# Alchemy by Camel Audio



## Chizilla (Oct 7, 2020)

It was a great synth and I miss that so much, I worked on 5 Film-scores and it has been always there :(


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## nolotrippen (Oct 7, 2020)

Didn't it end up with Apple?


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## Monkberry (Oct 7, 2020)

Apple bought Camel Audio's Alchemy a few years back. I still use the Camel Audio version on my current Windows 10 PC and it works fine. It was and still is a remarkable soft synth. Some of the expansions were excellent also. In particular, Martin Walker's contributions were standouts.


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## Ashermusic (Oct 7, 2020)

Yes, Alchemy is now one of Logic Pro’s software instruments. Combined with the under appreciated Sculpture, amazing sounds are possible.


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## Chizilla (Oct 7, 2020)

Monkberry said:


> Apple bought Camel Audio's Alchemy a few years back. I still use the Camel Audio version on my current Windows 10 PC and it works fine. It was and still is a remarkable soft synth. Some of the expansions were excellent also. In particular, Martin Walker's contributions were standouts.


I agree


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## wst3 (Oct 7, 2020)

I also still use the Camel version. I get a little nervous about depending on a plugin that, if it ever stops working, could go away.

But there is nothing quite like it. At least Apple was kind enough to allow Camel Audio to distribute a version that didn't depend on them for authorization! (Wish Wizzo had done that with Wizzoverb!)


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## chillbot (Oct 7, 2020)

Chizilla said:


> I agree


I read your name as "Chillzilla".


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## Mornats (Oct 7, 2020)

I have the Computer Music edition of Alchemy and was going to upgrade to the full version before Apple made it propriety software and effectively killed it off for Windows users.


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## Ashermusic (Oct 7, 2020)

Mornats said:


> I have the Computer Music edition of Alchemy and was going to upgrade to the full version before Apple made it propriety software and effectively killed it off for Windows users.



Die Windows users, die!

just kidding.


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## Alex Fraser (Oct 7, 2020)

It's a beast. Use the Logic version most days and the new drag'n'drop features are outstanding. Possibly the best free update to a DAW ever.


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## MisteR (Oct 7, 2020)

Did Apple ever update it to include all the sound packs?


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## Mornats (Oct 7, 2020)

Ashermusic said:


> Die Windows users, die!
> 
> just kidding.


:D it's a real shame as I did really like it.


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## jtnyc (Oct 7, 2020)

MisteR said:


> Did Apple ever update it to include all the sound packs?


I believe they incorporated many of the patches from those expansions into the factory library. I owned many of the Camel expansions and I'm very happy that I'm able to use them in Logic's version. They show up under legacy content.

Alchemy is great -


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## Monkberry (Oct 7, 2020)

One of my favorite expansions was "Water", of which proceeds were going to a clean water charity. Also liked Steamworx from Martin Walker and a vocal library (name escapes me at the moment) that had various sound designers contribute to. I was hoping there would be a version 2 of the vocal library forthcoming as it never seemed to go far enough with the potential but then they sold off to Apple. The standard factory library is still great and relevant.


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## José Herring (Oct 7, 2020)

I was a diehard Alchemy user when Camel Audio had it. It was actually one of my first real serious soft synths. Apple bought it before a bug that it had was ever fixed and they fixed it but sadly I can't use that version. 

These days there are many, many soft synths/samplers that can do what it did. So I wouldn't cry too hard about losing Alchemy. Though none of the available softsynths can do what it did as easily as it could do it.


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## Chizilla (Oct 7, 2020)

chillbot said:


> I read your name as "Chillzilla".



My real name is Chitral Chity Somapala :D


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## Chizilla (Oct 7, 2020)

José Herring said:


> I was a diehard Alchemy user when Camel Audio had it. It was actually one of my first real serious soft synths. Apple bought it before a bug that it had was ever fixed and they fixed it but sadly I can't use that version.
> 
> These days there are many, many soft synths/samplers that can do what it did. So I wouldn't cry too hard about losing Alchemy. Though none of the available softsynths can do what it did as easily as it could do it.



Of course there are many but still i thought of mentioning about it, the camel space plugin was amazing but i can't use it anymore


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## HeliaVox (Oct 7, 2020)

Where do you find the Legacy Content, because I cant seem to find it looking in Alchemy itself. 
There is nothing for Alchemy when looking at the Legacy Channel Strips. 

