GENERATORS

Fruity DrumSynth Live

DEMO ONLY: DrumSynth Live comes as a demo version in FL Studio and needs to be purchased separately so you could save projects containing DrumSynth Live channels.

Fruity DrumSynth Live is the FL Studio plugin version of the popular DrumSynth standalone created by Maxim Digital Audio.

DrumSynth Live features simultaneous support for 120 real-time programmable drum patches, each assigned to a separate key (C0 to B9). You can morph dynamically from one drum patch to another - just select the patch to morph to and tweak the morph amount wheel.

The sound is created by two noise generators, filtered by bandpass filters with an incredible range - you can set anything from single frequency (sine wave) to full white noise. The first oscillator can also act as swept frequency sine wave generator for creating kick drums and tom sounds. The second oscillator has more advanced envelope: adjustable attack length and envelope mapping shape (from logarithmic to linear), useful for snare drums and hi-hats. The envelope retrigger controls allow for quick creation of clap sounds and can be also used for harder attack in the drum sounds.

Velocity to Property (Black) Wheels

Some properties can change according to the note velocity. Such controls have a velocity mapping wheel on their left (all the big black wheels in the interface). If a velocity wheel is turned to right, higher note velocities increase the property value. Turn left to lower the property value with velocity increase instead.

Parameters

Testing Keyboard

The testing keyboard has two functions - it lets you test the drum patches and select a drum patch for editing: just left-click a note, the orange rectangle shows the currently edited patch.

There is also a right-click menu which allows you to copy and paste the patch settings from one key to another.

You can reset a patch to one of the default sounds in the preset. Right-click a note and select an entry from the "Set to default patch" submenu. The default patch for the current key is displayed in bold.

The keyboard displays 2 octaves simultaneously. You can scroll the keyboard to see the required range using the scroll button above the keyboard: . If the AUTO option is enabled, the keyboard will autoscroll to display the proper range as notes are played.

Wave Panel

DrumSynth Live can mix recorded drum samples with the noise generator. In this section you can set the wave properties and mix amount.

Wave Selector - Select one of several high-quality drum/percussion samples to be mixed with the white noise generator.
Sample Tuning (TUNE) - Sample pitch (transpose).
Mix Amount (MIX) - Turn right to mix more of the wave sample and less of the noise in the oscillators.

Oscillator 1 (OSC 1)

Frequency slider - Center frequency for the bandpass filter/sweep tone.
Sweep Up/Down slider - Frequency offset to sweep from. Slide right to sweep from higher frequency, slide left to sweep from lower frequency. Appears only when using the oscillator in sweep tone mode (see below: Sweep Tone/Noise switch).
Bandwidth slider - Sets the bandwidth of the bandpass filter. You can set anything from single frequency bandwidth (turn left) to full white noise (turn right). Appears only when using the oscillator in noise mode (see below: Sweep Tone/Noise switch).
Harmonics wheel (HARM) - Applies waveshaping distortion to the oscillator (turn to left applies odd harmonics, turn to right applies even harmonics).
Envelope Decay wheel (DEC) - Sets the envelope decay for the oscillator. Turn right for slower decay.
Sweep Time wheel (SWEEP) - Sets the sweep speed. Turn to right for longer sweep time. Applies only when using the oscillator in sweep tone mode (see below: Sweep Tone/Noise switch).
Noise/Sweep Tone switch (NOISE) - When turned on, the oscillator operates in noise mode: white noise processed with a bandpass filter. When turned off, the oscillator operates in sweep tone mode: a sine wave that can sweep from higher or lower frequencies with adjustable sweep time, useful for toms, kicks and various effects.
Invert Phase switch (INVERT) - Inverts the phase of the oscillator. Useful for fixing situations where the two oscillators might phase each other.
Output Level wheel (MIX) - The output volume of the oscillator. Higher output levels produce hard clipping useful for rim-shot sounds and similar effects.

Oscillator 2 (OSC2)

Frequency slider - Center frequency of the bandpass filter.
Bandwidth slider - Bandwidth of the bandpass filter. You can set anything from single frequency bandwidth (turn left) to full white noise (turn right).
Osc1 to Osc2 Rind Modulation (RING) - Ring modulates Oscillator1 with Oscillator2.
Envelope Attack wheel (ATT) - Envelope attack time (fade in) for the oscillator. Turn right for slower attack.
Envelope Decay wheel (DEC) - Envelope decay (fade out) for the oscillator. Turn right for slower decay.
Envelope Shape wheel - Changes the envelope shape from logarithmic (turn left) to linear (turn right).
Envelope Release wheel (REL) - Envelope release length of the oscillators (affects both the OSC1 and OSC2).
Output Level wheel (MIX) - The output volume of the oscillator. Higher output levels produce hard clipping useful for rim-shot sounds and similar effects.

Trigger Settings (TRIG)

Contains misc. patch settings and controls for envelope retriggering.

Voice Mode select - Voice mode for the current drum patch. The possible voice modes are: Mono - each trigger of this patch cuts the previous; Poly - polyphonic model, no voices are cut; Group 1/2/3/4 - four global (for the channel only) cut groups. If you select a group, each patch will cut itself and also cut any other patches with the same group setting.
Count wheel (COUNT) - Number of envelope retriggers to occur when playing the patch. Turn right for more retriggers.
Rate wheel (RATE) - Time between each trigger (turn right for slower trigger rate).
Trigger Decay wheel (DEC) - Decay (fade out) speed for each trigger (turn right for slower decay).
Tone Filter wheel (TONE) - Turn left to apply lowpass filter to the patch sound, turn right to use highpass filter.
Click Amount (WAVE) - Phase offset for the oscillators. The phase offset can be used add 'click' effect to the patch. Turn max to right for random phase offset on each patch triggering.

Morph Controls (MORPH TO)

You can morph the settings of any patch to the settings of another patch.

Morph To list - Shows a list of patches to morph to. The morphing uses the current settings of the patch you select, not the default settings.
Morph Amount wheel - Turn up to morph to the patch selected in the Morph To list.

Output Settings

MAIN OUT: Panning wheel (PAN) - Panning of the current patch.
MAIN OUT: Volume wheel (VOL) - Volume of the current patch.
SEND TO: Send Track LCD (NUM) - Selects the send effects track to send the patch output to.
SEND TO: Send Level wheel (LVL) - Send amount (volume) of the current patch.
Patches list - Shows the currently edited patch. Click the combo box to select another patch.
Hide/Show Keyboard switch - Shows/hides the testing keyboard and morphing controls.

Notes & Tips

Most properties of DrumSynth are read once for each triggered voice (drum note), so changing the properties of an already running voice has no effect.
A DrumSynth preset saves the entire drumkit, i.e. saves all "drum notes" at once in single preset.

Plugin Credits: Paul Kellett (engine), Frederic Vanmol (conversion), Didier Dambrin (interface)