Aspect 1.7.10 now available

Aspect 1.7.10 is now available. Fixed in this release are the following issues:

• Fixed issue which made audio rate modulation of either oscillator's pitch by the noise modulation source slightly quantized. This caused previously created presets using this configuration to sound slightly different in Aspect 1.7.9. 
• Fixed bug which occasionally caused newly saved user presets to still be marked with the changed (*) flag in the preset name display.

Download Aspect 1.7.10 for Windows, Mac OS X, and Linux here.

Aspect 1.7.9 released

I'm pleased to announce another small update for Aspect, our semi-modular synth for Windows, Mac OS X, and Linux. This release adds the following improvements:

• (Windows) Fixed incredibly rare crash which may occur when first opening the plug-in on certain 32-bit VST Windows hosts. 
• Massively improved speed and responsiveness of all UI controls. 
• Improved CPU usage when tweaking parameters from a hardware controller. 
• (Windows) For the Windows VST plug-in, when using a relative path of "." for the presets folder, the path is now relative to the plug-in's DLL file and not the host's executable file. This makes it possible to easily create a portable or USB stick install of Aspect. 
• Standalone versions now support multiple simultaneous hardware controllers. 
• (Linux) User presets are now displayed in alphabetical order in the preset browser. 
• (Linux) Improved UI font selection means that a more appropriate font is often used in any Linux distributions which provide only a small selection of default fonts. 
• Fixed an issue where the OK button in the save preset browser would temporarily become disabled when switching from the Factory presets selection. 
• Various minor compatibility fixes for certain hosts.

Download Aspect 1.7.9 for Windows, Mac OS X, and Linux here.

Cloud Industry for Cumulus Preset Bank

Looking for a few more free sounds for Computer Music's exclusive granular sampler plug-in, Cumulus? Then perhaps you should download Cloud Industry, a selection of presets by AbstractCats, a name perhaps familiar to Cumulus users: he was a major contributor of sample content and presets to the Cumulus Factory bank.

Cumulus is a granular sampler which radically transforms sample content by breaking it into tiny slithers of audio called grains and reorganizing them to form new sounds. Cumulus is capable of a wide ranges of timbres: from evolving atmospheric soundscapes; to organic physical textures. Up to eight Scenes can be created; a Scene corresponding to a particular sample position and set of synthesis parameters. Scenes can be played in realtime via MIDI, or arranged internally using the built-in sequencer.



Cumulus is available as part of CM Studio. The complete, full, unlimited version can be found on the cover-mounted DVD of any issue of Computer Music. Cumulus is available in VST, Audio Unit, RTAS, and standalone formats for Mac OS X, Linux, and Windows.

Shift 2.2.3, Diatonic Harmonizer and Delay Effect, Released

Shift 2.2.3 for Mac OS X, Windows, and Linux is now available. Download the updated version here.

Shift is a diatonic granular pitch shifting delay. Shift combines an intuitive and beautiful user interface, with a great sounding granular synthesis engine. Shift's flexibility allows a palette of timbres ranging from basic echo effects, through intelligent harmonies, to exotic evolving ambient soundscapes.

This minor update contains the following fixes and features:

• Fixed incredibly rare crash which may occur when first opening the plug-in on certain 32-bit VST Windows hosts. 
• Massively improved speed and responsiveness of all UI controls. 
• Improved CPU usage when tweaking parameters from a hardware controller. 
• Standalone versions now support multiple simultaneous hardware controllers. 
• For the Windows VST plug-in, when using a relative path for the presets folder, the path is now relative to the DLL, not the host. 

Admittedly a minor update, but certainly worth a download for anyone who has fallen foul to the, now fixed, start-up crash bug.

String synth hardware concept

Courtesy of Achim Ortmann, a selection of concept renders for a String hardware unit. There are currently no plans to actually make the physical unit, but thanks Achim! String is currently available - as software only - for Mac OS X, Windows, and Linux: download the demo here.

Sequent 1.3.1 update

Sequent 1.3.1 for Mac OS X, Windows, and Linux is now available. This version add the following fixes and features:

• Fix for evaluation version of Sequent not opening factory presets. This bug did not affect the registered version of Sequent. 
• Improved UI responsiveness.

Download the update here.

Sequent demo critical bug notice

Just a quick heads up to make everyone aware that there is a critical bug in the Sequent evaluation: since earlier today, the demo will no longer load factory presets. Since being informed of the bug (thanks Emmanuel!), we've fixed it, but building and testing the eleven or so architectures and plug-in formats that Sequent supports will take a little while. ETA for bug fix: early tomorrow morning.

I apologise for the inconvinience, and will update this thread when the new evaluation is available.

Note that registered copies of Sequent aren't affected by this.

Thanks!