From the creator of Strokes, Stacks is a singular 4-voice wavetable morphing polysynth mixed with a 4-track granular looper. However that description doesn’t actually do it justice: modeling and digital grunge mix to make a raunchy instrument that behaves like an experimental studio.
I’ve been working with a take a look at construct of Stacks in its desktop model. When you get into it, this factor oozes character. I’ll be sincere; I by no means received absolutely immersed in Strokes. And this isn’t an affair you need to use with out the guide. However that doesn’t imply it’s troublesome to make use of – the workflow is fast and environment friendly when you grok the UI components and it turns into second nature rapidly. (You would possibly must squint on the UI a bit of, however happily, the window is resizable.)
I nearly hesitate to breed the specs, as a result of I believe that is greater than the sum of its elements. Let me attempt to sum it up first: think about a very grungy digital synth with some edgy wavetables, plus FM (with a number of modes, together with nonlinear), plus properly modeled low move gate, after which further filters – twin highpass/lowpass, variable width bandpass, and 6x bandpass filterbank. And also you’ve received some bitcrushing (pattern charge and bitrate discount) for further edge, plus extra saturation. That’s greater than sufficient filtering and wavetable goodness to make an array of melodic and percussive sounds.
Right here’s a fast video of me jamming with that sound engine to provide you a style:
Now, that alone is already the makings of a helpful sound design palette; it’s very very similar to what I are inclined to patch collectively when I’ve entry to a modular. (I actually sit up for combining this with V4-CO / GLITHc for added mayhem.) However this wouldn’t be a Cong Burn joint with out some extra layers. So that you get a really good algorithmic/convolution reverb with a number of routing modes and spring reverb, stereo/ping-pong delays and frequency shifter.
After which comes the “stacking” bit: you may construct complicated polyrhythmic ratcheting chord sequences – in a means that positively requires you watch the video tutorial. You possibly can seize samples (completely saved in your onerous drive), then slice and granulate them. And you’ve got the power to modulate something with anything – there are two step sequencers, six chaos mills / LFOs (with completely different modes like “flutter” and “ripple”), per-stage parameter locks, and an assault decay envelope, all freely assignable. You simply click on the modulation toggle above the modulation supply, then drag the vary of the parameter. That offers you the sort of patching flexibility you’d have with a modular, however in a Large-style software program paradigm. It’s actually addictive, and with the sequencers and distinctive LFOs, you may rapidly construct up fascinating patterns.
Mix that with the recorders, and you may repeatedly grap loops and bounce down concepts. You possibly can drag these into your host, too – so it’s an ideal mixture with Ableton Dwell, as you may maintain capturing loops to make use of later. On the identical time, it’s compelling sufficient which you can simply use it as a synth and ignore the loops in order for you.
Right here’s a number of moments of taking part in with that layering functionality:
Both means, it is a sensible approach to construct sounds and concepts rapidly. Cong Burn has discovered a intelligent answer to the issue that plagues pc manufacturing. We now have these nice synths that we like to endlessly tweak, however we will get misplaced in them and lose the good moments. Stacks is an surroundings that turns all that tweaking into tune supplies. And it makes all of these tweaks dynamic, in order that even with out recording and looping, the synth engine in Stacks by no means needs to be caught in a rut.
There are additionally some good tuning capabilities, even when I’d like to see full Scala and polyphonic pitch bend help.
You possibly can route MIDI into Stacks — I even tried modulation from the host, regardless that you don’t want extra. Nevertheless it’s additionally a MIDI supply. There’s actually no workflow Stacks can’t match.
If I had any criticism, it truly is that I’d love the UI to be simpler to see. The interface may additionally actually use some interactive documentation or a extra full guide. However I hope that gained’t discourage you, as I believe you’ll discover so much to like in Stacks instantly – and after watching the intro video, I discovered it straightforward to experiment. The couple of complicated interface components turn out to be clear instantly as soon as they’re defined.
Do watch that full video for a way of what that is about – and how one can make complete tracks this manner. (Which means the iOS and desktop variations work properly in live performance, too – and naturally, you may simply work fully on an iPad with the cell model in case you desire.)
Desktop out there now for an intro value of £35 (Home windows, macOS, VST3 + AU); iOS AUv3 and standalone is coming quickly for £19.99.
Verify it:
https://www.congburn.co.uk/stacks
Trying ahead to this one. The movies may not make it clear however I’ve completely received some tracks rising out of this one.
