Voxynth
Voxynth is part of the Studio Setup bundle, which you may buy online and then download. Voxynth is available for Windows as a VST plugins and for Mac as a VST- and Audio Unit plugin.
About Voxynth
Voxynth is a synth (VST or AU), which can be used to create vocal sounds or synthetic choirs. Unlike many other plugins, this synth contains 38 different formant filters, which give the synth an organic an unusual sound. In addition, the MIDI synth has a stereo delay and comes with 256 factory patches and a PDF manual.
Listen to the mp3s at the end of this page.
The plugin has been tested with Cubase SX, Cubase VST, Garage Band, Muzys, Orion Pro, Logic, Acid Pro, Magix Music Studio, Audio Mulch and SONAR using various adapters. The synth should work with all VST compatible hosts on Windows and all Audio Unit compatible hosts on Mac as long as they follow the spec. In addition the synth is available as a VST plugin on Mac OS X.
Features
Voxynth has 3 oscillators per voice, pitch modulation, an amplitude envelope and a multimode formant filter, which can be modulated by an envelope or using Voxynth's Performance Keys.
The Formant Filter
The formant filter in Voxynth is quite unique. The Fatsondo plugin has built-in formant filters in its processor, but with Voxynth you get much more and different formant filter types, which can be modulated using Voxynth's formant filter envelope or using the performance keys. In addition, each filter has programmable Q, which makes it possible to adjust the width of the filter's formant regions.
The formant filter types change in character as they are swept by the envelope or performance keys. In other words, they morph between different sounds. Thus, quite unusual patches can be created by sweeping between a well defined vocal sound, such as "A" to something completely different. The different filter types not only include standard formants, such as "E", "A" and "U", but also fantazy formants, which don't exist in real life but have a vocal character and can be used to create interesting timbres.
Performance Keys
With the Performance Keys, the user can modify how the formant filter morphs, live using a MIDI keyboard (or sequencer of course). The Performance Keys are located on the lowest octave of the keyboard. Or you may program them step by step in a sequencer. Thus playing these keys result in a different morph setting for the formant filter. The glide between different morph settings can be adjusted with the glide knob.
Stereo Delay
In addition the plugin has a built-in stereo delay, which can be programmed for each patch. A stereo delay was included because it usually adds a very nice slapback ambience to choir sounds.
Audio Examples
Here are a couple of samples of some of the factory patches. No other plugins and no effects, except Voxynth's built-in stereo delay, have been used.
Preset 109 - Yavox (368 KB)
Preset 108 - Thick Attack (476 KB)
Preset 120 - Commander (252 KB)
Preset 85 - Electric Lead (580 KB)
Preset 98 - Slow Diver (624 KB)
Preset 116 - Slow Noise Attack (312 KB)
Preset 117 - Cst Effect (304 KB)
Voxynth - Online and Slightly Shortened Version of the Manual
NOTE: This is a slightly shortened version of the manual and it's for
version 1.5. Version 2.0 contains more features. The PDF version
(for v2.0) is included when you install the software.
Overview
Voxynth is a VST Instrument (VSTi) for Windows and Audio Unit on Mac OS X.
Thus, it
runs as a plugin to VSTi compatible programs on Windows, such as Cubase
DX, Acid
Pro, Logic and other programs, which can execute VST Virtual Instrument
plugins. Or
it can be used with AU compatible programs on Mac OS X.
Here are some of Voxynth’s features:<
Multimode Formant Filter
These can be used to create vocal type sounds. There are 20 different formant
filters
in Voxynth and these vary between traditional A, E and O vocals to fictive
formants,
which sound unreal but still have a vocal character.
The formant filter can be modulated using its dedicated envelope. In addition
the
performance keys can be used to modulate the formant filter.
Performance keys
The lowest octave on your keyboard can be used to change the sound of the
formant
filter. You can play notes with your right hand and at the same time change
the sound
pressing the lowest keys with your left hand (or program it in a sequencer
of course).
Polyphonic with 3 Oscillators Per Voice
The synth has 3 oscillators per voice and each oscillator has a 2 octave
range. There are 4 waveform shapes per oscillator.
Built-in Stereo Delay
Each patch can be programmed using the built-in stereo delay.
