COLLIDZ° revisits classical tone generators and synthesis methods with 4 Modules that cover various scenarios. As audio sources, you have the choice between FM, MODAL, SUBTRACTIVE & SYNTH DRUM synthesis.
As the overall concept of the instrument is to allow on 12 notes, the creation of custom tuning or to define scales specifically defined by divisions of equal intervals, it was necessary to equip it with built-in sound generators, and at the same time, offer the richest and most varied palette of sounds.
Each generator needed to respond to a polyphony of 12 simultaneous notes, with the purest possible signal, each module has 12 sound generating sources. At the end, COLLIDZ embed up to 90 oscillators (36 for STROKE + 12 for FRICTION + 24 for GROUND + 18 for SHOCK).
The engines are engaged, one at a time, via the selection buttons. Note : It is possible to switch between each other when the sequencer is running in order to get some interesting variations.
Below, are 4 audio demos of presets, extracted from the snapshots banks built from STROKE, FRICTION, GROUND, and SHOCK. These extracts show the richness of sound that can be obtained from the 4 engines :
STROKE - FM PERCUSSION ENGINE
STROKE produces brilliant percussion tones based on 3 carrier oscillators of FM synthesis. It allows reproducing basic timbres that sound like Glass, Bells, Woods, and other percussive FM tones.
This FM module algorithm features a DBR-envelope that control the two carriers and a DBR-envelope for the two modulators.
You can set the pitch and fine-tune the 2 modulators on a value between -63 and 64. The 2 bottom-right green knobs control the amplitude of the 2 modulators.
The top-left button enables the Carrier 2, which can equally be pitched and fine-tuned (same value range as with the two modulators).
This FM module engine embeds 21 presets that can be selected with the main top-center knob. All presets are illustrated by a set of icons, illustrating the selected tone style (bell, glass, wood, etc..)
Note: This presets navigation system is replicated in both FRICTION and GROUND engines. Beware that if the preset is changed via this selector, all the previous parameters of the engine will be lost. If you want to keep all settings you could find on the modules engines, save an instrument snapshot or user preset in the Reaktor 6 side panel.
FRICTION - DUAL RESONATOR STRING ENGINE
FRICTION is a dual resonator string engine - a kind of minimal modal synthesis module - which produces surprisingly realistic timbres of string instruments such as the sound of guitars, violins, harps, and even according to the settings, tones that can be close to a wind instrument type like "brass" or "trumpet".
This module comes with 30 pre-build presets selectable by the top-center knob, with an illustration icon for each presets.
Beware that if the preset is changed, all previous settings will be lost. Tip : Save instruments snapshots in order to back up your parameters.
FRICTION is a typical modal patch with a noise driver exciter re-pitched and filtered by 2 resonators that have basically the same parameters :
DECAY : Set the decay time of oscillations in the resonator.
OFFDAMP : Set the amount of damping applied to the resonator when releasing the note.
HI CUT : Set the cutoff frequency of the resonator's low pass filter (responsible for high frequency damping).
DETUNE : Fine tuning control.
VOLUME : Resonator level control (in dB, -40 to 12).
INTERVAL : Set the pitch of the second resonator in semitones relative to the resonator 1 pitch (-24 +2', Res2 only).
Additional parameters :
DRIVER : Button allows to inject driver signal in the mix.
MIX : Switch between to mix settings, Res1+2 or Res2 only.
GAIN : Set the main level of the module mix.
The driver generates a short burst of noise when a note gate event is received. At the same time, the resonators define the pitch received and start the sound.
Upstream of the exciter, there is an AS/DR envelope in order to sculpt the temperament of the timbre, making the string emulation effect more realistic. The more the rise (Attack), hold(Sustain), and Release values are exaggerated, the more the friction effect will be audible.
In order to reduce or increase the length of the burst and the spectrum timbre, there is a 2 pole FILTER queued to the driver :
FILTER TYPE : Aims to choose between the 3 filter modes : HP, BP, LP.
CUTOFF : Set the frequency of the noise filter.
RESONANCE : Set the peak resonant of the noise filter.
GROUND - DUAL OSCILLATOR SUBTRACT ENGINE
GROUND module is a typical subtractive synthesis engine, based on 2 VCO, 1 VCF, 1 VCA, and 1 LFO. This sound generator can produce tones that cover much classic stuff that could have been heard from a minimal synthesis patch and/or vintage synthesizers.
This module comes with 83 pre-build presets selectable by the top-center knob, with an illustration icon for each presets.
Beware that if a preset is changed, all previous settings will be lost. Tip : Save instruments snapshots in order to back up your parameters.
Here is the list of all parameters :
For both, Oscillators 1 & 2 (VCO) :
WAVEFORM : Select the waveform of the oscillators between Square, Sawtooth, Triangle and Sine wave.
PITCH : Set the coarse tuning ot the oscillator (in semitones, -36, +36).
VOLUME : Set the gain in the mix of the oscillator ( in dB, -60 to 00).
P-WIDTH : Set the pulse width (only available when Square waveform is selected).
FINE : Set the coarse fine tuning of the oscillator (semitone fraction).
Filter (VCF) :
FILTER TYPE : Select the filter type among 6 modes: LP4, BL4, BP4, LP2, BP2 & HP2.
CUTOFF : Set the frequency of the filter
RESONANCE : Set the peak resonance of the filter
Envelope :
A classical Attack, Decay, Sustain, Release envelope which controls the amplitude (VCA). Note : This envelope is not controlling the VCF.
On the top-left of the modules, the main volume can be adjusted with a blue knob ( from -60 dB to 00 dB)
LFO :
WAVEFORM : Select the waveform of the LFO among 4 different kinds of signal: Sin, Triangle, Pulse or Random.
SYMMETRY : Set the symmetry of the LFO waveform (value -1, +1 from 0)
RATE : Set the speed of the LFO (from 0.1 Hz to 10 Hz, middle position = 1Hz)
3 mini knobs allows to route the LFO signal to OSC1/PITCH, to OSC2/PITCH and to FILTER CUTOFF. The most the value is increased, the most the amount of signal is transmitted.
SHOCK - DRUM SYNTH ENGINE
With its powerful sequencer, COLLIDZ° would not have been a complete device without having the ability to explore beats and poly-rhythmical production. SHOCK is a drum synth engine that reunites not less than 12 drum modules and every module is receiving independent sequence signals.
Below the list of the drum modules available :
BASSDRUM
SNARE
HIHAT/CABASA
CYMBALS
CLAPS
MINI PERC
RES TOM
RINGO BELL
STEEL
LASER
OSC DRUM
FM SHAKER
SHOCK is equipped with a 12-voice mixer, in order to balance the level of each volume, but it is also possible to manage the panning of each signal for a better layout of the stereo image.
To access the 12 panning commands, click the switch on the bottom-right of the module.
SHOCK mixer and options
2 additional options are present on this panel:
EDIT-LOCK: This command allows you to lock the display of the 12 drum modules, in order to edit them.
RND KIT : Each module has a suite of presets (about 20 per module). The RND KIT command generates a random kit from these presets. The higher the percentage, the further the kit that will be generated will be from the pre-set one (which can be found when returning to an equivalent value of 0%)
To select a drum module preset, the selector is superimposed on the icon symbolizing the module.
There are 2 ways to select the DRUM modules:
When the sequencer is stopped, press one of the keys on your midi keyboard (note C3, D3, E3, F3, G3, A3, B3, C4, D4, E4, F4, G4) or
When the EDIT/LOCK button is locked (red color), click on one of the buttons at the top of the mixer.