I had all my Camel Audio expansions on an external hard drive that failed, so I lost all of my content from them. 
I'd really love to have some of it back.


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## jtnyc (Oct 7, 2020)

HeliaVox said:


> Where do you find the Legacy Content, because I cant seem to find it looking in Alchemy itself.
> There is nothing for Alchemy when looking at the Legacy Channel Strips.
> 
> I had all my Camel Audio expansions on an external hard drive that failed, so I lost all of my content from them.
> I'd really love to have some of it back.


The legacy expansions don’t come with Alchemy in Logic. If you previously owned any Camel expansions you can use them in Logics version. I can’t remember the exact process and I’m not in front of my computer at the moment, but I believe legacy content is a choice in the furthest right hand column in the browser. Then you will see all of the individuals expansions. Again I don’t remember exactly how to get them to show up. I think so had to place them in a specific location and rescan. I did have some major issues with missing samples I remember. Apple was no help at all. I had to go through and relocate folders re-save patches. It took forever, but was worth it in the end as I own about 6-7 Camel expansion and a few from Simon Stockhousen.


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## kgdrum (Oct 7, 2020)

Back in the day Alchemy was my favorite synth,I backed everything up when Camel was acquired by Apple.
Unfortunately I had the hard drive it was on die and in the frenzy of trying to resurrect the drive I accidentally wiped the download drive I had everything backed up 😱
So I haven’t had Alchemy since January 😢

I’ve thought about getting Logic but unfortunately I would have to buy a new graphic card and update to Mojave,I’m using a cheese-grater MacPro so I’m somewhat hesitant to pour $$ into a 2012 computer.

But I ❤️ and miss Alchemy.


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## Radium (Mar 31, 2021)

I can help I have open file version all sound packs  7.3 gb runs on 2006 Mac Pro 4 core 2.66 10.7.5 love it . I also lost backups I have a new 7.1 Mac Pro , but I always find myself working on my old g5 and intel Macks lol.


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## JPQ (Mar 31, 2021)

Ashermusic said:


> Yes, Alchemy is now one of Logic Pro’s software instruments. Combined with the under appreciated Sculpture, amazing sounds are possible.


Even ES2 is fine.


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## Kingbee (Oct 13, 2021)

Hi. I had the downloaded version of alchemy from the computer music webpage and had it running on my old macbook which was dying. I managed to get my synth collection transfered to new-er macbook but alchemy won't work I bought a copy of computer music mag with CD but I can install the library of sounds so alchemy wont seem to load. Any advice...beyond getting a new mac and logic. Ta


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## Radium (Oct 13, 2021)

Kingbee said:


> Hi. I had the downloaded version of alchemy from the computer music webpage and had it running on my old macbook which was dying. I managed to get my synth collection transfered to new-er macbook but alchemy won't work I bought a copy of computer music mag with CD but I can install the library of sounds so alchemy wont seem to load. Any advice...beyond getting a new mac and logic. Ta


Not quite sure I understand do you mean the Alchemy of today? Or the original by camel audio if you mean the old version I'm pretty sure I can't run on any new operating system past 10.7.5 at least that's the only way I've got it running


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## Radium (Oct 13, 2021)

One other thing it took me quite a while to figure out how to properly load this cracked version of the software I do not by any means support pirated software but considering I owned all the original and have a legal right to have it I saw no other way, it's not my fault the world sells out to Apple LOL


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## Kingbee (Oct 14, 2021)

Radium said:


> Not quite sure I understand do you mean the Alchemy of today? Or the original by camel audio if you mean the old version I'm pretty sure I can't run on any new operating system past 10.7.5 at least that's the only way I've got it running


Hi. I mean the one that came with computer music when it was free. I accessed the one via filesilo but then bought a copy of computer music with the CD off ebay. I am running el crapitan


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## Radium (Oct 14, 2021)

