Here are this weekend’s bunch of price drops from 4Pockets. The offers end July 29th.
- RingsFX – $12.99 to $8.99
- Progressions – $12.99 to $8.99
- MIDI Strummer – $12.99 to $8.99
- Neon Editor – $14.99 to $9.99
RingsFX
RingsFX is an AUv3 plugin based on the famous Mutable Instruments Rings, one of the most dedicated and fully-featured Physical Modeling Eurorack modules ever created. At its core is a resonator that needs to be ‘excited’ or ‘strummed’ by MIDI input, noise, or external audio excitation.
RingsFX emulates vibrations of structures simulated by 3 different synthesis techniques that can be plucked or process external signals: Modal Synthesis, Sympathetic Strings, and Inharmonic Strings. Traditionally, Rings was only monophonic but used a unique approach to polyphony that allowed the previous note to ‘ring’ out and decay while a new note was played. Rings FX provides these same modes (Mono, Duo, and Quad), but expands it with a true Polyphonic mode. RingsFX also expands the capabilities of the original engine by adding support for velocity sensitivity and MIDI MPE mode.
The new polyphonic mode allows RingsFX to play up to 12 notes of true polyphony, depending on the settings. Doing so requires RingsFX to use multiple Rings resonators, but the more true polyphony you use, the more processing power it requires. Running in the traditional Monophonic, Duophonic, or Quadrophonic modes may be preferred in order to keep CPU usage under control.
RingsFX has 7 modes in total, by combining the 3 basic modes with additional properties such as chords or specially tuned reverbs. The original hardware also had a secret ‘Easter Egg’ mode, which in RingsFX is simply calling ‘Synthesizer’ mode, rumoured to be based on one of the early Korg synthesis methods. This mode supported a number of mutable effects which now work on in all resonator modes.
RingsFX also has a Mod-Matrix which allows you to combine the built-in LFOs and FEGs to great effect by manipulating parameters and mutable effects in realtime.
Finally, RingsFX can be loaded as an AUv3 effect plugin. Set the Exciter Source to ‘INPUT’, and you can pass any audio through RingsFX and use this audio as an external exciter. For example, it can be used to great affect on a drum beat to create some crazy rhythms. Use the Output Mix to combine the original audio with the synthesised resonator output to create some stunning effects.
Progressions
Progressions is an AUv3 MIDI plugin for your favourite DAW. It can be used to generate a unique set of chords that are unrelated to traditional scales, which become predictable and repetative over time. Instead, Progressions uses a unique way of mathermaically generating a series of related chords using only a root note and mode (major or minor). Chord sequences are limited by the selected complexity and freedom levels, which mimic the way traditional composers of old would wander away from tonality and back again.
The complexity level start off at Basic, which uses only the most common chords (I, IV, V and relative minor ii, iii, and vi triads). As you progress through the levels, you can add parallel majors and minors, sus and dom chords etc. At level 3 we start to introduce 6th and 7th chords, and then 9ths chords, all the way to 11ths, 13ths, Quartals and all their variations.
The freedom level allows us to specify how far to drift away from tonality (the root), even allowing you to create never ending randomized soundscapes.
Progressions allows you to quickly randomize a toolbox of chords, that can be played in a variety of modes (block chords, arpeggiated, or strummed). These can be synced to a host application, triggered remotely or pieced together into a song.
Song mode allow you to change play modes on the fly as well as being able to control many features of the app in real time.
Progressions supports open and closed chords with selectable voicings. It has an intelligent algorithm that attempts to align top notes of chords, add additional bass, and open chord padding to give equal weight to chords with only 3 notes. You can even play with rootless voicings.
The Humanize section allows you to control chord and note timings, as well as set velocity variations to ensure things don’t get too robitic.
Progressions also features an integrated arpeggiator and strummming pattern editor. You can load up to 6 arp and 6 strum patterns at the same time and seemlessly switch between them manually, remotely, or using song mode.
If you run multiple instances, Progressions allows you to sync your chord pads, song chain, arpeggiator / strum patterns between instances.
Progressions can be loaded as a MIDI plugin or as an Instrument for those programs that don’t support MIDI plugins (such as GB). Additionally when loaded as an instrument, you can use either internal sounds (soundfonts) or send MIDI directly to other MIDI instruments.
MIDI Strummer
MIDI Strummer is an AUv3 plugin designed to simulate guitar strumming and picking techniques. It can used to generate MIDI note data which can be sent to either an external synth of choice or the internal soundfont engine.
The inbuilt soundfont player allows you to import all your favourite .SF2 and .DLS soundfonts and use them as a sound source. MIDI strummer has a set of 16 definable chord pads that can hold a series of chords, which in turn can be triggered remotely via MIDI messages or by tapping the pads.
Use the pattern editor to create a series of picking or strumming patterns that can be tranposed to the selected chord pad.
Song mode allows you to chain these chord patterns together to form songs combining both picking and strumming patterns within the same song. Enable 6/12 string on a particular part to emphesize a pert by adding depth.
Strummer also features a number of audio effects that can be used to enhance the audio from the soundfont player. These include overdrive, distortion, tremolo, chorus, phaser, graphic EQ, digital delay and reverb.
Neon Editior
Neon is a lightweight digital audio editor and recording plugin compatible with any AUv3 host. It supports most major iOS file formats, and allows simple drag and drop between plugins. The editor allows you to import audio from a file or the system clipboard, as well as the ability to record incoming audio.
As an editor it supports all the usual functionality you would expect as well as being able to edit samples on a per sample basis at extreme zoom levels.
Neon also contains a number of built in effects that can be applied to the whole file or a selection. Effects can be previewed and tweaked prior to applying an effect.
Neon can also be used as a clip launcher within an AUv3 Host, with the ability to remotely trigger one shot or looped samples. The Warp function can automatically adjust the tempo of a clip to the host tempo without affecting pitch.
Neon also features a slicer which allows you to cut up a sample into multiple slices that can be played back via an incoming MIDI controller.
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