Physical Audio Preparation 2 first look review, a physical modeling Synthesizer plugin like no other

Physical Audio Preparation 2 is a new physical modeling Synthesizer plugin that models a collision between two strings, a rattle, and a dynamic fret.

It’s no secret that I’m a huge fan of physical modeling synthesizers, both hardware and software. Many (Chromaphone 3, Anyma V, Pianoteq…) tend to emulate acoustic instruments such as percussive or string instruments. 

The British developer Physical Audio takes a completely different approach. Instead of recreating classical instruments, its synthesizers model combinations of materials to create sounds. After the fascinating Modus synth, there is now the Preparation 2, an upgrade for one of his first experimental-flavored synths. 

Physical Audio Preparation 2

Preparation 2 is a new physical modeling Synthesizer plugin (7-voice polysynth) for macOS and Windows like no other. That’s because I don’t know of any PM synth that does it that way. 

Physical Audio’s code models a collision of three basic elements: strings with a bar configuration option, a rattle that joins strings together, and a dynamic fret. The material combination is reminiscent of the sound experimental that sound designs do in real life.

They play these with various exciters and capture the produced sounds using microphones. The plugin emulates this, but it goes much deeper.

The core consists of two fully customizable strings for each voice. You can shape it with various parameters, including sustain, tone, inharmonic, nonlinear, and more. Plus, you can adjust the stereo field of each string.

The second element is the rattle, which sits across the two strings and transfers energy from the collisions produced. You can adjust this in details, including the mass, stiffness, gap, and edge. Next to this, you have the flexible, dynamic fret which is underneath the strings. 

To generate sound, they have to be excited, like in real life. Three different customizable exciters are available: pluck, a bow, or side-chained audio. The pluck, for example, has different impulses for minimum and maximum note-on velocity. 

The greatest flexibility is offered by side-chained audio, as you can scatter your own sounds over the signal. Modulation is also onboard. A bit small but sufficient. You get two multi-wave LFOs, to modulate parameters (also FX), keyboard, and velocity modulation. 

There is no aftertouch, which is a shame, but there is full MPE support, which can be configured on a dedicated page.

Further, Physical Audio Preparation 2 hosts a multi-FX processor with an EQ, compressor, modulation, shaper (distortion), delay, and reverb. You can find them as a shortcut on the first page or in their entirety on the second page. A highlight is the ability to modulate the FX parameters.

Sound Demo

The developer ships the plugin with over 160+ presets from professional sound designers, including Daniel Stawczyk, who has also designed patch libraries for Applied Acoustics System plugins.

Physical Audio kindly gave me a license to test its new Synthesizer plugin. Here is a comprehensive no-talking sound demo.

First Look Review

I could now play through all the patches, tweak parameters, etc, for the last day. It’s a very unique, fascinating Synthesizer plugin that is certainly not more of the same. Preparation 2 is a nice evolution of its predecessor, which shows that physical modeling synthesis can also be used in other areas.

I would have liked to play the synth with an MPE controller, but I couldn’t because I don’t have one yet. The plugin is fun to explore because of its wide range of sounds. One can be classic, and the next one is super abstract and experimental, from lovely plucky marimbas to doomsday industrial drones.

What I’m currently missing in the synth is mappable aftertouch, GUI resizing, highlighting favorites presets and deeper modulators. LFOs are good but there could be more.

All in all, a lovely physical modeling Synthesizer that I will be working with for a while. I’m sure some factory or custom presets will end in my tracks for an upcoming gig. 

Physical Audio Preparation 2 is available now for an introductory price of 57,60€ instead of 96€ incl. VAT. Owners of the original Preparation v1.x can upgrade to Preparation 2 with a 50% off voucher. You need to contact the developer.

It runs as a VST3, AU, and AAX plugin on macOS (native Apple Silicon + Intel) and Windows. A free demo version is available on the website.

More information here: Physical Audio

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