Software synthesizers have actually existed for many years, but they've become hot items now that personal computers have enough horsepower to provide real-time operation. No longer is it only feasible with high-end workstations, DSPs, MIDI interfaces, or other specialized hardware. We're already seeing synthesizer technology becoming an integral part of a computer operating systems. QuickTime from Apple includes a standard software synthesizer built-in, and Roland has recently been working with Microsoft to develop a software synthesizer that will be integrated into the Windows environment. Eventually, polyhony of a synthesizer will no longer determined by the hardware design, but rather by processor speed. When you upgrade your computer, the synthesizer will be upgraded as well, allowing more voices and more complex instruments.
Much of the buzz on software synthesizers this past year came in the form of web browser plug-ins. Crescendo and Yamaha have produced extensions that allow a browser to play embedded MIDI files, allowing users without MIDI hardware to enjoy the music. Yamaha's synthesizer technology is also available as a stand-alone product that includes drivers so it behaves just like a sound card. Roland seemed to be on a late start, but is now in the market with it's Virtual Sound Canvas. But in the coming year, the industry will move well beyond browser plug-ins.
In a few months, Reality will be come reality - that is, a new software synth named 'Reality' will be released for use with Pentium and faster computers. Produced by Seer Systems (www.seersystems.com), Reality is actually not their first effort into the field of software synthesis. Seer Systems actually developed the first software synth with Intel back in 1992, and have also licensed technology to Creative Labs, before going on to develop Reality. It is touted as an all purpose synth, utilizing several technologies like physical modeling, wavetables (that can use your own .wav files as samples), FM, analog, and modal synthesis. In addition, Reality will also give you reverb and chorus to thicken up the sounds. While Reality was demonstrated at NAMM, no screenshots are available as it will undergo a facelift before it's commercial release. It will support any 16-bit audio card from Creative labs.
Software synthesis may take a very big step forward if specialized multimedia chips become popular. Rather than use the general purpose CPU, another processor optimized for audio processing and synthesis can give you large performance gains. One company going in this direction is Chromatic Research (www.chromatic.com). They have been hard at work on synthesis and effects algorithms (and many other applications) to run on their chip, the Mpact Media Processor for use with Windows 95 machines. It is similar to a DSP, but it will be more tightly integrated into the design of the computer. It uses its own memory system to achieve high bandwidth rates needed for video applications. It may take some more time for this trend to gain enough momentum to become truly ubiquitous, but for multimedia performance, it looks very attractive.
All of this technology is leading to a truly modular and customizable synthesizer. For those of you that love to tweak things, you will be able to design an entire synthesizer from scratch using basic building blocks (and in fact there are some programs out there that do this already, but the market is just about ready to burst with something big). Want to add a filter in there? Drop down a filter box and then connect it to other components in the synthesizer by just dragging your mouse between them. Want to adjust the LFO waveform? Just double-click on the box, and select the desired waveform from the menu. It's almost here.
The recent renewed interest in analog synthesis, marked by the Nord Lead, Yamaha's CS1x and their new AN1x 'Virtual Analog' synthesizer, will definitely be part of the software synthesis systems to come. Digital technology has progressed to the point where it can simulate analog instruments well, providing the best of both the analog and digital worlds. You can be sure to see more on the way this year, probably with a major product.
In 1997, look for software synthesizers to grow ever more popular and powerful, particularly with physical modeling technology. Physical modeling technology boosts a move away from highly specialized hardware, making it a good match and a multi-purpose processor in your computer. And now let's take a look at one special software synthesizer.
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| ReBirth by Propeller Head (Click for a close-up) |
Techno and dance fans may want to keep an eye out for Rebirth - a software reincarnation of the classic the TB-303 (two of them actually) and a TR-808. ReBirth is produced by Propellerhead Software, based in Sweden. This is not merely a sampled instrument. It's actually an analog model that synthesizes the sounds in real-time.
