Rock Hardburns has released Dulcimator 2, a free hammered dulcimer emulation for Windows.
It’s a delay line type synth that has been specifically structured to emulate the hammered dulcimer, but it does OK with few other simpler string instruments. It’s based around a buffer that is seeded with an impulse, and then filtered once every period.
Dulcimator 2 features
- Buffer input waveforms RND (noise), SQR and SAW.
- Prefilter of buffer, can be mapped to velocity.
- Damp for cut off frequency of the playback filter, damping factor can be adjusted based on the note pitch (Key).
- 3 peak/notch filters: 100Hz, 200Hz and 300Hz, useful for simulating body resonance.
- Detune for increasing the distance between two auxiliary playback pointers. This simulates having three strings instead of one, which is important for that sparkly dulcimer sound.
- Envelope, chorus and volume controls.
Dulcimator 2 is available to download as a freeware VST instrument for Windows PC.
More information: Rock Hardburns / Dulcimator 2
Rock Hardbuns has released an updated version of Padpal 3, a free instrument plug-in for Windows.
Improved version of my PAD synth, sporting brand new impulse/filter envelopes. Its not entirely obvious how it works but you can read all about it here: http://zynaddsubfx.sourceforge.net/doc/PADsynth/PADsynth.htm
My implementation (as opposed to Zynaddsubfx’s) uses buttons for the partials. The buttons cycle from Off, to 25% to 100% and then back to off.
The update fixes a bug with buffers not being emptied. This could cause hanging ringing sounds in Ableton Live.
Padpal 3 is available as a freeware VST instrument for Windows PC.
More information: Rock Hardbuns / Padpal 3
Rock Hardbuns has released Piper 2, a free FM synthesizer instrument for Windows.
Rock writes:
This is the second incarnation of my PM (a.k.a FM) synth.
Tighter, faster code. Wider range of sounds. Prettier GUI. Should still be pretty easy to program.
Featuring awesome anti-aliasing filter (derived from code by Dave from Muon. Cheers!). The button labeled AA turns it on.
Piper is available as a freeware VST instrument plug-in for Windows PC.
Download the Piper 2 plug-in here, or a here (non-SSE version).
