Review
Has additive synthesis become the hipster darling of the music production world?
You might think so, were you to tick off all of the variations on the technology currently available. Developers seem hell-bent on simplifying the technology, bringing users its uniquely rich sounds without the headaches traditionally associated with additive instruments.
Rob Papen and Jon Ayres' newest brainchild, Blade, represents a different approach to additive synthesis. Ayres is certainly qualified forthe job: his killer additive synth, ConcreteFX Adder, championed the now-familiar approach of offering a set of individually adjustable partials that could be grouped together and then modulated en masse via envelopes, LFOs and so on.
Pros
Wicked arpeggiator/sequencer; X/Y controller is pretty slick; great for pad sounds; relatively easy to use; isn't a virtual analogue or a ROMpler!
Cons
Envelopes are a bit 'standard'; Harmolator still takes some learning.
Verdict
Rob Papen's take on additive synthesis has some clever tricks up its sleeve and does the business sonically.
Rating 4/5
Read full review at Music Radar
Published: 7 Jan
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