https://www.tone2.com/icarus.html
Download link (free demo & update):
https://www.tone2.com/download.html
Video with the new features:
https://youtu.be/zPaRMezvHxE
The update is a major update that is available for free for all Icarus2 users.
New features:
- 150 additional patches created by professional designers.
- Reworked patch browser with 6 different sizes (small/normal/big + with/without keys).
- Native M1 Silicon support on the Mac.
- A spectrum analyser displays the frequency-response in the patch browser.
- Tooltips with descriptions and hints are shown when you hover over a control.
- Help->'Show version info' displays the mode in which the plugin is running (ARM/Intel).
- When samples are played back a red sample preview window is shown.
- A vertical line shows the current sample playback position.
- A double-click resets a knob to default.
- Free Soundset demos.
- Extended skin support for 3 sizes.
- The shape of AHDSR envelopes can now be edited by drawing in the display.
- Timing info is shown in the AHDSR windows.
- AHDSR envelopes are animated when Midi CCs are routed to them.
- Tradtitional sample import with Tools->Load/Save->'Load Sample'.
- Added feature desciptions to many menus of the wavetable editor.
- You can load traditional samples in .wav format with drag&drop to the oscillator's waveform display.
- Samples can be tuned automatically on import.
- The mousewheel can be used to switch through wavetables.
- Tooltips can be hidden or shown in the Config section.
- It is possible to record automation with the effect sliders.
- The mouse arrow changes over controls that can be edited by drawing in the display.
- Higher sound-quality in 44 kHz, 48 kHz and 88 kHz sample-rate.
- More precise timing.
- New microtuning algorithm that detects and enhances a wide range of chords.
- Enhanced sound of Reverb. It has a more smooth rolloff and less detuning.
- Enhanced sound and default settings of the Vocoder.
- Enhanced sound of Ensemble effect. It has a more subtle modulation and is in-tune.
- Enhanced sound of Hypersaw 10x Stereo.
- Enhanced sound of Delay, Delay Wide, Delay Diffuse, Delay Band and Delay Dual.
- Enhanced sound of Multitap and PingPong. They have a more subtle modulation.
- Enhanced sound of Reverb Dark. It is calculated with higher precision.
- Fine-tuned the default values for some effects.
- More smart detection of the VST2 path.
- The native M1 support results in 20% lower CPU use compared to Rosetta2 Mode.
- More responsive GUI on M1 Macs.
- The ideal GUI size is detected automatically.
- Better workflow and more intuitive use of the interface.
- Enhanced many graphics.
- Higher performance.
- The slider in the wavetable editor is more easy to handle.
- The interface has more contrast.
- Random Button with extended feature set (3 oscillators, creates new wavetables, etc).
- Many small enhancements for the wavetable editor.
- Much faster loading and saving.
- Further optimisation to prevent denormalisation.
- Importing .wav files with drag&drop to the oscillator displays gives much better results.
- Fine-tuned the coordinates of some GUI elements.
- The resynthesis with single oscillators gives much better results.
- More efficient compression for image resources.
- The resynthesis menus have been cleaned up and are more straightforward to use.
- The OSC Tool menu has been cleaned up. Redundant items have been removed.
- Graphics performance in wavetable editor is faster.
- The envelopes in the drum sequencer have a blue color.
- The Vocoder has higher default volume and is more easy to play.
- Added descriptions to the Resynthesis menu.
- Added descriptions to the Vocoder menu.
- Many small enhancements.
- The scrollbar in the patch-browser has more contrast.
- Tooltips did not work with Dark Mode with Big Sur.
- Workaround for the 'unusual' designed audio architecture of FL Studio. It is not longer necessary to enable 'Use fixed size buffers' to avoid crackles.
- Workaround for a bug of Big Sur where new AudioUnits are only detected after a reboot.
- Several small compatibility fixes for MacOS 11 and MacOS 12.
- The coordiantes of the context-menu for knobs were not always correct.
- Fixed a rarely appearing crash in the wavetable editor.
- A drag&drop line is not longer shown when the wavetable editor is open.
- The coordinates of the scrollbar-handle in the patch-browser could have an wrong offset.
- A double-click to a knob of an envelope now correctly redraws the display.
- Tooltips were not properly readable in some DAWs under BugSur with Dark Mode.
- AudioUnit is now an AUv2 plugin.
