U&I software, makers of 'Metasynth' electronic music studio, have released an updated version of their algorithmic compositional software Xx. The software U&I make is standout from the regular crowd - much of their software combines many unusual ways of manipulating sound with graphics (Such as using photos to filter the source sound). They've continued in those paradigm-breaking footsteps, with the updated software Xx - an algorithmic midi composing tool.

Xx is a 24-track midi sequencer designed to generate and transform midi within (or beyond) the boundaries of compositional rules that you set. The software is a one-window affair, for simplicity. Most of the GUI is taken up by a piano roll - a familiar sight to anyone who's used a DAW. There are 3 surrounding areas containing all the necessary tools to create and store midi. You can import midi tracks into Xx, and also create midi tracks within the program and export them as midi to your DAW, then render them to audio using the built-in synth or any AU plugin software you want to use.

Straight away, the available methods of inputting midi information take Xx far beyond any regular DAW piano-roll. The expected methods are there - step entry, single note entry, direct keyboard entry. But then it gets creative. Think of it a little like paintbrush-style buttons providing multiple ways to affect photos - it's similar here, but with midi information. There's brush strokes, one-click pattern entry, Chord entry, canon entry (what you enter is repeated 2 more times on different midi channels at a user-defined interval and time later), all the way to complete random note entry. The pattern tool button is excellent: as you write and create midi patterns, it is possible to store them in a pattern library, ready for easy access and use later. Xx remembers all the relevant information about the pattern - key, tempo, scale info etc. One click, and the entire pattern library is at your fingertips. You can input entire phrases with one click. Xx doesn't come with too many patterns, and none of them are very inspirational. But it's very easy to create and store your own patterns, quickly building a large library.

The toolbar above the piano roll generally deals with the midi channel selection, and the routing you choose for the sound you want. You can work on the 24 tracks simultaneously - differentiating between each midi track by colour, choosing whichever midi track you want to work on by simply selecting the appropriate coloured box in the toolbar. In terms of sound you want to use for reference, there is a built-in general midi synth for easy use, but the preferable option (at least for me) was use my AU plugins already on the computer as the sound source. There's no set up necessary - Xx finds the plugins automatically at startup. You can use Plugin multis - so if, for example you're writing orchestral stuff, and you want to use Kontakt as your source for 16 channels, you can set it up easily in Xx, and have a full orchestra playing in seconds. The only slight downside I found here is that if you do decide to use your AU plugins with Xx, it greatly lengthens the software startup load time. If you have the 'use AU plugins' preference button unchecked, the software loads in seconds.

So getting Midi information on to the piano roll is already pushing creative boundaries, as there are a myriad of different ways to do it. Once the midi is on the page however, Xx gets interesting. Using the powerful algorithms under the hood, it can take the midi that you've just written down, and for lack of better terminology, evolve it musically into new directions that you may not have thought of. All with minimal clicks. U&I write that a lot of users complement the DAW that they work mainly in with Xx, importing midi tracks to explore compositionally in XX and then export back out to the project they're working on, which makes a lot of sense.

The algorithms analyse the midi tracks, and take into account various different parameters of the midi, such as key, tempo, scale type, time etc, before then suggesting, or generating further phrases to follow on from musically what is already there, letting the music develop thematically. There are several options under the 'pattern' menu (not to be confused with the pattern creation button) that guide the software to generate new material that is useful to the composition. Here are some of them:

Remap

This is a box that enables you to constrain any of the midi material you select to a specific user-defined, or preset scale. There are 15 preset scales, major, minor, arabic, modern(?) dodecaphonic, and so on. If none of these work, you can define each note of the scale. So the options are limitless. And the software will neatly move the midi notes around to fit within whatever scale you define.

Randomize

Randomises everything. You get to choose and limit what is randomised - Notes, velocity, time, and duration, by however many notes or ticks, and by percentage of probability. So you can move from subtle change to wildness.

