Nyr Sound Releases Chaosynth for WindowsMac version planned for release by September
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Frequencies Display
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July 14, 1999
Nyr Sound Ltd., a new software developer, has just released its first product,
Chaosynth. This new software synthesizer is initially available only for Windows,
but a Macintosh version is under development and should reach beta within two
weeks time.
Overview
Chaosynth uses cellular automata and granular synthesis to create a new sound
set for the electronic musician.
Chaosynth's primary mode of operation is as a one-shot sample generator. However,
the program can be driven by MIDI to create a fully functioning monosynth.
Cellular Automata
The primary guide to the timbre of the Chaosynth sound comes from cellular
automata. These consist of a group of cells that evolve over time following a
pre-defined rule. At each time segment, every cell changes its state depending
on the conditions of its neighbors. Starting with a random state, the cellular
automata quickly settle to form organic and eventually oscillating patterns. When
this is translated into sound, a complex evolving waveform is formed with a rich
texture.
Granular Synthesis
This is the process of synthesizing a large sound using a stream of small
packets (granules) of sound. Traditionally, the characteristics of the granules
have been determined by probability mathematics or used as an effect by chopping
up a sample into granules and streaming them back randomly.
Chaosynth's use of cellular automata as a controller produces a much more
distant, controllable and varied sound than traditional granular synthesizers.
This combination of cellular automata and granule synthesis is a first of its
kind. The sounds produced cover ambient, strange and effects based styles. The
program was even once used for producing fruit machine sound effects but in general
it is targeted at dance/electronic musicians and academics.
Sporting a clean graphical interface, Chaosynth eases the user into the sound
possibilities opened up by the new sound technique. At the same time, precise
timing information allows seamless integration of the sounds into recordings.
One of the main strengths of Chaosynth is its output quality. It can save
to disk with a sample rate up to 24-bit, 11 - 200kHz. Real-time synthesis also
supports 24-bit output on some soundcards.
Feature List:
- Synthesis: Cellular Automata and Granular synthesis
- Oscillators: 64
- Waveforms: Sine, Square, Saw-tooth, Triangle and Noise
- Control: One sample to disk recording, MIDI real-time control
- Soundcard support: MME and DirectX
- Effects: Reverb, Modulation
- Filters: Envelope, Low/High/Band Pass filters
- Channel rendering: Mono, Stereo, Surround (2 channel)
- Output quality: 8,16,20 or 24-bit 11kHz - 200kHz
- Output options: WAV or MIDI
- General: Multiple undo and user defined presets
- System Requirements: Pentium or better (200MHz Pentium recommended), Windows
95/98, 16-bit Soundcard
- Price: Chaosynth costs £25 + postage and packaging. See web-site for
details.
Customers will have access to unlimited technical support by e-mail, phone,
and fax. Additionally, there will be supplementary documentation and files available
on the web-site; there is an academic section already.
You can download a demo
version by visiting Nyr Sound's web site at www.nyrsound.com. |
