SynthMaster

SynthMaster is an 'all-around' semi-modular software synthesizer and effect plug-in that features many different synthesis methods including VA, Additive, Wavetable, Phase Modulation, Frequency Modulation, Pulse Width Modulation, Ring Modulation, Amplitude Modulation, Physical Modeling, and SFZ Sample Playback synthesis.

With its multi-algorithm oscillators, analog modeled zero-delay feedback filters, flexible effects routing with 11 types of high-quality effects, and a massive modulation architecture with 48 separate modulation sources and hundreds of modulation targets; Synth Master is a 'must-have' for all synthesizer enthusiasts!

Features and Highlights

Oscillators
Stereo Oscillators with Unison/Voice Stacking: Oscillators in the app have stereo output. Using the "voices", "voices mix", "detune curve", "detune spread", "pan spread", "tone spread" and "phase spread" parameters, each basic/wavetable oscillator can generate a rich "supersaw" type sound.

Basic Oscillators
Basic oscillators in SynthMaster are capable of synthesizing many different types of waveforms: Sine, Square, Triangle, Sawtooth, Pulse, Noise, single cycle waveforms, and multi-sampled WAV/AIFFs defined in SFZ files. Each oscillator comes with 17 different algorithms in the following categories: Spectral (LP, HP, LS, HS, BP, BS), Bend (Bend+, Bend-, Bend+/-), Sync (Rect Window, Half Cos Window, Cos Window, Tri Window, Saw Window), Pulse (Pulse1, Pulse2) and Quantize.

Wavetable Oscillators
A 'Wavetable' oscillator is similar to a basic oscillator, except that the waveform can be scanned (interpolated) through up to 256 different waveform shapes. The position of the waveform can be adjusted using the 'wave index' parameter. Starting with version 2.9, the app now supports loading wavetables from wave files!

Additive and Vector Oscillators
An 'Additive' oscillator is actually 8 'basic' oscillators running together. Each 'basic' oscillator has its own detune, tone, phase/pulse width/algorithm parameter, frequency, waveform type, and algorithm parameters.

Semi-Modular Architecture
For each Synth Master instance, there are 2 layers followed by 2 global effects send busses. The modulators can modulate the frequency, phase, amplitude, or pulse width of the oscillators or any other modulators at the audio rate, or they can be used as regular oscillators.

Massive Modulation Architecture
It has more hundreds of modulation targets and 48 modulation sources including ADSR Envelopes, 2D Envelopes, Multistage Envelopes, LFOs, KeyScalers, Easy Parameters, Vocoder Bands, MIDI Velocity, Aftertouch, Pitch Bend, and MIDI CC. The modulation matrix, which has 64 available slots, has visual filtering as well so that targets for a specific source or sources for a specific target can be filtered and shown on the user interface

VAnalog Filters
The 'VAnalog' filters are modeled after the famous ladder filter, so they self-oscillate when the filter resonance is maxed out. They have a continuously variable slope, which is unique to SynthMaster. They have 3 different CPU settings: "Basic", "Normal", and "High". The Basic setting sounds similar to the other algorithms in most cases and consumes at least 50% less CPU.

Multimode Filters
With the new 'multimode' filter type, it is possible to switch from Lowpass to Bandpass to Highpass filter types continuously. For analog multimode filters, it is also possible to change the slope of the filter continuously from 0 db/oct to 24 dB/Oct.

Dual Filters
With the new 'dual' filter type, two multimode filters can be run simultaneously, either in parallel or in series. The mix ratios between the filters and the topology (parallel/series) between them can be changed continuously, as well as the modes and cutoff frequencies of the filters.

11 types of effects
Distortion, LoFi, Ensemble, Phaser, 6 Band EQ, Compressor, Vocoder, Delay, Chorus, Tremolo, Reverb.

Flexible Effects Routing
Each of the 11 effect types can be inserted on any layer insert or on any of the 2 global effect bus inserts.

Before/Inside/After Filter Distortion
A distortion stage can be inserted before, after, or even inside the filters. For analog filters, the distortion is applied for each of the 4 filter stages in 'inside' mode.

Powerful Arpeggiator
The arpeggiator in the program features classic arpeggiator modes such as Up, Down, UpDown, DownUp, UpDown2, DownUp2, AsPlayed as well as Sequence, Chord, and Arpeggiate modes. Each of the 32 steps of the arpeggiator has its own Velocity, Note Number, Note Length, Slide, and Hold parameters.

Easy Parameters
It features 8 easy knobs and 2 XY pads that can be freely assigned as modulation sources so that the complexity of the synth engine could be hidden away and only the most important parameters of a preset can be controlled by the user. The easy parameters can be globally linked to MIDI controllers, and they can be assigned automatically by SynthMaster as well.

Microtuning
It supports Scala tuning, so tuning can be set either for each preset or globally by loading from a Scala tuning file.

Preset Browser
It features a comprehensive preset browser with separate search criteria for instrument type, preset attributes, music style, or preset author.

Online Presets
Registered users can upload them presets to the online preset library, or browse and download presets created by other registered users; using the preset browser right inside the plug-in window.

Multiple Skins
It comes with 3 different skins in different color variations. Using the included user interface editor, users can not only customize the existing skins but also can create their own custom interfaces as well.

Importing MIDI patterns as Arpeggiator Sequence
Monophonic or even polyphonic (chord) MIDI patterns can be imported into the arpeggiators in the app by just dragging and drop of the MIDI file onto the arpeggiator view on the plugin window.

Importing WAV/AIFF Multisamples as SFZ definitions
Multisamples in WAV/AIFF formats could be imported into Synth Master as SFZ definitions, by simply dragging and drop of the WAV/AIFF files onto the oscillator waveform view on the plugin window.

Note: Saving presets are disabled in the demo version. The demo stopped working after 30 minutes.

Also Available: Download SynthMaster for Mac