Here are this weekend’s deals from 4Pockets. The offers end October 27th.
- FontStack – $14.99 to $8.99
- DigiStix 2 – $14.99 to $8.99
- MIDIStep Sequencer – $14.99 to $8.99
- WaveCloud – $14.99 to $8.99
FontStack
FontStack is a ‘fontastic’ AUv3 plugin for iOS which can be loaded into your favourite DAW allowing you to utilise all those wonderful and nostalgic SF2 SoundFonts you’ve collected over the years.
The SoundFont standard was created back in the early 90s and made famous by the SoundBlaster series of sound cards. With the introduction of the Amiga, it spawned a host of musical creation tools called Trackers, which allowed the Amiga to load these SoundFonts and create sophisticated musical scores of 4 or 8 tracks. These days we don’t use this standard so much, but there is a wealth of free SF2 files available on the internet just waiting to be loaded into FontStack.
A SoundFont comprises a file with an .sf2 file extension. This file contains a set of samples, instruments, and presets. FontStack enables you to load one or more SoundFonts into its 4 layers, and use them in lots of creative ways.
You can stack layers to create a rich combination of multiple tones, or assign each layer its own key range on the keyboard to create virtual splits, or a mixture of the two. Each layer can also be assigned its own MIDI channel for true OMNI mode.
One great feature of FontStack is its ability to cache all your SoundFonts and the instruments they contain. This allows quick searching for specific instrument types without the need to physically search SoundFonts to find them.
Another great feature is the ability to optionally link to a remote folder containing a global set of SoundFonts, so that they can be shared between apps. Both internal and external SoundFonts and their instruments will be cached, and searching is just as easy as it is using internal SoundFonts.
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.
MIDIStep Sequencer
MidiStep is a powerful and inspirational polyphonic step sequencer, and a dream for lovers of complex rhythms and generative music creation tools. The program uses sophisticated, user-controlled randomization to generate notes with a variety of parameters, including note values, note length, chords, patterns, velocity, gate, dividers, repeats, swing, and many more.
You have complete control over what, when, and how much is randomized on a step-by-step basis. You can easily create patterns that have little to no variation, patterns that maintain a recognizable pattern but have some degree of variations to the notes, velocity, etc., all the way to patterns with extreme randomness with every pass – the degree of randomization is completely under your control for every parameter and for every step of a pattern.
Features include per-step polyphonic chord playback, variable step sequence lengths for all parameters such as pitch, octave, velocity, note duration, beat divisions etc, and the capability to create multiple patterns which can be linked together in various ways.
MidiStep also features 8 additional modulation lanes with independent play speeds. These can be used to automate parameters within your favourite synths.
MidiStep uses sophisticated randomization settings for note values, note lengths, velocity, gate, dividers, repeats, swing, and modulation. In addition, by setting different cycle lengths, step skips, step repeats, jumps, rewinds, cursor positions, pattern jumps, octave shifts, and many other parameters, you can create an infinite number of non-repeating sequences. The degree and types of randomizations for each of these parameters is up to you!
Aleatoric music, also known as chance music, allows you to create patterns and entire compositions with user-controlled randomisation. The word ‘aleatory’ is derived from the Latin word ‘alea’ meaning dice. MidiStep allows you to turn on/off randomisation on a stepwise basis for almost all parameters, set the percent probability that the randomisation will occur, set min/max values, set exactly which parameters will be randomized, etc. The exact realization of the music will vary with each pass of the sequence, resulting in unique and captivating aleatoric renditions. All randomization controls can be modified in real-time.
WaveCloud
WaveCloud is an innovative granular synthesizer that offers powerful tools for manipulating and playing sounds. Granular synthesis divides an audio sample into tiny fragments, called grains, each typically a few milliseconds in length. These grains are then manipulated independently in terms of pitch, duration, position in time, and amplitude. Unlike traditional synthesis, the capability to manipulate tiny grains of audio offers enormous precision of sound control, transformation, and compositional possibilities.
WaveCloud offers a wide range of tools for experimentation – oscillator, LFOs, filters, envelopes, routing matrix, innovative WaveGlide and Orbit modules for grain movement, effects, MPE support, extensive waveform editing, customizable themes, MIDI CC control, aftertouch, audio pool manager, and 200+ presets to get you started.
Granular synthesis is extremely versatile and can produce a vast range of sounds and textures, from subtle, atmospheric sounds to complex, dynamic ones. WaveCloud offers dozens of parameters, enabling you to sculpt the sound grains in any way you wish – textural pads and atmospheres, time-stretched effects, glitchy and stutter effects, vocal and instrumental manipulations, granular synthesis percussive sounds, experimental effects, as well as microtonal and harmonic soundscapes.
WaveCloud features a drag and drop system for importing and exporting of audio files and presets. It has its own built-in Preset and Audio Managers to help keep everything in order. WaveCloud even features a fully-fledged zoomable audio editor along with a suite of tools to crop, fade, cut, copy, paste, and normalise your samples.
We include a morphing 3-state Oscillator to support the granular engine. The granular engine allows up to 50 grains per second per note, with grain lengths up to a second in length. Grains can be sculpted with our morphing envelope generator, manipulated with our LFOs, FEGs and VCFs, and passed through lots of randomisation to keep things continually evolving.
WaveCloud also features two unique features for adding movement to audio grains. Orbit mode allows you to play sweeping patterns tied to the physical host tempo of your DAW, and WaveGlide is a sequencer with glides and fades from one location to another.
To top it all off, we include 7 built-in effects, delay, reverb, chorus, overdrive, phaser, resonator, and 8-band EQ. The resonator controls per-note feedback and dispersion for amazing MPE effects.
WaveCloud is not only a deep and powerful granular synth but also a fun way to create many incredible sounds.
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