Page 1 REFERENCE MANUAL...
Page 2 The information in this document is subject to change without notice and does not represent a commitment on the part of Native Instruments GmbH. The software described by this document is subject to a License Agreement and may not be copied to other media. No part of this publication may be copied, reproduced or otherwise transmitted or recorded, for any purpose, without prior written permission by Native Instruments GmbH, hereinafter referred to as Native Instruments.
Page 3 Germany Native Instruments GmbH Schlesische Str. 28 D-10997 Berlin Germany info@native-instruments.de www.native-instruments.de Native Instruments North America, Inc. 5631 Hollywood Boulevard Los Angeles, CA 90028 sales@native-instruments.com www.native-instruments.com © Native Instruments GmbH, 2009. All rights reserved.
Page 4: Table Of Contents
3.4.1 General Page .................. 23 3.4.2 Surround Page................24 3.4.3 Browser Page ................. 27 4 Navigation Bar ........................29 4.1 Top Row: Global Controls ..................29 4.1.1 ABSYNTH 5 Logo ................29 4.1.2 Window Tabs .................. 30 4.1.3 Record Button ................30 ABSYNTH 5 Reference Manual – IV...
Page 5 Waveform Selector and Waveform Selection dialog ......45 5.3.2 Frequency Menu and Frequency Control ..........47 5.3.3 Anti-Alias Switch ................48 5.3.4 Phase Inverter ................49 5.4 Oscillator Module ....................49 5.4.1 Oscillator‘s Panels and Tabs ............. 50 ABSYNTH 5 Reference Manual – V...
Page 6 5.5.11 Cloud .................... 74 5.6 Modulator Module ....................77 5.6.1 General Function ................77 5.6.2 Ring Modulation ................77 5.6.3 Frequency Shift ................78 5.7 Waveshaper Module ....................80 5.7.1 General Function ................80 5.7.2 Main Panel ..................81 6 Effect Window ........................82 ABSYNTH 5 Reference Manual – VI...
Page 7 7.3 Editing Waves ..................... 105 7.3.1 Tools in the Waveform Page .............106 7.3.2 Transform menu (Waveform Page) ...........106 7.4 Spectrum Edit ..................... 108 7.4.1 Tools in Spectrum Page ..............109 7.4.2 Transform menu (Spectrum Page) ............109 7.5 Wave Morph ....................... 110 ABSYNTH 5 Reference Manual – VII...
Page 8 Master Envelope ....................127 8.6.1 Assigning Breakpoints ..............127 8.6.2 Controlling the Master Envelope ............129 8.7 Transform Commands ..................129 8.7.1 Scale… ..................130 8.7.2 Expand to Rhythm… ..............130 8.7.3 Generate AR Pulse… ..............131 8.7.4 Set Duration… ................131 ABSYNTH 5 Reference Manual – VIII...
Page 9 10.5.3 Pan ....................149 10.5.4 Velocity ..................150 10.6 Note Page ......................150 10.6.1 Note-dependent Modulation ............151 10.6.2 Glide .................... 151 10.7 Tuning Page ......................152 10.7.1 Creating a User-defined Tuning ............152 10.7.2 Octave Link ...................153 ABSYNTH 5 Reference Manual – IX...
Page 10 12.1.2 Sustain Switch ................175 12.2 Audio Recorder ....................175 12.2.1 Main Operations ................176 12.2.2 Overdubbing ..................177 12.2.3 Options ..................177 12.2.4 Once the Recording Is Finished............178 13 Appendix A – How to Work with Attributes..............179 13.1 The Instrument Column ..................180 13.2 The Source Column ..................... 181 ABSYNTH 5 Reference Manual – X...
Page 11 14.1 Instrument Categories ..................191 14.1.1 Instrument ..................191 14.1.2 Source ..................193 14.1.3 Timbre ..................195 14.1.4 Articulation ...................196 14.1.5 Genre ...................198 14.2 Effect Categories ....................200 14.2.1 Type .................... 200 14.2.2 Mode ...................201 14.2.3 Characteristic ................202 14.2.4 Application .................. 203 ABSYNTH 5 Reference Manual – XI...
Page 12: Welcome To Absynth 5
1 Welcome to ABSYNTH 5! We at Native Instruments would like to thank you for purchasing ABSYNTH – it’s because of customers like you that we can continue developing ground-breaking music software. We hope that this reference manual will provide you with all the information needed to make use of ABSYNTH 5 to its full capacity.
Page 13: What's New In Absynth 5
If you are particularly interested in the new sounds ABSYNTH 5shas to offer, type “ab- synth5” in the relevant Search Field in the ABSYNTH Browser. This will narrow the Search Result List down to the new Sounds in ABSYNTH 5. ABSYNTH 5 Reference Manual – 13...
Page 14: The Absynth 5 Documentation
Starts, introducing you to some important workflows in ABSYNTH 5. We recommend you to read the Getting Started guide first. If you have any doubt about a command, control element or function of ABSYNTH 5, please refer to this Reference Manual. ABSYNTH 5 Reference Manual – 14...
Page 15: Formatting Conventions
Menu item: Items from ABSYNTH 5’s menus and lists are printed in italics. • Important concepts: On first occurrence important concepts are printed in bold. • Results of actions are introduced by an arrow (→). ABSYNTH 5 Reference Manual – 15...
Page 16: Control Elements And Areas
In the Patch Window, most modules can be switched between multiple panels. To switch to a particular panel, click on the desired tab at the top of the panel. The tab for an active panel is highlighted. ABSYNTH 5 Reference Manual – 16...
Page 17: Buttons And Switches
You then need to click on “OK” (or “Cancel”) at the bottom to get back to the original Window. An example is the Wave Selector and its companion the Wave Selection dialog, which can be found in many places in ABSYNTH 5. ABSYNTH 5 Reference Manual – 17...
Page 18: Value Fields
You can also right-click ([Ctrl]+click on Mac) on most value fields to bring up a contex- tual menu. Here you can assign the parameter to one of the Macro Controls. More spe- cific information about Macro Controls can be found at section 10.2 “Automation in ABSYNTH 5: Macro Controls”. ABSYNTH 5 Reference Manual – 18...
Page 19: Sliders And Knobs
• Double-click on the value display (if available) and enter a new value via your computer keyboard, then press [Enter] to confirm or [Esc] to let the previous value unchanged. ABSYNTH 5 Reference Manual – 19...
Page 20: Application Menu Bar
Sound, type a new name for the Sound and click on “Save”. We recommend saving sounds to the default path, “My Sounds.” This way, your Sound will automatically be integrated to the ABSYNTH 5 Database upon saving. ABSYNTH 5 Reference Manual – 20...
Page 21 ABSYNTH 5 to your custom studio or live setup. The audio and MIDI settings are explained in detail in the Getting Started guide. • Exit: Quits the application. Please check that you saved your Sound before closing. I you did not, unsaved changes will be lost! ABSYNTH 5 Reference Manual – 21...
Page 22: Edit Menu
ABSYNTH 5 as well as search for new updates. Detailed information can be found in the Service Center Quick Start Guide and manual. • Visit Absynth on the Web: Opens the ABSYNTH page on the Native Instruments website in your favorite Internet browser, where you can access up-to-date information on ABSYNTH 5.
Page 23: Options Dialog
We describe hereafter all available options. 3.4.1 General Page The General page allows you to define the paths for the directories containing your samples and your templates, along with two additional options: The General page of the Options dialog ABSYNTH 5 Reference Manual – 23...
