Naturarum Anima is a new standalone and AUv3 physical modeling Synthesizer plugin for iPadOS and macOS with a custom visual experience.
In early July, Victorien Genna, aka Naturarum, released the Pond app, a unique AUv3 sequencer for iOS and macOS that transforms ripples into melodies.
The second Naturarum app, Anima, a new physical modeling Synthesizer, is now available on the App Store.
Naturarum Anima
Anima is a new standalone and AUv3 physical modeling Synthesizer plugin for iPadOS and macOS. Don’t confuse it with Anyma from French company Aodyo, which is also a physical modeling synth available as both hardware and a plugin.
Like the Pond sequencer app, this one was also created using AI tools, but it doesn’t look like it. Victorien Genna focuses heavily on the visual aspect here and has packaged the engine very nicely. It mirrors the synth’s signal path from left to right.
As I already wrote, it’s a 64-voice physical modeling/modal Synthesizer with three distinct sections: energy, object, and room. It inspired how the sound happens in the physical world. A breath excites an object, and the object rings out into a room.
Physical Modeling/Modal Synthesis
There is no information on whether the sound engine is based on Mutable Instruments Rings. This question arises because many AI-developed tools rely on this open-source algorithm.
It starts with the energy section, which contains the exciters for the resonators with various options to shape it, including an envelope, envelope curve, and more.
Then, the object is the modal resonator based on twenty-four coupled resonances per voice whose frequencies, loudness. and decay follow physical laws you can bend with the controls.
You can adjust the resonator core with a set of colorful shaping parameters: ring time, rigidity, harmonics, density, and more. With these, you can turn the resonators into various objects like wood, glass, metal, strings, bells, and more.
Depending on the characteristics of the exciter, the resonator will also sound different. Blow at it or strike it to get different results.
From here, the signal passes into the room section, which is a processor that can morph from an echo into a reverb. You can set the echo time, the regen (up to self-oscillation), decay, diffusion, and more.
Naturarum ships Anima with 55 factory presets including sounds by Red Sky Lullaby and Hoavi. Of course, you can also create your own and save them.
Further, you can play the synth with a built-in ribbon keyboard for true microtonal play (multitouch, per-finger slide…), a three-octave piano, or via MIDI. It also supports MPE, sustain pedal (CC64), and MIDI Program Change.
First Impression
On paper, Anima doesn’t offer anything groundbreakingly new. There are already several modal synthesizers on iOS that follow very similar approaches to sound.
Anima is interesting, though. This is due to its user interface, which is very well designed, making it more accessible than typical physical modeling/modal synths. They often have very technical UIs, but this one looks more playful.
Naturarum Anima is available now for an introductory price of $7,99/8,99€ instead of $12,99/13,99€ until September 1st, 2026. It runs as a standalone and AUv3 plugin on iPadOS and macOS.
I haven’t seen any mention of any modulation capability– especially, the ability to modulate any of those parameters via velocity. Otherwise it looks and sounds quite cool.
Does that mean I won’t buy it? Um, no, I’m definitely buying it.