Here are this weekend’s deals from 4Poclets. The offers end December 10th.
- RingsFX – $12.99 to $8.99
- DigiStix 2 – $14.99 to $9.99
- StrummerFX – $12.99 to $8.99
- De-Esser – $9.99 to $5.99
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.
DigiStix 2
DigiStix 2 is an AUv3 compatible drum machine and sampler plugin for your favourite DAW.
This new version of DigiStix brings some distinct advantages over its predecessor, most notably the ability to host up to 64 samples per drumkit with 5 layers per pad. The interface has been drastically redesigned for iPad to make better use of full screen mode, allowing a popular MPC style 4×4 pad layout with 4 banks of samples. Digistix 2 also allows greater control over the multi-sample layers, with the ability to individually control the volume levels and pitch of layers as well as global pitch and tune settings all from the new sample window.
Previously, each pad had effect sends for the internal reverb and delay effects, but this can now be routed to external busses 9 and 10 for processing using external effects.
The controller editing is now build into the main display and can be edited in place without the need to scroll the interface. It also now supports extra effect controllers. A new context aware control window allows you to quickly change pad settings without the need for popup windows.
DigiStix 2 now supports GM and original DS drum kit layouts, and includes a sophisticated multi-layer Auto Sampler, capable of recording new GM compatible drumkits automatically from your hardware. It is 100% backward compatible with the original app, and can be used as a drop-in replacement.
Drag and drop support now allows you to directly drop samples on specific layers, as well as preview and edit them directly. You can create new kits by simply combining banks from existing kits into one mega kit, or use our non destructive referencing to include sounds from other kits.
The randomize feature has been enhanced so you can randomize individual instruments or within specific banks. The new continuous MIDI learn mode makes custom mapping a breeze.
Patterns can also be exported as MIDI stems for use in other packages including a direct import to Helium clips. You can also export patterns as audio in the latest version.
The auto sample feature allows automated recording of GM compatible kits directly from hardware drum machines. The slice editor can also be used for MPC style slicing of audio clips.
StrummerFX
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.
De-Esser
This is actually a trio of effects all rolled into a single package which are ideally suited but not limited to voice recordings (De-Esser, a Vocal Doubler and a Noise Gate).
This De-Esser is a great tool for removing sibilance from your vocals. Sibilance is the harsh over emphasising of phonetics such as ‘ss’, ‘sh’, ‘ch’, ‘th’ etc. which tend to be made worse during the recording process. This plugin has two modes of operation, ‘standard’ and ‘multi-band’ which can be used to effectively remove this kind of problem.
The standard mode emulates the ducking of a volume control just like mixing engineers used to do in the good old days, but in this case uses a compressor driven by a filtered band of the input signal that contains the problematic frequencies. This is a common and effective method which has been tried and tested for many years.
The multi-band mode uses a similar filtering mechanism to isolate the effected frequency band and applies a compressor to just that range in isolation. This method gives much more pleasing and natural results as it retains the overall volume level and only effects the specified frequency range.
We also included a Vocal Doubler which simulates a multi-track vocal recording. It uses sophisticated techniques that eliminates the phase cancellation issues associated with layering vocals in this way. You have complete control over delay time, levels and stereo field placement.
Finally this package incorporates a Noise Gate, to remove unwanted background noise from your recording. Fully configurable threshold, attack, release and dB reduction settings are available.
A visual frequency display helps you quickly find and isolate the effected frequency ranges which can also be turned off to reduce CPU load. 4 different visual modes are available to help visualise issues. A siblance filter preview button lets you listen to the problematic frequencies in isolation and a limiter is available to make headroom for the vocal doubler.
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