Here are this weekend’s deals from 4Pockets, ending December 23rd.
- DigiStix 2 – $14.99 to $9.99
- RingsFX – $12.99 to $8.99
- MIDI Strummer – $12.99 to $8.99
- Helium Sequencer – $12.99 to $8.99
- MeloVox – $14.99 to $9.99
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.
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.
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.
Helium Sequencer
Helium is a lightweight AUv3 MIDI sequencer plugin designed specifically for AUM. It supports up to 16 tracks of unlimited length with the ability to direct output to 16 channels on up to 16 MIDI output ports.
One of the great features is the ability to import and maintain libraries of MIDI clips using Helium’s ‘Media Bay’. These clips are freely available all over the internet and may contain individual chord sets, chord progressions or drum tracks. You can quickly build a song by dragging and dropping your MIDI clips from the media bay onto your timeline. You can also save your own clips directly to the media bay to create your own personal MIDI clips libraries. Long press on a clip to preview its contents using the currently selected MIDI device.
Helium now ships with a library of over 7000 MIDI clips, consisting of every chord and chord progression you could ever need.
Helium allows many different ways to import additional MIDI clip libraries. Simply drag and drop your ZIP collections directly to your PC/MAC web browser and they are automatically unpacked into the clips library folder. You can also drag and drop files between the Media Bay and the iOS Files app.
Helium supports a sync mode called ‘Remote Looping’. This was something we recently introduced into our MultiTrack Recorder plugin and is very useful for breaking down the timeline into sections. You can define up to 12 loops which can be used to specify the locations of say the intro, verse, chorus, and outro within your song, then trigger these loops seemlessly in sync with the host tempo. Once captured, these loops can then be triggered by incoming MIDI notes.
A new addition to Helium is the ability to piece together loops into songs, so you just concentrate on creating a single verse, chorus, bridge etc. and piece everything together without the headache of having to re-arrange your timeline.
MeloVox
MeloVox is an AUv3 vocal harmoniser designed to allow up to 5 simultaneous harmonies. You can either choose to have MeloVox automatically generate harmonies by listening to live input and creating harmonies based on the pitch of the incoming vocal, or you can use MIDI input to choose how to pitch the harmonies.
You can choose from one of two algorithms, one more suitable to vocals which includes formant preservation, and another more traditional option for instruments.
Unlike many pitch shifters, MeloVox is build on a phase vocoder capable of formant preservation, meaning much more natural sounding vocal harmonies. This is especially noticeable when pitching a vocal up an octave, which results in what is often called the Mickey Mouse effect. This is due to the fact that all frequencies are transposed up, along with the respective peaks in harmonics. This results in a sound which the vocal tract is incapable of producing, so it no longer sounds like a natural voice. MeloVox fixes this issue by preserving the formants.
MeloVox is capable of producing up to 5 additional harmonies on top of the original vocal, and how it does that is down to the control mode setting. There are 5 different modes to choose from including Auto Sense, Fixed Pitch and three MIDI controllable modes called Chords, Melody and Vocoder.
Auto Sense mode detects the frequency of the incoming vocal, and automatically harmonises using the specified key and scale. Fixed Pitch allows you to specify fixed offsets in a scale without the need to detect pitch. Chord and Melody modes use incoming MIDI data to precisely control the harmonies using MIDI notes from your master keyboard or DAW. And to top if off we have a traditional 12 band Vocoder which is incredibly easy to setup and use due to its internal carrier source.
MeloVox includes a build in noise gate to remove unwanted background noise that helps with pitch tracking, and a vocal doubler which adds a spacious stereo effect to any monophonic vocal. MeloVox also features a 10 Band EQ add a reverb. All effects can be applied to either the original vocal or just the harmonies.
A built in preset manager helps organize presets into categories using drag and drop, and the Set List can be created to provide quick real-time switching between presets and snapshots during a live session. You can even add your own acappella vocals to test out your presets as you create them.
A personal message from Paul
“4Pockets will be closing down so that I can get a well-deserved rest over the festive period. This has been another difficult year for myself in terms of health so I need a little time to recharge my batteries! We will however be back in the new year and look forward to another year filled with exciting new apps.
I’m also going to be having a one-off sale between Christmas and New Year so keep your eyes peeled for that.
So finally, I want to thank everyone that has supported 4Pockets this year. Many still don’t realise 4Pockets is essentially a one man band, but I couldn’t do it without the help of others. A big thankyou to David for all the hard work on the manuals this year, and to Greg for his constant inspiration and demos.
I hope you all have a very Merry Christmas and hope to inspire you all again in 2025 – Paul.”
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