Modeled resonators, formants, waveshapers, filters, delays, all with extensive modulation: Synestia takes the unparalleled sonic shapers from creator Brian Clevinger’s Plasmonic and brings it to any input signal.
Brian Clevinger is one of those if-you-know-you-know software luthiers. He’s the mind behind the space alien-chic software synthesizer Absynth. That software reached version 3 before Native Instruments decided they didn’t want to commission another version. (NI is a bit like the software equivalent of a Hollywood studio that often doesn’t get the talent.) But then Brian also produced the equally ground-breaking Plasmonic. It has its own, unique architecture and is capable of sounds that are simply unreachable in other synths, all in a surprisingly powerful single-window interface.
One of the best things about Plasmonic was always its effects section. But really exploiting that is a task best left to a dedicated audio effect. And that’s where Synestia comes in.
I’m so excited about this that, frankly, I want to spend as little time on this write-up as I’d rather be using it. So here’s the full feature list, which Brian has written up nicely and – you can bug me for a proper review/guide.
It’s really a semi-modular multi effect – 8 effects (physically modeled resonators, filters, distortion/waveshaper, and more), plus a wide amount of modulation and lots of patching possibilities. Just as with Brian’s other creations, you can go nuts with modulation, for evolving atmospheres or rhythmic patterns or whatever. It’s the “hold down a key and let the song happen” approach – if you want it to be. But it’s intuitive enough that subtler creations are possible, too, plus any range of envelope/input following and MIDI mapping.
And as with Plasmonic, you also get full MPE and tuning support in the effect. So this could become your single go-to effect for its complete MPE implementation, especially if you’re working outside 12-TET tuning and want your effects to follow. (I’ll have to investigate exactly how to set that up in Ableton Live Tuning Systems, for instance, if you aren’t loading Scala mappings directly, though that would be possible, too.)
Effects Included:
Sympathetic: An array of 6 physical-modeled resonators. Sympathetic responds to the audio it’s fed with shimmering harmonic textures.
Diffuse Delay: A network of modulated delays, covering a huge range of sounds, from shifting metallic resonances to vast spaces.
Echoes: A pair of delays with lots of character, from 0.1ms to 10 seconds in length.
Dual Ladder: A pair of self-oscillating multi-mode filters. Combine them to create dynamic new filter shapes.
Distortion: Saturation and Wavefolding mayhem, with a selection of dynamic waveshapes.
Sidebands: Frequency Shifting with its own feedback delay for unique effects.
Flanger: Deep modulated delay effects. Flanger covers a very wide palette of tonalities.
Formants: Rich and complex filter resonances.Modulators Included:
8 Macros provide control over groups of parameters, making it easy to expressively modify any preset. All factory presets have extensive macro assignments.
3 Multi-Segment Envelopes with up to 128 segments and precise editing of breakpoint parameters.
Envelope Follower-Trigger: Make Synestia’s effects respond expressively to musical input.
3 LFOs with Sample and Hold, plus a unique chaos control to break up cyclic monotony.
3 ADSR which are fast and precise.
3 Random Generators for obscuring predictability.MIDI Control: Synestia’s Sympathetic resonators can be played by MIDI note input, with MPE and microtuning support. And all modulators can be triggered by MIDI notes, opening all kinds of possibilities for rhythmic effect control.
Just listen:
Oh, I’d love it if Applied Acoustic Systems did something like this MPE/tuning support, as well, on the effects side (hint, hint), speaking of physical modeling.
I love the new UI work Rhizomatic did. It’s a big leap forward from Plasmonic and I hope a glimpse of a forthcoming update for the synth, as well.
But yeah, Synestia is a major, major release. There’s a little time left, so let me give it a spin and let you know if this is the effect of 2024. It probably is.
Synestia is available at an introductory price of $79/€79, increasing to $119/€119 after the promotional period.
