Icarus 1.5 - public beta 1

[Markus Krause]

This huge update includes a better user interface, many new synthesis modes, enhanced sound and a large number of new features. The update is free and 100% downward compatible with all previous versions.

New features:

- The engine is now able to do FM synthesis (PM) between oscillators. Select 'FM<-Osc1' as synthesis/morph mode to modulate Osc2 with Osc1
- The synth does now offer classic sample playback. Set the OSC synthesis/morph mode to 'Sample' or 'Sample Loop'. The usual wavetable controls do have no effect in this mode.
- Classic samples can now also easily be imported with IMPORT SAMPLE->'Load a wav sample...'. The sample can be automatically tuned on import.
- The engine is now able to do amplitude modulation between oscillators. Select 'AM<-Osc1' as morph mode to modulate Osc2 with Osc1
- The engine is now able to do Waveshaping between oscillators. Select 'Shape<-Osc1' as synthesis/morph mode to shape Osc1 with the wavform of Osc2
- New effect: 'Delay Wide' is a broad sounding delay with Hi Damp and Low Damp filters
- New effect: 'Stereo Width' allows to spread the panorama from mono to surround
- New exclusive effect: 'Laser Punch' adds additional punch. Use it with a sawtooth to gereate a zzapping 'Rubber Bass' sound
- Icarus_wavetables now contains subdirectories for categories which contain the wavetables
- Submenus provide a more logic structure and better overview
- Tooltips with info are shown when the mouse is hovered over a button or control
- Additional buttons: Previous and next Lfo waveform
- Pitchwheel and Modwheel in the patchbrowser is now animated
- Wavetable position in the wavetable editor is animated if you click on the left keyboard
- The patch browser list shows a checkmark for the currently loaded patch
- In the waveform display the mousewheel can be used to pick a wave
- Mousewheel support for the filter frequency display
- Mousewheel support for the patch selector
- A double click to a knob resets it to the default value
- Added an undo button which restores the recent parameter changes
- 43 additional wavetables with over 1000 new waveforms


Enhancements:

- Enhanced sound of Reverb Medium, Reverb Big, Reverb Plate, Reverb Glass, Reverb Infinite, Reverb Trance: Less detuned sound, smoother tail and more punchy early reflections
- Enhanced GUI skin
- Larger text for the menus on PC


Fixes:

- The 32bit Mac version did not show a line when drag & drop modulation was used
- Fixed a possible crash, when the down arrow is pressed within the patch browser
- The text label for 'HP Analog 12/24 dB' was swapped
- Fixed a crash that could happen if the synth was flooded with midi program change messages
- Fixed a possible crash on opening the GUI
- Knobs did jump if cirular mode was forced by the host


Changes:

- Category is now placed above patch selector
- More aggressive focus for the mousewheel
- 'One Shot' has been renamed to 'One Shot Wave'
- Initializing a new patch sets the LFOs to 'classic trigger mode'
- Reso knob is grey, lfo shape knob is blue
- Resynthesis menu is now called 'import sample'


Download link:

https://www.tone2.com/download.html

------------------------------

In general this version seems to be stable an can be used in a productive environment.

Known problems:

A crash can happen if 'Create random wavetable' or 'Init random patch' is used.

Workaround1:
Do not use these features.

Workaround2:
Copy some wavetables to the Icarus_wavetables directory (...\Icarus_wavetables\*.wav)

[zvenx]

Damn Markus, you have been busy.
Thanks
rsp

[Alex_Longard]

Crash Reaper 5.40 Windows XP x86 if close plugin window, i use demo icarus!

In wavetable editor there are tooltips or can this remain my dream?