Page 24: Surround Page
– but only if no other parameters have already been assigned to it. 3.4.2 Surround Page The Surround page allows you to configure ABSYNTH 5’s surround output channels. The Surround page of the Options dialog ABSYNTH 5 Reference Manual – 24...
Page 25 • 6 Music: This configuration corresponds to a 5 Music configuration, but contains an ad- ditional rear center channel. This arrangement is used by, for example, the surround sound systems Dolby Digital EX™ and DTS-ES™. ABSYNTH 5 Reference Manual – 25...
Page 26 Surround page. The LFE channel settings When activated, you see other parameters appearing on its right: • Channel menu: An additional Channel menu lets you define the output to assign to the LFE channel. ABSYNTH 5 Reference Manual – 26...
Page 27: Browser Page
Default Author: Allows you to define a default text string for the Author field in the Meta Information of the Sounds. • Use Default Author for New Sound: If this option is activated, the default Author name defined above is inserted into the Meta Information of all newly created Sounds. ABSYNTH 5 Reference Manual – 27...
Page 28 Rebuild Database button (labeled Rebuild DB), at the bottom right corner of the page. Depending on the number of available KORE SOUNDS, this process can be time-consuming. Only then will the changes take effect in the Database. ABSYNTH 5 Reference Manual – 28...
Page 29: Navigation Bar
About screen. This About screen contains some important information: the version num- ber, license type and serial number of your copy of ABSYNTH 5, along with the list of all the people who worked on this great synth! ABSYNTH 5 Reference Manual – 29...
Page 30: Window Tabs
Opening Windows simultaneously is only available in stand-alone mode! 4.1.3 Record Button Record button A click on the d button shows/hides the Audio Recorder. For more info on the Audio Recorder, please refer to section 12.2 “Audio Recorder”. ABSYNTH 5 Reference Manual – 30...
Page 31: Cpu Meter
Click on the Next or Previous Sound button to switch to another Sound (see section 4.2.3 below). ► Click on a Module Slot frame in the Patch Window to turn a Module on or off. This will also reset ABSYNTH 5’s audio engine. ABSYNTH 5 Reference Manual – 31...
Page 32: Input And Output Level Meters
About screen. This About screen contains some important information: the version number, license type and serial number of your copy of ABSYNTH 5, along with the list of all the people who worked on this great synth! ABSYNTH 5 Reference Manual – 32...
Page 33: Bottom Row: Sound Management
If you loaded your Sound from the Program List, a small MIDI plug labeed PC appears instead, and the Sound mMenu displays all Sounds that you added to the Program List (see section 11.2.3 “Programs” for more info). ABSYNTH 5 Reference Manual – 33...
Page 34: Previous/Next Sound Buttons
Mutate and Retry buttons The Mutate and Retry buttons are shortcuts for the Mutate button and Retry button of the Mutator in the Browser. For more info on their functions, please refer to section 11.3, “Mutator”. ABSYNTH 5 Reference Manual – 34...
Page 35: Save And Save As Buttons
4.2.7 Keyboard Button Keyboard button A click on the Keyboard button shows/hides the Virtual Keyboard at the bottom of ABSYNTH 5‘s interface. For more info on the Virtual Keyboard, please refer to section 12.1, “Virtual Keyboard”. ABSYNTH 5 Reference Manual – 35...
Page 36: Patch Window
Oscillator modules are the sound sources of ABSYNTH 5. Modulator modules, Filter modules and Waveshaper modules shape the sound. In the following sections yu will find detailed descrptions of the different mModules and their features. ABSYNTH 5 Reference Manual – 36...
Page 37: Signal Flow In The Patch
Module Slot. Once activated, its Type menu allows you to switch between the operating modes Filter, Modulator and Waveshaper. So, for example, you can insert Filter modules into both Slots of one Channel, and insert two Waveshapers into another Channel. ABSYNTH 5 Reference Manual – 37...
Page 38: Channel Level Controls
Channels independently of one another with an LFO or an Envelope. More infor- mation about this is available in the chapters 8, “Envelope Window” , and 9, “LFO Window”. ABSYNTH 5 Reference Manual – 38...
Page 39: Master Channel
The other two Module Slots in the Master Channel can be inserted with Modules of your choice (except Oscillator modules). After the Effect module, the final signal leaves ABSYNTH 5. The glowing connection wires between activated modules visualize the signal flow! ABSYNTH 5 Reference Manual – 39...
Page 40: Mono Mode And Poly Mode In The Master Channel
Waveshapers and thus produce lower signal levels. For low level input signals, the Waveshaper in Mono mode works like a simple compressor and lends itself well to compressing and heating up the input signal. ABSYNTH 5 Reference Manual – 40...
Page 41: Common Features For All Modules
The last two entries allow you to apply a Mutation and to retry a Mutation, both for that particular module. The settings for this Mutation are those defined inutation section Mutator section (see section 11.3, “Mutator”, for more on this). ABSYNTH 5 Reference Manual – 41...
Page 42: Panels And Tabs
The command Load Channel Template allows you to load a complete Channel. • In a Filter, Modulator or Waveshaper module, the Edit menu solely offers a Load Template option that loads the settings for that module. ABSYNTH 5 Reference Manual – 42...
Page 43 3. Choose the desired entry from that list and click on “OK.” Your Channel is now well populated. 4. Do the same with the other two Channels. → You created a complete Sound in just a few seconds where it could have taken hours “by hand!” ABSYNTH 5 Reference Manual – 43...
Page 44: Common Features In Many Modules
• On a PC, your old Templates are located by default in the directories “C:\Programs\Shared Files\Native Instruments\Absynth 4\Libraries\[subdirectories]”. You should be able to sim- ply copy and paste the whole ABSYNTH 4 Libraries folder to the ABSYNTH 5 Libraries folder and click on “Replace all”.
Page 45: Waveform Selector And Waveform Selection Dialog
Morph”). From a technical point of view, Morph Waves are two Waveforms saved in one unit of data, which seamlessly blend (“morph”) with one another. • Library Waves are the Waveforms from the Universal Library of ABSYNTH 5. ABSYNTH 5 Reference Manual – 45...
Page 46 You can only work on Waveforms that you created yourself (by clicking on the New Wave but- ton in the past). You cannot modify the Factory Waveforms. The chapter 7, “Wave Window”, gives you all details about working with the Wave Window. ABSYNTH 5 Reference Manual – 46...
Page 47: Frequency Menu And Frequency Control
Frequency Mode Hz, but is more appropriate when you want to use the oscillator on a note-bound frequency (e.g. 60.5 = C3 plus a quarter-ton). You can switch between the Frequency mModes Hz and Notes to display the exact fre- quency of particular notes. ABSYNTH 5 Reference Manual – 47...
Page 48: Anti-Alias Switch
For compatibility reasons, all patches created with ABSYNTH 1 are opened with the Anti-Alias switch deactivated. With ABSYNTH 5, you can create patches for which some Channels have the Anti-Alias switch enabled and some others have not. ABSYNTH 5 Reference Manual – 48...
Page 49: Phase Inverter
The Oscillator can be inserted into the first Module Slot at the top of each Channel A, B or C of the Patch Window. To activate an Oscillator module, do the following: ► Click on the extended left margin of the desired Module Slot to activate it. ABSYNTH 5 Reference Manual – 49...