Okay that's the old version this is going to get complicated camel audio had a special digital Rights Management protection system it would load the files into your machine that app no longer works because the company doesn't exist what you need is a crack version of the software. The other problem is I don't know if it works passed 10.7.5 it was created by hex Wars I can show you a few screenshots if someone with more information can chime in they can help you the problem is you had to own the software before Apple bought it and then download by a certain date a unrestricted copy of the software that no longer needed digital rights to run on your machine like you I lost my original and by the time I found this out the website was gone I was left holding the bag I use apple version all the time it is not even close to being the same as the original Alchemy the sound packs are incredible. I cloned this machine daily LOL never going to have this happen again until I can no longer run 5.1 Mac running 10.7.5 that disk you have it's just a sample it will not load without being told by the company it's okay which no longer exist as I stated I have the hex War entire program it's a bit of a pain to get it to load properly perhaps there's a way I can get it to you but without the old version of the OS it won't run try on all my new machines won't even work on 10.9


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## Kingbee (Oct 14, 2021)

Radium said:


> Okay that's the old version this is going to get complicated camel audio had a special digital Rights Management protection system it would load the files into your machine that app no longer works because the company doesn't exist what you need is a crack version of the software. The other problem is I don't know if it works passed 10.7.5 it was created by hex Wars I can show you a few screenshots if someone with more information can chime in they can help you the problem is you had to own the software before Apple bought it and then download by a certain date a unrestricted copy of the software that no longer needed digital rights to run on your machine like you I lost my original and by the time I found this out the website was gone I was left holding the bag I use apple version all the time it is not even close to being the same as the original Alchemy the sound packs are incredible. I cloned this machine daily LOL never going to have this happen again until I can no longer run 5.1 Mac running 10.7.5 that disk you have it's just a sample it will not load without being told by the company it's okay which no longer exist as I stated I have the hex War entire program it's a bit of a pain to get it to load properly perhaps there's a way I can get it to you but without the old version of the OS it won't run try on all my new machines won't even work on 10.9


Thank you soooo much for your advice and help. Much appreciated. I'll have a think over the next move to take. I have 2 old songs I wrote in GB that mainly use alchemy. The other ones that I used it on I managed to convert the midi tracks into audio so I could at least carry on using those particular sounds in the songs...but then old macbook died...and I was trying to find a solution. I have a friend with a newer version of GB and Logic and will try to send him a song to see if he can open it and transfer midi files to audio. Thank you once again for you help and advice.


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## chimuelo (Oct 14, 2021)

Shucks. 
I thought they made Alchemy into a hardware synth since it was in Gear Talk.


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## José Herring (Oct 14, 2021)

It was a ground breaking plugin for its time. I used it so much and love it to this day. Sadly I lost my install when I had to do a clean install of my main machine and I haven't bothered to look through my back up drives to find it again. Even if I did I think I'd have a hard time installing it. But....

There are a few plugins that can do what it did and even better. If you're missing Alchemy PhasePlant has a sampler function and Form from Native Instruments are good replacements. Even Omnisphere now that you can import samples can replace Alchemy but I don't own Omni so wouldn't know that one for sure.


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## Radium (Oct 14, 2021)

Yes it's still the best I hope to God this whole system Never Dies Mac Pro model 1.1 first Intel generation 2.66 quad core Xeon 10 gigs of RAM runs beautiful running logic pro 9. 1.8 runs better than my 2019 7.1 Pro LOL


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## Radium (Oct 14, 2021)

Camel choir is my favorite dream voices is incredible I've never found anything in 20 years that even matches it with the exception of some of the soundiron voices of wind very close and well done also zero G Sahara voices quite incredible


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## José Herring (Oct 14, 2021)

Radium said:


> Yes it's still the best I hope to God this whole system Never Dies Mac Pro model 1.1 first Intel generation 2.66 quad core Xeon 10 gigs of RAM runs beautiful running logic pro 9. 1.8 runs better than my 2019 7.1 Pro LOL


Oh man, now you're making me want to dig up my old back up and Reinstall it.


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## Radium (Oct 14, 2021)

I know I'm sitting at a first generation Mac Pro with Intel processor and 10.7 on a set of M-Audio cheap desk speakers an old M Audio keystation 88 and the sound is blowing me out of the room there's just something about the way everything was recorded I've never been able to figure it out I have $12,000 Barefoot speakers in the other room and I don't care what I play there's just something missing oh and a 828 Motu firewire playing back at 96 kilohertz


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## Radium (Oct 14, 2021)

Last thing I forgot I even have the old copy of omnisphere on here I also have a copy of atmosphere running on my power Mac G5 LOL which was before omnisphere take care good memories


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## Kingbee (Oct 15, 2021)

The plot thickens. Ok. On the Computer Music CD there is a seperate file that says alchemy presets. yesterday I put those into my library of presets. This morning I tried yet another install of alchemy from the CD. The camel audio presets that you can download off the internet aren't accessible ( natch)...but...drumroll...alchemy was INSTALLED. It looks a smaller version that the one on radiums screen shot but there are a load of presets in there. When I open the GB song that had the tracks done with alchemy a warning pop up says ' preset used can't be found' but then if i select factory drop down in alchemy I found at least one of them. Thankfully, I am in the general habit of naming each track with the title of any preset title I use so I may be able to track down presets of tracks used previously. So will see how much I can match up.