Multi-transform

The Multi-transform box will take the midi phrase that's been input, and repeat it, changing it 'musically' according to rules that you set for it. There are four rules you can set each time you transform, each with 9 parameters to change, from harmonic and chromatic transposition, to invert pitch, reverse time, to speed up and slow down. You can set how many times it should repeat, whether it should repeat every time, every other time, etc. Thus technically creating flowing, modulating phrases that go to new areas harmonically that you might not explore yourself.

Multi-generator

This box is a sequence generator, that creates 3 midi sequences on separate tracks at once. It is a step sequencer, with 3 windows of note generation and 3 of velocity. There are many options to create and change the sequences here; you can choose how many steps each sequence has, independently, thus creating very complex polyrhythms if you want. You can reverse, shift, invert, reflect and mirror the steps, to name but a few options. There are also randomisation elements for every parameter. Then when you've finished creating, you can preview the sequence before you print to the piano roll.

The combination of these different tools means you can really take your midi patterns in directions that you didn't expect, but that still make sense musically. Here's a quick video showing how simple it is to create usable phrases from simple midi patterns:



Conclusion

I just covered the basic elements of the software - it goes much deeper than this review will allow, and is worth spending time with. I would highly recommend this program as a tool to aid with the pushing of your composition skill. If you're running out of harmonic ideas, or just want to explore a melodic theme, this is a really good way of quickly coming up with variations and alternatives that have musical relevance.

I had a few thoughts about it that I would love to see to improve the software, and it's intergration into my work process - I'd love to see it as an AU or VST plugin in itself - something that you can work directly within a DAW with - so you could explore compositional process without having to export, and import from one program to another. It would speed the process up dramatically I think. Also, there was only one level of undo. Having got used to Undo history, and unlimited levels of undo, I kept finding myself hitting apple z, and waiting for something to happen that never did. That got frustrating.

I think that Xx really lends itself to more classical-style composition - note the canonisation of melody, and scale and modulation options all pointing to a more traditional harmonic focus. However it would be short-sighted to say that this software couldn't be used in any genre really - the pattern function can create really excellent arpeggiation patterns that can be subtly changed bar to bar to create really excellent evolving synth arpeggios, the multi generator can be used to create complex beats, and subtle movement around that. The software's only really limited by your imagination.

Price
$79

... If you're running out of harmonic ideas, or just want to explore a melodic theme, this is a really good way of quickly coming up with variations and alternatives that have musical relevance. ...

Product page

PROS

• Very quickly create fresh ideas on source material
• Great price for what it does
• Direct link to your plugins

LOVE IT OR HATE IT

• If you're into your midi composition, this is a very valuable tool for you. If you spend more time in the straight up audio realm, you won't get much love from it.

CONS

• learning curve fairly steep
• Limited Undo function
• Long load up time (if you want to use your plugins)

Swedish company Softube have just released a Channel Strip plugin based on emulations of the excellent hardware company Tube-tech. Based 2 hours away from Stockholm, the team of four guys have been focused on creating accurate emulations of hardware gear since 2003, picking up many industry accolades and endorsements along the way. Notable companies they've partnered with include Native instruments, Marshall guitar amps, Abbey road studios, and of course Tube-Tech, whose engineers they worked directly with on creating this latest plugin release.

The tube-tech channel strip is a bundle of four plugins: The PE 1C - an emulation of the tube-tech PE 1C, which is itself a modern emulation of the classic passive tube based Pultec EQ. The ME 1B Mid-Range EQ - an emulation of the tube-tech hardware modelled on the Pultec (MEQ-5), and The CL 1B - an LA2A style emulation Opto compressor. The fourth plugin is a channel-strip version of all three together, with bypassing and routing elements added.

I really enjoyed the PE1C - I found it to be the most flexible and useful of the three plugins. I like to think of it as a 'sweetener' eq rather than a surgical tool. You can boost and attenuate the low and high end, including the 'Pultec trick' of boosting and attenuating the low end at the same frequency range, which strengthens and tightens the sound, and has been a technique used on many kick drums and basses over the years. I found I could use this EQ on almost all sources to smoothly boost highs, and warm and fatten up the low end. It even worked well on the 2-buss at the end of a mix. Vocals, guitars, bass, drums, all benefitted from it.