Page 50: Oscillator's Panels And Tabs
The Mod panel (Modulation) holds all parameters of the modulation oscillator. The available parameters depend on the synthesis mode selected in the Main panel. Information about these specialized parameters can be found in the sections describing each individual synthesis mode below. ABSYNTH 5 Reference Manual – 50...
Page 51 (that is, two half-tones under the basic tone). If you were to set the value for num voices at 5, a new (odd-numbered) voice would be attached, which would be one half-tone lower than the last odd-numbered voice. ABSYNTH 5 Reference Manual – 51...
Page 52: Oscillator's Edit Menu
Save Oscil Template: Allows you to save the current Oscillator settings as a Template in the Universal Library. In the dialog that opens, choose the name and saving location for the Template, then click then on “OK” to save the Template. ABSYNTH 5 Reference Manual – 52...
Page 53: Single Mode
(Trans), as a relationship (Ratio) with the played note, as a fixed Frequency (Hz) or via a fixed MIDI note (Note). See section 5.3.2, “Frequency Menu and Frequency Control”, above for details. ABSYNTH 5 Reference Manual – 53...
Page 54: Double Mode
(Trans), as a relationship (Ratio) with the played note, as a fixed Frequency (Hz) or via a fixed MIDI note (Note). See section 5.3.2, “Frequency Menu and Frequency Control”, above for details. ABSYNTH 5 Reference Manual – 54...
Page 55: Fm Mode
(Trans), as a relationship (Ratio) with the played note, as a fixed Frequency (Hz) or via a fixed MIDI note (Note). See section 5.3.2, “Frequency Menu and Frequency Control”, above for details. ABSYNTH 5 Reference Manual – 55...
Page 56: Ringmod Mode
(Trans), as a relationship (Ratio) with the played note, as a fixed Frequency (Hz) or via a fixed MIDI note (Note). See section 5.3.2, “Frequency Menu and Frequency Control”, above for details. ABSYNTH 5 Reference Manual – 56...
Page 57: Fractalize Mode
Choose the entry Fractalize from the Transform menu. Set Iterations to 2 and Displace to 9. Slowly increase the value for Displace up to 25. You see how the waveform distends. Change the value for Iterations; the higher the value, the more dislocated the Waveform becomes. ABSYNTH 5 Reference Manual – 57...
Page 58: Sync Granular Mode
On the Main panel, you find the same parameters as in Single mode. For more details, please refer to the section 5.4.3, “Single Mode”, above. ABSYNTH 5 Reference Manual – 58...
Page 59: Sample Mode
In contrast to conventional sampling instruments, ABSYNTH lacks the usual functions such as key mapping, velocity layering or AKAI import. Unlike the conventional samplers, ABSYNTH’s emphasis is not on the realistic reproduction of sampled instruments, but rather the creative possibilities that sample-supported synthesis provides. ABSYNTH 5 Reference Manual – 59...
Page 60 MIDI Note C3 is played. Lower notes produce a slower, lower sound, while higher notes sound higher and faster. See section 5.4.2, “Oscillator’s”, above for more info on these controls. ABSYNTH 5 Reference Manual – 60...
Page 61: Granular Mode
200 % doubles the speed of your sound. If you set this value to zero, the Sample for that length of time will “freeze.” When you have frozen a sample, you can use the parameter Start control on the Main panel to establish when exactly it should freeze. ABSYNTH 5 Reference Manual – 61...
Page 62: Audio In Mode
ABSYNTH 5 in real time. ABSYNTH 5 can thus be used as an effect and work with live audio signals being played elsewhere. You can also load ABSYNTH 5 as an effect plug-in in your audio MIDI sequencer and let it process any audio track. ABSYNTH 5 Reference Manual – 62...
Page 63: Filter Module
The Filter modules can be inserted in any Module Slot of the Patch Window, except the first Slot in each Channel A-C (these are reserved for Oscillator modules) and the last Slot in the Master Channel (reserved for the Effect module). ABSYNTH 5 Reference Manual – 63...
Page 64: Filter's Panels And Tabs
LPF 2 Pole, LPF 4 Pole, LPF 8 Pole, Allpass 2, Allpass 4, Allpass 8 and Supercomb. For all of these filter types, the feedback loop settings are located on the Feedback panel (labeled FB), next to the Main panel: ABSYNTH 5 Reference Manual – 64...
Page 65 Amount control, which defines the proportion of signal processed by the Waveshaper. The rest is exactly the same as in the Waveshaper. Please refer to section 5.7, “Waveshaper Module”, for more info on its principle, functioning and parameters. ABSYNTH 5 Reference Manual – 65...
Page 66 Mix control, which defines the proportion of signal processed by the Ring Modulator. The rest is exactly the same as in the Modulator module in Ringmod mode. Please refer to section 5.6.2, “Ring Modulation”, for more info on its principle, functioning and parameters. ABSYNTH 5 Reference Manual – 66...
Page 67: Lowpass
LPF 8 Pole: 8-pole lowpass filter with resonance control and analog design. • LPF -6dB: 1-pole lowpass filter with resonance control. • LPF -12dB: 2-pole lowpass filter with resonance control. • LPF -24dB: 4-pole lowpass filter with resonance control. ABSYNTH 5 Reference Manual – 67...
Page 68: Highpass
Their remaining functions are identical to those described for the lowpass filters in the section 5.5.4, “Lowpass”, above. The following highpass filters are available in the Type menu: • HPF -6dB: 1-pole highpass filter. • HPF -12dB: 2-pole highpass filter with resonance control. ABSYNTH 5 Reference Manual – 68...
Page 69: Allpass
Every allpass variant shares the following two parameters on the Main panel: • Frequency control and Frequency menu: The Frequency control allows you to set the cut- off frequency in semitones (Trans) or in Hertz (Hz), upon the selection in the nearby Frequency menu. • Resonance control: Sets the resonance. ABSYNTH 5 Reference Manual – 69...
Page 70: Bandpass
Q control: Sets the bandwidth of the filter around the middle frequency. Its values go from 0 to 1000 Hz. • Damping control: Allows you to balance out any level fluctuations introduced by the filter (in dB). ABSYNTH 5 Reference Manual – 70...
Page 71: Notch
Frequency menu. • Resonance control: This control (labeled Res) allows you to adjust the resonance of the filter. • B-width control: Sets the bandwidth of the filter around the middle frequency. Its values is measured in octaves. ABSYNTH 5 Reference Manual – 71...
Page 72: Comb
Frequency menu. • Feedback control: Sets the amplification factor for the delayed signal. Higher values induce steeper frequency peaks/cancellations. • Damping control: Allows you to balance out any level fluctuations introduced by the filter (in dB). ABSYNTH 5 Reference Manual – 72...
Page 73: Supercomb
The Supercomb’s Main panel offers the same parameters as the usual Comb filter – again, please refer to the previous section 5.5.9, “Comb”, where they are described. Feedback Panel The function and parameters of the Feedback panel are detailed at section 5.5.3, “Feedback Loop and Feedback Panel”, above. ABSYNTH 5 Reference Manual – 73...
Page 74: Cloud
The Tone panel allows you to activate a filter and to adjust its parameters. • The Mix panel allows you to adjust the mix between the dry and processed signals and the level of the output signal. ABSYNTH 5 Reference Manual – 74...
Page 75 Quantize Tranpose control: Adjusts the base pitch of the scale on which the cutoff fre- quencies are quantized. This parameter appears for all quantization modes except Vowel (and None of course). For Vowel, the parameter Vowel Mix allows you to morph between various vowels. ABSYNTH 5 Reference Manual – 75...