- AudioUnit and VSTi are now a Universal Binary for 64bit Intel and M1.
- Apple's development tools are unable to build 32bit Intel binaries when you support M1. Sadly we had to drop support for it.
- Apple's Notarisation and the M1 support requires a MacOS version higher or equal than 10.11. If you still use an older version you must stick with Icarus 2.0.
- The name of 'Reverb Trance' is now 'Revereb Swirl'.
What is Icarus2?
https://youtu.be/awXJrWb31Wc
Icarus2 is a powerful synthesizer-workstation. The audio-engine provides a huge sonic range, offers true high-end sound-quality and creates a wide range of sounds impossible with other synths. Icarus2 ships with 1600 hand-picked patches created by professionals.
Icarus2 offers 54 different synthesis methods. The audio engine is not only able to create all classic synthesizer sounds. It can produce a vast range of fresh sounds, which are impossible with other products. The innovative '3D wavetable synthesis', which is exclusive to Icarus, creates a new dimension of sounds with dynamic expression and acoustic movement. Besides that many other unique synthesis-methods are available that can be combined freely.
Icarus comes with the largest collection of filters available within a synthesizer. The audio-engine offers many powerful features like a drum-sequencer, a built-in vocoder, re-synthesis, a glitch-sequencer, the most advanced wavetable-editor available, an extremely mighty oscillator section, MSEGs, ...
However, the synth still remains very easy to use. A comfortable interface with drag & drop support gives you instant help, visual feedback and immediate acoustic results.
The audio engine offers high-end sound quality and extreme flexibility with low demands on the CPU.
Product page:
https://www.tone2.com/icarus.html
Download links for the free demo (you are allowed to give these links to the public):
https://www.tone2.com/update/Tone2_Icarus2_PC_32bit.zip
https://www.tone2.com/update/Tone2_Icarus2_PC_64bit.zip
https://www.tone2.com/update/Tone2_Icarus2_Mac.pkg
Factory-sounds video:
https://youtu.be/J0eG-gormy8
Screenshot:
https://www.tone2.com/files/Tone2_Icaru ... enshot.jpg
Synthesis
The powerful audio-engine is able to create all important synthesizer sounds in high-end quality. Icarus can do a massive amount of synthesis-methods: 3D wavetables, classic wavetables, resynthesis of samples, vocoder, additive, substractive, analog, FM with up to 6 operators, formant synthesis, waveshaping, PWM, sync, ringmod, AM, noise, physical-modeling, phase-distortion, granular, time-stretching, pitch-shifting, samples, harmonic-morphing, FFT-filtering, lofi, import of custom waveforms and wavetables and many other innovative modes, exclusive to Icarus.
3D-Wavetables
The'3D Wavetable Synthesis' can produce sounds impossible with other synths and reveals a new level of dynamic expression. Tone2 has extended the classic wavetable-synthesis, which can cross-blend waveforms, with an additional morph-dimension. You can use 54 morph-modes to further shape and modulate the sound. The morph-modes are not limited to traditional waveshaping-methods. There is also a vast range of innovative and exclusive synthesis-methods included, which are not available from other companies. This results in a wide range of unique sounds that cannot be generated by other synthesizers. Get inspired by unheared signature-sounds and give your productions an unique character!
Oscillators & Hypersaw
Icarus offers three oscillator-blocks with true stereo-architecture. Each oscillator-block itself again can contain up to 10 detuned hypersaw-oscillators. Tone2 has expanded the popular hypersaw concept with a stereo-processing, precise phase-control, punch and the ability to make single oscillators play chords. 37 different modes are available, including, hypersaw, supersaw, stereo hypersaw, unison, stacking, chords and flanging. The hypersaw-modes can be combined with any kind of wavetable, waveform or synthesis-method.
Filters
Icarus2 comes with the most powerful filter-section available on the market. The synthesizer-flagship offers 63 exciting filter types. Many filter-types are exclusive and not available from other companies, which results in a wide range of unique sounds. All filters are musical useful and have really different sonic characteristics. There are no similar sounding types included.
There are two modular filter-blocks available. Each one is equipped with true stereo-architecture, flexible routing and multi-mode filters. Two stereo-distortion-sections, each with 9 different modes, allow you to further shape the sound.
