AAS has extended its blowout Tassman $99 sale until the end of August. I’ve been working with it and learning its capabilities over the last couple of weeks and I think that’s a mind-meltingly low price given its sound quality and versatility.
Regular readers of my blogs know I’m an avid Reaktor user, so now we come to the inevitable comparisons – how do they stack up against each other?
First, the similarities – they’re both cross-platform software modulars that run standalone and as plugins, they both have similar paradigms wherein we find a panel view and a construction view, instruments, sub patches and performances (“snapshots” in Reaktor). So why would you want both? Because, broadly speaking, they’re complementary.
You might think that since they have many of the same basic components – digital oscillators and filters – that what you can do with one you can do with the other, with a little tweaking and tuning – especially in a software modular system. However a close listen – heck, even a cursory listen – shows that they each have their own character and niche. That’s partly because of the underlying algorithms, partly because of the different modules available to builders, and partly because the users of the two platforms have developed diverging sound design styles over time. Harm Visser and Himalaya (Raphael S.) are two sound designers who have produced gorgeous examples of what can be done with Tassman.
While it does have a basic sample playback module, Tassman is primarily oriented towards synthesis of different sorts – subtractive, FM, and physical modeling – the latter type being a specialty of Applied Acoustics. Consequently, Tassman has a number of physical modeling modules which are used in combination to create sounds – generators like the noise mallet and plectrum, which are used to trigger resonators such as the membrane or beam. Using these modules in various combinations, one can create patches that emulate acoustic instruments or veer off into the completely imaginary. These patches don’t depend on hefty multi gigabyte sample banks, and are smoothly continuous as their parameters are changed or different velocities are received.
Here’s an excerpt from the help system – the notes for the Plectrum module, to give you an idea how deep the rabbit hole goes:
Plectrum
Simulate the excitation of a string when it is plucked by a finger or a pick. The output signal is the force signal applied by the plectrum on the string. Before a string starts to vibrate, the plectrum moves the string before releasing it. A force is supplied to the string while the plectrum and the string are in contact. The shape of the force signal is dependent on the stiffness of the plectrum which can be adjusted with the stiffness parameter. The harder the pick, the sharper the force signal while a soft plectrum results in a smoother signal. The amplitude of this force signal is adjusted with the strength knob.
So rather than thinking in terms of frequency modulation amount or filter cutoff or wave shape, you’re thinking in terms of the physical characteristics of the simulated objects generating sound. That isn’t to say that it’s easy to get a really realistic physically modeled sound, but at least all the heavy lifting in terms of math and algorithms is already handled for you by Applied Acoustics.
AAS co-founders Marc-Pierre Verge and Philippe Dérogis have doctoral degrees in aero-acoustics and acoustics, respectively, and it shows in Tassman’s conception and sound quality. I had a little “aha!” moment on learning that Verge is an accomplished flautist – some of the flute patches in Tassman are absolutely jaw-dropping. Here’s an example.
Of course, physical modeling is just one of Tassman’s synthesis methods – it also does subtractive sounds, which have the same satisfying chunkiness and heft as those generated by Ultra Analog – thus, the second and third patches in that mp3 are a lead and a bass selected from the presets.
Tassman is a player’s and sound designer’s instrument more than a programming platform. This is another reason I see it as complementary to rather than competitive with Reaktor. I wouldn’t hesitate to compare it head to head with any of the other complex modular or semi modular instruments on the market, fully expecting it to distinguish itself with its own unique character, depth and capabilities. Download the demo and hear for yourself.
I’ve been exploring creating physically modeled patches from scratch and I’ll be posting the results soon. In the meantime, if you want to get into building in Tassman, here are two tips that helped me as a Reaktor user coming to Tassman:
Getting out of a subpatch – in the menu, go to view then previous patch. On Mac the shortcut is command-minus, on Windows it’s ctrl-shift-tab.
To add or subtract values: use a mixer module and a constant. To shift the keyboard pitch downwards an octave, mix the keyboard pitch with a -1 constant.
Righty ho, I’m off to Nova Scotia soon and I’ll have my Zoom handheld recorder with me. In my imagination I record the sounds of ships creaking in the harbor at midnight, someone playing fiddle in a tavern, a crab tapping on a hollow log, the plaintive calls of a family of Bigfoots in an echoey cave, etc. But I fear there will be nothing but the ubiquitous birds and traffic and tourists yelling things like “you dropped your ice cream?!”