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## Leighbeater (Oct 15, 2021)

Kingbee said:


> The plot thickens. Ok. On the Computer Music CD there is a seperate file that says alchemy presets. yesterday I put those into my library of presets. This morning I tried yet another install of alchemy from the CD. The camel audio presets that you can download off the internet aren't accessible ( natch)...but...drumroll...alchemy was INSTALLED. It looks a smaller version that the one on radiums screen shot but there are a load of presets in there. When I open the GB song that had the tracks done with alchemy a warning pop up says ' preset used can't be found' but then if i select factory drop down in alchemy I found at least one of them. Thankfully, I am in the general habit of naming each track with the title of any preset title I use so I may be able to track down presets of tracks used previously. So will see how much I can match up.


Yes there was a lite version that I am pretty sure was free that you could use presets including the great preset packs that you could buy, I had mine still working up until Ableton 9 but now it still loads up but I can't see the GUI after upgrading Ableton


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## tmhuud (Oct 15, 2021)

Ah. I miss those guys so much. I used to do demos for them . Tim (Conrardy) and I became great friends and we could sit and talk synths for hours. Those were truly great times. Tim developed a few fun synths of his own and I still find places in projects with those gems.


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## jonnybutter (Oct 15, 2021)

Radium said:


> Okay that's the old version this is going to get complicated camel audio had a special digital Rights Management protection system it would load the files into your machine that app no longer works because the company doesn't exist what you need is a crack version of the software. The other problem is I don't know if it works passed 10.7.5 it was created by hex Wars I can show you a few screenshots if someone with more information can chime in they can help you the problem is you had to own the software before Apple bought it and then download by a certain date a unrestricted copy of the software that no longer needed digital rights to run on your machine like you I lost my original and by the time I found this out the website was gone I was left holding the bag I use apple version all the time it is not even close to being the same as the original Alchemy the sound packs are incredible. I cloned this machine daily LOL never going to have this happen again until I can no longer run 5.1 Mac running 10.7.5 that disk you have it's just a sample it will not load without being told by the company it's okay which no longer exist as I stated I have the hex War entire program it's a bit of a pain to get it to load properly perhaps there's a way I can get it to you but without the old version of the OS it won't run try on all my new machines won't even work on 10.9


Yes, the original Camel Audio Alchemy sound libraries were awesome! I still have them and had hoped to load them into the Logic version, but now I know why they won’t load ;(. Thanks for sharing all of that, Radium!


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## Mornats (Oct 15, 2021)

Kingbee said:


> The plot thickens. Ok. On the Computer Music CD there is a seperate file that says alchemy presets. yesterday I put those into my library of presets. This morning I tried yet another install of alchemy from the CD. The camel audio presets that you can download off the internet aren't accessible ( natch)...but...drumroll...alchemy was INSTALLED. It looks a smaller version that the one on radiums screen shot but there are a load of presets in there. When I open the GB song that had the tracks done with alchemy a warning pop up says ' preset used can't be found' but then if i select factory drop down in alchemy I found at least one of them. Thankfully, I am in the general habit of naming each track with the title of any preset title I use so I may be able to track down presets of tracks used previously. So will see how much I can match up.


Yeah, as Leighbeater says the Computer Music version is a cut down "lite" version of Alchemy. They do these cut down versions of a lot of synths that are worth checking out. Thorn CM and Phonec CM are two other standouts.