In comparison with the UAD pultec plugin, which I use a great deal, I found it to be a little bit subtler in the way it affected the sound. Here's a comparison of the two EQ's. The track is dry for a bar, Softube, dry, UAD, and then repeated. The sounds are quite different, even though the settings are identical.



It's impossible to say whether one's better than the other, as they're both emulating slightly different things, but I thought it was interesting to pair them up and hear the difference.

The ME 1B is a new plugin released individually at the same time as the channel strip/bundle plugin. It deals with the frequency range the PE1C doesn't deal with. As softube say on their website - it 'is a godsend for getting a modern and focused vocal sound or that extra bite in the guitar track.' I definitely found this to be true - the EQ focuses on the narrower mid range of 200 to 5khz, and is a little more able to sculpt the sound, find the particular frequency you want to boost or cut, to give more bite, or scoop out the wider midrange, to cut some of the honk out. Whereas the previous EQ works well by itself, I feel this one works best in conjunction with the other, and needs the smooth lift of the highs to complement the work done on the midrange. You can boost the low mids and the high mids, and there is a sweepable cut that covers almost the entire frequency range of the plugin. It proved great for adding bite and brightness. Whereas the PE1C is excellent at creating smooth boosts adding warmth, fatness and glisten to a source, The ME1B is great at cutting, helping a track stand out in a mix, adding some brightness, and cutting out any muddiness or honkiness in a sound source.

CL 1B Opto Compressor
This is based on a compressor that has been used in countless records, and alongside the others is definitely considered a classic in the audio world. The elements that stood out to me immediately were the inclusion of external sidechain capabilities, and the fast attack time (0.5ms). Both are very useful attributes that are not always present on other software compressors - there have been many times when I've been frustrated by the lack of external sidechain on the particular compressor I've been using. This compressor seemed to work well on all sources. I think that because it's emulating the hardware faithfully - and as this hardware is tube-based, I found it pretty coloured, and sometimes I felt like it muddied the sound a little. But gentle compression on larger sources, such as room mics, or piano, it sounded brilliant to my ears.

Here's a track played without and with use of the Tube-Tech Channel Strip



Conclusion
The EQ was lovely, the midrange EQ even lovelier. The compressor was good, I really loved the external sidechain option - Not many others have these. Not having easy access to the hardware originals, it's hard to give a direct hard to soft comparison - but I'll take comfort in the fact that Tube Tech fully endorse these plugins, and Softube worked side by side with engineers at Tube Tech to create the software. If you love the sound of Pultec, or the outboard from Tubetech, then for the cost, you can't go wrong with the emulation Softube has created. It really does sound excellent.


Price
$699

...If you love the sound of Pultec, or the outboard from Tubetech, then for the cost, you can't go wrong with the emulation Softube has created...

Product page

PROS

• CPU not too heavy
• Sounds brilliant - fast compressor, nice coloured EQ
• GUI is beautiful

LOVE IT OR HATE IT

• If you're looking for a specific emulation of TubeTech hardware, there's probably nothing out there that compares. If you're looking for less characteristic plugs that cover every angle, this isn't it.

CONS

• Quite expensive, especially for small or mid-sized studios (although compared to $8000 for the original hardware..)
  
• Do you need the other plugins alongside the channel strip?

by Andy Dollerson

Back when audio production was strictly an outboard, hardware affair, the use of pan in the stereo spectrum was quite an art form. From the late-60s onward, the stereo field has been widely used to create space within an audio recording, and often, to create intriguing special effects.
In the plug-ins era the most remarkable examples have probably been the good old Waves Mondo Mod and the recent Soundtoys Panman.
Audiodamage's Panstation (AU/VST) is the latest entry, and as often happens with AD's stuff, it has some peculiar features and design choices that should put it on the wishlist of many of us DAW users.