Page 76 Balance control: Adjusts the mix between the dry and the wet signals at the filter’s output. • Gain control: Defines the make-up gain applied to the filter’s output. One more time, for more info on all these parameters, give a look to the section 6.7, “Aetherizer”. ABSYNTH 5 Reference Manual – 76...
Page 77: Modulator Module
We describe below the two operating modes Freq Shift and Ringmod. The oscillator of the Modulator module never produces an audible signal on its own – what you hear is the result of its interaction with the input signal. 5.6.2 Ring Modulation Ring Modulator ABSYNTH 5 Reference Manual – 77...
Page 78: Frequency Shift
While the Ring Modulator produces frequency sums as well as fre- quency differences, the Frequency Shifter limits itself either to frequency sums or differences. Practically, this means that the Freq Shift mode produces subtler, better to control effects than the Ringmod mode. ABSYNTH 5 Reference Manual – 78...
Page 79 A frequency shifter, by contrast, attaches a known value to the frequencies contained within the input signal, thus altering the harmonic relations it may contain. ABSYNTH 5 Reference Manual – 79...
Page 80: Waveshaper Module
As with some of the oscillators in the Oscillator and Modulator modules, the Waveshaper modules use the Waveform Selector to select or produce a Waveform. The Waveshaper modules only have one panel: the Main panel. ABSYNTH 5 Reference Manual – 80...
Page 81: Main Panel
• Phase control: Sets the phase of the Waveform. This parameter has an extreme effect on the sound especially when working with complex Waveforms. Indeed, these react very sensitively to any manipulation of the Phase. ABSYNTH 5 Reference Manual – 81...
Page 82: Effect Window
Effect Window lets you position (and move) the effect in the surround field. Lastly, it also allows you to establish a link between the effects and the ABSYNTH 5 functions for automation and remote control. ABSYNTH 5 Reference Manual – 82...
Page 83: General Interaction
Only one effect can be active at any given time. In the list, the currently active effect mode is marked by a status light and is highlighted. Each newly selected effect is reflected in the lower section of the Effect Window, where the individual parameters of the selected effect are indicated. ABSYNTH 5 Reference Manual – 83...
Page 84: Signal Pathway
Using the surround capacities of ABSYNTH’s effect unit greatly extends its spatial flexibility. For example, you can make the echoes come from behind your listening position. Or you can make the pipe circle around you. The creative possibilities are vast. Surround Panner ABSYNTH 5 Reference Manual – 84...
Page 85 There is no spatial extension at a minimum value, i.e. the line is reduced to a point in front of the listener. • The line is formed to a semicircle at a middle Spread value. • This ring is closed at maximum Spread value. ABSYNTH 5 Reference Manual – 85...
Page 86 The Surround Panner can also be used if a stereo set-up is chosen from the Options dialog of the File menu. However, the surround signal will be mixed down to a stereo signal without particular psycho-acoustic algorithms. Nonetheless, an effect will be audible, particularly if the Rotate switch is activated. ABSYNTH 5 Reference Manual – 86...
Page 87: Control Area
If you click on the Inversion switch, the parameters act in exactly the opposite fash- ion: a minimal value of the control signal sets the delay to 0.25 second, the maximum signal value results in a delay of 0.0625 second. ABSYNTH 5 Reference Manual – 87...
Page 88: Pipe
Output Positions. The graphic representation of the effect Pipe shows the current settings of the parameters for Input Position, Output Position and Length, as well as for the adjacent modulations. It should help you to prevent undesired crossovers with the Input Position. ABSYNTH 5 Reference Manual – 88...
Page 89: Parameters
Output Positions L/R: define the positions for the two pickups L and R. • Sensitivity control: Determines the impact of the control signal received via the Macro Control on the value of the Output Position controls, i.e. the position of the pickups. ABSYNTH 5 Reference Manual – 89...
Page 90: Multicomb
At high levels, the combfilter has a high resonance, and the sound’s overtones produce a saw-tooth curve. • Master Lowpass control: Determines the cut-off frequency of the Lowpass filter, which is run through via the feedback signal (in Hz). ABSYNTH 5 Reference Manual – 90...
Page 91 Pan control: Positions the signal of the respective comb filter within the panorama of the output signal. The value 0 corresponds to the position on the extreme left and 1 corre- sponds to the position on the extreme right. 0.5 corresponds to the middle position. ABSYNTH 5 Reference Manual – 91...
Page 92: Multitap
LFO. By setting the modulation source on the three taps’ Pan controls and feeding the Effect module with short, differentiated sounds, the signals will move around in a more powerful way. ABSYNTH 5 Reference Manual – 92...
Page 93: Parameters
0.5 to the middle. • Feedback control: This parameter exists only for the first Tap. It regulates the level of the signal, which is re-routed to the input, as a percentage of the original signal’s level. ABSYNTH 5 Reference Manual – 93...
Page 94: Echoes
Time, Feedback, Sensitivity control, Gain and Pan, which work in the same way as their equivalents in the effect types Multicomb and Multitap. The allpass filter’s parameters in the Echoes effect achieve the most striking results if modulated by an envelope. ABSYNTH 5 Reference Manual – 94...
Page 95: Parameters
0 value corresponds to a position at the extreme left, 1 a position at the extreme right and 0.5 to the middle. • Feedback control: Sets the level of an echo’s signal, which is routed back to the input, as a percentage of the original signal’s level. ABSYNTH 5 Reference Manual – 95...
Page 96: Resonators
If a high input level distorts the signal, the resonators react differ- ently to when stimulated by a clean signal. This is a very powerful setting, since it also affects all other parameters. ABSYNTH 5 Reference Manual – 96...
Page 97 Tone Spread control: Increasing the value of this produces a more diffuse sound and also reduces feedback. • Tone Ctl control: Defines how sensitive the parameter Tone reacts to LFO or MIDI modu- lation commands. The Inversion switch inverts the sensitivity. ABSYNTH 5 Reference Manual – 97...
Page 98: Aetherizer
• On the left, the Grain section allows to control the shape of the grain cloud. • On the right, the Tone section controls the pitch and filtering of each grain. ABSYNTH 5 Reference Manual – 98...
Page 99: Master Section
Note that the actual grain duration is also related to the chosen Rate: the faster the Rate, the shorter the grains. ABSYNTH 5 Reference Manual – 99...
Page 100 “move” around the basic Frequency control value. You can achieve this by setting the Random Frequency control to its right at a non-zero value (see below for more details about the Random parameters). ABSYNTH 5 Reference Manual – 100...
Page 101 For all modes except Vowel (and None), an additional Quantize Transpose control allows you to transpose the selected scale in semitones. For the Vowel mode, the additional parameter, named Vowel Mix and going from 0 to 100, allows you to morph between various vowels. ABSYNTH 5 Reference Manual – 101...
