Blamsoft and eXode present VK-2 Viking Synthesizer

[manisnotabird]

No ability to modulate the "modifier" control on the filter?

[MDTerps2015]

I checked this out for five minutes and liked it but I used a bell patch in leads and it hit four dsp. Whattup wit dat?

[Auryn]

No ability to modulate the "modifier" control on the filter?

Depends a bit on what you want to achieve, but you can use a mod bus to scale the parameter you are using. So for example if you have Osc 3 routed to the filter modifier for FM purposes and you want to modify the FM amount, you can enter Osc 3 into the first mod bus slot, and enter another parameter (e.g. velocity, env, or LFO) into the second, then route the output of the mod bus into the filter modifier instead of Osc 3. Alternatively, you can control almost everything via the combinator CV ins.

[joeyluck]

"Requires Reason 9.2"

Nooo!

Oh well, I'm not planning to upgrade yet so VK-2 will just have to wait I guess.
I'm still more than happy with Legend, Expanse and FM4, my three favorites at the moment.

But I would almost upgrade just to be able to join the Song Challenge

Have you used your 30 day trial of Reason 9 yet?

[tiker01]

I checked this out for five minutes and liked it but I used a bell patch in leads and it hit four dsp. Whattup wit dat?

Use CPU switches on the back. But as it is using Audio rate modulation all the way and tries to replicate analogue circuitry it is expected to be CPU heavy. Bounce in place is your friend until PH implements freeze.

[lowpryo]

TFW the product description specifically says it uses a lot of CPU, and people are still confused that it uses a lot of CPU

if you want to access to 2017 technology, get a 2017 computer!

[joeyluck]

"Designed for recent desktop computers"

I have neither anything recent or of the desktop variety haha.
Playing many patches ok on my 2008 MacBook Pro. Some of the pads though—not so much.

But I imagine recent laptops are a-ok...

[Karim]

Oh my....
I still can not believe the timing with which came out this other synth.
Really....
I can not believe the sounds I heard. I am blessed from 10am until midnight, here, Italy time.
The sounds are insightfu, present, emphatised, pleasing distorted, SO HEAT... so deep analog...

Any patches inspires me a new song to be created.

It 'absolutely amazing, stratospheric. I own many RE and VST but the sound of this beast is immeasurable.

A praise to the Blamosft that leads this year with surprisely products and many regards and heartfelt thanks to eXode and ALL the sound designers who contributed to the patches creation . True works of art each.

Good night, folks ..

[manisnotabird]

No ability to modulate the "modifier" control on the filter?

Depends a bit on what you want to achieve, but you can use a mod bus to scale the parameter you are using. So for example if you have Osc 3 routed to the filter modifier for FM purposes and you want to modify the FM amount, you can enter Osc 3 into the first mod bus slot, and enter another parameter (e.g. velocity, env, or LFO) into the second, then route the output of the mod bus into the filter modifier instead of Osc 3. Alternatively, you can control almost everything via the combinator CV ins.

I don't think you understood my question. I am talking about the big knob on the front, in the filter section underneath frequency and resonance labelled modifier. It does various things, depending on the filter mode: filter spacing, filters bandwidth, filters crossfade. There doesn't seem to be any way to modulate it without using a combinator.

[Auryn]

I don't think you understood my question. I am talking about the big knob on the front, in the filter section underneath frequency and resonance labelled modifier. It does various things, depending on the filter mode: filter spacing, filters bandwidth, filters crossfade. There doesn't seem to be any way to modulate it without using a combinator.

Yeah, you're right, I misunderstood. You would have to use a combinator to modulate that control. If you're into designing your own patches, it's probably safe to say that VK-2 reaches its full potential when used in a combinator (considering the amazing amount of ins and outs on the back)

[dvdrtldg]

I won't have the chance to trial VK2 for a week or so, but in the meantime, can someone explain what's the deal with audio rate modulation? I mean I understand the mechanics of it, but what does it allow you to do in terms of the kinds of sounds you can achieve?

[manisnotabird]

Also sad that while you can do monophonic audio rate modulation of the resonance (via the back panel), you can't do it polyphonically.

[satyr32]

the sound quality and patch quality are huge. i thought i do not need any new synth, but boy am i wrong.
i am also gladly surprised by the FXs. Best thing is that you can sort them in an instant, i think this is the first RE synth that can do that!?
how about a vk-2/expanse bundle?

regarding audio rate: i guess it is for FM and AM. for example AMMO has also LFOs in the audio range, but only to a certain frequency like 700Hz or so. So, full audio rate means you can even modulate with e.g. 10kHz. (I think)

[scratchnsnifff]

Haha I posted about the crazy CPU intensity but then I read that in the description they mentioned the CPU usage :p DERP.. I think it is safe to say, tutorials will be much needed I was able to do a few cool fm basses but I'm still scratching my head lol I love it already

[Auryn]

About the audio rate modulation: there's a lot you can do/try - one example is to modulate the pan by an oscillator which yields all kinds of cool stereo AM type sounds.
Basically you are just free to experiment with all kinds of different routings without worrying about degrading audio quality - you can modulate osc 1 by osc 2 in the mod bus (ring modulation) and then use the resulting sound to modulate the filter frequency, you can filter an oscillator and then use the filtered sound for an FM source for another oscillator, you can mix several oscs together in the mixer, scale by envelope and then modulate the amplitude of a simple sine wave in the amp... I could go on and on!

