Musikmesse 2016: Softube has announced Softube Modular – a software modular synthesizer that emulates the world of Eurorack modular synths.
According to the company, Softube Modular ‘makes the Eurorack modular synthesizer truly accessible for everyone’.
Softube’s modeling experts have collaborated with Eurorack standard creator Dieter Doepfer and designers at Intellijel to create circuit emulations of a variety of hardware modules. The resulting software modules have been authorized and approved by their respective owners.
The basic system includes six Doepfer modules and 20+ utility modules, such as sequencer, mixer, delay and more. A ‘massive’ preset library will be included.
Additional modules from Doepfer and Intellijel will be available as add-ons at launch (such as LPG, uFold II, Korgasmatron and Rubicon). More emulations from top hardware synthesizer brands are planned.
Here’s a video demo from the Musikmesse floor, via Audiofanzine:
Softube Modular will be available on May 11, 2016 for $99. See the Softube site for more info.
NICE
Sounds like shit!
Demo sounds like the usual boring acid shity music we always hear with analogs. I guess the emulation is well done then…
I thought the same. “Does these modular synths make any other sounds besides rumbles and bleeps” until I did some research. Came to the realization that it starts to sound better the more modules you get. This is the inexpensive alternative like Reaktor (which is awesome btw). The moment you realize you can create a synth with 10 oscillators all being controlled by different envelopes and LFO’s, then it clicks.
I know what you mean. Until I started checking out the more complex builds and sophisticated ideas, it just seemed like an uber expensive way to make analog fart noises.
I hope they let anyone create modules and open a module market.
I can’t lie, I first thought this was late April Fools. The modular approach to synthesis, although far removed from the physicality of all the controls and wires, can be powerful on a computer (Reaktor, Nord Modular). Something about using modular *emulators* and skeuomorphism rearing its head again feels a bit retrograde, like in past emulators where it definitely felt like more work went into getting the front panel modeled correctly than the sound. But it’s probably just me stinkin thinkin.
On the other hand, with so many DSP based modular designs out there now it shouldn’t be as hard to emulate them in software as the old analog synths.
This makes modulars “truly accessible” ? Well, thank goodness for that ! I was starting to worry that it was becoming difficult to find access to modular gear.
No, hang-on – my bad – they’re actually fucking everywhere.
Not needed.
heh, i was thinking something similar, like, oh look, now we can gouge customers for virtual versions of overpriced single-function modules.
Modulars are expensive, sold in few stores, and hard to learn how to use. I don’t think this software is the solution, but they do need to be made more accessible.
This is very cool. As someone itching to get into modular but with little idea of where to start or how to put everything together this makes a lot of sense. It looks like a great way to explore modular & get your head around the concepts. Like a EuroRack training tool 🙂
Very interesting & many magnitudes more affordable than my current planned route into Eurorack of a Moog Mother 32, an additional Moog HP80 Eurorack case & god knows what modules to go in it!! :-/
…or you could just buy MuLab/MUX and build your own modules and design your own faceplates for only $69/$59 and v7 will be released shortly….
you will never be able to patch a cable (physically) on a screen…it is like painting on a tablet, there is always a difference between software and hardware…not said that this is bad.
I always thought it would come to this one day. However, I didn’t realize they would be asking for 25-50 dollars a module (3rd party ones). This is really what Reaktor 6 SHOULD have been (patching from the front), probably saving that along with more modulation inputs as a “feature” for version 7. So far Reaktor still looks like the superior product
Bazille is great for “patching in the front” experience
Reaktor comments aside, I am not sure if you are saying the $25-$50 is a bad or good thing. I definitely think it’s absurd. That cost is out of whack with add ons to software. Three add ons will get you in the price range of a ton of useful real modular. By the time you are done building your virtual eurorack system, you could probably have a small real system.
Change the price of the add on modules to $5-$10 and maybe.
I agree. Things like utilities, lfos, vcas, noise/probabilistic generators/sequencers, envelopes, and filter-banks would be ridiculous at anything near $25. I would probably feel fine paying that for more complex analogue-modeled vcos or filters though. Many fixed synths are sold today with little more than those 2 things at a similar price. My concern is that if this goes open source, who will have liberty with the more basic non-patented architectures: the users or the 3rd parties trying to sell it. Softube prices in general leaves a kind of bad taste. Reaktor 6 or git
spot on. first thing i thought when i read this was, here comes the $40 virtual LFOs, no effin thanks
good for modulation sources !!!
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i just want a decent MATHS , and 4MS P.E.G emulation
-can’t wait for system 63 !!!!!
The main reason I got in to modular was to get away from the computer. If you want modular, buy hardware….it sounds different, feels different, is frustrating limited (which can drive creativity), it looks great and there are no presets….no saves. You can run out of real patch chords, but that will feel great.
