FabFilter Updates Virtual Analog Synth

US Twin 3 expands and improves on its predecessor in every area      08/02/23

FabFilter has released FabFilter Twin 3, a new version of its virtual analog synthesizer. This is what they have to say about it...

Almost two decades after FabFilter's plug-in debut with the FabFilter One synthesizer, Twin 3 expands and improves on its predecessor in every area, including a complete redesign of the GUI and workflow, more and better oscillators and filters, a radically powered-up modulation system, an all-new FX section and much more. Sonically versatile, supremely intuitive and spectacularly 'analog', Twin 3 is a dream instrument for creating synth sounds of all kinds, from basses, leads and pads to plucks, drums, effects and beyond.

Beautiful new interface and improved workflow
FabFilter has completely redesigned Twin 3's interface and workflow, making it more immediately accessible, visually informative and speedy to navigate than ever, and adding new scaling options and a luxurious Full Screen mode for taking your synth programming environment to the spatial extreme. Individual oscillators and filters can now be added and removed as required, every aspect of the filters is accessed and manipulated within a stunning interactive EQ-style display, and the darker color scheme is less tiring on the eyes over long sessions. Responsive per-oscillator oscilloscopes, a beautiful spectrogram and full visualization of modulation signals throughout the signal path let you see everything you hear, while the floating slot panels group active modulation sources at each target control for collective tweaking.

Improved oscillators and filters
It all starts at the oscillators, and Twin 3 gives you four of them (up from Twin 2's three), with which to build synth sounds of limitless depth and intricacy. Completely overhauled and featuring analog-modelled drift for subtle random pitch and phase fluctuation – as well as pulse width modulation, hard sync and phase sync – Twin 3's oscillators are flawless in their analog authenticity. Polyphony has been given a boost, too, with an upgraded maximum of 64 voices (double the 32 of Twin 2) and the Per Oscillator polyphony mode, which steps through the oscillators with each incoming note. Twin 3's filters have been doubled in number from two to four and similarly enhanced, with new vintage-style bell, shelf and notch types delivering characterful non-linear distortion, and the 6dB/octave slope option and modulatable Cutoff/Peak Offset knobs opening up even more sound design possibilities. And when you demand the absolute best from your Twin 3 patches, the new 4x oversampling High Quality mode is just a click away.

Massive FX section and new Arpeggiator
Twin 3 introduces a supercharged new FX section, comprising six colorful processing modules for transforming and polishing your signals. Shape dynamics and apply saturation with Compressor and Drive effects; create space and generate rhythmic echoes with Reverb and Delay; and thicken and widen the sound with Chorus and Phaser. Needless to say, every FX parameter is available as a modulation target, so you can really bring them to life using Twin 3's Envelope Generators/Followers, XLFOs, XY controllers, Sliders and MIDI sources. The new Arpeggiator, meanwhile, provides endless creative inspiration, with host sync, Groove/Legato and Rate Offset controls, and the gamut of note value and order options.

Full-featured preset browser
Replacing the simple menu of previous versions, Twin 3's slick new preset browser makes navigation and management of factory and user patches quick and easy. Within the browser's streamlined interface, presets can be assigned freely editable tags for filtering within the Search engine, set as favorites, and given author names and text descriptions. And if you have Twin 1 and/or 2 installed, all of their presets will appear in Twin 3 as well.

Key features
- Virtual analog synth featuring four flexible oscillators, four filters, six FX modules, and a vast modulation system with a wealth of flexible source signal generators, drag and drop source/target routing, and almost no limit to the number of modulation assignments that can be made
- NEW! Fully redesigned, greatly simplified interface with easier workflow
- NEW! Added oscillator, for four in total
- NEW! Two added filters, for four in total
- NEW! Completely overhauled modulation system with redesigned modulation sources, and floating slot and FX panels
- NEW! All-new FX section, housing Reverb, Delay, Chorus, Phaser, Drive and Compressor modules
- NEW! Arpeggiator with groove/legato controls, note order, latch options and more
- NEW! Full-featured preset browser, with tags, favorites, and search and filter functions, and new factory preset library
- NEW! Per Oscillator polyphony mode: each incoming note triggers a different oscillator
- NEW! Bell, Shelf and Notch vintage-style EQ filter shapes
- NEW! 6dB/octave filter slope option
- NEW! Modulatable Filter Freq/Peak Offset knobs, for adjusting all filters at once
- NEW! High Quality mode – 4x oversampling
- NEW! Transient mode turns Envelope Followers into transient detectors
- NEW! Curve adjustment handles for EG Attack, Decay and Release stages
- NEW! Slider mode (vertical-only operation) and Range setting (toggles between bipolar and unipolar behavior) for XY controllers
- NEW! Hide all modulation sources except for XY controllers and Sliders at a click
- NEW! Native sustain pedal support
- NEW! Resizable interface with Full Screen mode
- IMPROVED! Even better oscillator and filter sound quality, with analog-modelled drift
- IMPROVED! Maximum number of voices doubled from 32 to 64
- IMPROVED! Lower minimum Envelope Generator Attack, Decay and Release times
- IMPROVED! Maximum number of XY controllers/Sliders increased to six
- IMPROVED! Envelope Generator Threshold, and XLFO Balance and Frequency Offset made available as modulation targets
- IMPROVED! Modulation sources can be renamed
- IMPROVED! Maximum number of modulation slots increased to 100
- IMPROVED! Legato mode for MIDI-triggered XLFO
- IMPROVED! Range options added to MIDI Sources: Negative (-1 to 0), Centered (-1 to 1) and Positive (0 to 1)
- PLUS! All the usual FabFilter features you've come to expect: perfectly fine-tuned knobs and controllers, interactive MIDI Learn, undo/redo and A/B switch, Smart Parameter Interpolation for smooth parameter transitions, an extensive help file with interactive help hints, sample accurate automation, NEON and SSE optimization, and more

System requirements are either Windows 11, 10, 8, 7 or Vista (32-bit and 64-bit) and a VST 2/3 host or Pro Tools, or macOS 10.13 or higher (64-bit only) with Intel or Apple Silicon processor, and an Audio Units host, VST 2/3 host, or Pro Tools.

Pricing and Availability:

FabFilter Twin 3 is now available for EUR 129, USD 129 or GBP 109, supporting both Windows and macOS in VST and VST 3, Audio Units, AAX and AudioSuite plug-in formats. Bundles with FabFilter Twin 3 and other FabFilter plug-ins are also available.

Existing FabFilter customers can purchase or upgrade to FabFilter Twin 3 with very attractive discounts by logging into their online user account.

More information:

• FabFilter Twin 3

 

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