KV331 Audio Finally Releases SynthMaster 3 With Expanded Synthesis Options
SynthMaster 3 brings a wide range of updates, including new synthesis options, effects, presets and performance options.
Fans of KV331 Audio’s SynthMaster have had to wait a long time for the plugin to tick over from version 2.x to 3, but it’s finally happened.
Said to have been in development for many years, this revised edition of the company’s flagship instrument has a new modular architecture that enables you to work across 16 layers per plugin instance, with each layer containing up to 16 modules, 32 modulation sources and six insert effects.
There are 900 new factory presets, and SynthMaster 3 can also load presets from both SynthMaster One and SynthMaster 2.
On the oscillator side, there are new granular and VAnalog modules, while the effects section has been bolstered by a waveshaper and three new types of filter (phaser, formant and comb). Oscillator unison is now an option in the basic, wavetable, granular and VAnalog generators, and there are new oscillator noise types.
Other enhancements include a new version of SynthMaster 2’s KeyScaler (now known simply as Scaler), a noise LFO, separate arp/sequencers for each layer, and per-step arp/sequencer randomisation. Each layer can have its own MIDI output channel, too, so arp and sequencer patterns can be sent to different tracks in your DAW.
There are new waveform, wavetable and multisample editors, and the three view types enable you to edit parameters for a single layer, multiple layers or in a mix view that offers access to insert and send effects parameters for multiple layers.
New in SynthMaster 3:
- Modular Architecture: Each SynthMaster 3 instance can have up to 16 Layers. Each layer can have up to 16 modules, 32 modulation sources and 6 insert effects:
- Generator modules: Basic Oscillator, Additive Oscillator, Vector Oscillator, Wavetable Oscillator, VAnalog Oscillator, Granular Oscillator and Modulator.
- Effect modules: Digital Filter, VAnalog Filter, State Variable Filter, Ladder Filter, Diode Ladder Filter, Bite Filter, Comb Filter, Phaser Filter, Formant Filter and Waveshaper.
- Modulation Sources: ADSR Envelope, Multistage Envelope, LFO, Step LFO, Noise LFO and Scaler.
- Insert FX: Chorus, Compressor, Delay, Distortion, EQ, Ensemble, FilterBank, LoFi, Phaser, Reverb, Tremolo, Vocoder.
- New Factory Presets: SynthMaster 3 comes with 900 new factory presets designed by a world class team of sound designers: Arksun, Aiyn Zahev, BigTone, Cipryan Bot, Davide Puxeddu, Demis Hellen, Gercek Dorman, NatLife, New Loops, Nori Ubukata, Selcuk Ergen, Xenos Soundworks, XTD and Yuli Yolo.
- Backwards Compatibility: SynthMaster 3 can load SynthMaster One and SynthMaster 2 presets.
- Multiple View Types: SynthMaster 3 provides 3 different views to edit layer parameters:
- Layer View: This view is used for editing a single layer’s parameters.
- Track View: This view is used for editing keyboard zones/velocity zones/voicing/unison/arp/seq parameters of multiple layers.
- Mix View: This view is used for editing insert fx and fx send parameters of multiple layers.
- Granular Oscillator: The new granular oscillator applies granular synthesis on a multi-sample to render its output. The oscillator features up to 16 “voices” with each having up to 32 grains, resulting in up to 512 grains per oscillator. Each voice can have different settings with the help of spread parameters for volume, pan, detune, position, grain length and grain start time. Each grain can have randomization for volume, pan, detune, position, grain length, grain start time and playback direction.
- VAnalog Oscillator: The new VAnalog oscillator renders the oscillator shape in real-time using line segments to mimic how analog circuits generate waveforms. It comes with many built-in shapes from well known analog synths. The oscillator features up to 16 “voices”. Each voice can have different settings with the help of spread parameters for volume, pan, detune, symmetry, x morph and y morph.
- WaveShaper Effect: The new Waveshaper effect in SynthMaster 3 comes with different types of distortion algorithms: Soft Tanh, Soft ATan, Hevy, Fuzz, Fold Sine, Fold Tri, Fold Round, Rectify Full, Rectify Half, Clip and Bitcrush. There is also a Custom algorithm which allows users to draw their own distortion curve.
- Phaser Filter: The new phaser filter effect is similar to the phaser effect in SynthMaster One/2. However, as being a polyphonic effect it operates per voice. It uses multiple allpass filters mixed with the input to create phasing effects.
- Formant Filter: The new formant filter effect in SynthMaster 3 uses parallel bank of filters to create vowel sounds. Users can select the initial and final vowels (formants) and morph between them.
- Comb Filter: The Comb Filter effect in SynthMaster 3 is similar to the digital comb filter type in SynthMaster 2, but with more improvements. The effect can operate in 2 different modes: Feedback and Feedforward. The damping filters in the feedback loop of the comb filter effect can be set in multiple modes: Highpass / HighShelve, LowPass / LowShelve.
- Oscillator Unison: In SynthMaster 3; basic, wavetable, granular and vanalog oscillators have oscillator unison. Mix Type, Mix Curve, and Pan Curve are new unison parameters in SynthMaster 3. With the Mix Type parameter, different pitches (Octaves & Chords) can be selected for the oscillator unison voices.
- Oscillator Noise Types: The following noise types are new in SynthMaster 3: Pink Noise, Brown Noise, Blue Noise and Violet Noise.
- Scaler: The KeyScaler in SynthMaster 2 is vastly improved in SynthMaster 3. It is now called Scaler, as users can select another modulation source as its input (instead of Keytrack) and use the scaler as a waveshaper for its input.
- Noise LFO: The new Noise LFO modulation source in SynthMaster 3 can be used to generate sample and hold noise.
- Separate Arp / Sequencers: Each Layer in SynthMaster 3 has separate arpeggiator and sequencer. The MIDI input signal first goes through the sequencer followed by the arpeggiator.
- Arp / Sequencer Randomization: Each step in an arpeggiator / sequencer can have random values for trigger, hold, slide parameters.
- Multi-Channel MIDI Out: Each layer has its own MIDI output channel so that users can route the MIDI generated by the Arps / Sequencers to different tracks in their DAW.
- Waveform Editor: SynthMaster 3 comes with a comprehensive Waveform Editor to edit single cycle waveforms. Single cycle waveforms can be created either using line segments or with free hand drawing. Spectrums of free hand drawn waveforms can also be edited with the editor.
- Wavetable Editor: SynthMaster 3 comes with a comprehensive Wavetable Editor to edit wavetables. Wavetables can be created using single cycle waveforms or sample files. 7 types of wavetable effects are available to further sculp the wavetable sound: Spectral Filter, Waveshaper, Modulator, Bender, Shifter, LoFi and Sync. The generated wavetable can be saved in SynthMaster 3’s own format, or exported in WAV format to be used in other wavetable synths.
- Multi-Sample Editor: SynthMaster 3 comes with a comprehensive Multi-Sample Editor to edit multi samples. The multi-samples can be saved in SFZ format, which is a well documented format to store multi sample metadata.
SynthMaster 3 Audio Demo:
SynthMaster 3 (PC/Mac, VST/AU/AAX) is available now for the introductory price of $125 (Reg. $179), and this will be valid until 15 September. Find out more and download a demo from the KV331 Audio website.