Page 102 (random) point of the input signal. This can be seen as mixing up the input signal in time. If you just play pads through it, not much will happen – but randomizing predelay becomes much more interesting with complex input, rhythmic loops or audio input! ABSYNTH 5 Reference Manual – 102...
Page 103: Aetherizer Display
By raising the resonance (Q control), the grains’ color get more intense. • Etc. The Aetherizer Display can be very handy to get familiar with the function of each parameter and to “see” what happens. ABSYNTH 5 Reference Manual – 103...
Page 104: Wave Window
Morph Wave. You can find out more on the Morph Wave in section 7.5, “Wave Morph”. All the tools that we will now describe work in real-time. You can play a sound, edit a waveform and hear the results immediately. ABSYNTH 5 Reference Manual – 104...
Page 105: Creating New Waves
You can create your own Waves completely from scratch using different tools, or change existing Waves. In the section below you will learn about the tools and options available to you in the Waveform page. ABSYNTH 5 Reference Manual – 105...
Page 106: Tools In The Waveform Page
This is different from centering the waveform through the Offset control. • Offset Phase…: allows you to programme a phase offset for the waveform. • Invert Phase: inverts the waveform’s phase. • Reverse: reverses the waveform. ABSYNTH 5 Reference Manual – 106...
Page 107 Highpass: is a Highpass filter with a slope gradient of -6db per octave. ▪ The Frequency control enables you to set the filter’s cutoff frequency. Lowpass filter- ing of waveforms is the best way to prevent undesired aliasing effects. ABSYNTH 5 Reference Manual – 107...
Page 108: Spectrum Edit
The Spectrum page of the Wave Window displays the edited waveforms’ first 64 harmonics. The top half of the display shows the harmonics’ amplitude, the lower half their phase. At the bottom of the window you can see – depending on the mouse position – the harmonic’s ABSYNTH 5 Reference Manual – 108...
Page 109: Tools In Spectrum Page
Library. Select the Wave you want to load. Click “OK” to load the Wave into the Wave Editor. • Save as Template: saves a waveform in ABSYNTH’s Universal Library. • Clear all: sets all amplitudes and phases to zero. • Clear amplitude: sets all amplitudes to zero. • Clear phase: sets all phases to zero. ABSYNTH 5 Reference Manual – 109...
Page 110: Wave Morph
3. Click on the New button. This creates a new waveform that uses the selected waveform as its model. 4. ABSYNTH opens the Wave Window automatically. → The Morph Wave is loaded into the Wave Window automatically. ABSYNTH 5 Reference Manual – 110...
Page 111 Wave 2. At a 0 value only Wave 1 i 1 only;, at the value of 100 only wave 2 is activeby raising the value, Wave 1 gradually waveforms is to set the Transition control to 50%. ABSYNTH 5 Reference Manual – 111...
Page 112 The Waveshaper module reacts in a very sensitive way to jumps in the waveform (such as those present in a square wave), morphing enables you to achieve an extensive sound vari- ance by continuously stretching and compressing – i.e. shifting and distorting those jumps. ABSYNTH 5 Reference Manual – 112...
Page 113: Envelope Window
The envelope can reduce this value but cannot increase it. For example: If a filter with a frequency of 5000 Hz is modulated by the envelope, then the envelope works between the range of 5 Hz to 5000 Hz. ABSYNTH 5 Reference Manual – 113...
Page 114: Zoom Function
You can select consecutive entries from the list by holding down the Shift key and clicking on the highest envelope followed by the lowest. To select several non-consecutive entries from the list, hold down the option-key (Mac OS) or Ctrl-key (Windows). ABSYNTH 5 Reference Manual – 114...
Page 115 All Mod: Displays all Envelopes that belong to the Modulator modules of the current preset. ▪ All Waveshape: Displays all Envelopes that belong to the Waveshaper modules of the current preset. ▪ All Effect: Displays all Envelopes that belong to the Effect Window of the current preset. ABSYNTH 5 Reference Manual – 115...
Page 116: Selecting An Envelope
Drag it downward to dimin- ish the value. You can also change the horizontal dilation (i.e. how long the value lasts), by moving the Breakpoints, which mark the corners of the Step-rectangle. Just hold down the mouse button. ABSYNTH 5 Reference Manual – 116...
Page 117 Slope determines the wave shape according to the sequence of the Breakpoints. A value of 1 creates a linear progression, and lower values create different exponential sequences (com- pare with previous picture). Breakpoint with Slope value of 1 ABSYNTH 5 Reference Manual – 117...
Page 118: Creating And Deleting Breakpoints
8.2.4 Free/Sync Switch Sync button Apart from Control Driven Envelopes (which are independent of time}, you can synchronize to the tempo of the Host-Software by switching the Free/Sync switch to Sync. ABSYNTH 5 Reference Manual – 118...
Page 119: Sustain/Release Marker
Breakpoint. If the note is released before the Sustain/Release point is reached, the envelope jumps to the position of this point and proceeds on its path from there until the end. ABSYNTH 5 Reference Manual – 119...
Page 120: Loop Mode
Marker is located inside the Retrigger Loop, the envelope keeps its position. The Retrigger mode is especially useful for creating rhythmic, looped paths. You can feed the retrigger speed as number of beats into the Retrigger: Beat control. ABSYNTH 5 Reference Manual – 120...
Page 121: Control Driven Envelopes
The length of the Control Driven Envelope and the number of points do not matter: The area that can be accessed by the Macro Control ranges from the very beginning to the very end of the Envelope. ABSYNTH 5 Reference Manual – 121...
Page 122: Link Mode
Master Envelope, 200% half the speed. • Amp % control: Scales the amplitude of the subordinate Envelope. • Amp Offset control: Boosts or diminishes the zero-line of the subordinate Envelope. • Slope % control: Scales the escalation of the subordinate Envelope. ABSYNTH 5 Reference Manual – 122...
Page 123: Sample Jump
% control, which sets the position as a percentage of the full length. The Envelope-type Sample Jump Envelope allows you to retrigger the various divisions of a sample, and can be synchronized by tempo. ABSYNTH 5 Reference Manual – 123...
Page 124: Envelope Lfo
Phase control: Sets the primary phase of the LFO. • Wave/SH Toggle: If a triangle wave appears, the LFO adopts the shape of the chosen wave. If the Sample&Hold Symbol is displayed, the LFO operates as a random Sample&Hold-function. ABSYNTH 5 Reference Manual – 124...
Page 125: Envelope Modulation
Macro Control or MIDI Velocity. Each Breakpoint responds individually to control signals for time and amplitude. It is therefore possible to dynamically change the form of the Envelopes using either Velocity or the signal that is transmitted through Macro Control. Envelope Breakpoint with activated Macro Control ABSYNTH 5 Reference Manual – 125...
Page 126 Breakpoint to the maximum amplitude. To create playable sounds, you can control the amplitude of the Oscillator Envelope or the Attack Time of a Filter Envelope via Velocity. ABSYNTH 5 Reference Manual – 126...
Page 127: Master Envelope
Envelope, repeat the process; but first select, with the help of Tabs D, S and R, which Master Envelope knob you wish to assign to the Breakpoint. When you have assigned the desired Breakpoints to all the Master Envelope knobs, click the ADSR Assign switch again to turn off the learning-mode. ABSYNTH 5 Reference Manual – 127...
