Software Synths & Samplers: Making Waves in Frankfurt

By David Korn

April 28, 2000

FRANKFURT: This is the year that the computer turns into a synthesizer. This relatively new breed of studio tools is maturing quickly, and there were quite a few newcomers showing their wares at the Messe. The VST Instrument plug-in format introduced by Steinberg is gaining popularity, probably because it's easier for you to develop a product when you let the host program deal with most of the MIDI and audio I/O. Also, when the host is Cubase VST or Logic Audio, you know the potential market for your product is large. (Propellerheads isn't standing still, though, and is working on version 2 of its Rewire system.)

So it's no surprise that most of the virtual synthesizers and samplers introduced or previewed in Frankfurt are VST instruments. Native Instruments is still in its "bring back the classics" mood, with a virtual VB-3, while IK Multimedia hopes to replace ROMpler-like instruments à la JV1080 with SampleTank, and Steinberg's Universal Sound Module is integrated to version 5 of the program.

One other trend noted at the show is the virtual home studio. Propellerheads is still at work on Reason, while the French company Arturia is already on the market with Storm, which even comes with virtual turntables. Storm is standalone but will work as a VST instrument, and Arturia tells us a Mac version is in the works - and maybe they'll do Linux too.

More French action came from MES, whose very affordable i-Synth also caters to electronic music enthusiasts. Because i-Synth was developed using Cycling74's MSP environment, it can be loaded along other Pluggo plug-ins in a VST-compatible host.

The French invasion didn't stop here. Milprod exhibited the latest version of its Modularing system, which is a set of sequencing and sound-generating modules, once again aimed at electronic music composition. I also had a look at the graphical user interface of Koblo's Vibra 9000 version 3, which looks extremely nice, with large 3D knobs and a long list of new features. (Don't hold your breath, though; it's at least three months away.)

Creamware is also hard at work turning everything virtual; with Sharc DSP chips on its Pulsar and Scope systems, it's created virtual samplers, virtual ADATs. . . . What was not virtual, however, was the somewhat unwieldy heir to the mighty Emulator I: the Stage Frame One, which houses a complete PC system. Okay, so it's just a design study - it still takes first prize in my "built like a tank" department.

Software Suite

Software Synthesizers