Soundpaint, the powerful free sampler plugin from the 8io team, has just got a major free update 4.0 with new filter emulations (C.A.F tech), and more.
When 8Dio introduced the Soundpaint sampler in 2021, it was immediately apparent that the developers had an affinity for synthesizers. It had features that allowed for the reproduction of vintage synthesizer sounds using samples.
In Soundpaint 4.0, they go a step further, introducing emulations of classic filters, using the C.A.F (Capture Analog Filter) technology.
Soundpaint 4.0
The SP 4.0 update is free again and includes many new features, particularly exciting are the new filters. According to the developers, their new C.A.F technology allows them to capture any vintage Synthesizer filter they want.
The free version includes two C.A.F models: an emulation of the Moog Ladder filter (MOOD) and of the Oberheim state variable filter (OBHM). If you owner of one of their commercial libraries, you will find other filter emulation and more in the future: MS-10, Juno 60, Jupiter 8 (2P/4P), SH-101 und ARP 2600
Additionally, you can find various filter presets, including filters not available in the free version, that you can explore free of charge with your sounds. Part of this filter update is also the new per-voice filtering option, giving you more vintage synth authenticity.
There are more goodies for synth people. The new update 4.0 also introduced more advanced graphical envelopes and LFOs. The latter comes with classic shapes but also with inspiring random modes that give you all kinds of complex waves.
Update 4.0 also opens the door for a new time-stretch pro algorithm with a highly CPU-optimized core The sample engine now supports other file formats, including PCM and FLAC, which greatly reduces file sizes.
For the players, Soundpaint 4.0 introduces true polyphonic aftertouch support. It’s not fully compatible with MPE data but this is the first step. Other new features are:
- built-in video tutorials
- added a button to keyswitch menu to move all keyswitches at once.
- New Tips Image Zoom.
- Various bugs and optimizations made.
This is another very exciting and impressive update for the Soundpaint platform. I really enjoy that it’s still free to get started and that there are numerous free libraries available on the page. I’m curious to see what impact the new filters will have on the sound libraries.
Update January 9, 2024
Another year, another major free update for the Soundpaint sampler plugin. Version 3.0 is out now and brings a new set of powerful features. First, it introduces a color mode that lets you change the timbre of any instrument with a single click.
The higher you set the color modes, the more the engine gives you a slight variation of the chosen sounds to make it more realistic.
A major new feature is the new sample editor. It now supports 127 stacked velocity samples per key and support auto-morphing for faster velocity integration.
It also has updated auto-mapping features based on file names, metadata, pitch detection, edit note start, layer, and volume. There is also a new velocity block sound mode that lets you set how you want velocities to trigger for each independent part. It also supports multi-legato stacking.
Tattoos is a new visual feature, which lets you important images into the parts section for inspiration. In case, you had issues with your sound directory in the previous versions, there is also an update. Soundpaint 3.0 introduces new scanning feature to find your directories faster with the Full Rescan Shortcut
Plus, it comes with 28 new multi racks, giving you 4 total racks and 28 rack slots.
It’s impressive to see what the 8Dio developers have incorporated into the sampler plugin so far. It keeps getting better and better, and it’s still a free download.
Update From June 2, 2023
The development of Soundpaint continues. The team has just released Soundpaint 2.5, which includes a wide range of new features. Soundpaint co-founder and BAFTA-winning composer Troels Folmann says:
With 2.5 we’re really opening things up for the full range of orchestral instruments – to give composers around the world that same feeling of connection, with unrivaled realism thanks to the second generation of our legato technology.
We’ve also added a whole raft of workflow improvements to make using Soundpaint even faster and more intuitive, and to spark musical ideas by combining instruments in new and exciting ways.”
The new update expands the engine to eight layers. You can now create patches with up to eight independent sound parts instead of four. Then, it introduces a new, improved browser to find your sounds faster.
Other new additions are:
- new randomizer for endless new creative ideas
- control and combine articulations effortlessly with a new generation of keyswitches.
- create ultra-detailed soft or loud programs with Velocity Zoom.
- add written notes and images to sounds you love.
- enhancements to the H.A.L Legto feature introduction SP 2.0
- Easily add labels to the new on-screen keyboard.
