"Patricia Wolf takes a two-stage approach to sound design. 'In one way, I focus on the technical aspects of it, especially when there’s new features on a synthesizer that I’m not so familiar with. So I’ll play around with that and really think about what it’s doing.' Then, once she’s familiar with her machines and their respective capabilities, she’ll free herself from thinking on a purely technical point of view and consider her machines as an ecosystem, playing in harmony. 'It’s nice to let go of that technicality and just think of it as a living, electric energy that you can morph and change and start feeling for its creative potential.'"
"In this video, Patricia Wolf discusses how she takes a two-stage approach to sound design. “In one way, I focus on the technical aspects of it, especially when there’s new features on a synthesizer that I’m not so familiar with. So I’ll play around with that and really think about what it’s doing.” Then, once she’s familiar with her machines and their respective capabilities, she’ll free herself from thinking on a purely technical point of view and consider her machines as an ecosystem, playing in harmony. 'It’s nice to let go of that technicality and just think of it as a living, electric energy that you can morph and change and start feeling for its creative potential.'"
"In this video, filmed at Holocene, Portland, electronic musician, synthesist and sound designer Patricia Wolf performs with SL MkIII at the centre of her setup.
Patricia’s music-making setup comprises several machines: a Novation Peak polysynth; a Boomstar 3003 semi-modular synth; a Make Noise 0-Coast modular synth; an Elektron Analog Rytm drum machine, and OTO BIM and BAM effects units. All her sound-generating devices are connected to a Novation 49 SL MkIII controller by a mixture of MIDI and CV connections. By using templates in the SL MkIII to control multiple parameters across all her devices, Patricia is able to focus her attention on one main control surface — the Novation SL MkIII — while maximising the technological potential of all her synths.
"In this video, Patricia Wolf discusses how she takes a two-stage approach to sound design. “In one way, I focus on the technical aspects of it, especially when there’s new features on a synthesizer that I’m not so familiar with. So I’ll play around with that and really think about what it’s doing.” Then, once she’s familiar with her machines and their respective capabilities, she’ll free herself from thinking on a purely technical point of view and consider her machines as an ecosystem, playing in harmony. 'It’s nice to let go of that technicality and just think of it as a living, electric energy that you can morph and change and start feeling for its creative potential.'"
"This is a demonstration of the sound design work I did for the Novation Peak. I created 50 patches demonstrating some of the new features that the v1.2 firmware update has to offer. My sound pack is available for free with the update through Novation's Components App. Select the Novation tab on that app to access them as well as GForce Software's free patches.
The patches are performed with a mixture of Octatrack sequencing (using sequences from songs I have written) and live performance with a MIDI controller. I was inspired by artists like Delia Derbyshire and wanted to record little vignettes and sonatas using the Peak without other sound sources.
I made this recording so that friends can hear the sounds I made and so that other Peak users can get a closer glimpse into how I envision sound design. Please get in touch if you have any questions about my process or anything else related to this project and I will respond as best I can.
The Novation Peak was recorded directly into a Steinberg UR44 interface. No external effects. Subtle mastering from Tokyo Dawn Labs software to balance recordings of different patches.
And here is a little bit of information about me:
Patricia Wolf is an electronic musician, sound designer, and gallery curator based in Portland, Oregon. After years of working in the synth pop duo Soft Metals, Wolf became interested in exploring non-linear songwriting and new forms of synthesis. Alongside working with Novation, Wolf co-founded the gallery Variform which focuses on sound design and modern composition. Patricia Wolf is a recipient of the Precipice Fund, a grant funded by the Andy Warhol Foundation for the Visual Arts, to explore synthesis in the contemporary art world."
Our Peak synth is without doubt the most powerful synth we’ve ever created, and since its launch 18 months ago, users around the world have let us know ways in which they reckon we could make it even better.
In this video, -CALC- takes you through all the new features in the Peak Firmware v1.2 update. We’ve made your most frequently requested features a reality, adding 178 presets by Patricia Wolf and GForce software.
What's in the v1.2 update?
We've added 43 new wavetables, much more modulation, redesigned the Mod Matrix, FX Modulation, microtuning, plus new soundpacks from Patricia Wolf and GForce software.
In this video, -CALC- takes you through the brand new design of the Modulation Matrix. Now, with sources and destinations presented on the same page, the days of toggling between them to make and edit assignments are over. And as a knock-on benefit, the Page button now enables quick access to all 16 modulation slots.
3. Novation // Peak v1.2 - Micro Tuning
In this video, -CALC- takes you through the brand new microtuning abilities that have been added into Peak with the v1.2 update. We've added support for microtuning and Scala table import, with 16 Tuning Tables available for saving and recall within any patch, and automatic note selection making MIDI note-to-pitch assignment effortless.
4. Novation // Peak v1.2 - Wavetables
In this video, -CALC- takes you through the new 43 wavetables added to the Wave menus, and how they can be accessed and the new sound design options.
5. Novation // Peak v1.2 - Envelopes
Here, -CALC- takes you through the new envelope features that we've added to Peak in the v1.2 update. The envelopes see the addition of a Hold stage (up to 500ms) and the ability to loop between the Attack and Decay stages.
Novation is proud and excited to announce the release of the Peak firmware 1.2 update. Firmware 1.2 adds a number of the most requested features from Peak users around the world, as well as all-new presets.
New wavetables
Massively increasing the range of Peak’s sonic palette, 43 new wavetables have been added to the Oscillator Wave menus.
Additional modulators
Peak 1.2 adds two freely assignable, non-voice-specific LFOs (bringing the total to four) to the Mod Matrix and new FX Matrix. Pitch-Bend is now also available as a modulation source, with Up (BendWhl+) and Down (BendWhl-) assignable as separate signals if required.
New Mod Matrix design
Workflow is greatly accelerated with Peak 1.2's updated Mod Matrix design, as sources and destinations are presented on the same page – no more toggling between them to make and edit assignments. And as a knock-on benefit, the Page button now enables quick access to all 16 modulation slots.
FX Mod Matrix
You demanded, Novation delivered! Peak 1.2 lets you route non-voice-specific modulation sources to Peak’s FX parameters in the new four-slot FX Mod Matrix. Now you can, for example, expand and contract a reverb with a rhythmic LFO, or automate delay time changes using an envelope.
New envelope features
Speaking of envelopes, Peak 1.2’s ADSRs sees the addition of a Hold stage (up to 500ms) and the ability to loop between the Attack and Decay stages. For many, this game-changing improvement alone will be reason enough to upgrade.
Initialise Manual Mode
Peak 1.2 gives you the option of maintaining the current positions of all knobs and sliders when the Initialise button is pressed, rather than resetting their parameters to defaults – ideal for getting instantly hands-on with new patches, and creating random ones from scratch. The previous behaviour can be reinstated in the Settings menu, of course, for those who prefer it.
Microtuning
Peak 1.2 also adds support for microtuning. 16 Tuning Tables can be edited and saved for recall within any patch, and automatic note selection makes MIDI note-to-pitch assignment a snap.
New presets
Available in Components, new Soundpacks from Patricia Wolf and GForce Software showcasing the new features of Firmware 1.2, as well as the sonic power and versatility of Peak in general.
Availability
Reaching new heights of sound design potential, Peak’s 1.2 firmware update will be available from the 19th December 2018 as a free download in the Components content manager."
And the overview video from BoBeats:
BIG NOVATION PEAK UPDATE 1.2
Published on Dec 4, 2018 BoBeats
"Today we are checking out the new 1.2 update (available 19th Dec) to the Novation Peak. If you want to help the channel join Patreon: http://www.patreon.com/bobeats"
