CTRL-X Is A Synthesizer Plugin That Comes With Its Own MIDI Controller (Now On Kickstarter!)

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CTRL-X Synthesizer plugin combines the power of software and the haptic of hardware with a dedicated MIDI controller

Update: it’s now on Kickstarter! 

The biggest problem with Synthesizer plugins is the feel. The feeling of playing a hardware Synthesizer can unfortunately not be reproduced by a plugin. But what stands out: software companies are trying to bing this feeling more and more into the software world: Native Instruments (NKS), Spectrasonics Omnisphere 2.5…)

But there are also those who try it immediately. CTRL-X is an upcoming Kickstarter project for a new Synthesizer plugin. The interesting part of this plugin is its own devoted controller that allows you to control it completely. It features a big multi-touch screen, buttons and several encoders. You can not only control the CTRL-X Synthesizer with it but also other best-known virtual instruments. The company will deliver the controller with several templates for plugins like DIVA, Sylenth1, Serum and more.

What Is CTRL-X?

We’ve a polyphonic Synthesizer  with 2 oscillators based on samplers through the soundfount power. Classic waves, samplers from our favourite Synthesizer or sampled instruments can be charged. Ctrl-x collects different types of synthesis such as FM and RM or  one complete section to carry out wave-shaper and other section for synthesis by phase distortion.

Both sections can be mixed with our oscillator sf2 or be used as single signal. It also counts on a unison engine with pitch and octave independence to diffuse these voices througn a different spectrum from the original signal. A suboscillator with classic waves and octave selection complete the oscillator.

Other Features

  • Filters: more than 50 types of slopes (classic filter emulations, transistor ladders, diodes, state variables, comb….), slight EQ and soft distortion to give character to the signal
  • Modulation: LFO work through soundfont: hundreds of waveforms available to modulate. Adds a slight entrance fade or uses some from the sequencers to shoot the tune and create innovative rhythms in an easy and quick way + envelopes
  • Matrix: two areas: One to choose the section and another to choose the value, to avoid huge menus, the quick allocation is thus guaranteed
  • Arpeggiators: two arpeggiators, one for each oscillator or one for two oscillator sounds
  • Effects: delay, reverb, flanger…

Hardware Controller

All this handled with its specific controller, keeping the same controls position for a perfect display of each value or section, improving the workflow, apart from visual aids such as the analyzer or the scope which are always welcomed.

CTRL-X is the perfect controller for all types of Synthesizers and plugins thanks to its workflow and to its big multi-touch screen, we can have all the values mapped and well as to get access to any of them in just a 2 clicks.

Templates

We consider templates creation something always tiresome, that´s why we´ve made an effort to create them in the quickest possible way. We have created a software where you´ll be able to produce and personalize your own templates in a quick and simple way. To know more about this, let´s give a look to the video.

Hardware Controller Features

  • 7″ multi-touch screen, full color
  • 13 encoders and 8 buttons
  • Speed-sensitive encoders
  • USB and MIDI connections
  • Unlimited mappings
  • Browser: CTRL-X has a Browser function to change sound and bank any synthesizer compatible with program change.
  • Relative: it has 4 different types of relative, in any of its encoders, to adapt to the different daw, the value jumps are over.
  • NRPN: With the nrpn we can have more than 16000 parameters mapped, more than enough to control any synthesizer or pluging the market and unlike the CC has no limitations on the number of 14 bits messages we can send.
  • 14 bits: There are parameters in which we need a greater precision, an example is the cut filter, to make a decent sweep we need more than the 127 steps that gives us a CC of 7 bits, so the CC of 14 bits are perfect for this task since they allow us to increase the number of steps and to be more precise.
  • Layer2 layers available for the control of + 1000 parameters per layer
  • Bank6 banks provide us with the most common structure of the Synthesizer or the division between the different types of plugins
  • Memory: Ctrl x has implemented a value memory so that the jumps do not occur working in absolute mode.
    The same encoder can be assigned to different parameters of the synthesizer sending different midi messages, so when saving the value that that message had, it allows us to interact between different parameters with the same encoder, without these jumps occurring.
  • Note selection
  • Step by step speed control with either individual or joint setting
  • Solo and mute by note
  • Patterns copy-pastes
  • 16 to 32 copies
  • Edit tempo, range and transpose control
  • 21 editable patterns
  • Clock sync

Open-Source With Arduino

If you like making mess with stuff and you aren´t afraid of programming, Ctrk x is compatible with Arduino, that is why posibilities are almost endless: Send some messages through the mackie control protocol to control your sequencer repro-duction or stopage, create your own arpeggiator or customize your machine.

More information here: Kickstarter 

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