Amaranth Audio has updated Cycle to v1.5.
New in v1.5:
- Convolution reverb.
- In-app tutorial framework.
- Improved noise sound quality.
- Impulse Modeller effect has new zero-latency processing.
- 20 General-purpose automatable modulation sources.
- More deformer targets.
- Memory leak and several bugs fixed.
Convolution Reverb
Replacing the stock reverb effect (Freeverb) is a proprietary convolution reverb. By creating room impulses algorithmically, this effect has the smooth, non-metallic sound you expect from a convolution reverb, but with common reverb controls: room size, dampening, stereo spread, and high-pass filtering. Listen to a sample.
Tutorial Framework
Cycle is complex so instructive content can always be helpful. To that end a powerful XML-based tutorial framework is in place to guide users with sound design and with the different parts of the synth. A tutorial for this purpose is a step-by-step guide. At each step, a dialog box points to some area of the user interface. Each step can require conditions to be met before moving on, and it can perform one or many pre-set editing actions.
Essentially all functions in Cycle can be controlled by a tutorial file, for example playing notes, adding points, moving points, adding layers, changing modes, etc.
An included tutorial "Sound Design: Epiano" walks the user through every step of creating a particular preset, with each step performing all the actions needed. Future tutorials will be distributed using this framework.
Sound quality improvements
In presets where spectral noise is involved (e.g. in preset "BaroqueFlute") there were some phasing artifacts with the noise. This is fixed. A case is now fixed where oversampled waveshapes would not de-click correctly.
Impulse Modeller Latency
Using a new convolution algorithm (shared by the reverb), the Impulse Modeller is now zero-latency rather than the 512 samples latency of v1.4.
More Deformer Targets
Vertex paths along Red and Blue morphing ranges can be deformed in v1.5. A simple example is making a spectral peak hit a certain harmonic across the key-scale range: this requires an exponential curve, which now can be done using a deformer curve instead of many line segments -- here's a visual comparison:
Envelopes now allow deformer assignments:
The combination of these two changes means envelopes can have a more natural response to velocity -- the length of the decay curve can extend exponentially as velocity increases, just as you would expect in real life.
Mod Matrix Utility Parameters
Some hosts do not readily allow the automation of MIDI CCs, so a set of 20 utility parameters is now part of the Mod Matrix to act as automatable modulation sources.
Cycle update v1.4 was unpublished at KVR, so look for those changes here.