If you are using a computer to make music, the modular paradyme makes absolutely no sence. There are amazing sounding and flexible fun to program intelligent GUI virtual instruments. Serum, Falcon, omnisphere, Bazzile etc….you don’t need ‘pretend’ eurorack when you have stuff like this.
Everything you can do with a modular you can do with software already, don’t be fooled by pretty graphics, BITWiG studio is like a modular DAW, Reactor 6 blocks already have 100s of modules for free…
looks awesome, I wonder how much individual modules would cost
I think in one video they mentioned $29-$49 for individual module additions
I own the Creamware/SonicCore modular since 2001.
No longer needed other in the digital domain.
As someone who already owns, Reaktor and enjoys blocks immensely I love the open ended paradigm that the modular workflow allows for. Over the last few months I’ve been checking out hardware modular on Youtube, in order to gain some insight into different techniques and ideas that one can use. I’ve thought about pulling the trigger on a starter system, but the prices for this gear.
Fuck.
So for me this pretty exciting, especially since it includes several emulations of hardware I’ve been interested in for some time. Looks like I won’t have sell a kidney or my putative first born after all.
ummmmmmm, why not just go to modular grid and do this for free? And how is software modular not the worst of both worlds? all the limtiations of modular without any of the physical feedback? does this strike anyone else as the dumbest idea out there? WHat thought process brought this thing about? what am I missing here? really, talk about following the herd.
It’s cheaper than a hardware modular, doesn’t take up any space, and can save patches. I’m not too interested in it, but I can see the appeal.
It’s nice to see that there are more such alternatives to choose from. Don’t really know much about software, but as much as my ears can tell, then all NI synths and samplers sound really horrible, but Softube has been making decent sounding effects.
maybe we should go full meta and this could be released as a module for eurorack haha with a touchscreen!
Out of all the Messe product releases, this interests me the most. I am dipping back into the software world after a long focus on hardware, with NI’s Komplete 10, inc. Reaktor 6 and Reaktor Blocks, controlled by a Komplete Kontrol S61, plus Arturia V Collection 4, so I have a good software setup, running through Live 9 Standard. But having a virtual Eurorack Modular that I can add ‘modules’ too is good on two levels. It lets me gain an understanding and experience with modular synthesis so that when I am able to get my first hardware modular – at this point a Moog Mother 32 3-rack system sometime next year – I will know what the hell I’m doing, and have a better idea of what Eurorack modules I could add to that. Secondly, its a lower-cost entry into modular synthesis, and ideally they will create some sort of cv/gate software/hardware interface to enable software eurorack modules and hardware to work together.
Except that software has latency.
It probably wouldn’t be hard to achieve, if your audio interface has DC Coupled outputs (like something from MOTU).
In any case, this sounds quite reasonable idea!
If you can use Reaktor a modular will be a piece of cake. Talk to a modular dealer about a basic set up. But why not jump in with something different and learn by trial and error. I also combine the 2 by playing hardware into software and editing/effecting from there.
what goes around comes around.The basic design concepts and especially performance mode owe a lot to the Nord Modular,especially the G2.You are attracted to going modular because you want expansivity,mutability and hands on element.Nord stopped developing the Modular[cira 2008,2009] pre eurorack era.I think because they did not see a growing evolving market, even though they had a brilliant product for the time.Taking a 2016 view on the time locked G2 and its Software,its only deficiency is in the software GUI and ability to present boutique marque graphics.Many Synthtopia buffs are hardware fetishists, I am ,just admit it if you are.There is nothing wrong with this ,just so long as you don’t squander all your money on this stuff in preference to those who care and depend on you.Just have fun with this stuff.Personally I was fortunate enough to be made redundant in 2008, and bought a Nord G2 with some of the money,I have also got Bazille which is excellent and a 13 unit eurorck plus MFOS DIY.best value was the G2!.
oh come on ..
you dont have to emulate everything ..
I’m torn by this one. My first reaction is to love it and really want to play around with it. But then I remember all the other times that I’ve used software as virtual patch cabling, and frankly it kind of sucks. Plugging cables in real life is awesome. Plugging cables on software is a really inefficient way of routing modulations. What I really want to see is the sound quality and capabilities of these modules emulated, but with a truly modern software interface that gives more routing options and allows it to be done easier. Also, it seems like a closed loop. They can’t possibly keep emulating every new piece of hardware that comes out that you might be interested in, and if they did it would just be that purchasing treadmill. There’s no option like there is an Reaktor to just build your own thing.
Listen, folks.. This plugin will be iLok free or not? I mean hardware ilok.
Testing it, and having myself a sub37, a prophet 6 and an andromeda i can easily say that this is one of best analog sounding plugins out there. Sounds really good, the doepfer module, expecially the vfc sounds incredible. I’m having so much fun with it, honestly i’m really surprised by the sound quality.
cons. Cpu heavy and the workflow need to be improved