Year/Date of Release : 10.2023
Version : 1.5.1
Developer : Sound Particles
Developer website : Sound Particles
Format : VST3, AAX
Bit depth : 64bit
Tablet : cured (TCD)
System requirements : Windows 10, 11
Description :
SkyDust 3D is a spatial synthesizer plugin that allows you to play a note and instantly get 3D audio in any immersive format. It’s great in stereo and great in 3D.
SkyDust 3D is very effective immersive audio processing software, and in their latest project, Sound Particles have applied this technology to a synthesizer that is apparently a world first. The synthesizer itself uses a set of eight multi-wavelength oscillators, which can either be layered for analog-style subtractive synthesis, or used individually as frequency modulation (FM) sources to modulate other oscillators. The oscillators are then fed into a mixer and each layer has its own filter, modulation and envelope settings. There are various options to further modify the oscillator waveforms, as well as the built-in effects, arpeggiators and sequencers. Sound Particles has organized the GUI using tabbed sections to make accessing all these features very easy.
Unusually, the surround panning technology behind most existing Sound Particles plugins has been integrated into the synthesizer, so that the surround pan position becomes the modulation destination. In other words, panning can be controlled using all the usual modulation sources such as envelopes, LFOs and sequencers, as well as having access to a set of preset paths. Each of the oscillator sources fed into the mixer can have its own pan mode, so you end up with a multi-layered sound where each layer moves independently. The output format can be selected to suit your monitor system, from mono or stereo to a long list of nearly 30 discrete surround formats up to 13.1 (and Dolby Atmos compatible), binaural or Ambisonics, so there are options for creating sounds that work on headphones . as well as in surround sound systems. Apparently the synth uses ACN/SN3D (also known as AmbiX), so to use Ambisonics SkyDust 3D you just need to place it on a DAW track that supports it. There are several binaural format options to choose from, as well as additional options for each of these formats.
There is a large selection of patch presets available, which can be browsed by category. There’s also a “Dice” button for random settings and a menu that allows you to lock certain aspects, such as pitch, timbre, or spatial settings, so they don’t change when you try different random settings. Presets for arpeggiator sequences and 3D movement are also available, so you don’t have to do deep editing until you’re ready.
Other Features
- Support for MIDI MPE
- New Presets
- Performance Improvement
- Support for Mono Output
- GUI updates
- On the preset save info, Tab key allows to switch to the next text field
- Changing a parameter on a preset triggers a “*” on the preset name
- LFOs max rate is now 100 Hz
- On the Pitch Tab:
– Pitch EG has knobs disabled for Random Behaviors: Detune ± 10 Cents; Detune ±50 Cents; ±2 octaves - On the Sequencer Tab:
– There is now “Clear Step” “Reset Notes” and “Clear Notes” options
– Changes between note mode no longer resets the notes on the Keyboard
– Delete button for Lane is now on the top part of the parameter label - On the Matrix Tab:
– PThe Filter Frequency behavior is now Logarithmic – old presets keep a “Legacy” behavior - MIDI Indicator
- Virtual keyboard with pitch-bend, modulation wheel, and sustain pedal indicator
- Zoom UI (resizable Window)
- 40 EGs per voice: 8 gain EGs, 8 pitch EGs, 8 filter EGs, 8 spatial EGs, 8 extra EGs
- 40 LFOs per voice: 8 gain LFOs, 8 pitch LFOs, 8 filter LFOs, 8 spatial LFOs, 8 extra LFOs
- FM modulation (phase modulation) with 8 operators
- FM matrix, for custom FM connections
- 4 FM parameters per operator: ratio (or fixed frequency), detune, modulation gain, feedback
- A FM view to help visualize the current FM diagram
- Binaural: 5 HRTF datasets, with more than 100 HRTF profiles
- Support for SOFA files (personalized HRTFs)
- Supports Ambisonics up to 6th order (only SkyDust 3D)
- Support multichannel: LRC, LRCS, Quad, 4.0, 5.0, 5.1, 6.1, 7.0, 7.1, 9.0, 9.1, 5.0.2, 5.1.2, 5.0.4, 5.1.4, 7.0.2, 7.1.2, 7.1 .4, 7.0.6, 7.1.6, 9.1.2, 9.1.4, 9.1.6, 9.0.8, 9.1.8, 11.1.8, Auro 11.1, Auro 13.1, IMAX 12.0, 22.2
- Support for stereo: stereo, stereo (VBAP), stereo (MS) (…)
- Support for binaural (3D sound over Headphones) – 2 XY pads, with custom parameters per axis
- Snap feature, with snap time, on XY pads
- FX: Delay, Reverb, Bit-Crusher, Distortion, EQ (3 bands), Parametric EQ (1 band)
- FX presets and sub-presets
- Dry/Wet control
- Meters in between FX slots
- LFOs with depth, rate, phase, delay
- Ability to sync LFOs with host (tempo)
- Global LFOs (all LFOs in sync with each other)
- 11 Movement modifiers: Random rotation, Oscillate, Floating, Random Target, Rotation, Moving Up, Moving To Position, Moving Left, Moving Front, Moving Rear, Moving Right
- EG with multiple types: AR, ADR, ADSR, AHDSR, DAHDSR
- Global octave, transpose, detune
- 4 macros, with support for multiple parameters, and custom curves
- Multiple 3D views: 360 view, rear view, top view, spherical view, SkyDust view
- Main volume and main meters
- Mixer panel, with independent control of oscillators (volume, mute, solo, meter), 4 FX dry-wet and main volume (and mute)
- Optional monophonic behavior, with “Mono” or “Legato” mode, and variable glide time
- Curve editor, with multiple point editor and curve adjustment, or using knobs (depth, min, mid, max)
- Ability to filter matrix entries by source or destination
- Matrix sub-presets
- 8 extra EGs and 8 LFOs, able to control multiple parameters and associated curve editor
- Extra EGs/LFOs sub-preset
- Arpeggiator with 7 patterns, and ability to add additional octaves (from -2 to + 2)
- Ability to sync Arpeggiator with host (tempo)
- Modern Sequencer with up to 128 steps and multiple parameters
- Keyboard editor per sequencer step, for easy note entry
- Polyphonic sequencer (support of multiple notes per sequencer step)
- 3D panning per sequencer step
- Ability to add any parameter to sequencer, with step values
- Intelligent sequencer, with ability to adapt to major/minor sequences, by forcing a scale
- Initial 3D position by oscillator
- Variable Oscillator divergence, to obtain slightly random positions on each note
- Global spatial settings or independent spatial settings by oscillator
- 3D position Envelope Generator, to define multiple positions through time
- 3D LFO, with independent depth for azimuth and elevation
- Dedicated pitch EG and LFO per oscillator, for maximum flexibility
- Random pitch values for interesting pitch effects, such as pitch convergence/divergence
- Keyboard and MIDI Velocity mapping on filters
- Random presets, with the ability to lock certain sub-modules
- MIDI Learn control or manual assignment to attach a control to a parameter
- Ability to filter presets by bank (factory/user), artist, and type (pads,…)
- Tooltips (on bottom bar) activated by mouse over parameters
What’s new:
Release Notes – Version 1.5.1
==================
Overview
– Corrected a bug with mono output and added some more global presets.
Improvements
– New Global Presets – Now 404 factory presets.
Bug Fixes
– Fixed a bug where mono output was sending only the Left Channel.
TCD Note
x64: VST3, AAX
Just install… (same AppID as previous, old manual deleted.)
Do not try to test in Blue Cat’s Patchwork
as per an incompatibility per manufacturer. It will just hang
and do nothing else in this host.
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Rock on and enjoy!