Page 128 In this case, the value of Amp control would have to be increased on the basis of the default settings. At a value of 100, the knob A would not only control the duration of the attack-phase, but also the amplitude. ABSYNTH 5 Reference Manual – 128...
Page 129: Controlling The Master Envelope
The Transform menu offers you access to eight different functions that you can use to quickly transform the selected Envelope(s). Every function opens its own dialogue and has specific parameters. Through the Transform menu you have access to the functions presented within the following sections. ABSYNTH 5 Reference Manual – 129...
Page 130: Scale
• Pattern: Here you can determine the consecutive steps for the created rhythm. Like a Step Sequencer or a Drum Machine, you can turn individual steps on and off by clicking the appropriate division. ABSYNTH 5 Reference Manual – 130...
Page 131: Generate Ar Pulse
BPM control: Determines the duration for a beat in beats per minute (BPM). This serves the conversion of Seconds control to Beats control. • Beats control: Determines the duration for one cycle in beats. The beat reference is the speed set in the BPM control. ABSYNTH 5 Reference Manual – 131...
Page 132: Load Template
Calls up a dialogue through which you can save an Envelope in ABSYNTH’S Universal Library. 8.7.7 Initialize Selected Envelope Repositions the selected Envelope(s) to the custom form provided by ABSYNTH. 8.7.8 Delete Selected Envelope Removes the selected Envelope(s) from the Envelope List and the Envelope Display. ABSYNTH 5 Reference Manual – 132...
Page 133: Lfo Window
LFO in the upper section can be adjusted while the primary two Modulation sections define which sound parameters are modified using the LFO Signal. The lowest Modulation section determines how the LFO can modulate itself using the Macro Control. ABSYNTH 5 Reference Manual – 133...
Page 134: Oscillator Section
Waveform Selector: Click on the Waveform Selector to open a Dialogue in which you can select the Waveform for the Oscillator. You can use Simple Waves or Morph Waves. The latter in particular produces clearly audible effects when combined with the modulation of Transition control. ABSYNTH 5 Reference Manual – 134...
Page 135: Modulation Sections
Oscillator Modules. Underneath that section follow the parameters that have global influence, such as the ADSR Controller or the Effect parameter. The section on the very bottom establishes how the LFO itself can be modulated through Macro Controls. ABSYNTH 5 Reference Manual – 135...
Page 136: Channel Parameters Section
By default, all Channels are modulated. • Modulation Target menu: Chooses the parameter that is to be modulated by the LFO. The parameters are grouped according to the Modules of the Patch Windows. ABSYNTH 5 Reference Manual – 136...
Page 137: Master Parameters Section
Modulation Target menu: Selects the parameter that is to be modulated by the LFO. Diverse effect parameters, such as the Master ADSR Controller, are at your disposal. • Modulation Depth control: Determines the extent of Modulation by the LFO as a percent- age of the desired value. ABSYNTH 5 Reference Manual – 137...
Page 138: Controller Section
However, releasing the pedal has no effect. If the Retrigger button is activated, a further Modulation Source menu appears beside it. Here you can directly choose one the 128 Continuous Controllers that the MIDI specifications put at your disposal. ABSYNTH 5 Reference Manual – 138...
Page 139: Perform Window
On the Audio Mod page, you set an Envelope Follower that derives control signals from audio signals. Next, you will learn how to understand the different elements and pages of the Perform Window more clearly. ABSYNTH 5 Reference Manual – 139...
Page 140: Global Features
With this you select a global Tuning. You can select one from the pre- defined Tunings or create your own Tuning on the Tuning Page (for more information on this, see section 10.7 “Tuning Page”). ABSYNTH 5 Reference Manual – 140...
Page 141: Master Envelope
– and flexibly define the starting point of the envelope. More on this topic can be found in the section 10.8 “Audio Mod Page”. ABSYNTH 5 Reference Manual – 141...
Page 142: Automation In Absynth 5: Macro Controls
ABSYNTH 5 and make sound changes to several bars or entire compositions. Automation tracks can be assigned to the parameters inside of ABSYNTH 5 using a list of available Automation goals, of which ABSYNTH 5 notifies the host software. ABSYNTH 5 Reference Manual – 142...
Page 143 -12dB from the Filter’s Type menu. Right-click on the Frequency control. It opens a list with the available Macro Controls. Choose Macro Control 1. Assign the parameter Resonance con- trol to Macro Control 1 as previously described. Now switch to the Perform Window. ABSYNTH 5 Reference Manual – 143...
Page 144 Breakpoints with one of the four Master Envelope Knobs. Learning via MIDI is another feature that the Macro Controls and the Master Envelope have in common. The next section gives you more details on the features of the Macro Controls. ABSYNTH 5 Reference Manual – 144...
Page 145: Controllers Page
A yellow cursor marks the current position. The named input devices usually send the information for the x- and y-axes separately as MIDI Control Change Messages. ABSYNTH 5 Reference Manual – 145...
Page 146 If you use ABSYNTH 5 as a Plug-in within an audio MIDI sequencer, all Macro Controls are available as targets for automation information. Information on how to use the Automation in an audio MIDI sequencer can be found in the handbook delivered with the sequencer. ABSYNTH 5 Reference Manual – 146...
Page 147: Assignments Page
In order to sepa- rate the parameter from the Macro Control, select the entry Not assigned from the context menu. The entry then be removed from the Assignment Table. ABSYNTH 5 Reference Manual – 147...
Page 148: Midi Page
Pitchbendings on a set number of halftones. In Lag control you can determine the delay (in milliseconds) with which ABSYNTH 5 evaluates the incoming Pitchbend information for this Preset. ABSYNTH 5 Reference Manual – 148...
Page 149: Volume
10.3 “Controllers Page”. For control of the Panorama you can also determine the strength of the control signal (Depth control) and the hesitation in the assessment (Lag control). ABSYNTH 5 Reference Manual – 149...
Page 150: Velocity
Three groups of parameters can be modulated dependently of notes: • Oscil Amp A, B, C: are the volume envelopes of the Main Oscillator in the three Oscillator Modules. • Oscil FM Index/Balance A, B, C: controls the ratio between the channels’ main oscillators and their modulation oscillators. ABSYNTH 5 Reference Manual – 150...
Page 151: Note-Dependent Modulation
If you activate the Legato switch, the notes are only pro- duced with a gradual transition when you are playing Legato. When you play Staccato – that is, without overlapping the hold time – the transitions between notes are not gradual. ABSYNTH 5 Reference Manual – 151...
Page 152: Tuning Page
After you tune all of the notes according to your desires, you can save your new Tuning using the Transform menus in the Universal Library. You can then always return to this Tuning. ABSYNTH 5 Reference Manual – 152...
Page 153: Octave Link
When defining an octave, the Octave Link and the controls only influence the operation of the other parameters. You will not hear any changes until you change the pitch of a note in Note control, Frequency control or Ratio control. ABSYNTH 5 Reference Manual – 153...
Page 154: Audio Mod Page