[dvdrtldg]

About the audio rate modulation: there's a lot you can do/try - one example is to modulate the pan by an oscillator which yields all kinds of cool stereo AM type sounds.
Basically you are just free to experiment with all kinds of different routings without worrying about degrading audio quality - you can modulate osc 1 by osc 2 in the mod bus (ring modulation) and then use the resulting sound to modulate the filter frequency, you can filter an oscillator and then use the filtered sound for an FM source for another oscillator, you can mix several oscs together in the mixer, scale by envelope and then modulate the amplitude of a simple sine wave in the amp... I could go on and on!

[MDTerps2015]

TFW the product description specifically says it uses a lot of CPU, and people are still confused that it uses a lot of CPU

if you want to access to 2017 technology, get a 2017 computer!

Im going to be nice to you. If I wanted to ante up for a new computer every time Reason came out with a new rack extension, I could probably do it. I won't. xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx some of this comment was deleted by a moderator - personal attack.

[Spryx]

This sounds incredible. But wow does it eat of LOT of cpu.

[challism]

Congratulations on your release. I was blown away by this synth when I was beta testing it and I'm really excited to see it in the shop. This is currently my favorite synth in Reason. It is capable of making such a wide range of sounds, it is still blowing my mind. Great work Exode and Blamsoft, you guys hit another home run with this one. Blamsoft & Co are on a roll, for sure! This synth is a MUST HAVE, for sure.

I got to wait till i finish work to try this beauty out...

Something tells me your work got finished extremely fast today!

[fieldframe]

If VK-2 is more CPU-intensive than Expanse, I'm probably going to have to sit this one out until sometime in the future when I get a new MacBook Pro. I love Expanse, but that synth is just about at the limit for my current hardware.

[manisnotabird]

Wish there was an option when bouncing tracks to audio to turn all CPU-saving options off for rendering the audio, but keep them on in case I want to go back and modify it.

[joeyluck]

If VK-2 is more CPU-intensive than Expanse, I'm probably going to have to sit this one out until sometime in the future when I get a new MacBook Pro. I love Expanse, but that synth is just about at the limit for my current hardware.

Same here. Maybe... They do say it was designed for 'recent desktop computers'

And here I am with my eye on a 2015 13" MacBook Pro 3.1 GHz i7...
They are still available in the Apple Store and I prefer it to the new ones for all the connectivity, MagSafe, SD card slot, etc.

I'm even considering a 2015 MacBook Air! A 2.2GHz i7 MBA is still more than twice as fast as my computer now (2008 MBP)!
And I get plenty done as it is now.

And I don't think I would compose an entire song with more than a one or few instances of VK-2 anyways, regardless if I had a beast of a desktop. If I had a hardware modular synth, if I could afford one, I don't think I'd have more than one. So I'd record individual audio tracks in a song with it and then move on to record the next track using the one synth. And I can already manage that workflow on my computer now bouncing in place (minus a few pads, of course).

[TritoneAddiction]

"Requires Reason 9.2"

Nooo!

Oh well, I'm not planning to upgrade yet so VK-2 will just have to wait I guess.
I'm still more than happy with Legend, Expanse and FM4, my three favorites at the moment.

But I would almost upgrade just to be able to join the Song Challenge

Have you used your 30 day trial of Reason 9 yet?

No I haven't.

It's alright though. I have more than plenty of stuff to play with already. It's more the initial feeling when something new and cool comes out. You want to see what it's about. It's more about curiosity then anything else.

I do like the sounds from the VK-2 demos but at the same time with the three synths I mentioned (and I have plenty of other synths as well) I feel like i can do pretty much everything I want at the moment.

[joeyluck]

"Requires Reason 9.2"

Nooo!

Oh well, I'm not planning to upgrade yet so VK-2 will just have to wait I guess.
I'm still more than happy with Legend, Expanse and FM4, my three favorites at the moment.

But I would almost upgrade just to be able to join the Song Challenge

Have you used your 30 day trial of Reason 9 yet?

No I haven't.

It's alright though. I have more than plenty of stuff to play with already. It's more the initial feeling when something new and cool comes out. You want to see what it's about. It's more about curiosity then anything else.

I do like the sounds from the VK-2 demos but at the same time with the three synths I mentioned (and I have plenty of other synths as well) I feel like i can do pretty much everything I want at the moment.

That's cool. Certainly wasn't trying to sell you on it, but more just suggesting you can use the 30 day trial of Reason to try out new REs and probably participate in the song challenge. And if you win, maybe say, "transfer it to me at a later date"

[tobypearce]

This is a really, really good synth.

The GUI is very involving - I love the red typeface on grey background.
The patches are a teaching tool for modular synthesis. I often prefer making my own patches from scratch but scrolling through the bass patches shows me I've much to learn.
The sound is great.
The whole thing has a quite serious feel to it and to my eyes captures the essence of early synthesisers. I can't describe why, but it feels closer to working with an old hardware piece of kit - it might be the combination of GUI and sound.

I'm very impressed.