Boscomac is a free collection of 50 Gadget-style instruments (synths, drum machines…) and creative effects for Reaktor 6 (full version).
Reaktor is a fascinating modular environment where you can build synthesizers, effects, and MIDI generator ensembles. The strength of the software is its community-driven core.
The center of this is the User Library on the Native Instruments website, where Reaktorians share their ensemble patches with others. Most of which are available as free downloads.
It has more than 6,000 entries that the community can access. Full of synthesizers, effects, and more. A crazy amount of content from talented developers.
One of the best-known is Boscomac, known for its small ensembles, released between 2012 and 2016. Free but also available for purchase. He has now made the entire collection available as a free download—time to highlight these little beauties.
Boscomac
The collection comprises 50 ensembles, including different synthesizers, drum machines, and effects. Visually they are reminiscent of the Korg Gadget instruments, which also only have limited but well-selected controls.
According to the developer, the ensembles have NKS support. This allows you to control them directly from a Native Instruments controller.
Instruments
Let’s start with the instruments, which are 28 in number. Each comes with various controls
- Air Piano – a sample-based aerial piano instrument
- Barrousel – a sample-based barrel organ/carrousel
- Blissando – an Omnichord-like instrument
- Boxymuse – a mechanical music box
- Claviness Mk2 – funky clavinet
- Epinette – plucked string keyboard of the harpsichord family
- Hanky Tanky – propane tank, hang-like instrument
- Humanium – harmonium based on human voice
- Katapult – probabilistic drum machine
- Koto – Japanese instrument
- Lamellae – physical modeling/resonator Synthesizer
- Memory Stick 20 – drum machine based on Korg MS-20 samples
- Orgamundo – drawbar organ
- ‘Patasonix – industrial drum machine
- Plucktrion – plucked instrument
- Retro Beat MK2 – drum machine with various sampled drum synth sounds
- Snowflake – a unique instrument that generates snow-like notes
- The Bassenger – virtual bass instrument (didn’t work in my Reaktor 6 version)
- The Chiller – virtual string machine inspired by the ARP Omni
- The Clapper- a clap machine
- The Howler – a modern beastly synth with cutoff, resonance controls a built-in drive.
- The Leader – a Moog-style two-oscillator + ladder synth
- The Stabber – Juno-inspired polyphonic Synthesizer
- Transitorg MK2 – a Vox-like electric organ
- Twinkle – a Glockspiel instrument
- Vertigo Waves Mk2 – Ondes Martenot-style instrument
- Viola Organista – Cordophone instrument
- Wurlitsar Mk2 – a Wurlitzer-like electric piano
It’s a nice, colorful mix of instruments, from synthesizers, and drum machines to classic keyboards. The effects are just as enjoyable. I like them even more.
Effects
There are 23 effects to choose from, both classic and experimental. Plus, you can connect them in Reaktor 6 and form a multi-FX processor.
- Artefact – a controlled buffer/glitch effects
- Bit Torsion – a bit-crusher with built-in animation
- Bouncing Ball Delay – a super fun exponential delay
- Brownknee – brownian modulation (panolo, tremolo, vibrato…)
- Cassette – a lo-fi cassette tape FX emulation
- Delight delay – pattern-based delay
- Devil Inside – dynamic distortion
- Echophonic – a versatile echo processor
- Floodverb – aqueous reverb
- Fordist – multi-band distortion
- Freezbee – sound freezer FX
- Inity Delay – flexible dub delay
- Katakomb – sequenced multi-FX
- Magnitude – buss processing
- Pig Buff – Big Muff-inspired fuzz pedal
- Retape – stereo tape processor
- Springtime – spring reverb
- Stellar – multi-program shimmer reverb with built-in phaser, tremolo…
- The Cornet – retro diffuser
- The Reverser – reverse delay (super fun)
- Theremouth – a Theremin-like FX (use it with a mic)
- Tremodraw – wild pattern-based tremolo
First Impression
It’s hard to talk about a first impression here. As a Reaktor user for over ten years, I know the Boscomac ensembles well. There are no high-end instruments or effects but small, funny, inspiring ensembles. It’s excellent that you can now download them all for free.
The Boscomac collection is available as a free download from the official website or the Native Instruments Reaktor User Library. They require the full version of Reaktor 6.
More information here: Native Instruments Reaktor User Library / official website
Grandi