MATRIXSYNTH: NOT NAMM: Image Line Drumatrix


Tuesday, January 19, 2010

NOT NAMM: Image Line Drumatrix

"The Drumatrix [now Drumaxx] percussion modelling instrument gives you total control over 10 physically modelled drums that can be routed to independent outputs for external effects processing.

Great, but why should you care when the internet is awash with fantastic sounding drum samples? In two words, expressive realism. Once a drum sound is recorded, the performance and modulation options are limited to filtering, volume or similar 1-dimensional filtering effects. When a single drum sample is triggered in a roll you get the familiar 'machine-gun' effect, it just sounds artificial. Multi-sampled, multi-layered drums can overcome this limitation but need multi-megabyte or even Gigabyte! drum libraries, and even then, you are still limited to the sounds originally recorded.

Drumatrix is not based on samples or even commonly used 'synthesis' techniques, where oscillators are mixed and the result is 'electronic'. Drumatrix is a truly 'modelled' drum, and not just a single drum, Drumatrix can model bass drums, hi-hats, snares, realistic and yes electronic sounds too. But what about the traditional 'Achilles' heel' of synthesis, cymbals? We have left the best until last, Drumatrix models cymbals & metallic 'ethnic' percussion instruments with ease.

At the core of Drumatrix is a model of the drum-head. Here the vibrating membrane is represented in a mesh of inter-connected of points, each given physical properties, mass, inertia, stiffness, damping and all that good physics stuff. For the musician, this means Drumatrix can model the drum-head with multiple parameters such as material, thickness, tension and even shape. More importantly the parameters can be modulated in real-time as a function of velocity or external controls. The drum body is also modelled, in terms of material, size, vibration damping and shape. All this gives you multi-dimensional performance possibilities, a Matrix of variables providing the almost infinite complexity & subtlety of hitting a real drum.

Key features:
10 Physically modelled drum pads.

Multi-output for individual effects processing on each pad.

Huge range of modelling possibilities covering sounds from cymbals to kettle-drums.

Velocity modulation matrix for detailed expressiveness.

Integrated Stepsequencer with trigger-key playback.

Integrated effects.

Single-pad version 'Drumpad' available for tight integration with FL Studio Stepsequencer

1 comment:

  1. Awesome Drumsynth!

    I just downloaded the latest Beta from the Image-Line forums. http://forum.image-line.com/viewtopic.php?t=47734 changes seem to be:

    1. 16 pads up from 10 (Bonus!)
    2. Name change to Drumaxx (probably because Maxx Claster wrote it)

    Uber Cool and making great sounds here!

    ReplyDelete

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