News Archive

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20 Apr, 2000 - New Compilation of FM Dreams
I have recompiled the original FM Dreams software using Visual Basic 6.0. Hopefully this will allow the program to run on more platforms, since there were discrepancies between Win95, Win98 ... etc.
FM Dreams 2000 is also progressing well, and I should have a beta version up soon.
As for progress on the commercial Soundfonts, 3 banks are now completed - Vintage Synth 2001, Vintage Drums 2001, and Digital Bliss. Frankly, these soundfonts ROCK! The Drum soundfont has around 520 hits, and both synth soundfonts have a full-blown 128 patches.

14 Apr, 2000 - FM Dreams 2000 Progress
The program now renders waveforms perfectly, and all save and load routines are working. The only section left to complete is the auto-generation of multi-samples based on the current patch, and a little cleanup. I expect the first release to be ready by 22 January, 2000. Initially I will supply as many patches as possible based on the old software, but conversion will be slow because the stored patch data is so different between the two programs. Writing an auto conversion is impossible, so everything will have to be converted manually.

24 Feb, 2000 - New Soundfont Progress
Beta-testers have given rave reviews of the new Vintage Dreamworks Soundfonts, in terms of quality of sounds, limited use of memory, and especially quanitity of sounds. Vintage Drums 2001, for instance, contains 13 drumkits totalling approximately 400 different sounds!

1. Vintage Synth 2001
Presently this soundfont contains a full compliment of 128 patches, ranging from basses, to pads, to leads, to FX ... etc. All patches are high-quality, stereo samples. There is no use of Reverb or Chorus, so you can rest assured that what VDW designers hear is exactly what you will hear when using the Soundfont. Only a good demo can do this Soundfont justice, so look out for these coming soon.

2. Vintage Drums 2001
These percussion kits contain a LOT of different sounds - enough to satisfy any analog enthusiast out there. They cover a broad range of genres, including Darkwave, Rave, Techno, Electronica, Trance, Dance, and Synthpop. The kit list is as follows:
1. TR909 Drumbox (4 Octaves)
2. TR808 Drumbox (4 Octaves)
3. CR78 Drumbox (2 Octaves)
4. Electro Drumbox 1 (16 sounds)
5. Electro Drumbox 2 (16 sounds)
6. Electro Drumbox 3 (16 sounds)
7. Industrial Noise (4 Octaves)
8. Kasio Drumbox (4 Octaves)
9. Analog Kit 1 (6 Octaves)
10. Analog Kit 2 (6 Octaves)
11. Kraftwerk Kit (4 Octaves)
12. 3-Voice soundchip (3 Octaves)
13. FM Drumkit (4 Octaves)

3. Digital Bliss
Here's another stomping soundfont, with tons of phatt, vintage digital and analog hits. A full compliment of 128 patches, ranging from basses, to pads, to leads, to FX ... etc. All patches are great quality, stereo samples.

10 Jan, 2000 - FM Dreams 2000 Progress
I am happy to announce that major progress has been made on the softsynth up to now. The main engine is almost complete, with only a few extras to add. The only real heavy stuff left to go is the saving and loading of patches and wav files, random sound creation, and auto-generation of multisamples. The random sounds and multi-samples will be the major hurdles, but the saving routines will be a cinch. The current specs on the softsynth are as follows :
1. 4 oscillator FM, Additive, and Analog synthesis
2. 1 Frequency ADSR per oscillator.
3. 1 Amplitude ADSR per oscillator.
4. 1 Filter-Cutoff ADSR per oscillator.
5. 1 Resonance per oscillator.
6. 1 Phattener per oscillator (detuning/chorus facility).
7. 1 Degrader per oscillator (dirties the sounds by reducing the bit-width of the sample).
8. 32 different waveforms (incl. Sine, Saw, Square, Noise, Triangle, variable Pulse-Width ... etc).
9. 1 Feedback per oscillator.
10. Frequency selection using Octave and Note tables (eg. C#1, A-4 ... etc)


5 Jan, 2000 - FM Dreams 2000
I am currently working from scratch on a new 4-op waveform renderer. Some sacrifices have been made from the original FM Dreams, but more powerful features have been added which allow mixing of FM, Additive, and Analog sounds. Here are some current specs for the software :
4-op synthesis; 16 waveforms; 15 FM algorithms; Phatmaker (increases the Phatness of the sound); Resonance; Filter Cutoff ADSR, Frequency ADSR, Amplitude ADSR, Randomisation of settings; Auto- generation of multi-samples; Pitch-selection via Note/Octave combinations ... etc.
As far as I know, the methods of synthesis employed in FM Dreams 2000 are unique, even though the main engine is based on 4-op FM. Many quirky parameters in the software are based on techniques I have discovered by accident, so you will probably not be able to emulate many of these sounds in other software or hardware synths. Along with the usual FM sounds, FM Dreams 2000 can produce very unique sounds, which is always a necessity in any sample library. FM, additive, analog, and combination synthesis combine to give you killer basses, standout darkwave sounds, booming bell-like textures, and some awesomely unique leads. And what will be special about this synth, other than it's unique sounds? I will be releasing the Visual Basic 5 code, so anyone can alter the code and create some of their own gadgets. I would be especially pleased if some of you Visual C++ programmers got your hands on the code, and created a C++ version - which will in all likelihood be way faster than VB.

9 Nov, 1999 - New Soundfonts
I am currenty working on a set of commercial soundfonts. The soundfonts are very comprehensive, and freeware versions will certainly contain enough sounds to keep everyone happy. The freeware versions, however, will be considerably scaled down compared to the commercial ones. The following soundfonts are currently in the works:

1. Vintage Synth 2001
This contains newly designed instruments with a feel similar to Vintage Dreams Waves 2.0. The sounds are stereo and designed from scratch, so there is no rehash of VDW 2.0. The intention is to create a stereo soundfont which is punchier than VDW 2.0., emphasising leads; thumping basses, filter sweeps, and digital textures. Update : This soundfont crrently contains 60 instruments, and is work-in-progress. PS. The basses are Killer.

2. Vintage Drums 2001
This is in the same vein as the drums in VDW 2.0., with emphasis placed on more punchy, stereo sounds, with many more kits. It will be a lot punchier, with more variation regarding snares and kicks. Update : The following drum-machines have been completed : TR808, TR909, CR-78, Casio, Electro Kit 1, Electro Kit 2, Electro Kit 3, 3-Voice Soundchip, FM Kit. Each kit already has a full compliment of sounds, with several Kick and Snare variations. I should have a demo RA file up soon. Note that these kits are emulations of the original, but for the most part they are better, and contain more useful variations.

3. Major Distortion 2001
As the title suggests, this will be a soundfont concentrating on some kind of FX distortions. The soundfont will contain different drum kits which have been distorted using various effects, like flanging, reverb, compression ... etc. These kits are intended for use in music where the drum beat defines the motion.