The upcoming release of Blok Modular has been announced. Blok is a modular plugin for audio hosts (VSTi + Buzz formats with Effect versions planned for near future). It holds similarities to other synth building modulars like SynthEdit, SynthMaker, Reaktor and so on.. but where it breaks from those molds is its primary focus on classic modular synthesis, an intuitive interface, speed and ease of use. Its approach is simplified and more refined soley towards synthesis than the forementioned applications/plugins, but beware of misinterpreting that as meaning it lacks power or flexibility because those are it’s direct aims. There are 4 basic types of Bloks; Generators, Modifiers, Controllers, and Outputs (which also includes global bus effect bloks, signal analysis bloks, and others).

The launch is coming soon, but there is a freeware version of Blok already for Buzz modular (also freeware) and a Save-limited Demo VSTi currently available for any VSTi-compatible host.  It’s going to be crazily affordable already, but apparently smart people will be available to get in on an Early Bird special discount price (35 euros).

Anyways, that’s enough information from me, if you want to learn more visit http://www.blokmodular.com/.

The screen-shot above shows a project I recently made, it’s a setup that uses multiple Keytrack modules to split it’s Note input through different paths and control over the modifiers (a sort of multitimbral + filter tracking combo). Check out the audio below to hear what the example sounds like, everything in the recording is done via the Blok patch shown above plus an additional Drum machine Blok patch I created.

One of the cool things about Blok is that it fully supports copying and pasting of Blok data across multiple instances or from other sources. For example, if you want to try out a Blok from a site or friend, you can literally just copy and paste the XML data into Blok.  Open a Blok window then paste (Shift+V), it’s that simple… TIP: To avoid conflicts with VST loader and Host short-cuts, Blok’s editing shortcuts have been moved from the CTRL key to the SHIFT Key, so to select-all/copy/paste/undo, etc. use SHIFT-C, SHIFT-V, SHIFT-A, SHIFT-Z and so on.

more…

SynC Modular, the precusory application that lead to Native Instrument’s Reaktor, is now offically free (ahem, finally). Nowadays there are a large collection of modern applications that can do what it does, however.. the aged app presents a somewhat unique tonal quality (thanks to dated dsp no doubt, aimed @ performance marks for early 2000′s pcs) and the standalone, never-going-to-get-an-update factor of it is quite charming. Add into that several Ensembles that you can find littered across the internet and you’ve got yourself one sweet piece of modular freeware, old or not.

The free registration key and more info can be found @ SynC’s website: http://www.syncmodular.com/ A new forum has also been started there for all you trainspotting, retro-softwarizing, modular loving, low-cpu hugging geeks out there… so it appears that some people are trying to stir a community together for this fine piece of software. I’ll definitely be checking in from time to time to see what emsembles ppup-up or if any new hacked-up uses occur.

Here’s a good archive of SynC ensembles: http://sites.google.com/site/syncensembles/

sketching in buzz from stumm on Vimeo.

Recording of my workflow.. sketching out some quick ideas in the latest beta of the modular sequencer, Buzz (Build 1183 01/06/2010).  The interface shown is a wpf/xaml theme I am currently working on and is not available to the public yet (though will be soon).

Playing with Buzz modular’s ‘new’ xml/XAML driven interface. Splat1.zip – Extract to Themes/ with folders intact. Disable Skins on Machine View’s rightclick -> settings. It’s not skin friendly.

UPDATE: Final version here: stumm splat2.zip