The cross-platform plug-in is a veritable assault weapon of auto-panning goodness, inspired by two renowned vintage units: the Drawmer M500 and the Audio & Design PanScan. The interface has everything you will need to create tempo or audio synchronous panning effects. In true Audiodamage form, the controls are simple, with a visually contrasting red/white/gray on black motif. Among the most interesting of the options presented in Panstation is the ability to assign a wave shape to the pan frequency and synch it to the host tempo or incoming audio. Add to that, controls for phase, depth, and rate of pan.
These features let the user create much more than simple pans and sweeps across the stereo field, they allow the user to create mind-bending auto-pans and trembling tremolo-like effects.
Panstation's parameters are able to be automated from your VST/AU host, adding to the possibilities. The plug-in's trigger source is also able to be linked to incoming MIDI pan CC, allowing Panstation to integrate smoothly with outboard MIDI synthesizers.

Conclusion
Panstation is a panning super-weapon that brings the fun back to the stereo recording. The simple controls are intuitive and inspiring. The contrasting display is nice; however, it would be nice if the numeric values for each parameter were able to be clicked, so that the value could be manually entered. That minor hiccup aside, Panstation is a seriously stable plug that is light on resources and high on usefulness, making it a welcome addition to anyone's plug-in arsenal.

Price
$39 (no demo available, full refund policy, no questions asked)

...a veritable assault weapon of auto-panning goodness...

Product page

PROS

• Powerful, yet simple controls that actually work
• Highly CPU-efficient
• Affordable

LOVE IT OR HATE IT

• Panstation bares the distinction of being at the head of its class in terms of auto-panners. What's not to love? If you've longed for more options in panning within your DAW, Panstation is the ultimate answer.

CONS

• Needs the ability to manually enter values by clicking.

In the past 15 years or so, as the computer-based digital recording phenomenon has steadily eclipsed the analog method at practically all levels of enthusiasm, from amateurs to professionals alike, one constant complaint has been the “lack of character” often perceived when working in the digital realm. At the center of that argument is the apparent move away from the implementation of the analog recording console. In the days of tracking to tape, the console was the centerpiece of the studio. In the case of large pro facilities, these consoles came to be mammoth electronic wonders from storied manufacturers like Solid State Logic (SSL), Neve, EMI, and Trident, to name a few. As a microphone or line level signal was passed into these consoles, the signal was affected by the circuitry along the way. Different manufacturers would employ different components and circuit designs of varying complexity, adding subtle twists and turns to the sonic imprint of each console. Even the physical distance of an input channel from the output buss was known to affect the sound, especially in the case of particularly large boards.
Often, the effect of the console can be heard, even by the unsuspecting novice. Many great sounding records over the years can attribute some part of their sound to the console employed by the engineers and producers who made the album. Examples of “simply cannot-miss” console tonalities captured on record include: Michael Jackson's Thriller (recorded on a Harrison 3240), Nirvana's In Utero (Neve 8078), Queen's eponymous debut album (Trident “A” Range), Nine Inch Nail's The Fragile (a record that literally encapsulates the SSL 4000 G+ sound), and of course, Pink Floyd's The Dark Side of the Moon (EMI TG12345).

For several years, it appeared that “the console sound” would be lost in the age of the computer-based digital audio workstation; however, recently, a new breed of plug-in has emerged to address the issue: the console emulation. Now, Sonimus has issued a plug-in called Satson, that enters into the relatively uncrowded field of console emulations. Satson is moderately priced at just $39 USD and is available as a VST/AU for Windows and Mac in both 32– and 64–bit varieties.

A quick look
The plug–in is a snap to install, using personalization in lieu of more user-unfriendly software protection models. After the quick installation, the user is greeted with two very modest and simple-looking plug-ins: Satson Channel (designed to mime a console input channel) and Satson Buss (designed to model a console main, complete with crosstalk). The Satson Channel interface is quite simple, with two large, clear analog-style VU meters, a gain knob, high and low pass filters, a “Fat” switch, and an “on/off” type bypass switch. The Satson Buss is even more simple as it loses the filter section and offering only “Fat” and “On/Off” switches.

