Cytomic The Drop Out of Beta

[XSIMan]

UPDATED

The Drop is out of beta
New version out v1.08 22nd Nov 2014

The Drop
Cytomic made The Glue SSL emulation compressor and EQ Eight remake for Live 9. Now he has an analoge circuit modelled filter. You can change the filter algos to emulate several different filters. It looks like a synthesizer and has everything an old 80s analogue synthesizer has but no oscillators and the envelopes are not the same as a synthesizers ADSR.

Circuit Modelled Filters
MS1 = Sallen Key with transistor core (eg MS20 mk1)
MS2 = Sallen Key with LM13700 core (eg MS20 mk2)
SMP = Custom designed circuit with tone half-way between an MS2 and OSR
OSR = State Variable filter with OTA core (eg OSCar)
SHR = Cascade with IR3109 core, diode in feedback (eg SH-101 SH-2)
JPR = Cascade with IR3109 core, OTA in feedback (eg Jupiter-8 Juno-6)
PRD = Transistor ladder core with differential buffer (eg Prodigy)

Video Demo https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rJi3Za8Sdys

Official page http://www.cytomic.com/drop
Forum http://www.kvraudio.com/forum/viewtopic ... 6&t=319495



The Drop v1.0.8 (22 Nov 2014) - http://www.cytomic.com/drop
? New: Parallel and Serial processing, previously only Serial
? New: lag mode for envelopes
? New: Smoothing of Shift and Spread knobs with Glide, addition of Step button to bypass this smoothing
? New: Mouse wheel support for changing Hp/Lp Circuit, Lfo2 Pattern, and Lfo2 Steps
? New: Updated Manual
? Fixed: Fixed: Loading presets now defaults Routing to Serial and Step ShSp to off so that Factory presets load as expected
? Fixed: AU version not recalling parameters correctly (most evident in Live)
? Fixed: Level controls for LFO1/2 now work properly once Env1/2 finish
? Fixed: RTAS version on Win now loads properly

[login]

Hope ableton brings this to in Live 10 or they redesign autofilter with cytomic algorythms.

[tedlogan]

I'm so tempted to get The Drop - been watching it a while, and I love it overall. Great layout, the graphic display of what's going on, the smooth filters, the whole idea. On the other hand, creative use of Live's own EQ8 ( fine tuned by the very man himself) combined with envelopes/dummy clips/LFOs make me hesitant to buy it. Especially with a custom dummy clip matrix setup. In the mix of a song I'd be hard pressed to notice much difference.

I've only watched half of the latest "rambling" clip though. More innovation might lie ahead.

[TomViolenz]

I'd be interested to see how much CPU it uses.
Is it low enough that I can slap it onto every track (like EQ8), just in case I want to do a phat filter sweep, or is it high like most of the analog modeling vsts, while it sounds beautiful.
I have no use for the later.

[XSIMan]

You can try the beta demo now but you only get the old version it's missing a lot of things but it will give you an idea of the CPU and sound. The CPU is very high on the full version of the SH-9 filter similar to using u-he DIVA but there is a less CPU version of the SH-9 and the Korg MK1 and MK2 are far less CPU.


I tried Lives LFO and ENV with DMG Audio EQuilibrium to make a filter but it's a totally different thing to using a purpose built filter you don't get the same sound or behaviour and it wont self resonate like an oscillator. The Drop uses Analogue synthesizer filters you can't emulate those with any EQ. I've tried other Filters I have Soundtoys Filterfreak but none emulate hardware analogue synthesizers filters so well as The Drop.


If you wanted if you have a synthesizer and you don't like it's filter you could for example put The drop onto Z3TA and instead of using Z3ta's filter use The Drop I bet this would slaughter a Virus TI for sound and character.

If you have DIVA and you wish you could have two or more vintage filters instead of one The Drop is what you want.

[tedlogan]

You can try the beta demo now but you only get the old version it's missing a lot of things but it will give you an idea of the CPU and sound. The CPU is very high on the full version of the SH-9 filter similar to using u-he DIVA but there is a less CPU version of the SH-9 and the Korg MK1 and MK2 are far less CPU.


I tried Lives LFO and ENV with DMG Audio EQuilibrium to make a filter but it's a totally different thing to using a purpose built filter you don't get the same sound or behaviour and it wont self resonate like an oscillator. The Drop uses Analogue synthesizer filters you can't emulate those with any EQ. I've tried other Filters I have Soundtoys Filterfreak but none emulate hardware analogue synthesizers filters so well as The Drop.


If you wanted if you have a synthesizer and you don't like it's filter you could for example put The drop onto Z3TA and instead of using Z3ta's filter use The Drop I bet this would slaughter a Virus TI for sound and character.

If you have DIVA and you wish you could have two or more vintage filters instead of one The Drop is what you want.

Thanks for the info. I was strongly thinking of pairing this with Zebra. To the demo I go.

[ImNotDedYet]

You can try the beta demo now but you only get the old version it's missing a lot of things but it will give you an idea of the CPU and sound. The CPU is very high on the full version of the SH-9 filter similar to using u-he DIVA but there is a less CPU version of the SH-9 and the Korg MK1 and MK2 are far less CPU.


