Every so often, I like to showcase free Reaktor ensembles from around the web or curated from the depths of the User Library. It is my hope to make building in Reaktor a more rewarding experience for those who take the time, so if you like something you find, please let it’s maker know! If there are any ensembles you feel like I’m missing, please mention it in the comments and I’ll make sure to include them in a future installment.
METALON
Let’s start with one from the Reaktor User Library. Although dead simple in both programming and interface (and despite being 10 years old!), Metalon is a great little tool. You can create an endless supply of random glitchy drum hits simply by pressing a MIDI note. If you like a specific sound, it gets written to a Tapedeck module, and can be exported to a .wav file. Really cool method for creating lots of glitchy sounds very quickly and easily.
I especially enjoy the simplicity combined with a very specific goal with this one – it makes for a very streamlined project.
SY66
On the other end of the spectrum, SY66 is an FM synth with a fantastic sound bank and a ton of features. I’ve barely had time to scratch the surface with this one, but it is quite impressive indeed. Utilizing the Multi-BP envelope, this synth is capable of a wide variety of sounds and has a ton of versatility.
JP-4C
An emulation of the Roland JP-8000 by producer Alex, Shore. This is a cool little synth, and it comes with a paper analyzing the famous ‘supersaw’ oscillator that made the original so popular. This detailed analysis leads to a different supersaw implementation than the simple linearly detuned versions I’ve shown on this site before.
TWISTED FREEBIES
I assume everybody probably knows about these already, but maybe not – just checking now there was some new stuff up I wasn’t aware of. Simply click the ‘FREEBIES’ tab on the link, and you’ll be offered a world of free stuff, from sequencers to synths to sample packs!
Buffeater Lite (pictured above) is a particularly nice little toy from the early days of Twisted Tools.
DOWNLOAD HERE. (Click on the freebies tab).
SONIC DUST
Another forgotten User Library ensemble, Sonic Dust is a unique little synth with a lot of character that excels at making weird sound effects. Based on techniques describe in Curtis Roads’ Microsound. In the presets you’ll find sounds for everything from chirping birds to leaky faucets.
NEED A NAME ENSEMBLES
There are three ensembles here. They are not terribly complex in terms of programming or deep with tons of modular routings. Instead, they are simple ensembles with easy-to learn controls, built for specific tasks. And they look nice! I enjoy tools like these – they show what can be done in Reaktor without going crazy into DSP and math, yet still create a nice end experience for the user.
CONCLUSION
That’s all I’ve got for you this time. It’s impossible for me to keep up with everything current and past in Reaktor, so as always, let me know of any inspiring ensembles in the comments and I’ll make sure to post them next time. Thanks for reading.
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