An animated display shows the frequency-response and gives you immediate visual feedback. This makes it very easy to understand and tweak the filter-behaviour.
Arpeggiator
The arpeggiator supports many advanced features such as glide, swing, shuffle, split, smart note-sorting, matrix-integration and gives precise control over play-direction and velocity. Comfortable playing aids like auto-chord speed up the production process. It is also possible to load and save patterns.
Drums
Icarus2 has been extended with a drum-sequencer. It is an easy-to-use, but powerful X0X-style sequencer-module. It comes with a wide variety of drum-sounds, noises and waveforms. You can also import your own samples and save your own templates. A collection of 100 drum-patterns created by professional designers is included. The drum-sequencer supports swing, shuffle, loop-length, effect-send, key-split, roll, mono-samples, stereo-samples, looped samples and looped waveforms. Your sounds can be passed through punchy, BPM-synced envelopes, which allow you to create impressive 'gated-drum-sounds' easily. You can stretch wav-files with drum-loops or any other rhythmic content so that they automatically sync to BPM. Furthermore, the drum-sequencer is not only limited to playing drum sounds. It is also a small multi-timbral synthesizer that is able to play looped samples or waveforms with or without pitch-tracking. It does also come with a smart auto-accompaniment which automatically resolves the chord that you are currently playing and plays a bass-line that 'fits'.
Effects
Icarus comes with a flexible effects-section. 54 different effects, feedback and a limiter can be combined in modular slots in order to build new and exciting results. You can create your own custom effects which can be saved and loaded separately.
The innovative ducking-module can make the mix sound more transparent and lush. It dynamically adjusts the volume of the effect-mix and prevents delays clashing with the original signal.
Microtuning
Icarus offers 21 different microtuning-modes. The engine can slightly detune certain voices to make your chords sound fatter, harmonically rich and warm. Tone2 also developed several innovative algorithms that are not longer limited to the usage of a certain tonality. Icarus is able to analyze what you are playing in real-time and can enhance your chords automatically.
Glitch-sequencer
Icarus2 has been extended with a grid-based glitch-sequencer. You can chop your sounds and create modern glitchy, pitchstop, trancegate or stuttering effects. 'The Glitch' works similar to a multi-effect sequencer. The incoming audio is passed through 10 different effect-modules. Each effect is controlled by up to 16 segments to adjust the parameter of the effect. Furthermore, it is possible to adjust the speed, groove, routing, mix, smoothness and loop-length. Random-buttons allow you to create new sequences quicky. It is also possible to load and save your own templates.
Equalizer
Optionally an equalizer with dynamic bass-boost and psychoacoustic-processing is provided to make your sound sit right in the mix. The EQ is easy to tweak since a display visualizes the frequency-response in real-time.
Interface
Icarus still remains easy to use. Animated displays give you visual feedback. You can instantly see and hear the results of your actions.
Context sensitive tool-tips explain the function of the control that you're currently tweaking. The user-friendly and accessible interface makes tweaking easy for anyone, regardless of skill level or experience.
The GUI can be displayed with 12 different sizes and three scales: Small, normal or huge. It is also possible to hide parts of the interface, like the keyboard, when you don't need it. The customize-able interface allows you to select your favorite color from 26 schemes.
Patch-browser
The patch-browser gives you instant access to a great and inspiring library with production-ready sounds. Icarus2 comes with a collection of 1600 hand-picked patches. Each sound has been carefully built by a professional sound-designer and has been crafted with a lot of love and great attention to detail. The patches are very easy-to-mix, because they've been carefully EQed, pre-mastered and are in perfect sync to your track tempo.
Since all patches have been sorted into categories you can find quickly what you need. You can tag your favourites with a ranking-system.
An on-screen keyboard allows you to audition to the sounds.
Modulation
You can use drag & drop or the modulation matrix to connect dozens of sources to all important sound parameters. It is possible to modulate almost any parameter with audio-rate speed, from internal modulation sources like LFOs, punchy envelopes, step sequencers, and a wide variety of MIDI signals.
Multistage-envelope-generators
Two MSEGs are available as additional modulation-sources. The MSEGs can be operated as LFO or envelope and allow you to create custom shapes. The MSEGs offer highest precision and support frequencies up into the audio-range.
