INTRODUCTION

CONCEPT

COLLIDZ° is a generative, autonomous, and multipurpose virtual synthesizer based on 4 synth engines, the whole sequenced by a polyrhythmic program of 12 scaled or microtonal notes.

The instruments feature a treatment flow of 4 effects: LARSEN, FROST, FEATHER, and JUICE.

Hard to exactly explain what I have in mind starting to build this instrument. COLLIDZ° basically aims to be a sequencer that runs pieces of (falling/climbing) squares launching gate events when they reach the bottom of a grid table.

This process can remind devices like Yamaha TENORI-ON, or Monome-based apps, and that was such a source of inspiration.

But at the end, COLLIDZ offers some features that help to produce original melodic or rhythmic scores that are not as mechanical as expected.

COLLIDZ° have been created with & for NI REAKTOR 6.

INTERFACE

COLLIDZ° is divided in 2 views 

  • the basic view (Panel A) which gives access to all the parameters of the instrument
    • the minimal view (Panel B) which is a simplified interface that provides some key parameters of Panel A, with macros and extra features in order to listen and to test snapshots, to play them, but also to auto-generate random presets.

      FEATURES LIST

      4 Synth engines and tone generator :

      1. STROKE : FM Percussion Synthesis with 3 operators, 2 envelopes, 2 modulators.
        1. FRICTION : Dual Resonator Modal String Synthesis with 1 envelope, 2 pole Filter.
          1. GROUND : Dual Oscillator Subtract Synthesis with 4 waveforms per oscillators (Square, Sawtooth, Triangle, Sin), 1 Filter (LP4, BL4, BP4, LP2, BP2, HP2), ADSR envelope, 1 LFO (Sin, Triangle, Pulse, Random),.
            1. SHOCK : Virtual Analog Drum Synthesis with 12 modules (Bassdrum, Snare, Hihat/Cabasa, Claps, Miniperc, ResTom, RingoBell, Steel, Laser, OSC Drum, FM Shaker)

              3 Tuning Modules :

              1. FORCE : Scales, Modes and Chords MIDI filter with a root note selector and 46 scales, 8 modes, 9 chords + send function.
                1. CUSTOM : Custom tuning module with Note name selector, Midi note selector, Frequency/coarse selector, Octave selector, Virtual Keyboard note selector.
                  1. ANCHOR : Scale calculator module with factors command, 4 Anchors knobs with slot position and values.

                    12 Tracks Grid Sequencer :

                    Sequencer comes with Length, Speed, Hold, Random, and Beat Repeat controls. 4 macro controls in order to generate pattern variations. BPM and custom BMP control, Tempo divider, Shuffle, Random Velocity controls.

                    4 Effect Modules :

                    1. LARSEN : Resonate/shifter
                      1. FROST : Micro Delay/Freeze
                        1. FEATHER : Digital Reverb
                          1. JUICE : SSB Radio & Tape Machine Emulator

                            2 Modulators :

                            1. SKATE : Global Midi transposer, 12 semitones slots selector with embedded automation recorder
                              1. Two LFOs with a routing system in order to modulate 5 effect parameters.

                                2 Audio Input Modules :

                                1. INTAKE : External Audio router and Looper
                                  1. SENSOR : Audio to Gate Converter based on a peak detector.