Sugar Bytes

Describing Obscurium (VST/AU/RTAS/AAX/
standalone) in a single sentence isn’t easy,
but ‘hybrid virtual analogue and FM synth with
16-lane modulation sequencer, chord generator
sequencer and arpeggiator’ is close enough.
With the press of a single key, Obscurium can
create massively complex evolving rifs and
patterns. You can also disable the pitch
functions and play it like a regular MIDI synth,
but its real value is undoubtedly as a source of
track-starting ideas.
Obscurium’s two sound generators are
deceptively basic-looking. The irst is an
analogue-style oscillator with three modulatable
parameters (Sync Frequency, Pulse Width and
Waveshape) and a Spread control for shifting
between sync saw/pulse waves suitable for bass
and lead noises, and a super-saw mode for thick
pads and strings. The second is an FM oscillator
with three operators and three routing
algorithms, plus three further sound-altering
controls available via modulation. The
generators sound impressive but could be
considered mere starting points, as both the
standalone and plugin versions of Obscurium
can host VST instruments (see Instrumental
Gymnastics, right).
Arguably, Obscurium’s deining feature is its
‘generative pitch engine’, a powerful system via
Sugar Bytes
Obscurium €99
Inspiration can be a hard thing to come by in the studio, so what
if there was an instrument designed to get you started?
“With the press of a
single key, Obscurium
can create massively
complex evolving rifs
and patterns”
MAIN TABS
Access the Pitch engine,
sequencer Clock,
Envelopes, Modulators,
Sound engine and
General controls
MOTION SEQUENCER
Obscurium’s central modulation
command hub, defining the
sounds and patterns it plays
LOOP BARS
These two sliders set the
ranges of the Motion
Sequencer and Step
Sequencer independently
KEYBOARD
Shows both incoming MIDI
notes and all notes being
triggered by Obscurium’s
Pitch engine
MORPH WINDOW
The Morph control fades between two
Motion Sequencer states and can be
manually set or made to respond to
the global modulators
PRESET MENU
Choose from over 400 presets, split
across 22 banks, plus a User bank
EDITING CONTROLS
Select from a trio of
sequence editing tool
sets to the right
FLEXIBLE
PARAMETERS
These define which
parameters are
controlled by the
Motion Sequencer,
and by how much
TRIGGER
SEQUENCER
This bar triggers the
Arp Envelope and
Mod envelopes
SHIFT FADER
For real-time
switching of lane
parameter
assignments, the
Shift Fader action
can be set to
continuous or
stepped action
which complex arpeggios, chords and stacked
voices are generated by choosing one of 34
Scales and/or four Chord Tables that deine
notes/groups of notes for selection and
triggering by the synth’s two sequencers.
The irst of these sequencers is the Trigger
Sequencer – the row of white dots towards the
bottom of the interface. This is activated by
incoming MIDI notes, triggering the adjustable
three-stage Arp Envelope for each note
generated by the pitch engine, as well as the
Mod Envelope. The Arp Envelope can be
progressively mixed with the regular MIDI-
triggered ASR Amp Envelope, too, so you could,
for example, have a held note play a pad and
generate a percussive pattern at the same time.
You got the Motion
The second sequencer is the 32-step Motion
Sequencer, which takes up the majority of the
interface and is used to modulate 16 speciic
2
MINUTES
WITH…
VIDEO
100 / COMPUTER MUSIC / November 2015
> reviews / sugar bytes obscurium
CMU223.rev_obscurium.indd 100 9/23/15 2:01 PM