Essential Software

[GaryG]

Anyone tried Mausynth?

http://rinki.net/pekka/mausynth/

Windows 32/64 bit.

Bit heavy on the cpu and I haven't quite figured out all the knobs yet but helluva sound. Nice deep smooth basses, some edgy FM-esque tones, loads of classic subtractive style sounds etc. Plenty of potential for ambient purposes (try the Alone preset, gorgeous).

[Irion Da Ronin]

Hey buddies.
Just wanted to show you some other free synths for ambient that i think are pretty cool, and for those who don't have too much money to start with Ambient music.

Any synth from H.G Fortune
http://www.hgf-synthesizer.de/index1.html

Sophia (Go to "create tab" and go down)
http://www.audiobulb.com/

Scanned Synth (Free and Pro versions)
http://www.humanoidsounds.co.uk/products.html

U.F.O 2 (A bit CPU demanding)
http://vstzone.sk/forum/viewtopic.php?f=7&t=3

Krakli Cygnus
http://www.krakli.com/krakli-cygnus/

Psychic Modulation Aethereal
http://www.psychicmodulation.com/aethereal.html

Majken Chimera
http://www.majken.se/index.php?optio...id=3&Itemid=22

And of course, the already suggested Zebralette.
I will post effects for ambient when i have more time.

Have a nice day

[S1gnsOfL1fe]

Hey buddies.
Just wanted to show you some other free synths for ambient that i think are pretty cool, and for those who don't have too much money to start with Ambient music.

Any synth from H.G Fortune
http://www.hgf-synthesizer.de/index1.html

Sophia (Go to "create tab" and go down)
http://www.audiobulb.com/

Scanned Synth (Free and Pro versions)
http://www.humanoidsounds.co.uk/products.html

U.F.O 2 (A bit CPU demanding)
http://vstzone.sk/forum/viewtopic.php?f=7&t=3

Krakli Cygnus
http://www.krakli.com/krakli-cygnus/

Psychic Modulation Aethereal
http://www.psychicmodulation.com/aethereal.html

Majken Chimera
http://www.majken.se/index.php?optio...id=3&Itemid=22

And of course, the already suggested Zebralette.
I will post effects for ambient when i have more time.

Have a nice day

Dude this is a killer list!!! Thank you so much for taking the time to post it. I think a lot of people who might be new to ambient will see this thread and get inspired by the tools you have suggested. I know I have...time to get that PC laptop working for me! :razz: I'm on a Mac.

Cheers and keep the ideas coming!!!

-S1gns

[V0RT3X]

Just found this great software called Spectrumworx and I have been demoing it and finding it very useful! It is modular so you can create your own spectral tools and it is actually very easy to use! It is amazing how you can mangle a drum loop with this and FSU!

Definitely a must check if your are into spectral processing.

http://www.littleendian.com/overview/

[seismic1]

I've been using the free version (with a cut-down feature set) for a couple of months. It's definitely good for glitch on drums etc.

[V0RT3X]

I've been using the free version (with a cut-down feature set) for a couple of months. It's definitely good for glitch on drums etc.

Yah I've been using it now to create completely new crazy rhythm sounds! Its superb!

[GaryG]

Just found this great software called Spectrumworx and I have been demoing it and finding it very useful! It is modular so you can create your own spectral tools and it is actually very easy to use! It is amazing how you can mangle a drum loop with this and FSU!

Definitely a must check if your are into spectral processing.

http://www.littleendian.com/overview/

There used to be a Computer Music version on their DVD but it seems to have been culled from the latest disk. Only a small selection of modules but still well worth having.

[GaryG]

Aalto Solo now free from Beat magazines Facebook page, no purchase necessary, just a Like...

https://www.facebook.com/beat.magazin

What with this and the free xils-3 edition, they have the mini modular vst freeware market kinda sewn up.

[Nemo]

Oh, I was looking for this the other day and couldn't remember where I had seen it. At first I thought that that AudioMidi no brainer was this but it wasn't... glad I didn't get that. Spectrumworx is the one that started out as Delaydots, right?

[GaryG]

Yeah, Little Endian bought DelayDots (the company) afew years ago and continue to sell Spectrumworx.

[Nemo]

I grabbed the demo but haven't had a chance to check it out yet. But I like the audio demos and I like how the plugin itself is laid out.

[V0RT3X]

Madrona Labs Aalto

Aalto by Madrona labs is a semi-modular software synthesizer with a very high quality sound. At the heart of it is it's single complex oscillator which produces 1 of 3 waveforms. It also has one dedicated LFO, a Reverb, Multi-mode Filter, 2 ADSR modules, Waveshaping delay and a sequencer!

Basing it by the specs I listed you might think it is not that impressive, however you would be misled and here's why! First off any thing can be patched to another module in true modular fashion via the virtual patch bay. You can use multiple cables per source and destination! The Sequencer can be syncronized to your DAW or run freely however you wish! Both envelopes can be controlled by the sequencer as well, so if you wish you can create self-generative drones.. which is where Aalto shines for ambient producers!

The preset sounds that ship with Aalto range from abstract to quite simplistic and offer a full range of inspiration to anyone who needs some sounds fast. It is fun to dive in right away and start wiring things up like a mad scientist! However your best rewarded once you learn how to patch Aalto! Some presets that come with Aalto are meant for just for new users to study, so that they can understand how to create similar results.

Is Aalto a virtual analog? No since it's oscillator is FM based, but it does sound quite a bit more analog than other VSTis that call themselves Virtual analog. Aalto has a tendency to sound quite organic, much like a real modular synthesizer! Many others have compared it to the Buchla range of hardware synthesizers, and this is very very high praise since the Buchla modulars are extremely high end and very expensive! It requires a fairly powerful computer, but it is worth it! If you find yourself running low on CPU, lower your voice count on the patch! But by doing so will make your sounds less complex, since the more voices you have the more complex the sound will become.

Considering that Aalto was created by one man, you will have to hand it to him for creating such a powerful and relatively cheap tool for anyone who needs a powerful semi- modular synthesizer! The only thing I can think of that comes close to this price range of $99 is U-he's ACE *Any Cable Anywhere* which is equally as powerful, yet quite a bit different.

[asteroid anxiety]

I've been looking at Aalto for a while but I think I'm going to have to wait for a new computer later this year. Have you tried Audulus?

[V0RT3X]

I've been looking at Aalto for a while but I think I'm going to have to wait for a new computer later this year. Have you tried Audulus?

I heard about it, but have not looked at it until you mentioned it. Looks interesting!

[V0RT3X]

Ok seems like I have gotten alot of positive feedback on my Spectral Sanctuary track. I will show you the tools I used ;)

http://www.michaelnorris.info/softwa...-spectral.html

These wonderful real-time spectral processing tools are amazing! They are a bit finicky, and don't have time sync to the host. Unfortunately they are OSX only! Hopefully the developer will finish them enough to release a windows version too.

Best of all they are FREE! Yes FREE as in pay nothing..

If you are on OSX, get these.