The MSEGs can be synced to BPM, sync with the arpeggiator or run freely. Triads or dotted rhythms are also supported. You can define loop-points and start points. You can delay or fade the MSEGs. You can move, add or delete points with your mouse. You can bend lines upwards or downwards to change their shape or even create precise rectangular curves. The MSEGs can be edited completely freely or you can snap points to a grid of a select-able size. It is also possible to draw triangles, bars or ramps.
MIDI
Icarus2 supports MPE (Midi Polyphonic Expression), which can add several additional dimensions of dynamic expression to the sounds.
MIDI-learn is also supported. It is possible to assign CC's with a right-mouse-click.
Wavetable-editor
Icarus comes with the most advanced wavetable-editor available on the market. You can use it to create your own waveforms and wavetables or to edit the ones that are included to Icarus. A random-generator allows you to create an infinite number of new and musically useful wavetables with a single mouse-click. The spectral editor turns Icarus into an additive synthesizer, giving you detailed control over the partials and phase. You can also draw your own waveforms using the mouse.
Icarus' flexible, compact and open file format allows sound-designers and artists to easily create their own soundsets, waveforms and wavetables. Many common file-formats are supported. It is even possible to import and export wavetables or waveforms from-and-to other synthesizers.
In Icarus all wavetables are stored within your patches and songs automatically, so you don't have to worry about managing any additional files on your hard-disc.
The comfortable editor includes over 100 professional tools to tweak wavetables. You get basic features like, cutting, mixing and filtering, as well as advanced tools such as de-noising, enhancing, re-synthesis, vocoder, spectral modification and phase manipulation.
Resynthesis
With Icarus anyone can build sounds quickly and easily. Traditional resynthesis methods require a deep knowledge of sample-editing in order to achieve good results. It needs time-consuming pre-processing with a sample-editor and precisely tuned samples.
Tone2 has taken care of these problems and has developed new algorithms. Icarus' innovative wavetable-resynthesis can rebuild sounds with a single mouse-click. It works with nearly any kind of audio-material and produces good results. You click the resynthesis-button, select a wav file and Icarus will automatically create a patch, which sounds like the original. Optionally, you can further shape your sound with morphing, BPM-synchronization, time-stretching, the filters, the effects or any other module.
Traditional sample-import, auto-tuning, beat-slicing, pitch-shifting, noise-reduction and granular playback is also supported.
All waveforms, wavetables and samples are automatically stored within your patches or songs. This means you don't have to worry about any files missing on your hard drive or broken song-projects.
Vocoder
Icarus is able to sing chants. You can pick one of the vocoder patches and play a melody. The vocalic chants are never out-of-tune and can automatically synchronize to your song's BPM-rate.
With the built-in vocoder you can also create your own phrases. The top-quality vocoder module has 1024 bands and is very easy to use: Simply click on 'Vocoder' and select a wav file containing speech. Icarus will analyze it and automatically create a patch. Optionally, you can further shape your sound with morphing, the filters, the effects or any other module. Playing the sound forwards, backwards, formant shifting, BPM-sync, time-stretching and looping is also possible.
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Technical data
Summary
Icarus2 is a powerful synthesizer-workstation
Icarus2 is also the most advanced wavetable-synthesizer on the market, but not limited to wavetable-synthesis
The audio-engine can do 54 different synthesis modes and is able to produce all important synthesizer sounds
The 3D-wavetable-synthesis allows a new dimension of dynamic expression
High-end sound-quality with low CPU-requirement
Easy-to-use interface with animated displays and context-sensitive help
Huge sonic range
Over 1600 presets by professional designers
GUI with 12 sizes, 3 zoom-levels and 26 color-schemes
Drag & drop modulation
Drum-sequencer with 100 drum-patterns
Powerful arpeggiator with autochord-support, shuffle and swing
3 x 53 effects, vocoder
Glitch-sequencer
10x stereo hypersaw, unison, stacks, chords
Polyphonic, monophonic, several legato modes
The most powerful filter-section available on the market: Dual multi-mode filters with 62 filter-types and 8 distortion-types
Customizable user-interface
Expandability, modular
Features
Sound engine with true stereo-architecture
3D-wavetable-synthesis: Waves can be morphed in 3 dimensions
Multicore-processor support
MSEGs with BPM sync (multistage envelope generators)
Very flexible mod-matrix with precise modulation up to the audio-range
Efficient patch-browser
The most powerful wavetable-editor available on the market
Spectrum-editor for editing single harmonics
The re-synthesis allows you to rebuild any sound with a mouse-click
A random-buttom allows you to create new sounds with a mouse-click
Sample-import and automatic tuning
54 different synthesis-modes that can be combined
Dual multi-mode filters with 2 x 62 filter types
2 x 8 distortion types
3 x 53 effects, vocoder, trancegate
10x stereo Hypersaw, unison, stacks
Polyphonic, monophonic, legato
Up to 256 waveforms per wavetable
Unlimited number of wavetables and waveforms
Random-generator for wavetables
Midi-learn
MPE-support (Midi polyphonic expression)
Context sensitive help
Drag & drop modulation
Punchy envelopes and very fast LFOs
Expandability
Customizable user interface
Can import and export samples, waveforms or wavetables in wav format
Standalone version for PC
Flexible preset-management
Microtuning for enhanced chords
Equalizer with dynamic bass-boost and psychoacoustic processing.