[zvenx]

Cubase 9
File , init patch, the create wavetable....synthesize a random wavetable
Crashes everytime.
Mac running Sierra only,
PC running Windows 10 seems immune from this bug.

https://www.dropbox.com/s/6dr9a59wbj2l86s/icarus%201.5%20crash.jpg?dl=0
rsp

[Deepbass]

Great update, I like the new features! I have a question regarding the sample import. How can I import different samples on the 3 oscillators and how can I load a sample into 1 osc of a specific patch without destroying it. For example osc1/2 have wavetables and I want an additional sample on the third osc?

Cheers
Andreas

[exmatproton]

The FM from the other OSC's is great!

[Markus Krause]

Great update, I like the new features! I have a question regarding the sample import. How can I import different samples on the 3 oscillators and how can I load a sample into 1 osc of a specific patch without destroying it. For example osc1/2 have wavetables and I want an additional sample on the third osc?

Cheers
Andreas

You can use drag & drop to load samples to the oscialltors. Or use OSC->TOOL->Load Save->Load Sample.
Then set OSC synthesis mode to 'sample'

[flexionmusic]

Great update!

But I get a crash when I choose File -> Create random patch. Message: there is an error in "FreebieHostVST" (sounds a bit cheap  )

This happens in the stand-alone version. The previous version, 1.1, worked OK.

Question: is there a download-link to the last stable version? Now I can only download the beta version.

System: PC, Windows 8.1, Cubase 9.

[Soarer]

I'm getting some amazing new patches with this update! Definitely believe I hear the improved sound quality.
I also really like the new FM/AM/WS modes. It's great we now have double-clicking to reset and an undo button and I'm very happy that everything is sorted in the sub menus.

But where are all the arpeggiators that you mentioned?

Coming soon: Icarus 1.2

We plan to add those features:
- 3 additonal arpeggiators for every single OSC

I'm also a bit disappointed that my most wanted suggestions didn't make it.
Like these, which I consider essential:

- Synced Retriggered Arp mode (starting the arp synced and restarting the arp on each new note).

- Arp volume from key velocity.

So still we can't have the arp starting in sync and restarting with each new note (while holding one already) in the same patch and there's no way to control the overall volume from key velocity when using the arp. (See my detailed explanation of these in the Icarus 1.2 thread.)
Any chance these features can make it?

A few other things:

I still have the "saving as" dialog problems that it doesn't remember the folder you are in and does not suggest the same name that your patch already has (this is really a standard OS feature) which means you have to write the name again and navigate all the way to that same folder each time you want to make just a variation of a patch like "Keys 2", etc.

Double clicking a Matrix Send in the Mod Matrix doesn’t reset the parameter - CMD-clicking does.
Please make it reset with double-clicking as well.

Also the problem I previously mentioned about patches losing their file name extension (.fxp) persists.
When testing the update I had this problem 4-5 times. The patch is saved as a file but without the file extension so it does not show in the browser until you manually add the .fxp.

I really hope you will include these in the final version.

[Deepbass]

You can use drag & drop to load samples to the oscialltors. Or use OSC->TOOL->Load Save->Load Sample.
Then set OSC synthesis mode to 'sample'

Thanks for your help. The drag & drop option works when using Windows Explorer but crashes Studio One 3.5.2 (64 Bit) when the files are dragged from the internal browser of Studio One (Windows 7, 64 Bit).

[Yul Yolo]

Superbe update,
all run smooth here,
it's like a new synth !

Thanks.

just one things, in the Wt editor, it could be usefull to have a direct switch access to osc1,2,3.

[Nudgeo]

the optimize and undo button are great.this update is really great.

i have a question about the  fm feature, when i select fm from the morph knob
  it only shows fm to osc 3.is this the correct way ?

[Markus Krause]

OSC 1 (carrier) is FM modulated by OSC3 (modulator)
and
OSC 2 (carrier) is FM modulated by OSC1 (modulator)

all OSCs can be FM modulated by a Sine

[Yul Yolo]

i notice one thing:
the osc volume is not inf zero if the filter are in serie
test : Master Vol Max; osc Vol:zero filter in serie and off.
Best.

[Nudgeo]

thank you markus!