How does it "sound"?
Departing from the methods of predating competitors, Satson does not make much of an attempt at emulating any one particular console. The fact of the matter is, though, that the general tonality of Satson is more akin to SSL than anything. In gentle settings, the plug-in sounds clean with just a hint of added dimensionality. As the gain control is pushed, the sound tends to break-up slightly on the top end , again in a very “SSL” sort of manner.
“Subtle” is definitely a word that describes the impact of Satson in most milder settings with the “Fat” switched off. Engaging that parameter is where the fun begins. In essence, the “Fat” switch adds some low frequencies in a way that models the grand old Neve console's of the 1970s. Like those coveted consoles, Satson's “Fat” switch imparts a certain warm, buttery sheen to the signal. In using Satson to create the demo tracks (in Reaper), I found the “Fat” sound to be so desirable that it became my default setting for Satson.

Another great tool found in both Satson Channel and Buss are the VU meters. These meters are calibrated to function responsively, just like real-world meters. These meters fully support proper gain-staging needed for professional mixing situations and let the user make a better judgment of the volume needed for a particular track. The respective high and low pass filters, found on Satson Channel, are another great addition to the plug-in. These filters are particularly musical and smooth, especially in terms of software filtering. The high pass can be used to clear the “mud” right out of a mix. I found this very useful for isolating some muddy electric guitar tracks in a mix, leaving the overall tonality as punchy as it was recorded, without stepping on the frequency range of the bass and kick.

Used on anything deemed to be a “buss,” Satson Buss adds sonic cross talk and even more spatial girth to the tracks already ran through Satson Channel. This effect is again, subtle, nevertheless it becomes more dramatic in the context of a dense mix featuring multiple channels and buses all treated by individual instances of Satson. Just like a real-world console, routing the signal through various instances of Satson “clusters” certain frequencies in a very “analog” sort of way, blurring the jagged edges of sterile sources and brittle highs. The Satson Buss is slightly limited in terms of controls, having only a “Fat” and “On/Off” switches, but this is very much in line with outboard console operation. Sometimes, limitations are just what is needed.

CPU impact
Perhaps the best features of Satson altogether are its modest price and extremely low CPU impact. Operating in 32-bit mode on my i3-equipped Lenovo laptop, each individual instance of Satson occupied less than. 0.5% CPU, making its use a reality across all tracks and buses. These metrics also compare favorable against Satson's few competitors, which are all considerably more costly in terms of performance (and price). Switching to 64-bit operation offered equally impressive results, with that version of the plug-in clearly tightly coded as well.

It may be obvious but...
What Satson is not is a “magic fix.” Satson has no presets. It has no secret voodoo that will make bad mixes come to life. Songs will never mix themselves, even on analog consoles. Satson is great at being Satson: a plug-in designed with the seasoned mix engineer in mind. If you are the type who understands building a mix from scratch and who appreciates the subtle nuances imparted by console circuitry, then Satson is for you. If you are looking for instant “Chris Lord Alge,” then you may want to look to the pricey “Signature” plug-ins on the market. Still, the bottom line is that Sonimus Satson represents both an incredible value and a technical marvel in terms of console emulation. The sound is truly that of the analog realm. Satson's CPU performance puts the plug-in at the head of the class in the world of console emulation plug-ins, and the $39 price tag makes Satson a “no brainer.”

Conclusion
Sonimus Satson is a highly efficient, cost-effective entry into the exciting world of console emulations. Satson boasts quality sound and tight-coding, making it useful even in the very densest of mixes. The plug-in is very subtle in effect and is clearly aimed at the discerning, audiophile engineer.

Price
$39 USD

...The sound is truly that of the analog realm. Satson's CPU performance puts the plug-in at the head of the class in the world of console emulation plug-ins, and the $39 price tag makes Satson a “no brainer”...

Product page

PROS

• Clean sound, great filters
• Excellent "Fat" mode for vintage tonality
• Extremely CPU- efficient, tightly-coded and stable

LOVE IT OR HATE IT

• If you are looking for the "magic bullet" solution to make your mixes shine, Satson is not for you. If you can appreciate subtle sonic nuances comparable to those found in high-end consoles, then Sonimus Satson is a must have at this price.

CONS

• Interface is a little dark in contrast
• Sound may be too "subtle" for some users

By Todd Spear: spear.todd@gmail.com