In reality the results will probably be somewhere in between the optimum and pessimum prospects and I hope to bring you some interesting sample packs soon – I’ll upload the good bits as wav sample packs as well as Reaktor sample maps. If you have any good field recording requests, ideas or tricks, post ‘em here and I’ll see what I can come up with.
Even if the trip is a total wash sound wise I still have lots of field recording and eccentric sample material that I’m cutting up and packaging so stay tuned.
By popular demand, here is the new skinned ParamDrum with the new sample maps, now saved in Reaktor 5.15 so you can make use of it without upgrading to the Reaktor 5.5 beta.
I didn’t manage to export the snaps so I made new ones. I’m particularly fond of the Doctor Dances and Bad Wolf snaps:
…and while I haven’t made a screencast with the new skin yet, this one on the TR edition should give you an idea of what it’s all about:
The 5.15 version is available as usual on the drop. The same password as before will unlock it. Don’t have a license yet? Get one here:
Applied Acoustics has extended their $99 special on Tassman 4 until the end of August, so there’s still plenty of time to get in on the deal.
The usual price is $349 so that’s a whopping $250 of savings.
I’m a huge fan of the AAS Ultra Analog, which I’ve mentioned before. Unlike UA, though, Tassman doesn’t stop at subtractive synthesis and delivers additive, FM and physical modeling tools as well as expanded effects capabilities. What can you do with physical modeling? Ask Harm Visser, who creates PM patches for Tassman. The brass patches are especially awesome – check the Flugelhorn and Full Brass and Reed.
I hope to delve deeper into physical modeling this summer, or at least find fun ways to misuse it even if I never come within light years of what Mr Visser does.
It’s got a brilliant skin courtesy of Jonathan Style, a new sound set based on samples from a very popular hardware synth (can you name it?), and at the moment only four new snaps. I could delay release and make more presets, but I want to get this out as soon as possible considering what a wait it’s been since the last update. It sounds like this:
This is a free update for people who’ve already purchased – the same password will unlock this skinned version. Be aware that I’ve migrated to the fantastic and problem free Reaktor 5.5 beta, and the new skinned version will no longer open in earlier versions. Get the beta here.
The 5.5 beta is rock solid stable and if anything uses less CPU than previous versions. I have had no hiccups or crashes using it. Nevertheless, back up your custom ens before saving them in the new version, just in case you want to revert to 5.15. Like this version of ParamDrum, the Reaktor 5.5 update will be free for current license holders.
Haven’t purchased yet? $12.50 gets you the password to all versions, which are downloadable here. Here’s the link:
A couple of quick notes – on OS X, some users have had an issue where the library doesn’t get updated, so no Lazerbass or EI 1 and 2. User ashd posted this fix on the NI forums:
Lazerbass doesn’t install under OS X. Neither do Electronic Instruments.
To get them to show up under OS X:
I had to Right click > show package contents the Installer .mpkg.
Go to Contents>Packages And run the ‘Reaktor 5 Library Update.pkg’ manually.
Now everything is there.
That worked for me…
In other news, Stephen Wey has posted Lazerbass Koresounds and a Kore template here. Have to try that out this weekend!
Let me state the most important point up front: the best thing about Reaktor 5.5 is that it represents a dedication to the product and a renewed investment in the future of the platform.
I have yet to encounter any showstopper bugs and many users have noted reduced CPU usage. How often do you hear that about a virtual instrument update?
Without pointing any fingers or linking to any flaming threads, I’ll just say it’s been an ongoing issue within the user community that several years (five?! really?) have passed without a major Reaktor update.
Is 5.5 a major update? Yes, it is. Stephan Schmitt writes:
Some of the most important improvements in Reaktor 5.5 are “under the surface”, more than 30% of the code is new. The new version is based on our latest GUI and audio bridge frameworks, so it has a more flexible and robust technological basis. This also brings advantages like a full-screen GUI mode, higher quality of sample rate conversion, and up to 40 audio channels in standalone mode.
There are also new features like additive and modal synthesis modules, the Lazerbass instrument, and the inclusion of the previously paid add-ons Electronic Instruments 1 and 2. Metaphysical Function from EI 2 will blow you away if you haven’t tried it yet – and now that it’s free, people will be creating derivative works from it and uploading them to the user library.
But all that is icing on the cake compared to the infrastructure changes and what they mean… to use a Doctor Who metaphor, the Doctor has regenerated and we can expect whole new seasons of sonic screwdriving.
