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Favorite Physical Modeling VSTi in 2021... and Beyond!

It looks as though the Tracktion franchising operation has another option incoming. JRR Shop has put up a sales page for the Outersect Modeler (https://www.jrrshop.com/tracktion-outersect-modeler) though there's nothing at Tracktion about it right now - I guess that's coming later this w/e.

It looks a bit like a cross between Nusofting's Modelonia and Reason's Objekt with a touch of Yamaha VL1 mixed in, in that it seems to have a bunch of different exciter modes coupled into a resonator and modellers for things like brass/reed growl. There also looks to be a body modeller based on EQ filters. And some florid marketing copy about Burning Man and keytars.
 
Technostica said:
I'm up for a pint of blood or maybe even wine!
Brexit was worth it just so we can buy pints of wine!
I suppose they were so desperate to find an upside, that after drinking many pints of wine they hit on this idea.
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Hey! We got blue passports! Blue passports! I'm satisfied that my vote was well cast. (Plus £350 million a week extra for the NHS, which has solved all its funding issues.)
 
God that sounds good. I am so happy that 25% of my fellow citizens have voted a far-right extremist in, who regularly speaks of a Nexit. Soon we will get to enjoy the same benefits that our UK neighbours are so happy about. And with all of those EU payments gone, think of all the money left to develop new PM synths. But only ones that can model northern-european instruments of course!
 
This looks and sounds really interesting,although a bit intimidating from the look of the gui. I’m eager to hear early adopters first impressions especially playability on standard controllers. The system requirements look reasonable as well. I am relieved as well as a bit perturbed that this looks like I might be able to use this with my ancient rig,my wallet is crying 😢

fyi JRR has this available for $80.37 using the code : Forum.
 
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Technostica said:
The walkthrough has been uploaded and my first impression is that this is very immediate and I love the direction it has taken.

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That sus pitch bend mode is a really nice addition.

The video from 7 years ago implies that the prototype was MPE compatible, since they were using a Linnstrument with the Y axis determining position on the string. However the user guide for the following product indicates that the only polyphonic midi sources are:

"Note - note on number

Velocity - note on velocity

Aftertouch - polyphonic aftertouch

Gate - keyboard gate

Key - "what key is it in?" Like NOTE, but goes from 0-max in 1 octave then repeats

Random - a random value generated with each note on. Like "velocity", but rando"

Pitchbend is monophonic.

Searching the manual for "MPE" turned up nothing.

Huge disappointment.
 
I'm OK with it. I've not really found MPE to be a great fit with physical modelling per se. Maybe in an instrument where you can set up multiple virtual strings with (semi-)independent parameters – and even then that's implying a Linnstrument string-per-line setup which isn't exactly default MPE of the kind you get with a Roli Rise.

I'd actually prefer to see these instruments implement transfer functions reacting to MIDI CC inputs in the way some of the very early hardware instruments did, though again this is something you can kinda lash up with MIDI FX plugins on the way into the plugin. I'm guessing some of these tricks you can pull off with the envelopes, but would have to see whether that's a viable option in the demo.
 
Looking at the manual that's now online (the product page is now up: https://www.tracktion.com/products/outersect-modeler), the bigger omission as far as I'm concerned is relying on predefined CCs, none of which include the breath, expression or foot controller and relying on MIDI learn. I've got a workaround that uses breath etc mapped to the knobs on an SL25 but MIDI learn with a TEC BBC2 or an MPE control surface like the Rise is a bit of a PITA because Sod's Law says the synth will always capture the CC you don't want it to. And it's not clear whether it's learn per preset (and are saved with the preset) or whether the synth stores the learned values as defaults or whether they need to be saved in-DAW each time.
 
Damn, a new toy appears while I still haven't finished mastering Friktion and I haven't even had the time to put my hands in the bowels of Objekt.

This Outersect Modeler looks delicious, I'm waiting to have a sounds walkthrough video to get a more precise impression.

I'm also waiting to see what Myth will give, as someone suggested it to me for its resynthesis capacity in addition to physical modeling.
 
Geoshred's FAQ says they plan on releasing a VST version in late 2024 that will be Windows compatible.

Has anyone successfully used MPE from a PC DAW to control Geoshred? It looks like the cheapest currently functional solution may be Mio+CCK, since StudioMux apparently no longer works (consistently, at least).

[Or PC DAW MPE to Geoswam, SWAM on iOS, etc. Obviously a lot less expensive than the SWAM VST.]
 
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When Tracktion says that Outersect has a "full-featured demo, free for 7 days" does that mean it stops working completely after the 7 day trial or it just has periodic noise? F'em and the Dawesome synths I think just had periodic noise after the initial trial, or before the trial is officially activated inside the plugin.
 
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