Super Mono-Synth ReFill requires Reason 6.5 and above along with Propellerheads Pulsar RE & Quadelectrica’s CV Suite Line Processor RE.
Welcome to the Super Mono-Synth ReFill. This ReFill is really more an instrument than a sound collection. There are a few sounds to get you going but after that it is up to you. If you haven’t already, please read the requirements above as this may either stop you from using this or require an RE or two, one of which may require payment.
If you don’t already have the ReFill then you can download Super Mono-Synth from here FREE!
Background
As some of you know I have quite a background in building synths in VST-land from my now defunct SynthStudio Packs, so the modularity of Reason has always had me itching to make my own instrument. I have had a few attempts and they appear in a ReFill or two but this probably stands as my first unique instrument. Sadly the Reason spec doesn’t yet allow for building custom front panels for Combinators so it is still a bit too hard to use easily but that will come, there are stirrings.
I had become a bit obsessed with the idea of getting a real analog synth to work alongside the Reason Synths. I felt it would be a revelation for me. At the same time the anti-gear-lust part of me felt I really should have everything I needed in Reason already so I made Super Mono-Synth. I figured this would be a releasable instrument from the start so I made a piece “The Woodcutter’s Forest” as a demo and that made it to my album Measured Spaces.
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Manual
I won’t pretend that Super Mono-Synth is super easy to use but here is a the rundown. You have 4 Oscillators, 4 LFOs, 2 Envelopes and a variety of Filter styles which make a up a very fat Monophonic synth.
- OSC + LFO are courtesy of Pulsar REs (and run all the time like a real analog synth so they use a lot of CPU)
- FILTer is Pulveriser
- Thor provides ENVelopes & Knobs
- CV Suite Line Processors help make CVs behave
- a Line Mixer does AMP duties
- and lastly a little red Chorus lets you get wide sounds.
The most likely used performance controls are pulled up onto the Combinator face (with a wonderfully garish color scheme to allow easier synth-spotting from the audience).
- Pitch & Mod Wheels behave as expected with Mod wired to LFO Depth
- Filter & Resonance will let you have the usual fun.
- Filter can be switched between the 12db & 24db Low Pass shapes
- Chorus turns the Chorus effect On & Off
- Filter Env sets the Filter Envelope Depth Invert sets the Filter Env to negative
- Filter LFO sets the Filter LFO Depth
- ReTrig switches new notes to re-Trigger all Envelopes instead of the usual carry-on Legato method
OSCillators 1-4 are generated by the appropriately named Pulsars.
- Tuning of OSC is best controlled by the named knobs on Thors – becuse Pulsar doesn’t have octaves or semitones then tuning is a very analog affair that relies on your ear (and perhaps a tuner). Like any analog tuning is a hit and miss affair. You will also note a lot of aliasing on higher pitches, this is the nature of Pulsar and adds to the beefiness of the sound.
- OSC Volumes are handled by the Line Mixer – this of course also allows each OSC to be switched in and out with the Mutes.
ENVelopes
The Thor in the middle that is opened-up handles AMPlifier and FILTer ENVelopes as named
Filter
Pulveriser handles Filter duties with the 12db & 24db Low-Pass shapes as standard. Of course you can choose any other available shape. You also can get creative with the Squash (compression) and Dirt (drive) controls including choosing whether Dirt comes before the filter (like a Mini Moog ) or after like a Korg MS-20.
LFOs 1-4 are generated by the appropriately named Pulsars. The CV Line Processors help control how LFO signals are shaped and sent to OSC & Filter duties. Take it slowly before you go fiddling with these randomly.
By default, LFOs are set to sync to Note On, if you want free-running then simply switch off the ENV Sync button on the relevant Pulsar LFO 1.
Initially only one LFO is turned on for Pitch & Filter but it is possible to turn the other on too. Be aware that the LFO 2 will be controlled by the Level knob so not controlled by Mod Wheel or Combinator Knob.
Have fun with Super Mono-Synth and if you wish to share patches, please feel free to. If you want to share Super Mono-Synth, please be sure to direct people to this website and not just go extracting some or all files as that would deprive me of my part in the game and legally allow me to be mightily pissed with you.