However this synth does not respond to standard MIDI note on/off message, though the finished product should be able to sync to a MIDI clock. Despite lack of MIDI control, it can still be fully automated. This means that you can record a sequence in real-time - just hit record and go to it. And then you just save your songs, and optionally export an AIFF sound file. When you download songs written by other artists, you can also figure out exactly how they got their sounds - with the automation, you can watch the knobs turn and buttons be pushed as the song plays. You can also experiment with the rhythms as the song is being played.
You'll have to wait a little while before your can get your hands on the finished product - it is planned to ship in April for both Mac and PC. But you can try out a demo and hear some sound clips by going to www.propellerheads.se. Propellerhead also produced ReCycle!, and ReBirth will be distributed world-wide by Steinberg.
As with synthesizers, software effects processors have been available for a while, though often without real-time operation. Effects plug-in architectures have existed for several years, notably Digidesign's TDM system. But software effects became a lot more practical last summer with Steinberg's VST software, which
offers not only sequencing, notation, and hard disk recording, but also real-time audio and effects processing, mixing boards, and a mastering board, which can all be automated. Cubase 3.02 VST for PowerMac now supports additional digital I/O devices, stereo effects, up to 128 real-time EQs, an audio mixdown interface to a number of sound file types and sample rates. The VST technology has now been ported to Win95, as well as SGI workstations. The Win95/NT version will require a Pentium or higher system, and supports any Win95 compatible sound card. Steinberg's VST technology is also being used in a product called Cubasis AV, a project with Apple Computer to develop a multimedia editing system. In addition to effects and EQ, Cubase AV will support 8 audio tracks complimented with 16 MIDI tracks. More VST plug-ins are on the way as well, including a (links are screen shots) Virtual Speaker, Grungelizer, Spectralizer, and Loudness Maximizer.
In further Mac news, MOTU has enhanced Digital Performer's TDM plug-in support, and Opcode's Studio Vision Pro 3.5 will support Pro Tools III PCI cards and TDM's busses. Both programs have improved their pitch-shifting and other built-in DSP functions. Of course, Emagic hasn't been left out as far as effects go. Logic Audio 3.0 (for Windows 95 and Mac, due in mid-1997) includes real-time effects including parametric EQ, delay, chorus, flanging, and reverb, along with a bussing system. Emagic is preparing their own plug-in architecture, but also supports TDM plug-ins with the Logic TDM Extension package. Unlike the other companies, Emagic is also getting involved with digital recording hardware. They are offering a complete digital audio recording solution with the introduction of their Audiowerk8 PCI card (compatible with Windows 95 and Mac) which offers 2 analog inputs, 8 outputs, and stereo digital I/O (S/P-DIF). The card will ship with the Virtual Multitrack Recorder (VMR) software so with a single purchase, you can quickly get into hard disk recording. And of course, the Audiowerk8 can be utilized from within Logic Audio. VMR offers 8 tracks of audio playback while recording two additional tracks. (Oh, and Emagic had one of the slickest press kits we've seen. A spiral bound, color catalog with CD-ROM, packed between two aluminum covers!)
ActiveX Goes Beyond the Web
Although the TDM architecture for Pro Tools systems has traditionally dominated the Mac segment of the market, there hasn't really been a single popular standard for Windows machines. That may be about to change as Microsoft's ActiveMovie technology is gaining momentum in the industry. Although much of the hype surrounding ActiveX is for web-based applications, the ActiveMovie element is designed for streaming video playback, but it can also act as plug-ins for audio and video applications. Cakewalk and Sonic Foundry have already announced that they will support ActiveX audio plug-ins. Cakewalk will ship with several plug-ins (such as chorus, flanger, delay, reverb, pitch shifting) with Cakewalk Pro Audio, and Cakewalk will also be providing their own software development kit to help third parties create their own ActiveX plug-ins. Both Sound Forge and Cakewalk pro Audio 6.0 will allow real-time preview of recorded audio tracks, and effects settings can be stored and recalled for later use. Steinberg's Wavelab 1.6 will also utilize ActiveMovie plug-ins, as well as its own plug-in architecture. Waves has already released a set of ActiveX audio plug-ins, and other manufacturers expect to release new lug-ins later this year. ActiveX supporting programs will also be able use 3D audio processing with plug-ins to be released by QSound.