Free support and updates
Modulators (all can be used simunaniously)
2 MSEGs (loop support, BPM-sync)
4 AHDSR envelopes
14 Decay envelopes
2 Hold envelopes
16 LFOs with sine waveform
3 LFOs with 45 morphable waveforms and BPM-sync
Step-LFO / gate with custom-waveform
Arpeggiator
Various Midi CCs
4 Noise sources
Key-split
Synthesis methods (can be combined)
3D wavetables / classic wavetables
Resynthesis of samples
Vocoder
Hypersaw / stereo hypersaw / supersaw / unison
Stacks / chords / autochord
Additive
Substractive / analog
FM with up to 6 operators
Speech-synthesis
Formant-synthesis
Wave-shaping
PWM
Sync
Ringmod, AM
Noise
Physical-modeling
Phase-distortion
Granular
Time-stretching
Pitch-shifting
Samples
Harmonic-morphing
FFT-filtering
Lofi
Import of waveforms and wavetables
Many other innovative modes, exclusive to Icarus
Effect types (can be combined for new effects)
Reverb Medium, Reverb Big, Reverb Plate, Reverb Glass, Reverb Dark, Reverb Infinite, Reverb Feedback, Reverb Spring, Reverb Trance, Reverb Cheap, Reflections
Delay, Pingpong, Multitap, Delay Fat, Delay Dual, Delay Diffuse, Delay Band, Tape Delay, Echo
Chorus, Smart Unison, Ensemble
Phaser, Phaser Stereo
Flanger, Flanger Stereo
Vibrato, Vibrato stereo
Autopan, Surround Pan, Rotary, Tremolo
EQ High Cut, EQ Low Cut, EQ Param
Saturate, Soft Clip, Hard Clip, Rectify, Bitcrush, Warp, Waveshape, Amp Sim, Multiband Distortion, Degrader, Multiband Degrader, Noise
Compressor, Limiter
Surround Encode
Trancegate
Glitch-sequencer with Repeat, Gate, Pan, Tremolo, Lowpass, Highpass, Bitcrush, Degrade, Detune, Pitchslide
Feedback
Microtuning
Psychoacoustic processing
Bass-boost
Filter types (can be combined)
Low-pass: Digital 12dB, Digital 24dB, Butter 24dB, Curtis 12dB, Curtis Analog, Tone2 24dB, Tone2 Analog, Tone2 Scream, 303 18dB, 303 Analog, Chain 6-48dB, Elliptic, Octave, Shaped, AM, HighQ
High-pass: Digital 12dB, Analog 12dB, Analog 24dB, Chain 6-48dB
Band-pass: Digital 12dB, Digital 24dB, Analog 12dB, Analog 24dB, Boobs
Equalizer: Notch, Peak Tight, Peak Medium, Peak Wide, Shelf Tight, Shelf Wide, Bandlimit
Vocalic: A, U, I, IEA, AOU, IYU, IEAOU
Comb-filters: Phaser 2x, Phaser 2x FB, Phaser 3x, Phaser 3x FB, Comb+, Comb-
Fractal-filters: LP 1, LP 2, LP 3, LP 4, FO 1, FO 2
Ring-modulation: Ringmod, LP, LP2, FM Lowpass, AM
Pysical-modeling resonators: Guitar, Flute, Odd, Even
LoFi: Resampling, Sample & Hold