Sugar Bytes

Sugar Bytes’ new synth is a semimodular
beast that embodies the company’s
unorthodox approach to plugin design and puts
deep modulation at the top of the feature list.
Far from your standard virtual analogue fare,
Factory’s (VST/AU/AAX/Standalone) two
identical main oscillators ofer a selection of ten
wave-generating models, each populating the
panel underneath the selection menu with its
own knobs and menus. The models range from
synced square and saw stacks to phase mod,
granular sampling and wavetable engines
(PWM, Sync, Formant and Drone), and between
them deliver an extraordinary array of highly
editable raw tones, with the straightforward
controls positively inviting real-time
manipulation and modulation.
The main oscillators are supplemented by a
sub oscillator (sine or square wave, tracking
either main oscillator or ring modulating the
two), and a noise oscillator with ive colour
options. All four oscillators are independently
routable to a resonant ilter (11 modes, including
2-, 4- and 8-pole low-pass, Midboost, Comb and
Vowel) and plumbed through a Drive module
with Tube, Diode and Sine algorithms, and an
optional high-quality mode.
Model citizen
Factory’s oscillators are vibrant and spectacular
enough on their own, but the beating heart of
Sugar Bytes
Factory €139
Never ones to take the path most trodden, the German geniuses unleash
yet another mould-breaking plugin, this time an electrifying polysynth
“The beating
heart of this
instrument is the
modulation section”
OSCILLATORS
The two main
oscillators give
access to ten
diverse models
MIXER
Blend the main, sub and noise oscillators, and
route each one to the filter independently
SEQUENCER
Four tracks of pitch
and parameter
modulating, with 36
step shapes to build
sequences from
FILTER
11 filter modes including all the usual
suspects, plus Comb, Vowel and more
ARPICULATION
This multipurpose tab
comprises Pitch, Intonation
and Arpeggiator modules
EFFECTS
Three modules with
17 algorithms on tap
PRESET LIBRARY
Open the extensive
tagged presets here
MODULATION
MATRIX
Assign up to eight
sources to up to ten
targets, then mess
around with their
mod depths singly
and as a group
MODULATORS
Get your sounds
moving with two
envelopes, two LFOs
and Sample + Hold
Modulators
this instrument is the modulation section. Eight
source slots can be loaded to output any of
Factory’s Modulators (see below), the usual line-
up of MIDI signals and the levels of all four
oscillators, while ten target slots enable
modulation of all oscillator and efects controls,
the ilter, sequencer tempo and much more.
Having chosen your source and target using the
menus on the X and Y axes of the matrix,
dragging up and down on the square at which
they intersect raises and lowers the modulation
depth, as indicated by an expanding/shrinking
coloured dot – blue for positive modulation, pink
for negative. While we do appreciate the
graphical approach taken here, we’d like the
option to swap the dots for regular numerical
read-outs added.
Visual feedback on each assignment is given
via an animated collar or strip around or
alongside the target control in the main GUI, and
modulation depths are modulatable, too, in the
EDITOR’S CHOICE
2
MINUTES
WITH…
VIDEO
92 / COMPUTER MUSIC / Autumn 2016
> reviews / sugar bytes factory
CMU235.rev_factory.indd 92 22/08/2016 17:19