. ## What's New in Version 2 - Universal App : Optimized for iPad and iPhone - Audio Unit Extensions (AUv3) compatible - Support for Audiobus State Saving - Exporting and importing of presets via Share extensions - Add Swing parameter to the arpeggiator - Improved MIDI mapping function - Support for Bluetooth MIDI Devices - Add Grain and Attack parameters to the Noise ## Synthesizer Engine * Tone A/B: FM Synthesis * Noise + Filter * Resonator * Chorus * Delay * Reverb ## Key Features * Universal App Optimized for both the iPad and the iPhone. * Audio Unit Extensions (AUv3) You can use in a host application that supports Audio Unit such as GarageBand. * Inter-App Audio You can stream live audio directly to other Inter-App Audio host applications. * Audiobus support You can stream live audio directly to other Audiobus-compatible apps. See https://audiob.us for more information. * Ableton Link Ableton Link is a new technology that synchronizes beat, phase and tempo of Ableton Live and Link-enabled iOS apps over a wireless network. See https://www.ableton.com/link/ for more information. * MIDI - Core MIDI, Bluetooth MIDI, Virtual MIDI, Inter-App Audio MIDI input - MIDI Clock synchronization - MIDI Controller Mapping * Programmable Arpeggiator You can easily create your own pattern. This is the App Store description.... So, now, my turn to talk… Mersenne is a “small” synthesiser. Small means that you can not do everything with it, as a big analog bass sound or pads… small because you don’t have a lot of pages, menu, or else in this App… but small doesn’t mean less than a big one. for example, a Porshe is smaller than a Peugeot but is a hundred times better... so when you're small, you have to be different, particular, unique, recognisable… if you ask me: I want a small car that can go very fast… I will answer a Porshe. If you ask me: I need a small synthesizer that can generate cold sounds, percussive sounds. I will answer Mersenne! Yes… if you need this, no doubt, Mersenne is the One! I love it! Easy to use, easy to create a beautiful percussive sound with a little taste of East Asia in 10 seconds. It also comes with an Arpeggiator, a great Arpeggiator and this is really cool for a synthesizer that generates percussive sounds! The midi learn function allows you to control all parameters with another App or external hardware… so… A Killer Synthesizer! A Must Have! (I really love the generated sound…)
Korvpressor is a compressor. So, a dynamic effect… as all the dynamic effects it can be dangerous to use for people who don’t really know how to use them, or the “good” way to use them… but Korvpressor is so simple to use, that it’s a good option for beginners. Wait! If I am saying this, you will certainly think that this compressor is not for professional sound engineers… but, no! I never said this! Korvpressor is great for both… the quality of processing is great, but it is so easy to use! An input, a Squeeze, and an Output. 3 handles to drag up or down… the Squeeze is the Compression value. Set to the max (down), it will start to Pump (a little bit) your input signal. 3 rotary knobs for the Bass, Mid and High frequency are also available. Cool! Another switch named Lookahead will add a little delay to your output signal. Note that I am not totally sure of the real purpose of this switch… I think that it reduces the CPU usage of your iDevice… (for this reason, the little delay…). I made a test with a Mix, Drums, guitar and vocal, and every time Korvpressor made a great Job! Note that on an entire Mix, you can easily use it as a Maximiser… in summary, Korvpressor is a Must Have for everyone because of its great UI, because you will not destroy your signal with it, because the quality of processing. A Killer App!
Review by Ed |
AuthorEd Archives
December 2019
Because I can read everywhere a Policy...
|