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Granular Synthesis

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What is granular synthesis?

Granular is a sample based method of creating synthesis. It works by looping small fragments of a sample called grains to create a note that can be manipulated just like synthesis. Any number of these grains can be layered on top of each other and can play at different speeds, pitch, volumes and phases to create a wide range of sounds.

A lot of Avant garde artists have taken advantage of the freedom and flexibility of granular synthesis. The two that immediately spring to mind are Aphex Twin and Squarepusher, these two particular artist use granular in a similar way, by using drum samples that change into granular synthesis and back giving the illusion that the different sections of a track (i.e drums, synths and bass) are warping and morphing into each other.

Aphex Twin Window Licker

Example of granular synthesis

In this track you can here how the snare will loop like a buzz roll but keeps raising in pitch until it becomes a note. This effect is created by highlighting over the full sample and then reducing the amount selected to speed up the roll until reaching synthesis.
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Spuarepusher Come on my selector

Another example of granular synthesis

Jump to three minutes in to skip the long introduction. This track again shows the same method as explained above.
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New drum module software includes granular synthesis

Virtual Drum Electro Pro

Virtual Drum Electro Pro Is a new software application that has a granular stage in its chain of effects. It offers 4 independently editable granular voices, which can be effected in a comprehensive way (probably the most comprehensive granular on the market).

For the first time in a software application the freedom of how granular or grains can be chosen, changed and effected has been placed in the users hands. Up until now granular synths (as this is all the market has had to offer in granular) have been quite restrictive in the way they can be used, for example the size of the grain is generally set, the section of the sample has been predetermined, the section of the sample chosen is static and can't be moved around the sample in real time and worst of all the choice of samples are limited and you can't upload your own.

But now you can do all this and more with Virtual Drum Electro Pro were hearing is believing.

Granular stage of Virtual Drum Electro Pro

Part of the how to use video series

This video shows all the the techniques mentioned above and gives an example of just how much freedom Virtual Drum Electro Pro's granular stages offer.
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Making Soundscapes With Virtual Drum EP

This track was made completely off the cuff using Virtual Drum Electro Pro and free sample demos of a flute, piano, guitar, violin and DnB drum loop.
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Off The Cuff Granular Synthesis

Made With Virtual Drum Electro Pro

How quick and easy it is to manipulate sound with Virtual Drum Electro Pro
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VirtualDrum

Virtual Drum is a music software company founded by record producer Ross Orton, software creator Lee Armitage and marketer Dan Blackburn. The company... more »

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