NAMM 2025: KV331 Audio has released update 3.1.1 for Synthmaster 3 Synthesizer, which adds a new drum part layer, alternative skins, and more.
Last September, KV331 Audio released the Synthmaster 3 Synthesizer plugin with many new features. The Turkish team has a booth at NAMM 2025 and showcases its new capabilities.
They also brought the latest Synthmaster 3.1.1 update to NAMM, introducing many new features, improvements, and sounds.
KV331 Audio Synthmaster 3.1.1
The new Synthmaster 3.1.1 is out now and ready for download from your user account. For friends of alternative synth clothes, it ships with two new skins ( black and white) designed by Levent Biyikoglu, which can be easily changed by clicking on the main menu.
One of the highlights is the new drum part layer and master drum sequencer page. These features turn Synthmaster 3 into a multi-track drum Synthesizer, allowing you to create powerful drum sounds.
On the new dedicated drum sequencer page, you can edit entire drum patterns (up to 128 patterns) and trigger the instruments by playing different keys. The editor offers various handy functions, including copy, paste, duplicate, add, delete, load, or save patterns.
New Sounds
The preset browser has also been updated with a new flag system that simplifies favoriting and hiding presets. In addition, you can benefit from new, simplified custom file paths for waveforms, multi-samples, and more.
As a bonus, Synthmaster 3.1.1 ships 25 new drum-kit presets and 120 drum patterns designed by Gercek Dorman to showcase the new drum Synthesizer functionality. Plus, it includes 50 new analog-inspired patches by KV331 Audio founder Bulent Biyikoglu, demonstrating the new voice modifier parameters.
It’s a nice update with many significant improvements. The drum layer is an exciting, surprising addition to the already very densely packed multi-engine.
KV331 Audio also has a special winter/NAMM 2025 sale where you can get Synthmaster 3 for $75 instead of $149. The new update, 3.1.1, is out now.
Update From September 2, 2024
The day is finally here! KV331 Audio has officially released Synthmaster 3.
Features At A Glance
- deeper semi-modular engine with 16 layers per instance and up to 16 modules (up to 32 modulators…)
- new UI with three operation views (layer, track, mix)
- granular oscillator with up to 16 voices, each with up to 32 grains
- new 16-voice VAnalog oscillator with real-time synthesis generation
- waveform, wavetable and multi-sample editors
- waveshaper effect with the ability to create custom shapers
- phaser and formant filters
- noise LFO
- scaler
- expanded arpeggiator/sequencer
- revised preset browser with backward compatibility and tons of new sounds
KV331 Audio Synthmaster 3 is available now for an introduction price of $125 instead of $179. The update from Synthmaster 2 is $49, upgrade from Synthmaster One is $89, and Synthmaster Player is $99.
Users of the Synthmaster Everything Bundle can update for free to SM3. It runs as a VST, VST3, AU, and AAX plugin on macOS (native Apple Silicon + Intel) and Windows.
Update From July 29, 2024
Synthmaster 3 has not been released yet. According to KV331 Audio, an official release is planned for September. Owners of the Everything Bundle or early adopters can already test Synthmaster 3 in the public beta.
The development is in the final stages. A feature highlight of SM3 has now been added: the granular oscillator. One of the big new features of the new version.
The granular oscillator renders its output by applying granular synthesis to a multi-sample. It features up to 16 voices with up to 32 grains each, resulting in up to 512 grains per oscillator.
Each voice can have different settings with the help of spread parameters for volume, pan, detune, position, grain length, and grain start time. Each grain can be randomized for volume, pan, detune, position, grain length, grain start time, and playback direction.
Not yet implemented are the new time-stretching and pitch-shifting algorithms. These are currently being worked on. The new granular oscillator is now testable in the new beta version.
Update From May 3, 2024
Great news from KV331 Audio. Synthmaster 3 beta is available now for testing. The synth now has all new features and the final GUI. You can download it from the official website.
If you don’t have a license, you can run the demo version that stops working after 30 minutes.
Anyone who wants to buy Synthmaster 3 in beta can now benefit from early-bird prices. You can get SM3 for $62,10 instead of $179. There are also special offers for existing Synthmaster product users. For example, you can upgrade from SM2 to SM3 for just $26.10.
Article From January 2, 2024
Multi-engine synthesizers have the advantage of having many synthesis types in one plugin. They also offer the possibility of combining them and thus crafting complex, evolving sounds. Popular multi-engine synths are UVI Falcon 3, Spectrasonics Omnisphere 2, VPS Avenger 2, or KV331 Audio Synthmaster 2.
There will soon be a big upgrade for the latter. KV331 Audio has been working on this for several years. Development is in its final stages, and a release is planned for March. You can already test an alpha version with most of the new features.
KV331 Audio Synthmaster 3
For everyone who hasn’t worked much with Synthmaster 2 or doesn’t know it at all. It’s a semi-modular Synthesizer plugin with multiple synth engines. I like to call these synths multi-engine synths.
From virtual analog, FM, wavetables, vector synthesis, and sampler with multi-sample support, Synthmaster 2 already offers an excellent synthesis playground for sound designers.