In effect, a compression of the Signal results. This pretreatment is the result of a consistent signal distortion by the level-sensitive Waveshapers when dealing with various volume levels. ABSYNTH 5 Reference Manual – 154...
Page 155: Audio Mod As Trigger
Modulation Source menu: Use this to select the output signal of any Patch Window Module as the input signal for the Audio Mod. • Pre/Post Envelope switch: Use this to determine whether the Audio Signal is tapped off before or after being sent to an amplitude envelope. ABSYNTH 5 Reference Manual – 155...
Page 156 Thresh dB control: Use this to set the threshold value (in dB). Above this threshold, the Audio Mod should trigger the envelope. If the level of the input signal falls under the set threshold, the Audio Mod sends a MIDI Note-Off command. ABSYNTH 5 Reference Manual – 156...
Page 157: The Browser And Attributes Windows
Instead, the settings for each sound are saved into single files that can then easily be ported between platforms or projects. These sound files can also be loaded directly by Native Instruments’ host application KORE. As a result, each saved sound within ABSYNTH is called a KORE SOUND.
Page 158: Searching And Loading Sounds With The Browser
When activating the Programs button in either view a program list is added. All views feature the Browser Control Bar at the top, which contain the Sounds button, the Programs button and additional control options. ABSYNTH 5 Reference Manual – 158...
Page 159: Database View
Timbre: Describes the sound’s general tonality (cold, warm, metallic, dissonant, and so on). • Articulation: Describes how the sound develops over time (rhythmic, short, evolving, and so on). • Genre: Provides a choice of musical styles with which the sound might be compatible. ABSYNTH 5 Reference Manual – 159...
Page 160 Again, you can trigger the database rebuild manually within the Options Dialog, described in section 3.4, “Options Dialog”. The database is then scanned in a background process while you continue working with ABSYNTH 5. ABSYNTH 5 Reference Manual – 160...
Page 161 Search Result List down to the new Sounds in ABSYNTH 5. The Search Result List The KORE SOUNDS that match the search criteria (search term or Attribute combination) are displayed as a table within the Search Result List. Search Result List ABSYNTH 5 Reference Manual – 161...
Page 162 4.2.3, “Previous/Next Sound Buttons”, for details. The Search Result List will also be used by the Mutator as pool of Sounds from which the desired characteristics will be inherited (see section 11.3, “Mutator”, below). ABSYNTH 5 Reference Manual – 162...
Page 163: File Tree View
Finally, there is My Sounds, which links to the user content folder on your hard drive. It reflects that directory’s sub-folder structure; its handling is similar to that of the Explorer entry. The My Sounds entry contains all the original sounds that you have saved from previous sessions with ABSYNTH. ABSYNTH 5 Reference Manual – 163...
Page 164 Vista/XP. • “[User]/Documents/Native Instruments/Shared Content/Sounds/Absynth 5” on Mac OS X. These are the default locations for the user content folder. You can add further locations within the Database Tab of the Options Dialog. There you can also trigger a reconstruction of the database.
Page 165: Programs
After you press the On button (next to the Programs button if this one is activated) this list of KORE SOUNDS becomes your default list of presets, and these presets become selectable by MIDI Program Change messages and host automation from a sequencer. KORE SOUNDS as Presets in Cubase ABSYNTH 5 Reference Manual – 165...
Page 166: Mutator
Iterate the process as many times as you want. • Adjust “on the fly” some global characteristics of the newly generated Sounds via the Finetuning controls. • Rewind to previous Mutations via the Mutation History. ABSYNTH 5 Reference Manual – 166...
Page 167: Basic Operations
Retry button: Cancels the last Sound Mutation and applies a new Sound Mutation starting from the previous Sound/Mutation. The new Sound Mutation takes the name of the pre- vious one. If you have not executed any mutation yet, this Retry button is inactive (it is greyed out). ABSYNTH 5 Reference Manual – 167...
Page 168: Mini-Patch View
At the bottom, in the Master Channel, the first two modules are labeled with M1 and M2 (“M” for Master) and the last module with FX. You can select the modules to include or exclude within/from the mutation process by click- ing on them to toggle their state. ABSYNTH 5 Reference Manual – 168...
Page 169: Mutation History
ABSYNTH 5, if available. If this is the first or the last Sound Mutation, the corresponding button is deactivated and greyed out. • By clicking anywhere else in the Mutation History section, you open the Mutation History dialog, described below. Mutation History Dialog Mutation History Dialog ABSYNTH 5 Reference Manual – 169...
Page 170: Finetuning Controls
These Finetuning controls are intended to make on-the-fly adjustments to your Sounds when browsing or mutating them. They are not meant for live performance, therefore they cannot be automated, modulated nor controlled via MIDI! ABSYNTH 5 Reference Manual – 170...
Page 171: Mutation Controls In Other Parts Of The Gui
Mutation and Retry commands are also built into the Edit menu of each module in the Patch Window, so that you can selectively mutate/retry any module as you are working: The Getting Started guide provides you with a detailed Quick Start on how to use the Mutator functionality. ABSYNTH 5 Reference Manual – 171...
Page 172: Defining Attributes And Saving Kore Sounds
Bankname: the bank the sound is derived from. • Color: associates a color with the KORE SOUND. This information is used if the sound is loaded into KORE. • Rating: allows you to assign a rating the sound for future reference. ABSYNTH 5 Reference Manual – 172...
Page 173 Sounds” (Windows) or “[User]/Documents/Absynth 5/My Sounds” (Mac OS X). You can access this folder within the Browser’s File Tree View by selecting the My Sounds entry. As explained above, you can use your operating system to delete or rename files within these folders. ABSYNTH 5 Reference Manual – 173...
Page 174: Additional Features
(…or until you deactivate the Hold switch). This can be handy to try a sound without having to hold the mouse button de- pressed on a key. ABSYNTH 5 Reference Manual – 174...
Page 175: Sustain Switch
ABSYNTH 5 to modify your sound while recording. The Audio Recorder window cannot be opened when ABSYNTH 5 is being used as a plug- in. In this case, use your host’s capacities to record the synthesizer’s signal. ABSYNTH 5 Reference Manual – 175...
Page 176: Main Operations
BPM). This easily creates loop-like recordings, which can then be used in any other environment – or, recursively, in ABSYNTH 5’s sample operation modes. While recording, the Status Bar displays the current recording progress as a small horizontal bar. ABSYNTH 5 Reference Manual – 176...
Page 177: Overdubbing
Options button: By clicking on the Options button in the bottom row, you open the Options dialog. This dialog allows you to activate/deactivate the Undo function (see below) and define the maximum duration of your recordings (1, 2, 3, 5 or 7 minutes). ABSYNTH 5 Reference Manual – 177...
Page 178: Once The Recording Is Finished
Choose a name and a path for your recording. You can choose to save your record- ing as a WAV or AIFF file. Finally, press the “Save” button to store the file. • Clear button: Flushes the whole recording buffer without saving. ABSYNTH 5 Reference Manual – 178...
Page 179: Appendix A - How To Work With Attributes