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## Radium (Oct 15, 2021)

Great to hear I hope it works out nice Community here I should spend more time just so busy. On a side note as I stated I have the folder with the hex War Edition I've had people in the past on other sites ask me to give them copies I'm not opposed to someone mail in via USB drive and I'll mail it back to them not to text Savvy with downloads not to mention the legal ramifications LOL as far as loading the libraries into the new version of alchemy I believe there is a way the next time I get out to LA I'll talk to a friend who's done it there is a way to circumvent the digital rights Management. One other thing I just can't believe apple is being so stubborn not allowing anyone to be able to download this or the banks of sounds that they purchased for life it's ridiculous that they need to keep that much control considering you need an ancient piece of equipment to run it on there wouldn't be that many people other than nuts like me that use it regularly. I've often thought of the death of my 5.1 and what I will do I've tried every ability to sample into the modern system it just doesn't come across the same trying to get a friend who's a little Guru to reverse-engineer it and make it work on a modern operating system although the odds are very low he stated something to do with the way it was compiled something to do with CPU code beyond me LOL I'll let everyone know either way I also feel the same way about atmosphere I love it all the sounds are in omnisphere but there's just something missing I can't explain it? and I've even shown it to a few friends who come over to the studio and listen take care everyone and thanks for helping out if anyone has more information I'd love to learn more


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## Leighbeater (Oct 15, 2021)

jonnybutter said:


> Yes, the original Camel Audio Alchemy sound libraries were awesome! I still have them and had hoped to load them into the Logic version, but now I know why they won’t load ;(. Thanks for sharing all of that, Radium!


Yes you can load the old sound libraries into the Logic version, I have done it, I am just not at my home studio computer to know how I did it, but I remember it was on Google somewhere that shows you how


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## jonnybutter (Oct 15, 2021)

Leighbeater said:


> Yes you can load the old sound libraries into the Logic version, I have done it, I am just not at my home studio computer to know how I did it, but I remember it was on Google somewhere that shows you how


Well then maybe I screwed it up, because I read (probably) the same article and did what it said, and it looks like the patches are there in Alchemy but they won’t load. Maybe I should fool with it again? I spent several hours trying and got pretty frustrated.

I found I used ‘Dream Voices’ all the time - they’re just vocal samples, but brilliantly and creatively produced and performed. Not generic sounding. That and a very industrial bunch of patches (can’t remember what they’re called). Just great stuff.


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## Leighbeater (Oct 15, 2021)

jonnybutter said:


> Well then maybe I screwed it up, because I read (probably) the same article and did what it said, and it looks like the patches are there in Alchemy but they won’t load. Maybe I should fool with it again? I spent several hours trying and got pretty frustrated.
> 
> I found I used ‘Dream Voices’ all the time - they’re just vocal samples, but brilliantly and creatively produced and performed. Not generic sounding. That and a very industrial bunch of patches (can’t remember what they’re called). Just great stuff.


Yes can be frustrating this sort of thing, when I am home I will check it out to see if I can remember how I loaded them. Dream Voices were one of the libraries I purchased as well, I now wished I bought more of the libraries!


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## Kingbee (Oct 16, 2021)

I managed to revive my old songs with alchemy preset sounds. Thankfully all the sounds were available and none of them were camel aidio extras. Took a lot of frustrating attempts but get there. Thanks for all your advice. cheers


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## Radium (Jan 15, 2022)

Well I started going through some of my old stuff in the spare bedroom. I find an old original iPhone 4 for Laughs I charged it up and it works fine the plot thickens though apparently back in 2010 or 7 not quite sure what year I purchase Alchemy mobile from the App Store to my surprise it loaded right up and played. What makes the story really interesting I had to reactivate the old account that I purchased it under to verify it so it would turn on which I figured was a waste of time. However to my shock Apple allowed it to activate the program once I logged in properly Not only was I greeted with the application running I also had access to the App Store I'm located in the United States at present originally from Finland but check out the prices of all the sound packs that are available through the App Store too funny


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## LinusW (Jan 15, 2022)

Leighbeater said:


> Yes can be frustrating this sort of thing, when I am home I will check it out to see if I can remember how I loaded them. Dream Voices were one of the libraries I purchased as well, I now wished I bought more of the libraries!


Copy /Library/Application Support/Camel Audio/Alchemy/Presets/Dream Voices into /Library/Application Support/Logic/Plug-In Settings/Alchemy/Dream Voices 

Copy /Library/Application Support/Camel Audio/Alchemy/Samples/Dream Voices into /Library/Application Support/Logic/Alchemy Samples/Dream Voices 

Remove ~/Audio Music Apps/Plug-In Settings/Alchemy folder 

Start Logic and open Alchemy. Alchemy will refresh library and list your library.


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