In Synthmaster 3, the Turkish developers at KV331 Audio continue SM2’s feature set and expand it with many new functionalities. It will not be a free update. At $29, the price is, however, very fair and offers a lot of great additions to explore.
Expanded Modularity
One of Synthmaster 2’s strengths is the ability to modify the signal path and configure it however you want. In the upcoming Synthmaster 3, this semi-modular core will become even more modular. It won’t be a modular synth, but it offers configurations reminiscent of one.
First, the complete core structure of Synthmaster received a major upgrade. In Synthmaster 3, you can add/remove layers dynamically. Each preset has up to 16 layers, each with own set of oscillators, filters, envelopes, and more. So basically, up to 16 independent synths in one.
Routing within the layers is just as flexible. Individual functions are regrouped into dedicated layer modules (osc, mod, filter, operator, FX…) that can also be dynamically changed. You can connect the modules modularly (up to 16 per layer) and create complex patches.
KV331 Audio has opened this up so that you can now easily build complete DX7 FM synths within one patch. The same flexibility also applies to the modulation sources, consisting of envelopes, LFOs, sequencers… You can have up to 32 sources per layer. That’s a lot of mod power.
According to the developers, you can also import entire Synthmaster One (wavetable synth) presets in the layers.
New Sound Design Features
Synthmaster has received a massive boost not only in its structure but also in its respective synth engine. Starting with the oscillators, you can explore a new virtual analog oscillator type. It renders the oscillator shapes in real-time, giving you more authentic, analog-sounding waveforms, promises the devs.
Then, it also features new oscillator unison modes, including chords (major, major 6th,…), with which you can quickly create fat-sounding sounds.
A big news in Synthmaster 3 is three built-in editors for classic waveforms, wavetables, and multi-samples. With these, you can delve deep into sound design. It is especially very helpful if you want to work with your own sample sets. For me, these three editors would be worth the $29 upgrade.
Not all features have been implemented yet. One is the new granular oscillator, which will be added in a later alpha/beta version.
There are also new additions to the filters and other shapers. On the filter side, you get an all-new phaser filter and benefit from an improved comb filter with new feedback/feedforward modes.
For me, it’s a very underrated filter that has tons of potential. Great for experimental sounds or timbres that explore the physical modeling side. Another new function is a waveshaper module with 12 different types of distortions. In use, any boring “sine wave” can be transformed into something super exciting.
Further, it comes with an improved Keyscaler modulation source and a new noise LFO modulation source. Features you know and love from Synthmaster 2 are still available in SM3, including all the oscillator and filter types, modulation engine, and more.
Also new are dedicated tabs for the track- and layer view. These give you a clearer view of the entire patch and layer activities.
Synthmaster 3 Alpha
As already mentioned, not all features have been implemented (2 Jan 24). This also includes the final GUI. It is important to know before installing the Alpha version on your system. There are known problems in various places, such as unready features, missing implementations or bugs.
For example, you cannot currently import Synthmaster 2 patches. This will, however, be added in a later alpha/beta version. So don’t expect too much from this alpha version or don’t make your final judgement on SM3 on this. The plugin will be final in 2-3 months.
First Impression
I currently have Synthmaster 3 Alpha on my M2 Macbook Air. The version runs very stable, and it gives you an overview of where SM3 is heading. I’m happy that the horizon is very close and that SM3 is a reality. I’m looking forward to the final version. Until then, happy testing
KV331 Audio Synthmaster 3 will be available in March 2024 (estimated). SM3 is now in public alpha; beta is coming this January. It runs as a VST, VST3, AU, and AAX plugin on macOS (native Apple Silicon + Intel) and Windows. Join the official user group on FB to get all the details about the alpha/beta version.
You can purchase Synthmaster 3 in a pre-release version for $69 instead of $179. Existing users of SM2 (regular) can upgrade for $29 to SM3. There is also a crossgrade for SM One users for $49 and SM 2 Player for $59. For owners of the Synthmaster Everything Bundle the upgrade is free of charge.
More information here: KV331 Audio
i dont think layers is such a great improvement. its always easier just to have multiple synths to see what is going on
Enough of the never ending beta. Just get the product out!
it’s open beta, so you can use it. In September it will be out
Using beta products represents a business risk that many businesses simply cannot accept. The release dates appear to slip in favour of further beta increments. This highlights further risk through an unclear product roadmap.
it’s not an alpha version with no clear release date from a unknown company that crashes your system. The plugin works stabl, I hadn’t any crash so far with the last releases. The development is 99% done. The granular oscillator was the biggest feature they had to finish. I don’t see a risk if everythign is well communicated and in the official Beta FB group, you can participate for improvements, etc. Release is for September. So not risk.
Not using beta is then risk of more bugs.i guess you have to weight out both approaches
very excited now. i preordered after a long wait. the granular part intrigued me the most. and the generous offer of one free sound expansion by nori ubukata
On a previous version, I struggled to get some promised content downloaded, and wasn’t getting anywhere with the developer to resolve that little issue. I never really got into it, more my own attention-span than anything about the software.
I’m curious if anyone has kind of a small list of things that make this synth special as compared to other similar ones. At least this developer seems to be working on making it better with each iteration.