araucann looks like what would happen if someone’s plug-in SDK … exploded on the floor.
It’s a six-oscillator synth – okay, so far, so good – but then it also has 33 envelopes and 32 LFOs and things sort of get out of hand from there. This ocean of parameters is then encapsulated into a set of simple, musical controls that let you easily — ha, no, only joking. They made a knob for everything and called it a day. Each individual oscillator has its own bank of controls, and then even one of those banks is already slightly overwhelming. Then they made it mint-colored against a dust-shaded background, just to make sure you had no chance to see anything. It’s awesome. It’s hilarious. It’s … a knobgasm.
But then, araucann was gifted with a strong of genius. There’s a randomize button.
Sure, you have to squint to find it, and of course there wasn’t room for the vowels in the word random.
But hit it, and you get some instant new sound crafted atop this utterly insane maximalist engine. (Don’t worry – there’s loudness protection. You and your speakers will survive the sonic apocalypse you are about to unleash.)
Then save.
Then continue.
Now you get it. 64-bit Windows only, but they link to this tool in case you want to use Mac or Linux instead.
Full specs:
6 oscillators.
33 envlopes.
32 LFOs.
compression.
delay unit.
reverb unit.
modulated post filter unit.
output math unit.
unison and monophonic / polyphonic modes.
randomization algorithms for global or per unit parameter randomization.
Fully automatable controls.
Preset saving and loading.
Loudness protection / auto-gain function (no signal will be too loud or too quiet).
Full SSE and SSE2 support.
24€, with a demo version. Available direct or from KVR, because, really, where else?
Where did I find this? From Richard Devine. Of course. I expect he made a wish on some oil lamp he found at a fleamarket and that’s how this thing was created in the first place.
http://iraisynn.attinom.net/?download=araucann&lang=en
Somewhere, someone is furiously patching a modular, and you’re just going to mouse up to “rnd” on your $400 PC with this hosted inside FL Studio and make magic. And that’s why we’re here: for people like you.