I tried Lives LFO and ENV with DMG Audio EQuilibrium to make a filter but it's a totally different thing to using a purpose built filter you don't get the same sound or behaviour and it wont self resonate like an oscillator. The Drop uses Analogue synthesizer filters you can't emulate those with any EQ. I've tried other Filters I have Soundtoys Filterfreak but none emulate hardware analogue synthesizers filters so well as The Drop.


If you wanted if you have a synthesizer and you don't like it's filter you could for example put The drop onto Z3TA and instead of using Z3ta's filter use The Drop I bet this would slaughter a Virus TI for sound and character.

If you have DIVA and you wish you could have two or more vintage filters instead of one The Drop is what you want.

You're not helping me convince myself I don't really _need_ another filter, and this one in particular.

Looks really good and as much as I tell myself I don't need anything else, I'm very likely going to be purchasing this soon...

[tedlogan]

You're not helping me convince myself I don't really _need_ another filter, and this one in particular.

Looks really good and as much as I tell myself I don't need anything else, I'm very likely going to be purchasing this soon...

heh, tell me about it. Then again, I don't have any third party filters at all. If I'm gonna go that route I might as well start with this one.

[tedlogan]

I've just checked out the demo which is indeed missing a lot of the current features, but it sounds great. Just awesome. Is this placebo? Maybe. I did compare it to my EQ8 filter modulation setups and Zebra's cutoff/res filters, and this just sounds so smooth and the tonal character is incredibly sophisticated and pleasing to the ear.

My girlfriend did ask me earlier today what I want for Consume Day. I mean Xmas.

[TomViolenz]

If I'm not mistaken then EQ and filter are not exactly the same thing.
Maybe someone more knowledgeable than me can shed some light on the matter?!

[Stromkraft]

If I'm not mistaken then EQ and filter are not exactly the same thing.
Maybe someone more knowledgeable than me can shed some light on the matter?!

Technically an EQ is a type of frequency filter. A frequency filter doesn't have to be an EQ.

In the practice of music production these tools may play different roles in the audio chain, and yet their functional roles may overlap.

To me an EQ is for adjusting overall frequency response on a sound source, in a audio channel, sub or master and Filters are for making expressive musical real-time frequency response adjustments tied to time and/or frequency content.

[Stromkraft]

The Drop
Finished version is out 3rd Oct that's Friday. ...
Now he has an analoge circuit modelled filter. You can change the filter algos to emulate several different filters. It looks like a synthesizer but it's got no oscillators.

Filters
Roland SH-9
Oxford Synthesiser Company OSCar
korg MS-20 Mk1
korg MS-20 Mk2
Prodigy transistor ladder filter

Thank you, this looks lovely. I'm afraid I must wait until I get a faster CPU.

[XSIMan]

If I'm not mistaken then EQ and filter are not exactly the same thing.
Maybe someone more knowledgeable than me can shed some light on the matter?!

Filters and EQ use frequency bands but as a tool and effect they are nothing alike. Just like a Ferrari F-40 and an F-15 both have wheels and get you from A - B but are nothing else alike.

The Drop uses analogue synthesizer filters the ones used for subtractive synthesis to cut away and boost some of the wave form but they also react to gain and add strong tone and character they create oscillator resonating when the resonate knob is turned very high. They add phasing sounds and all sorts of transient things. Filters come with Envelopes and LFOs to animate the bands so you don't have to stand there twiddling the knobs all though the track. A filter makes a sound far more interesting.

If you have an analogue synthesizer like u-he DIVA or Novation Monark but don't know how to make your own sounds with it look at the cutoff dials and the res, reso or resonate dials. Put the cutoff dials to full and the res dials to 0 so no frequency is cut and the LFO and ENV dials next to those to neutral 0. Now you can hear what a synth sounds like with no filter. Boring. Imagine what it would be like to put DIVA's filters onto a drum kick or bass line ROAR! that's what The Drop is for. Try a filter on anything with any setting it's endless ear fun.

EQ machines or software are designed to sound like they are not there they cut and boost their curve shape can add to the character a bit and some have hardware that adds saturation but ideally when an engineer grabs an EQ he wants it to cut and boost and nothing else no added saturation or oscillator resonating when boosting high he doesn't want it to phase. An EQ is for making an already completed sound better and to cut out unwanted sound to help other tracks shine through as well as make the mix sound less muddy.

Some people will prefair to use a filter to improve the bass of a bass instrument rather than use the EQ. A filter adds far more oomph and character than an EQ.

This explains Filters and EQ
http://www.soundonsound.com/sos/jan05/a ... 0105-4.htm

Some time later Andy will replace the demo with the finished version demo. I've got a feeling that could take weeks he wants to look after the ones who bought the beta first. You will get a chance to re try the demo again when the new one goes up.

[Martin Gifford]

Wow, it LOOKS great. Good to see companies that can make high quality audio products can also make attractive interfaces.

[XSIMan]

Andy says on the forums that another two filter algos were developed in secret and are ready for Friday I've updated the list.