Requirements
You will need a VST Instruments or Audio Unit (on Mac OS X) compatible host
software, such as Cubase VST, Cubase SX, Orion Pro, Muzys, Logic, Acid Pro
or any
other compatible software, which can execute VST Instrument (or AU) plugins.
If you use a sequencer program, which doesn’t support VST (or AU) plugins,
then you
can use an adapter. For example on Windows there’s VST-DX
or ToneWise’s DirectiXer, to enable Voxynth in such a
program. SONAR 2.0 is an example.
Installation
Windows:
The plugin should be installed in your VST plugins folder, that is the
folder, which your host software (e.g. Cubase VST) uses to store all its
plugins. When the installation procedure starts, you will be asked where
this folder is located. If you don’t know, then quit the installation program
immediately, read your host software’s manual and restart the installation
procedure.
Mac OS X:
Drag the component (the Voxynth.component folder) to the place where your
Audio Units are kept. This is usually [HOME]/Library/Audio/Plug-Ins/Components/.
Performance
The number of voices you’ll get from the plugin depends on the power of
your CPU. In
addition it depends on how many applications you run in parallel of course.
If you have
many background programs running, for example in the system tray, and if
you replay
a number of hard disk tracks at the same time as the plugin executes, then
the CPU
will of course be under more pressure. In that case, a less number of voices
will be
available for you.
The Different Sections
Voxynth contains a number of logical sections, which process the sound in
a certain
way. Let’s go through them one by one.
The Oscillators
Each Voxynth patch can have 3 oscillators per voice. This number can be
further
multiplied using the Unison controls (see below).
Shape
The shape knob selects between sine wave, pulse wave, saw and a square wave.
Semi
Using the semi knob, the tuning for each oscillator can be adjusted between
-12 semitones below- and +12 semitones above the played key.
Fine
The fine knob is used to make fine tunings for each oscillator. Beating
effects can be
created by detuning the oscillators just slightly.
Volume
The volume of each oscillator is adjusted using the volume knob.
Formant Filter
The formant filter in Voxynth is unique. It has 20 filter modes and can
be controlled using an envelope.
A - Attack
Attack determines how fast the filter should rise from zero frequency to
the zero + amount (see below) when a key is pressed. Thus you need to have an amount
setting which is bigger than zero to hear the attack.
D - Decay
Decay determines how fast the formant filter envelope should fall from the
above frequency to the sustain (see below).
S - Sustain
Sustain is the formant filter filter frequency, which is reached when the
decay time has elapsed. If the amount is set to zero, the sustain knob will have no effect.
R - Release
Release is the time it will take for the formant filter envelope to go from the sustain
down to zero, when a key is released.
Amount
The amount knob decides how much the formant filter envelope should affect
the formant filter.
Invert
The invert button (the button marked with an arrow), turns the envelope
“upside down”. Thus all high values become low and all low values become high.
Glide
The glide knob adjusts the amount of portamento you will get when playing
the
performance keys.
Q
Q is the width of the peaks in the formant filter. The higher Q setting,
the wider the peak will be. And if the Q is set to a maximum value, the formant regions
will be so wide that the effect of the formant filter can barely be heard. Then the
filter doesn’t change the sound as much as if the Q setting would be set to its lowest
(zero) value. You can use the Q to set how much the formant filter should color the sound
of the oscillators. Sometimes you might be looking for just a subtle effect, and
sometimes a more dramatic filtering effect is sought.
Formant Type
Change the filter mode by pulling this slider. The following filter modes
are available:
1 Bass A to Bass E
2 Bass A to Bass I
3 Bass A to Bass O
4 Bass A to Fictive
The above formant filter changes from an “A” to a fictive formant, which
doesn’t exist
in the real world but still has vocal character.
5 Bass E to Bass I
6 Bass E to Bass O
7 Bass E to Alto U
8 Bass E to Fictive
The above formant filter changes from an “E” to a fictive formant, which
doesn’t exist
in the real world but still has vocal character.
9 Bass I to Fictive
The above formant filter changes from an “I” to a fictive formant, which
doesn’t exist
in the real world but still has vocal character.
10 Bass I to Alto U
11 Alto A to Countertenor E
12 Alto A to Countertenor O
13 Alto U to Fictive
The above formant filter changes from a “U” to a fictive formant, which
doesn’t exist
in the real world but still has vocal character.
The following 4 filters have formant qualities, but they are not modelled
after
existing vocals, but fictive sounds.
