Review: Eventide Generate, A Unique Out Of The Box Synthesizer

In this world-first video review of the new Generate synthesizer from Eventide and New Fangled Audio Rishabh Rajan explores the sound design potential of this truly unique software instrument.  

There’s a new software synthesizer from Eventide & Newfangled Audio and it’s definitely worth checking out. Last week we saw the release of Pedulate which is a monophonic MPE compatible version of this soft synth. Now Eventide has released Generate, the polyphonic, MPE compatible software synthesizer that uses some of the same novel synthesis techniques we saw in Pendulate but expands on it with a variety of interesting new features.

Watch our full review here:

Synthesis

The main engine is based on a ‘Chaos Oscillator’ which is essentially a sine wave that has some unique and unpredictable properties. You get a regular sine wave oscillator and can mix in the chaos oscillator. There are 5 different chaos modes unlike Pedulate and each have their own unique capabilities. On top of that there’s also two sub oscillators that are helpful to reinforce the fundamental pitch when things get way out of hand.

Wavefolder

Borrowing from the world of West Coast synthesis. Generate has a Wavefolder with three different models, one being a model of the Buchla 259 Wavefolder. This section can really obliterate the sound but if controlled can add some nice upper harmonics to the Chaos Oscillator. There’s an Animated Wavefolding mode that can create some interesting movement in the distortion without even using any modulators. The third mode is Fractal mode which again adds upper harmonics and saturates the incoming signal.

Low Pass Gate

Again, just like most West coast synthesizers you get a LPG instead of a traditional VCA, though the LPG can be resonant if required. You get an ADSR to control the overall volume of the LPG.

Modulation

There are 6 modulators, 2 ADSR envelopes, 2 LFOs 1 Sample & Hold Module and 1 Step Sequencer. All these modulators can be easily assigned to any of the synthesis modules. Un fortunately Pitch is not a destination so you can’t really create melodic step sequences. There’s virtual cables that appear when a connection is made so it’s easy to visually decipher what is going on. Unfortunately none of the modulator parameters can be modulated yet.

New Fangled Audio Generate

Effects

I am quite impressed with the built-in effects. The Eq is very smooth sounding and easy to use. The Chorus is very effective in adding stereo width or classic chorusing effects. The delay is useful and the reverb sounds fantastic. Built-in reverb units are not always impressive but this one is really good.

MPE compatibility

This is pretty huge. A free synth with MPE capabilities. In my tests with an earlier version of the software I noticed some of the notes didn’t register. After a software update Eventide fixed this issue and it works quite well now.

Final Thoughts

If you are looking for a synth that will do your bread and butter sounds like the classic Sylenth1, or any one of the hundreds of Minimoog emulations, this is probably not the synth for you. If you are tired of the usual subtractive synthesis engine and want something truly unique and interesting that creates sounds you may never have heard of, Generate is the synth for you.

Price: $99 Intro Special / reg. $149

Pros: Unique Synthesis capabilities. MPE support.

Cons: Modulators can’t be modulated. Pitch not an available modulation destination.

 


 

Rishabh Rajan is an award winning music producer & educator currently based in New York. He produces electronic music under the name code:MONO & hosts a YouTube channel featuring music and live mashup videos using performance controllers like the Ableton Push. He is also a sample library developer having worked with companies like Bela... Read More

Discussion

Want to join the discussion?

Create an account or login to get started!