Imaginando has made a brutal 303 acid synth, complete with a melody generator that supports dragging clips to your host. And it’s free through December 1.
Yes, sure, we don’t really need another 303. But this one is a bit too much fun to ignore, especially if you don’t have an acid synth with melody generation built-in. The acid line generator is reminiscent of Iftah Gabbi’s wonderful Sting, down to the animated smiley face, even if that’s been enhanced a lot from the Max for Live graphics. (I’ve got new ideas from Iftah to write up soon, anyway.) This version, though, you can run in any host since it’s a plug-in, including the ability to drag and drop generated acid lines as you go.
Imaginando has also included some nice distortion models. I decided to rig up an all-free setup here and pipe TV3 into the new Supermassive 4.0 algorithm (which does work with shorter reverb times, folks!), and I love the way the result sounds:
The trick is, don’t miss the ADVANCED screen. There, you can select multiple distortion modes, including a couple of models that you won’t find elsewhere. There’s also a critical sub-bass feature, which of course didn’t exist on the TB-303.
I now definitely have too many 303s at my disposal. Roland’s own ACB model, in both hardware and software, is solid. D16’s Phoscyon 2 is my favorite for versatility. AudioRealism I don’t have, but seems to live up to the brand name for purist authentic recreation. Arturia’s Acid V has the most flexible sequencer and enters some territory outside of even the 303. But if you aren’t overwhelmed by 303s, this one should fit the bill – and through December 1, you can’t beat the price.
macOS and Windows for now (VST / VST3 / AU), though I hope we see an iOS version of this, since the competition I just mentioned doesn’t apply there!
https://www.imaginando.pt/products/tv3-acid-synth
Oh, PS – all of Imaginando’s stuff is great, so check their Black Friday sale on now for 60% off.