14 Fantazy Formant 1
15 Fantazy Formant 2
16 Fantazy Formant 3
17 Fantazy Formant 4
The following 3 filters shift the formants along the frequency spectrum
as they are
modulated by the formant filter envelope or the performance keys.
18 Shifted Bass E
19 Shifted Alto A
20 Shifted Countertenor E
Mod
The two knobs in the mod section provide pitch modulation.
Rate
The rate knob sets the rate of the pitch modulation.
Depth
The depth knob sets the depth of the pitch modulation, that is how much
the pitch
should change.
Amplitude Envelope
Voxynth has an amplitude envelope, which can be used to change the volume
of the
sound over a certain time period.
A - Attack
Attack determines how fast the sound should rise from zero volume to max
volume
when a key is pressed.
D - Decay
Decay determines how fast the sound then should fall from the above max
volume to
the sustain (see below).
S - Sustain
Sustain is the volume level, which is reached when the decay time has elapsed.
R - Release
Release is the time it will take for the sound to go from the sustain volume
to zero,
when a key is released.
Delay
Voxynth contains a stereo delay with 6 sliders and 2 buttons.
Left and Right Time
The left and right time sliders set the time of the delay. Pulling the sliders
to the left makes the echoes sound faster and pulling them to the right increases the
delay time and the echoes will then sound slower.
Left and Right Feedback
Feedback adjusts how many echoes you want. Pulling these sliders to the
right increases the number of echoes and pulling them to the left decreases the number of echoes.
Left and Right Mix
These sliders determine the ratio of the dry signal and the delayed signal.
For example, if set them to say 5%, then the echoes will be barely audible but
moving them to the right to say 75% will make the echoes sound higher than the dry signal.
Left and Right Sync
Selecting these buttons synchronizes the delay with your sequencer, provided that it
supports synchronization using VstTimeInfo. When these knobs are selected,
the time sliders (see above) work as tempo dividers. For example, if you select these
knobs and pull the time sliders they might show say /2. This means that the delay
will be half of the tempo of your sequencer.
Ensemble
An ensemble section was added in version 1.5 of Voxynth.
Amount
The amount knob simply controls how much wider the path should sound. The
ensemble effect uses beating of a number of detuned oscillators to produce
a sound, which is rich in harmonics and to a certain degree fatter than it would
be without the ensemble. Hard and cold sounds don’t benefit from the ensemble, but warm
sounds do to a much higher degree.
Using the Voxynth Performance keys
The formant filter was described in the previous chapter. It has a number
of keys associated with it. These keys are referred to as Performance Keys.
Playing the Filter
The basic idea with the performance keys is that you can actually “play”
the filter, by pressing the keys on the lowest octave of your keyboard.
The following performance keys are the default keys:
24 - 35 (C0 - B0)
This is usually the lowest octave on a 5 octave keyboard. If you edit the
notes in a sequencer, it’s the 3rd octave from below (C0).
However, if you press a key below MIDI key number 24, then that octave will
be used as the performance zone instead. For example, if you play E-1 (MIDI note
number 16) then the keys between C-1 and B-1 will be used as the performance keys.
Or if you play G-2 then the keys between C-2 and B-2 will be used.
What the Keys do
The keys affect the formant filter frequency. For example, pressing the
C (MIDI note number 24) performance key will lower the formant filter frequency to almost
its lowest value. Playing the B performance key (MIDI note number 35) will raise the
formant filter frequency to more or less its maximum value. Pressing a key between
these, such as F (MIDI note number 29), will set the formant filter frequency somewhere
in its middle between the highest and lowest value.
Glide
So now you might ask “How does the formant filter frequency change when
the keys are played like this?”. That depends on the setting of the Glide knob. If
it’s set to zero,
there will be abrupt changes between the filter frequencies. However, if
you turn it up,
then the transition between different frequencies will be smooth. Thus,
it will glide
between the values.
The Studio Setup - 12 VST or AU Plugins
The Voxynth Synth is available as a VST plugin on Windows or Audio Unit on Mac
OS X. You may test drive the 30 days free trial. When the trial time has expired, the
software cannot be used unless you register. Registered users of the Voxynth Synth
obtain not only the Voxynth Synth, but also the other plugins you can read about
on this site.
November 20, 2006
