It’s a good time period for free plugins. Aciddose released today native VST ports of the Xhip Synthesizer and the Xhip Effect bundle for Linux and MacOS. These plugins are currently in the alpha stadium and doesn’t include a functional GUI. In Ableton Live per example, you have on the bottom all the controls for the plugin but no GUI. Looking forward for the finished version for macOS.
Xhip is a free software subtractive/hybrid synthesizer available for download as a plug-in.
Many software synthesizers focus on advertising themselves as “analog modelled”. The term “analog” decades ago became ambiguously synonymous with “subtractive”. Despite this confusing marketing strategy most of these synthesizers are structured and behave in ways which are not at all like classic analog subtractive synthesizers of the past. Xhip is not a “virtual analog”; a paradoxical term held in extreme derision by the author.
Xhip was originally developed out of frustration with other software synthesizers with confusing oddball feature sets missing common, essential features and implementing bizarre stopgap measures in their place. It correctly implements those features considered essential to a synthesizer capable of a wide variety of classic “bread and butter” sounds. Users of classic synthesizers should find it very comfortable and familiar as well as extremely fun to use.
Xhip follows a different path with regard to design trade-offs and optimizations. It aims to sound as good as possible with simple, CPU-efficient methods while optimizations which negatively impact quality and ease of use are avoided entirely.
Xhip Synthesizer alpha version:
- The Linux port has a GUI and is near fully functional with the exception of a missing file dialog.
- The MacOS port lacks a GUI and is therefore only partially functional.
Xhip effect bundle
- The Linux port includes a GUI and is fully functional without any known issues.
- The MacOS port lacks a GUI but is otherwise fully functional on the platform as the host GUI can perform all functions of the effects plug-ins.
- The effects now include a fully sizable GUI and some basic skin configuration is possible
More information here: Xhip
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