Meet Friktion by Reason Studios, a physical modeling Synthesizer that produces beautiful, real-sounding strings sounds without taking up the space of your system
Everyone who knows me and my website/YouTube channel knows that I love physical model synthesizers a lot. Each new release brings a fresh breeze of real-sounding sounds into the big synth market. Manufacturers like AAS, in particular, have extremely beautiful soft synths with this technology on offer that are difficult to compare with anything else. Now Reason Studios (aka Propellerhead Software) has also created a synth named Friktion that goes the same direction as String Studio VS-3 from AAS.
More precisely, it’s a physical modeling string Synthesizer Rack Extension that models real strings instruments. In order to create authentic sounds, the developers modeled the essential parts of string instruments in detail. This includes the vibration of a string, the pressure of a finger, the wood used for the body, and more. All these points form the final sound. Everything is summarized in a typical synthesizer interface that invites musicians to create unique string instruments without using samples.
Pure synthesis and no samples are the most important points in my opinion because it allows you to go where sample libraries end. Create entirely new instruments with unique timbres and not dependent on a pre-recorded instrument. Reason Studios gives you a kind of string instrument designer in your virtual hands and gives you the freedom to build your dream instrument.
With its synthesizer workflow, Friktion can sound like the string instruments you love or entirely new ones yet to be invented. All the important aspects of sculpting a realistic string sound are within reach, but the controls go beyond what’s possible in the real world. With a few clicks you change the instrument shape and size, or make the strings buzzy and metallic—creating a new instrument that still sounds decidedly real and is expressive to play.
Friktion offers you a lot of controls but all this is remarkably easy. An octave of control keys changes how the instrument is played in real-time. Bowing, plucking, vibrato, tremolo, gliding up and down the strings and even harmonic overtones are just a keypress away. For further articulations, you can use the mod wheel for example.
“The magic with Friktion is how great it feels to play it,” says Mattias Häggström Gerdt, Reason Product Manager. “With just a regular MIDI keyboard, you can easily conjure up incredibly emotive performances—both with violin instruments and strings yet unheard.”
Features
- advanced physical modeling string synthesizer
- way beyond samples—full control over every aspect of the sound and performance
- control keys for realistic expression using just a MIDI keyboard
- comprehensive articulation including bowing, pluck, tremolo, legato, vibrato and much more
- tweak your sound to perfection, or go beyond what a real instrument could
- comes with 140+ patches, from classic instruments to brand new sounds
Not Just A Rack Extension
Reason is not just a “modular” DAW but also a host application that runs as a VST/AU/AAX plugin in every DAW. So you can use Friktion Modeled Strings also nicely in Ableton Live, Logic Pro, etc. The absolute minimum is a Reason 11 Lite version that offers the plugin host functionality. That means any music maker, regardless of what software host they use, can add the organic sounds of Friktion to their creative setups—along with Reason’s already vast array of instruments, effects, utilities, or other optional Rack Extensions.
Reason Studios Friktion Modeled Strings is available now for $99 and requires Reason 10.1 or later. A 30-day full trial version is available on the website and the full version is not included in R11 Suite.
More information here: Reason Studios
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