Mariana is a dual-layer synthesizer, allowing you to mix together two completely different synthesizer sounds that can dynamically complement each other or be played duophonically. Each layer is built around two oscillators with precise and inventive controls to make your bass tone punch through a mix and stand out from the rest, with a sub-oscillator adding even more low-end weight. Two resonant Moog filters and a third filter specifically for the sub-oscillator let you shape your sound, adding warmth while rolling off high frequencies or pushing up the resonance for added bite. With stereo oscillators and crossover filter functionality, Mariana is optimized for quickly fine-tuning stereo content while simultaneously preserving a powerful mono bass foundation.
Warm tube, tape, and overdrive saturation and a tight compressor add heaviness and glue to your bass lines while an illuminating real-time metering section lets you monitor your sounds and dial them in to a professional standard. Flexible built-in delay and chorus effects operate on separate layers and can expand the stereo image of your sounds while preserving a solid mono signal with high-pass filters. Whether designing your own bass tones from scratch or using one of the 200 included presets as a starting point, Mariana is an accessible and versatile tool for any modern production environment. And although Mariana is optimized for bass, it is fully capable of producing strong leads, punchy percussion, and multidimensional effects, making it possible to craft an entire song using this single instrument.
Mariana's intuitive user interface is designed for quick and efficient workflow while being fully equipped with three LFOs, three envelopes, and two random generators per layer. Combined with a creative and extremely deep modulation editor, Mariana excels at in-depth sound design and sounds that dynamically evolve over time. Nearly every parameter of Mariana can be modulated internally via MIDI, MPE, and virtual CV to build an interconnected ecosystem right in your DAW. With an optimized resizable user interface, expressive on-screen keyboard for iPad and standalone desktop versions, and seamless integration into any DAW (digital audio workstation), Mariana is the most accessible way to add the unmistakable Moog bass sound to your productions.
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Reviewed By DrWashington [all]
May 29th, 2024
Version reviewed: 1.1.0 on Windows
Needs serious work: it's a CPU hog and the sound quality just can't justify it--it's nothing extraordinary. It's good, but it definitely does not sound like a hardware Moog (which it was intended to replace on my end, a Minitaur specifically) and the filters really lack that special something I want to hear in analog bass synths. In any case, there's no way such a massive CPU hit on latest generation CPUs can be justified.
Secondly, putting so many basic controls on another page makes programming a real pain.
Thirdly, MIDI Learn is a PITA to use and is well-hidden.
I really wanted to like this synth, but even at $49 it's a purchase I regret. The UI really is terrible to use. We can handle all the basic synth functions on one page. That isn't "cluttered": it's normal for synth users in 2024.
Just please standardize around right-click MIDI Learn/Unlearn and be done with it. Stop trying to complicate things just because you can.
It bears repeating: even on an i9-13900K, the CPU hit is intolerable. There's just no excuse for this in 2024, not on a synth that sounds quite this underwhelming, anyway.
Many other devs are making far more analog-sounding, meatier bass synths (or synths that happen to be fantastic bass synths) that are quite well-optimized and well-behaved. Moog is seriously dropping the ball here.
v 2.0 better be a massive step up in terms of sound and usability or I can't honestly see myself pulling this one back up. Really disappointing.
It seems Moog - like Roland - will also be joining the ranks of legendary hardware creators that couldn't code their way out of a VB hello world calculator. The sound is brilliant, but the DSP load and UI is quite possibly the worst i've encountered.
Read ReviewMariana sounds unmistakably like a Moog without sounding just like a Taurus or Mini (or anything else I'm aware of that Moog produces or has produced.) Though it retains an unmistakable Moog patina, it is quite its own beast and has turned into one of the first plugins I check out for bass sounds. It is simple enough to turn out quality bass sounds easily, yet has a couple tricks up its sleeve to set it a bit apart and point it in a modern direction. And it has more bottom end than almost anything I've heard. If you're in the market for an extremely solid bass synth capable of subs, understated tones, more aggressive textures, and almost anything in between, you should definitely check this out. There is a trial for download to help you make your own judgment.
One more comment: Mariana works great with MPE: I've using an Erae Touch to great effect with it. Very cool.
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