Dear Patreon fans,
This is a special post where I wanted to share some of my current thoughts, projects and summer homework :-)
There are quite a few things happening at SMAOLAB at the moment!
- A new website
- Two new plugin versions: Akira Filter & YamaTube
A new website
I finally changed my website!
It has taken me quite a long time to find an identity that really feels like me. I really like manga and cyberpunk aesthetics, and I’m a huge fan of Akira (the manga and the movie) and Ghost in the Shell (both the movies and the TV series).
I also really like street art. I’ve had the chance to discover some Akira and Ghost in the Shell artwork painted on walls, which really inspired me.
A friend helped me create the visual identity and some of the images for the new website.
He took some of the pictures and created a whole series of new images from them. In exchange, I helped him with some audio work and sound mastering ;-)
I think that’s a pretty fair deal!
YamaTube V2
YamaTube has received a pretty big improvement, especially regarding the Baxandall EQ simulation.
I actually discovered that I had made a mistake in the previous version: the gain was being applied before the Baxandall EQ.
I’ve changed the signal path, and the gain is now applied at the very end.
The result is much better. There is no more unwanted distortion caused by the previous signal chain, and you now get a much more natural Baxandall EQ feel, with the gain applied afterwards.
I also changed the tube section.
I added a 12AX7 tube to the treble section, and a Class A tube stage for the bass section.
The idea is to give you two different flavours of saturation.
You can first play with the Baxandall EQ to shape your sound, and then add either one of the two tube stages when you want to push it into saturation.
And, of course, I also changed the UI to give it a much more Akira / cyberpunk / cyborg feeling.
Akira Filter
The same goes for Akira Filter.
I changed the look of the plugin, but I also completely reworked the Drift mode.
The new algorithm is much better and can now produce a subtle stereo effect that you can actually perceive when you push the Drift control towards its limits.
The idea behind Drift is to simulate very small variations in the filter frequency values — tiny changes, both positive and negative — instead of keeping everything perfectly static.
The result is a filter that feels a little more Alive & analog.
It’s a very subtle effect at normal settings, but when you push it harder, you can really hear what is happening.
You will get both plugins in the coming weeks.
What’s coming next?
In August, I’ll publish a new soundbank based on the famous Analog Four machine.
Then, in September, I’ll release the last volume of the Summer Soundbank Series.
This one is going to be a bit crazy :-)
It was created using a mix of different machines and instruments, including:
- Roland SH-4D
- TB-303
- NI Massive
- Virus TI2
- Moog
- Cyclonic TB-303
- Nord Modular
- Octatrack resampling
- …and probably a few other things I’ve forgotten!
The idea is to mix all these different machines and sounds together and see what comes out of it.
And now, it’s your turn!
I’d really like to hear what you think about all of this.
- What do you think about the plugins?
- What about the soundbanks?
- Do you like the new website and the new visual identity?
Use the comment section — and abuse it! :-)
Tell me what you like, what you don’t like, what could be improved, what you’d like to see in future plugins or soundbanks…
I’m really looking forward to reading your thoughts, ideas, advice and criticism.
After all, SMAOLAB is a small music laboratory, and your feedback is a big part of what helps me decide where to go next.
Thanks for being here and supporting SMAOLAB!
SMAO