I picked up this puppy when it was on sale last year for 15 bucks – one of those no-brainer deals. Let me tell ya, that was probably the best 15 bucks I’ve ever spent. It usually goes for $200 and it’d be worth it even at that price. AAS is having a Tassman sale – $99 till the end of the month and I am sorely tempted to partake, after my experience with their technology in Ultra Analog.
UA is intelligently designed, for example including a dedicated pitch envelope, which is one of the first things I hack into a Reaktor synth if I like its sound. A bit of pitch squeak on attack, combined with the UA’s premium oscillators and filters, creates a big bouncy analog sound that I like.
Here I’ve combined it with a rhythm track created by my Paramdrum ensemble. No effects aside from a conservative bit of limiting on the master track to prevent clipping. I love a synth that sounds good without effects.
I was invited to the opening night of the Elektra festival by its artistic director, Alain Thibault, whose Purform duo (Alain on audio with visualist Yan Breuleux) performed A-B-C-D Light.
Purform is aptly named as their work is highly conceptual and formal, exploring the pure interplay and union of sound and light. The ABCD Light work was designed to be performed, among other places, in planetariums and domes. I’d love to see that – I love almost nothing better than a good planetarium light show. But it works on a flat surface too. Here are some excerpts:
The music was far more visceral than I’d anticipated – a throaty roar with pounding percussion. The audio reminded me at times of early-mid period Autechre – think Second Bad Vilbel. The repeated A-B-C-D light refrain, a bit of a pun, goes “A light, be light, see light, delight”.
I asked Alain about the technology used to perform the work, specifically how interaction happens between the audio and video:
During the performance, I’m using Ableton Live and a Lemur controller for the music. Yan Breuleux is using VDMX with a Korg nanoKontrol. I trigger video clips, so my MIDI OUT to his IN. He’s processing the raw visuals live with his controller. I do the same with the Lemur. So my continuous controllers don’t affect his visuals, neither his, for the audio. This was done before, when he created the visual material.
Recently Alain and I have been collaborating on developing technology for one of his new projects – specifically, some custom Reaktor programming. For example, we’ve experimented with the use of Reaktor to provide flexible MIDI modulation for instruments in Ableton Live.
Live is a bit inflexible when it comes to routing control signals – dropping Reaktor into midi track “A” effectively destroys its ability to route midi out to track “B”. From track “B” you can select track “A” as midi input, but then you lose use of the *other* midi inputs that you might want to use for triggering notes on track “B” with a controller.
Briefly, my solution is to run Reaktor standalone instead of as a plugin and route midi signals via the IAC bus on Mac or Midi Yoke on Windows. This isn’t a problem for audio on Mac because the coreaudio drivers are multiclient – but on Windows you might try ASIO4All which allows you to share ASIO drivers or even combine multiple audio interfaces into a single “aggregate device” (to borrow a term from the Mac world).
By running Reaktor alongside Live and routing MIDI through an IAC bus, I can not only route signals flexibly to Live instruments but also start and stop Reaktor synchronously from Live – so any synced LFOs or MIDI CC sequencers in Reaktor stay in sync.
Here’s what the IAC setup looks like:
And here’s the setup in Reaktor:
Note that external sync is turned on in Reaktor:
And the setup in Live looks like this:
Now you’re set up to send MIDI from Reaktor to any channel in Live that’s prepared to receive MIDI from all inputs. Using different channels helps keep things organized. For first steps in sending building MIDI send enabled instruments in Reaktor, check my post here.
I’ll have more technology tips from my collaboration with Alain as we continue to tinker and explore.
The more I learn about SC the more I’m astonished that all music nerds aren’t howling its name from the rooftops. Why hasn’t Geraldo interviewed it?
I’ve been working through the Nick Collins course material, which isn’t included in the SC download but is linked on the Sourceforge site. If you’ve taken a run at the other tutorials and stalled, try this one – I think it’s just challenging enough to be interesting, but not despair-makingly tough, and presents SC concepts in context with suggestions for use and examples.
An example of an exercise:
Peeking ahead through the chapters I have yet to complete gave me a better idea of what SC’s capable of than I had before. For example, hitting command-shift-n brings up this window:
Whoa, what the hell! A drag and drop GUI editor. I didn’t know that was in there.
I can tell that this resource will become primary reference material to me after I’ve gone through it… all the code examples (so far) work, and present clear usage examples for major SC features.
