Sumu Synthesizer ‘Breaks Completely New Ground In Software Synthesis’
Madrona Labs has announced the availability of Sumu, a new software synthesizer for Mac and Windows that they say “breaks completely new ground in software synthesis, combining additive resynthesis with FM and vector field spatialization”.
In Sumu, sampled sounds are represented as collections of up to 64 bandwidth-enhanced partials, each with a frequency, volume, and noisiness that can change over time. This representation of sound makes all kinds of creative changes possible, from natural-sounding time stretching to exotic timbral manipulations. Using the central multi-channel patcher, each partial in a sound can be manipulated independently.
As a balance to all of this very modern digital manipulation, there’s an analog-modeled filter based on the classic four-pole Moog ladder design. It can self-oscillate for big vintage sounds, or just round off those prickly edges.
Sumu Audio Demo:
A free companion app, Vutu, lets you make Sumu partials files out of your own sounds. Setting up the analysis parameters involves some creative choices and Vutu gives you access to all the controls needed.
Sumu is available now with an intro price of $129.00 (normally $179).
