WORLD OF MUSIC ; PORTABLE KEYBOARD - Latest Portable Music Keyboards, Synthesizers and Music News

Sinevibes has released a major update to Skew, its non-linear reverse delay plugin for Linux, Mac and Windows, and made it available as a free download.

Skew constantly records the incoming audio into a buffer and plays it back in reversed chunks, rhythmically synchronizing them to the host transport. Furthermore, this algorithm warps the delay playback speed via a selection of non-linear curves, bending the pitch in interesting ways.

This is not a limited-time offer – Skew v2 is now a free plugin in Sinevibes’ lineup.

New in Skew v2:

• Added non-destructive Feedback parameter that operates via a newly-added, third playhead (thus preventing the optional speed/pitch bend effects from accumulating over time)
• Revised selection of curves with new “Warp” curve type
• Re-calibrated reverser fade in/out envelopes
• New input/output mixdown controls with separate Send, Return and Mix parameters
• Updated collection of factory presets

Skew 2 is available now as a free download. Email registration is required.

U-He has released Zebralette 3, a free software synthesizer for Linux, Mac and Windows.

Zebralette 3 is based on a single oscillator from Zebra 3 (which is now available as a beta release).

Here’s what they have to say about it:

“Zebralette 3 is a single oscillator plucked from the mothership and embedded within a minimal synth environment: ADSR envelope, MSEG, two LFOs, mod matrix, delay and reverb effects. Like its predecessor, Zebralette 3 is freeware.

The oscillator is in a league of its own: Spline-based editing, a dynamic toolbox borrowed from vector graphic apps, various morphing options between up to 16 ‘curves’, a pair of waveform mangling algorithms, an audio engine switchable between traditional waves and additive synthesis. Although it isn’t a wavetable synth, the curve sets can be exported as wavetables in .WAV format for use elsewhere.”

Zebralette 3.0 can be downloaded now at the u-he site.

Valhalla Supermassive 5.0 is capable of everything from clean delay to “nearly eternal space reverbs”, and it’s still completely free.

Valhalla DSP’s Supermassive is one of the modern freeware greats. Originally launched in 2020, Supermassive is an algorithmic delay capable of creating both standard echos and epic washes of reverb thanks to its ability to densely layer feedback loops.

Rather than being a ‘lite’ version of another Valhalla plugin, Supermassive is a characterful and fully-featured effect in its own right. At launch it was pitched as an unnatural, uncanny effect to sit alongside the more realistic offerings elsewhere in Valhalla’s lineup, although annual updates have added a variety of new algorithms that have expanded the sound significantly.

Now Valhalla DSP has dropped another free update, bringing Supermassive up to version 5.0 with the addition of a new algorithm named Sirius. This mode is said to have a fast attack, smooth decay, a broad range of echo density from low to very high, and a filtered feedback loop.

“The Sirius mode is a true workhorse,” Valhalla DSP said, announcing the release. “With a clear and clean decay, Sirius is great at creating any size of room, hall or cathedral reverb, and can range from tiny ambiences to nearly eternal space reverbs. Turn up the feedback and turn down the density to create lush modulated echoes, or strange bouncing ball delays.”

Supermassive 5.0 isn’t ValhallaDSP’s only recent release – the developer dropped its latest paid effect, FutureVerb, earlier this month. Futureverb is said to be based on eight years of research and development, a process which also gave rise to Supermassive’s latest algorithm.

“Sirius was originally created as part of our massive research and development project for Valhalla FutureVerb,” the developer explains. “We ended up using different algorithm approaches for FutureVerb, so we’ve decided to leave our R&D work in Sirius for your sonic explorations.”

Along with the new Sirius mode, version 5 of Supermassive also adds next/previous arrows for quickly jumping between its various modes.

Supermassive 5.0 is available to download for free from the ValhallaDSP website.