Reliq is a new matrix-based “hybrid control surface” that can be used to route and mix audio, sequence your music and control your DAW.
The majority of Reliq’s top surface is taken up by a 16×16 grid of buttons. This can be used to connect any input to any output with a single press, and you can store and recall signal routings in real time.
When in its sequencing guise, Reliq offers 16 polyphonic sequencers, while modes include Euclidean and Stochastic. You get eight voices of polyphony and 128 patterns per track, an LFO and envelope per track, real-time parameter recording and MPE compatibility.
When it comes to modulation, you can draw automation, LFO shapes and envelopes on the button grid.
DAW control features the option to trigger loops and clips, adjust mixer and instrument settings and arrange clips. A dedicated plugin enables you to sync and control Reliq from your DAW, as well.
Naturally, there’s plenty of I/O: three MIDI Outs, one MIDI In, USB-C MIDI, USB Host, 16 x gate and 32 x CV, reset out and clock out. The CV/gate connectivity and 16×16 matrix I/O comes in its own Eurorack-compatible case; this can be powered from the main Reliq unit via USB-C or a Eurorack power supply.
It’s difficult to know what to make of Reliq without seeing it in action. There are no videos to watch at this stage, but you can sign up for a launch invite on the website and receive a discount. The standard price will be $1,699.
This new Vocaloid soundbank sings like Porter Robinson, and he’s made a demo track to show what it can do
Today, almost 20 years old, Yamaha’s Vocaloid singing synth software has defied expectations to reach version 6, and continues to be supported with new soundbanks. The latest of these is particularly notable, as it’s based on the vocal stylings of none other than EDM producer Porter Robinson.
Going by the name of Po-uta, and fronted by its own anime-style avatar, this promises to “authentically reproduce the vocals used by Robinson in his own songs, which are known for their clarity and exquisite high range.”
The press release goes on to add: “This ensures a striking presence that won’t be eclipsed, even by powerful music such as electronica.”
There are 13 singing style presets, all of which have been approved by Porter Robinson and vary in style and tone. The Po-uta bank also makes use of some of the new features in Vocaloid 6, such as the Vocalo Changer, which uses your own vocal data to replicate your singing style, and the Multilingual option, which makes it possible to switch your lyrics between Japanese, English and Chinese with a single voicebank.
Discussing the track that you can hear in the video above, Porter Robinson says: “This is a demo-song I made to demonstrate my new official Vocaloid voicebank! I went for a fairly hard-tuned “robotic” sound to match the song’s themes (and so much of my own favourite Vocaloid music is in the ‘robot’ style), but Po-uta is also capable of realistic, human-sounding expressive styles too. I’m really curious to hear this software in the hands of people more capable of advanced Vocaloid tuning than me!” Voicebank Po-uta is available exclusively as a download from the Vocaloid Shop priced at $108 plus tax.
Spectrasonics has introduced Twisted Trees, a Sonic Extension for Omnisphere, created entirely from wood and elements of nature, by sound designer Diego Stocco.
Twisted Trees is designed for dark cinematic production, with thousands of unique sounds in nine different categories, and over 400 new sound sources.
Features:
A creative tour-de-force by sound designer Diego Stocco
Every sound built entirely using wood and elements of nature
Thousands of unique sounds in nine different categories
New “Twisted Space” natural elements reverb/echo effect
New “Twisted Root” multiband subsonic enhancer effect
Powerful Custom Controls for immediate sound manipulation
Over 400 new organic Soundsources
Elements mixer makes it inspiring to create and automate
Deep sampled percussion to otherworldly playable textures
Twisted Space Reverb
The “Twisted Space” effect unit is a hybrid ambience processor with a unique sonic signature. This effect unit is a hybrid ambience processor with a unique sonic signature. Based on over 100 natural element recordings Diego Stocco made from animals, trees, streams, caves and forests – as well as DSP algorithms – this effect puts the musician and the listener out “into the wild.”
115 Natural Elements: Liquid Woods, Ice Excavation, Bark Friction, Blizzard and more
Hybrid Ambience FX unit based on convolution and algorithmic processing
Add movement with variable Ambience/Echo Modulation
Classic Analog regeneration buildup with killer extremes
“Massive” Sub Octave Blending of Natural Elements
Continuous Stereo Spread of Ambience Time
Color, Low Cut and High Cut tone controls
Multitap mode for scattered diffusion FX
Inverse mode for backwards reverb FX
Works in any Omnisphere Patch
Twisted Root Sub-Effect
“Twisted Root” is a special multi-band subsonic enhancer effect that adds “massive girth, size and sheen” to any sound you run through it.
Each of the four bands has controls for the sustain and the level of each frequency independently. The Sub Octave, Hype and Drive controls add intensity and power that the user can easily to dial to taste.
Four-band compression/enhancement, with integrated sub-octave bass divider
Low, Lo-Mid, Hi-Mid and High bands with independent sustain and level
Sub Octave control can be mixed to taste, from 100% dry to 100% wet
Hype control has class-A analog-modeled input/output gain-staging
Drive circuit adds subtle saturation to cut thru dense mixes
Easy-to-use, great-sounding results with simple controls
Works in any Omnisphere Patch
Twisted Trees is available now via Spectrasonics website for $149. Twisted Trees requires Omnisphere 2.8.5e or higher, and 3.6 Gb free space. Sonic Extensions offers 20% and 30% discounts for purchases of multiple titles.
