Here’s a refreshing new take on software drum synth plug-ins: Capulet takes inspiration from machines like the classic Vermona DRM1 to deliver an instrument that overflows with character. And while there are tons of extras, they’re tucked into a clean, friendly interface for step sequencing and sound design.
James, the independent developer of Capulet and a veteran of ROLI’s engineering, writes to let us know about this one. It’s not a clone of anything, he says, but it does owe a lot to the DRM1 and to some of what makes sequencing fun on devices from Elektron and Polyend. “My goal was to make something unique, immediate, and fun that really does sound great and is definitely not your average 808, etc.,” James tells us.
In the flood of plug-ins out there, it’s appealing just to see this friendly, clean looking interface with some cheery colors. And then you get into the nice bits inside:
- Four separate virtual analog engines
- All audio-rate modulation throughout – so it behaves a lot like an analog instrument and envelope would
- Per-step voice modulation and probability
- Individual stereo outs for each part
- The sequencer outputs MIDI, making this easier to interface with your DAW (yeah, don’t know why some plug-ins leave that out)
- Tons of parameters to tweak (the advantage of using a virtual analog / synthesis engine and not only samples)
- Frequency modulation (which you can also step-sequence)
- Separate length, swing, nudge, etc. for each part’s sequence – easy polyrhythms and independent grooves
Look forward to playing with this one. Check those nice touches in the images here.
Oh, and you’ll like this – no iLok, license activation works offline, updates are free forever, and it costs just 70 EUR.
Yep, I’m late on this one, shhhh, it’s summer.
Tons of tweakable parameters and per-step manipulation, too (note the dice icon):
Conditionals!
Rolls!
Per-step modulation and FM:
Each part has independent sequence length, swing, nudge:
Here are more sound samples (though you can grab installers right on the site):
This does kind of suggest that a bass synth is coming named Montague, right? (A multi-effects named Mercutio? Tybalt, a distortion plug-in? Balthasar? Dunno. I would probably have opted for The Taming of the Shrew, but that’s me.)
Ohhhhh, Verona, Vermona, I see what you dmid thmere…