Colin Fairbairn

One look is all it takes to realize that Absynth 1.2.3 is no ordinary software synth. Its futuristic interface and unique tool bar hint at its cutting-edge sounds, editing prowess, and synthesis techniques.

Absynth’s unique sounds and intuitive interface quickly made the virtual synthesizer a cult classic. For version 1.2.3, French developer Rhizomatic has teamed up with Native Instruments to ready the synth for prime time. New features include an updated interface, new patches, and support for just about every major driver, including an upcoming PC version. We’re giving Absynth five out of five stars.

Absynth is a semi-modular software synthesizer that uses multiple synthesis techniques including FM, subtractive and ring modulation. It has six oscillators, four filters, and up to three modulators per voice. The real fun, however, lies in its envelope editor. Instead of being limited to the usual attack, decay, sustain, and release parameters, Absynth contains a completely unique graphical envelope editor in which you directly draw the envelope with the mouse, having up to 68 break points.

Complex envelopes can be used to create rhythmic structures and morphing patches, however, they cannot be synchronized to a MIDI clock. Thankfully, you can manually set the beats per minute. Additionally, waveforms can be drawn freely for the oscillators and LFOs.

With such a diverse synth engine, Absynth can produce a wide range of sounds. Scrolling through the hundreds of factory presets, you’ll find fat analog sounds, warm pads, percussive rhythms, as well as some completely outlandish and unique sounds. The presets are top notch and it’s clear that the sound designers had fun programming them.

Perhaps one of Absynth’s most impressive features is its interface. Instead of paging through pull-down menus to edit parameters, a floating PhotoShop style toolbar with eight well-labeled icons allows quick access to all of Absynth’s features. Selecting a controller and setting MIDI channels can be done from the main window, and we didn’t have to use the traditional file menus for anything other than saving.

With increased driver support, version 1.2.3 easily integrates into any studio setup and should work with most major sequencers. You can have up to eight instances of Absynth running within your sequencer, as long as your system can handle it.

Alternately, you can use the built-in recorder and export an AIFF or a WAV, a nice feature for those who don’t have a sequencer that is compatible with the synth or have no option but to run it in stand-alone mode. Although Absynth immediately worked with our MIDI controller, Oxygen 8, it does not have MIDI learn, so mapping parameters to Oxygen 8’s knobs is accomplished by inputting CC codes. In this synergistic day and age, this process seemed a bit archaic and tedious.

On an 867-MHz G4, latency was completely unnoticeable, and the CPU meter never even showed the slightest indication of strain, even with the polyphony set at higher values. Real-time parameter changes were extremely smooth, making the synth a viable option for live performances.

Summary

Absynth lists for $299 but can easily be found for $250, an incredible value. Its sheer versatility and depth make it unlikely that you’ll outgrow it anytime soon. With a wide range of supported drivers, integrating Absynth into your current studio setup is effortless. Its relatively low system requirements and stability make it a perfect candidate to be loaded onto a laptop to be used for live performances.

For experienced synth players and sound designers who are looking for something that will give them a high degree of control, Absynth is the perfect solution and a must-have software package. Beginners or even intermediate players may initially find themselves a bit overwhelmed, but thanks to the well-thought-out interface, graphical editors, and included guides, you can come to grips with the within a few hours. While the learning curve may seem a bit steep, the rewards are tremendous. You’ll stay up all night playing with this synth.

Pros: Beautiful, graphically driven interface, wide range of preset sounds, highly addictive.

Cons: No MIDI learn, may be a bit overwhelming for beginners.

List price: $299

System requirements: Mac OS 8.6 or higher, G3 300 Mhz, 64MB RAM (for stand-alone); G3 400 MHz, 128MB RAM (as a plug-in); Windows 98/2000/XP Pentium 400 Mhz, 128MB RAM

Manufacturer: Native Instruments

Available: Now

This entry was posted on Wednesday, March 6, 2002 at 4:03 am and is filed under Articles. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.