Cakewalk Music Software (www.cakewalk.com) is now looking beyond handling sequencing and audio recording needs. Beginning with version 6.0, Cakewalk 
will now become a control center for the home studio with its StudioWare technology. If you have a MIDI device connected to your computer that is able to receive SYSEX messages, you can build your own software interface for it, using familiar sliders, buttons and knobs. You can also import your own bitmaps to spice things up. Cakewalk will ship with a number of StudioWare panels, one of which will be an interface for Roland's VS-880 hard disk recording unit. If you need to drop the level of a track, you can drag the virtual fader and watch the VS-880 respond. Of course, you may need a larger monitor at some point to handle all of this! This technology will also allow you to build your own patch editor or virtual mixer. Of course, Cakewalk Pro Audio 6.0 has a number of other new features, including piano roll windows that also display controller data, percussion notations, 48 kHz sampling rate support, and real-time display of note as you are recording.
Tuning Troubles
Many musicians aren't aware that there are actually a number of tuning systems, the most commonly used being the equal tempered scale. It's a compromise between being able to play instruments in different keys and having harmonies that are not as 'pure' as they should be. But with microtonal synths on the market, it's possible to avoid this compromise. Justonic Tuning (www.justonic.com) has released their Pitch Palette software which will 'retune' a synthesizer during playback of a song, giving you all the perfect harmonies. This is accomplished by sending SYSEX messages to the synth (which must have microtonal capability) during the performance. The software actually analyzes the music and calculates the precise pitches to be used. Justonic will also be producing a rack-mount sound module, the Tone Palette, that combines their software with a synthesis engine. Looking further ahead into 1998, you should also see the Sound Palette (sound card version of the Tone Palette) and a strictly software based version of the Tone Palette. The list price of the Pitch Palette software is $199.
Cut your own CD
Now that CD-R burners have become quite affordable, we're seeing CD-R features to pop up in a number of programs. Wavelab 1.6 from Steinberg (upgrade from Wavelab 1.5 is free) will allow the user to drag and drop recording directly into the tracklist of the CD, and an audio CD track can be edited just by opening it as a Wave window. Sonic Foundry is releasing the CD Architect plug-in for use with Sound Forge too let you read and write audio CD, using sub-indices. Files can be separated by silence, or you can crossfade between the files. Creamw@re has also added a CD writing module to their TripleDAT package.
The Visual Sampler
Last, and certainly not least, Steinberg (www.steinberg-na.com) unveiled one of the most interesting software products this show. The program is X<>POSE for PowerMac, and Steinberg is labeling it the 'world's first MIDI visual sampler.' X<>POSE provides a way to play and manipulate video and animations via a MIDI and/or QWERTY keyboard (see screen shot). MIDI events can be mapped to specific actions such as fades, spins, morphing, and zooms. You can apply effects to a QuickTime movie in real-time, and achieve full-screen (640x480) playback of QuickTime movies without any additional hardware. The effects sequence can be recorded into Cubase and then played back just like any sequence, and to produce the final product, you simply render the sequence to a QuickTime movie. Although X<>POSE is quite fun to play with, most people won't have a direct need for it. It's aimed primarily at multimedia designers, and it provides a very effective way to turn animations or still pictures into a flashy video sequence, although it can be used to create enhanced CDs. The really big plus about this program is that the video effects will be perfectly synchronized with the audio tracks, greatly simplifying the process of creating a movie with audio tracks. X<>POSE makes it much easier for the musician to branch into video and multimedia works which would otherwise require too many other tools. X<>POSE also has it's own open plug-in architecture, so you can expect to see new plug-ins (or create some of your own), and X<>POSE can also link to Cubase VST for adding audio effects. X<>POSE requires a PowerMac with at 16 MB of memory, System 7.5.3 or newer, a double speed CD-ROM drive, and a 256 or higher color monitor. The MSRP is $399.