The Browser is arranged in five columns. Your search should begin with the leftmost column and then filter the results as you move toward the rightmost column. Some columns have in- ternal groupings, so work with a left to right/top to bottom protocol when searching for sounds. ABSYNTH 5 Reference Manual – 179...
Page 180: The Instrument Column
Synth, Soundscapes, Sound Effects or Other. Also, don’t worry if you’re looking for Pads or Leads, and can’t find these Attributes under Instruments. You can specify this in the Articulation column, letting you distinguish between, for example, String and Synth Pads. ABSYNTH 5 Reference Manual – 180...
Page 181: The Source Column
• It defines the instrument you’ve chosen in the first column more specifically • It gives you information about the synthesis technique used in the sound • It provides information about the sound’s origin ABSYNTH 5 Reference Manual – 181...
Page 182 If you’re sure you want “true” FM synthesis, you would check Synthetic, and then you can be confident that your FM Bass was generated using this technology. ABSYNTH 5 Reference Manual – 182...
Page 183: The Timbre Column
It is important to realize that this column’s Attributes have to be seen in relation to the selected Attributes in the Instrument and Source columns (that is why it is a good idea to always go from left to right). ABSYNTH 5 Reference Manual – 183...
Page 184: The Articulation Column
If for example a sound is categorized as Chord, you know immediately that hitting one key results in a chord, meaning that if you play a chord on the keyboard the result will be rather messy. ABSYNTH 5 Reference Manual – 184...
Page 185: The Genre Column
Therefore, a harpsichord sound should be found under Orchestral/Classical, as it’s an instrument used in the repertoire of the 17th and 18th century. Again, check Appendix B for a complete list of definitions. ABSYNTH 5 Reference Manual – 185...
Page 186: Examples
Single is selected (although the pitch of the kick drum might change when you play across the keyboard). Because Synthetic is checked, you know that you’ll be able to modify the sound in its entirety. Try the Genre column to refine your search: ABSYNTH 5 Reference Manual – 186...
Page 187 • FM Bass: This is a typical search setting for an FM bass sound. You could select Sample- based instead of Synthetic; then you’ll retrieve programs that sound like FM but are based on samples. ABSYNTH 5 Reference Manual – 187...
Page 188 • Soft Electric Piano: In this example, because Sweep/Filter Mod is selected the sound will have some sort of filter movement. As a result, the electric piano might have a wah-wah “feel” to it. ABSYNTH 5 Reference Manual – 188...
Page 189 • Dark Pad: • Chord Stab: ABSYNTH 5 Reference Manual – 189...
Page 190 • Thin Bells: ABSYNTH 5 Reference Manual – 190...
Page 191: Appendix B - Attributes Reference
Plucked Strings: Instruments that are generally played by plucking a string, like a harp, koto, banjo, etc. This also applies to synth instruments whose main sonic quality is derived from the sound characteristic of a plucked string. ABSYNTH 5 Reference Manual – 191...
Page 192 Soundscapes: A sound providing some sort of acoustic scenery, whether it’s based on tonal timbres or noise textures (typically long compared to sound effects). • Sound Effects: A sound effect (not an effect plug-in) similar to an explosion, shot or foot- steps (typically short compared to Soundscapes). ABSYNTH 5 Reference Manual – 192...
Page 193: Source
FM: A sound which uses FM synthesis. FM can also be used for sample-based instru- ments that sound like FM. • Additive: A sound that uses additive synthesis (or sounds like it). • Granular: A sound that uses granular sampling (or sounds like it). ABSYNTH 5 Reference Manual – 193...
Page 194 Sequence/Loop: Based on a sequence or loop, like a step-sequenced synth or a drum loop. This Attribute is not used for simple repeating or retriggering of notes (see Arpeggiated). • Surround: A sound using surround-sound technology. ABSYNTH 5 Reference Manual – 194...
Page 195: Timbre
(e.g., vibraphone with soft mallets). • Muted: A sound with a muted or damped quality, like a muted guitar or con sordino strings. Usually found on acoustic instruments (a dark sound is not necessarily muted). ABSYNTH 5 Reference Manual – 195...
Page 196: Articulation
Percussive: A sound with a short attack and usually short decay/release, often found in the group of drums or percussion. • Long/Evolving: A sound with a complex, moving or increasing envelope, which persists for more than just a few seconds. ABSYNTH 5 Reference Manual – 196...
Page 197 Multiple: Used to denote instruments that feature more than one articulation. Usually applies to keyswitched instruments.Randomized: A sound with random elements in it, for example a random or free-running LFO modulating filter. Also indicate sequences and/or loops that give the impression of randomness. ABSYNTH 5 Reference Manual – 197...
Page 198: Genre
• Industrial: Sounds with a digital and cold/metallic character, often combined with noisy or distorted elements, belong in here. ABSYNTH 5 Reference Manual – 198...
Page 199 Ethnic/World: Sounds associated with non-western musical cultures like south/north Indian music, gamelan, Arabic/Persian, Asian and African music. These sounds need not neces- sarily be acoustic in nature; electronic textures can also be categorized here as long as they reflect this kind of atmosphere. ABSYNTH 5 Reference Manual – 199...
Page 200: Effect Categories
Pitch Shift: All effects altering the pitch of a sound without affecting the playback tempo. • Gate/NR: All types of gate and noise reduction effects. • Panning: Effects that modulate the incoming signal’s stereo/surround placement. ABSYNTH 5 Reference Manual – 200...
Page 201: Mode
Granular: Effects that re-synthesize the signal by using a micro-sound time scale. • Impulse Response: All effects working with impulse responses, e.g., convolution reverb effects or filters. • Overdriven: For effects with potentially overdriven inputs or outputs. ABSYNTH 5 Reference Manual – 201...
Page 202: Characteristic
Bright: A general, rather subjective interpretation of an effect. Can also be used to dif- ferentiate similar effects. • Dark: A general, rather subjective interpretation of an effect. Can also be used to differ- entiate similar effects. • Warm: An effect that adds warmth to the processed sound. ABSYNTH 5 Reference Manual – 202...
Page 203: Application
Pads/Strings: For effects typically used with pad or string sounds, e.g., chorus or phaser. • Guitar: For effects typically used with guitar sounds, e.g., amp simulator or distortion. • Bass: For effects typically used with bass sounds, e.g., equalizer or filter. ABSYNTH 5 Reference Manual – 203...
Page 204 Experimental: For effects that change the signal so extensively it becomes unrecognizable. • Surround: For effects that could be used for surround applications, e.g., panning etc. • Mastering: For effects intended for mastering applications, e.g., multiband compressor or FIR equalizer. ABSYNTH 5 Reference Manual – 204...

Native Instruments Absynth 5 Reference Manual

1 Welcome To Absynth 5

2 Control Elements And Areas

3 Application Menu Bar

4 Navigation Bar

5 Patch Window

6 Effect Window

7 Wave Window

8 Envelope Window

9 Lfo Window

10 Perform Window

11 The Browser And Attributes Windows

12 Additional Features

13 Appendix A - How To Work With Attributes

14 Appendix B - Attributes Reference

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