KV331 Audio – SynthMaster 3 v3.4.5 for WiN

SynthMaster 3 is KV331 Audio’s flagship, versatile modular software synthesizer. It supports a variety of synthesis methods, including VAnalog, Additive, Vector, Wavetable, Granular, Phase Modulation, Phase Distortion, Frequency Modulation, Pulse Width Modulation, Ring Modulation, Physical Modeling, and SFZ Sample Playback.

It comes with 3150 factory presets developed by a team of world-class sound designers: Arksun, Aiyn Zahev, BigTone, Cipryan Bot, Davide Puxeddu, Demis Hellen, Gercek Dorman, NatLife, New Loops, Nori Ubukata, Selcuk Ergen, Xenos Soundworks, XTD and Yuli Yolo.

Modular Architecture

Each instance of SynthMaster 3 can contain up to 16 layers. New layers can be created by adding a new layer or duplicating an existing layer:

Each layer can contain up to 16 modules. The following modules are available in SynthMaster 3.0.

• Oscillator modules: Basic Oscillator, Additive Oscillator, Vector Oscillator, Wave Oscillator, Vanalog Oscillator, Granular Oscillator, and Modulator.
• Effect modules: Digital Filter, VAnalog Filter, State Variable Filter, Shelving Filter, Diode Shelving Filter, Bite Filter, Comb Filter, Phasing Filter, Shaping Filter, and Wave Shaper.

New modules can be created by adding a new module or duplicating an existing module. Each layer can have up to 32 modulation sources. The following modulation sources are available in SynthMaster 3.0.

• Multi-stage ADSR envelope.
• Low Noise, Low Step, Low Noise.
• Scaler.

New modulation sources can be created by adding a new source or duplicating an existing one. The Routing tab provides a visual representation of the signal flow within a layer. Using the Routing window, you can add/remove/bypass/activate/replace modules with other modules, as well as create/delete connections between modules.

Multiple View Types

SynthMaster 3 provides 3 different views for editing layer parameters

• Layer View: This view is used to edit the parameters of an individual layer.
• Track View: This mode is used to edit the parameters of keyboard zones, velocity zones, voices, unison, arpeggiator, and sequencer in multiple layers.
• Mixer View: This mode is used to edit the parameters of effect inserts and effect sends in multiple layers.

Granular Oscillator

The new granular generator introduced in SynthMaster 3 uses granular synthesis based on a single sample, multisample, or wavetable to produce output data. The generator supports up to 16 “timbres,” each containing up to 32 grains, resulting in a total of 512 grains per generator.

For each timbre, various parameters can be adjusted for volume, panning, tuning, position, grain length, and start time. Each grain can be randomized by volume, panning, tuning, position, grain length, grain start time, and playback direction.

Vanalog Oscillator

The new VAnalog generator, introduced in SynthMaster 3, generates its output in real time using curve segments that mimic the way analog circuits generate signals. The generator features two waveforms that can be modified depending on their type, and an additional auxiliary generator with its own waveform. It incorporates numerous formulas from well-known analog synthesizers. Since aliasing noise can occur when generating the output signal, the generator has a quality parameter for setting the degree of oversampling.

The generator supports up to 16 “voices.” Each voice can be customized using parameters for volume, panning, detune, symmetry, and x- and y-axis reshaping.

Wave Shaper

The new Waveshaper effect, introduced in SynthMaster 3, supports various distortion algorithms: Soft Tanh, Soft ATan, Heavy, Fuzz, Fold Sine, Fold Tri, Fold Round, Full Straighten, Half Straighten, Crop, and Feather.

There’s also a special algorithm that allows users to create their own distortion curves using curve segments. The distortion curve can be unipolar (symmetrical) or bipolar (asymmetrical).

Phase Filter

The new phaser filter, introduced in SynthMaster 3, is similar to the phaser effect. However, since it’s a polyphonic effect, it works on the voice. To create phasing effects, multiple filters of all frequencies are used, mixed with the input data.

Formant Filter

The new Formant filter, introduced in SynthMaster 3, uses a parallel set of filters to create vowel sounds. Users can select and modify initial and final vowels (formants).

Noise LFO

The new low-frequency noise modulation source introduced in SynthMaster 3 can be used to generate sample-and-hold noise. The LFO generates various noise types (white, pink, brown, purple, and blue) that are sampled and held, slightly attenuated, and then fed through an attack/release envelope follower.

Scaler

The Keyscaler modulation source in SynthMaster 2 has been significantly improved in SynthMaster 3. It is now called Scaler, as users can select a different modulation source as the input (instead of just Keytrack) and use the scaler as a waveform shaper for its input.

Arpeggiator / Sequencer

Each layer in SynthMaster 3 has a separate arpeggiator and sequencer. The incoming MIDI signal first passes through the sequencer and then through the arpeggiator. Each step in the arpeggiator/sequencer can have random values for the start, hold, and slide parameters.

The sequencer has a larger editing window, making it easier to edit sequencer patterns.

Each layer has its own MIDI output channel, allowing users to route MIDI generated by the arpeggiator/sequencer to different tracks in their DAW.

Preset Browser

SynthMaster 3 features an intuitive preset browser with advanced search functions. Presets can be filtered by product, author, bank, instrument type, attributes, styles (genres), and preset name.

SynthMaster 3 is backwards compatible with SynthMaster One and SynthMaster 2. If these products are installed and authorized on the user’s system, SynthMaster 3 displays presets for these products and can load these presets either entirely or as layers.

SynthMaster 3 provides an instant preview of presets for which NKS (Native Kontrol Standard) previews have been prepared. This allows you to browse presets without loading them. Presets with a preview have a play icon next to their names. Hovering the mouse over the play icon allows you to listen to the preview.

Waveform Editor

• SynthMaster 3 comes with a full waveform editor for creating single-cycle waveforms.
• Single-cycle waveforms can be created in two different ways: using curve segments.
• Segments can be connected or disconnected.
• Drawing is done freehand. In this mode, you can also edit the signal spectrum.

Wavetable Editor

SynthMaster 3 comes with a full wavetable editor for creating wavetables. Wavetables can be created using single-shot loop waveforms or sample/wavetable files.

Seven wavetable effect types are available for further wavetable creation: Spectral Filter, Wave Shaper, Modulator, Bender, Shifter, LoFi, and Sync.

The generated wavetable can be saved in SynthMaster 3’s native format or exported to WAV format for use in other wavetable synthesizers. The number of exported frames can be set from 2 to 256.

Multi Sample Editor

SynthMaster 3 comes with a full multi-sample editor for creating multiple samples.

Multiple samples can be easily created by dragging and dropping WAV/AIF sample files. In automatic import mode, file root records are read from the filename/header.

Multiple samples can be exported in SFZ format, a well-documented format for storing data associated with multiple samples.