FOSSPicks
Software synthesizer
synister
The state of Linux audio has improved hugely over the last few years, thanks to the many applications that now help us make music. But we still need more tools to help us make sounds; in particular, we need more software synthesizers. There are a few amazing ones (see above), also notably Helm and VCV Rack, but we don't get any of the mainstream releases you'll find on macOS and Windows, even when they're open source. Which is why we're trying to shine some attention on synister, a wonderful open source VST plugin that will work on any VST-compatible Linux host (we used Ardour). It hasn't been updated in some time and doesn't even officially support Linux, but it's worth the trouble of either building it yourself or tracking down a pre-built binary that you can simply drop into your VST system path.
The synth is built around three oscillators and can generate a beautifully rich set of sounds. The layout design is also easy to understand, which makes it ideal for beginners as a first synth – especially on Linux where there is less choice. In particular, modifying the sound of one element with the output of another, a process known as modulation, is brilliantly handled with a simple destination drop-down menu next to each source or destination. Use one of the oscillator source modulation menus to select an low-frequency oscillation (LFO) to modulate the pitch, for example, or control the amount of filter with the aftertouch value from your MIDI keyboard. Each section of the synth is easily separated by colorful horizontal sections, including the oscillators, envelopes, LFOs, filter, and effects, just as you'd find on a modern hardware synth, as is the sound, which is like a 70s-era analog polyphonic classic.
Project Website
http://the-synister.github.io/
File transfer
Buy this article as PDF
(incl. VAT)
Buy Linux Magazine
Direct Download
Read full article as PDF:
Price $2.95
Subscribe to our Linux Newsletters
Find Linux and Open Source Jobs
Subscribe to our ADMIN Newsletters
Find SysAdmin Jobs
News
-
LibreOffice 7.5 has Arrived and is Loaded with New Features and Improvements
The favorite office suite of the Linux community has a new release that includes some visual refreshing and new features across all modules.
-
The Next Major Release of Elementary OS Has Arrived
It's been over a year since the developers of elementary OS released version 6.1 (Jólnir) but they've finally made their latest release (Horus) available with a renewed focus on the user.
-
KDE Plasma 5.27 Beta Is Ready for Testing
The latest beta iteration of the KDE Plasma desktop is now available and includes some important additions and fixes.
-
Netrunner OS 23 Is Now Available
The latest version of this Linux distribution is now based on Debian Bullseye and is ready for installation and finally hits the KDE 5.20 branch of the desktop.
-
New Linux Distribution Built for Gamers
With a Gnome desktop that offers different layouts and a custom kernel, PikaOS is a great option for gamers of all types.
-
System76 Beefs Up Popular Pangolin Laptop
The darling of open-source-powered laptops and desktops will soon drop a new AMD Ryzen 7-powered version of their popular Pangolin laptop.
-
Nobara Project Is a Modified Version of Fedora with User-Friendly Fixes
If you're looking for a version of Fedora that includes third-party and proprietary packages, look no further than the Nobara Project.
-
Gnome 44 Now Has a Release Date
Gnome 44 will be officially released on March 22, 2023.
-
Nitrux 2.6 Available with Kernel 6.1 and a Major Change
The developers of Nitrux have officially released version 2.6 of their Linux distribution with plenty of new features to excite users.
-
Vanilla OS Initial Release Is Now Available
A stock GNOME experience with on-demand immutability finally sees its first production release.