Update From November 15, 2022
8Dio, the team behind the Soundpaint sampler, has just released version 2.0. The new update introduced the new H.A.L technology (Hyper Acoustic Legato), which allows the ability to play true polyphonic legato easily.
This new technology is backed by a new Legato Rack, which offers all the necessary controls over your H.A.L.-powered instrument. Besides this, version 2.0 includes a new sound mode for dynamic sustains to generate 127 discrete velocity layers for sustains. Plus, you can find other smaller refinements.
It’s good to see that 8Dio continues expanding the Soundpaint sampler and keeping it free for everybody.
Regarding sound content, Kontakt is still a long way off, but this platform is also a huge step ahead with thousands of libraries. Nonetheless, I’m looking forward to how it will evolve over the next years.
Article From November 2, 2021
The Kontakt sampler plugin from Native Instruments is an industry standard. It’s so popular among composers mainly because of the huge selection of third-party libraries available in every price category, from free to hundreds of Euros or Dollars. Check out Loot Audio, a website full of Kontakt Library gems for very little money.
There are powerful alternatives or, seen in this way, competitors like Steinberg HALion and UVI Falcon. But nobody has been able to knock it off the throne so far. It would be a different story if the community weren’t so huge. Just recently, 8Dio also entered the sampler plugin competition with the Soundpaint engine.
Soundpaint
So far, the 8Dio developers have relied on the Kontakt sampler. With Soundpaint, they developed their own sampler plugin that is free for every user. You get a free piano virtual instrument out of the box, but more on that later. Soundpaint is not a fully-featured sampler, more a sample player. Thus there is no option to load your own samples. It’s a playback engine with plenty of room to tweak sounds. And it’s a pretty solid one.
According to the developers, the “Soundpaint engine renders all instruments dynamically in real time. This results in a more realistic feel, playability, and behavior compared to conventional sample technologies.” A big highlight of this engine is its approach to velocity layers. Instead of offering the classic 128 layers of velocity (the limit of MIDI), it supports up to 65.536 layers of 16-bit velocity thanks to the MIDI 2.0-ready core. That’s definitely an innovation.
They achieve this using velocity morphing where new velocity samples are derived from morphed between layers. This is where the promised real-time rendering comes into play. The engine has 4 parts, each one can load an instrument. From these, you can create programs with effects, and other modifications made via the two “racks”.
The developers put a great focus on performance, which is very noticeable. This can also be seen in the very slim interface, which is kept very simple.
Morphing & Effects
In addition to classic parameters such as pitch, volume, tone … Soundpaint has a unique morphing function. With it, you can morph two parts between each other. Plus, it gives you the option to select the direction of travel and more. So you can craft your own piano timbre from two presets. Or as the plugin tells us: you paint the sound.
No savings are made on effects. Good, not only the classic bread and butter algorithms are included. It features versatile vintage and modern modulations, delays (BBD…), reverbs including granular verbs, distortions, bit-crusher, filter, and more. For many of these algorithms, 8Dio has captured the character of vintage effect devices using analog-modeling technologies. It’s an impressive set of effects that do a lot on the dry sounds.
Free 1928 Vintage Steinway Grand Piano
Oh yes, almost forgotten. Soundpaint ships with a free 1928 vintage Steinway Grand piano library. It has 32 ready-to-explore preset programs that free for everyone. No subscription, no demo, … just free. And it sounds damn good. Don’t miss it.
There is additional content for the release of the plugin. Along with the free Piano, they offer a sampled Roland Jupiter-8, a TR-808 drum machine, some Brass, 1975 Gibson guitar… You can find also classic sound effect libraries (hybrid emotions…) that Soundtrack composer likes to use. These are not free, you have to buy them.
First Impression
At the moment, SP will not be able to take Kontakt off the throne. The Native Instruments sampler is too widespread for that. But wait and see what 8Dio does with the plugin. If they keep what they promise (new instruments every week, never on sale, no subscription), a lot of sounds will be released in the coming months.
The plugin looks very solid, and the piano appetizer is also excellent and gives a promising outlook on what is to come. The lack of sample import functions could put many people off, especially those who want to build their own virtual instruments. You have to see that over the next few months how it evolves.
Soundpaint plugin is available as a free download and comes with a free Piano library. Individual libraries start at $20 USD and the all bundle with all sampled instruments is available for $300 USD.
More information here: SP
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