Sugar Bytes

instrument parameters – Filter cutof, Pulse
Width, number of active voices, active Chord,
etc. The irst ive lanes relate to the Pitch engine:
Arp, Mod, Pitch, Chord and Poly. Then there are
three lanes each for the analogue and FM
generators, and another three for the
multimode ilter (high-, low- or bandpass). The
remaining two lanes control a Noise generator
and the analogue/FM Mix.
The modulation sequence for each
parameter is represented by a series of colour-
coded dots, all of which are visible all the time
for all parameters, but with draggable handles
around those of the selected one. These
sequences can be further modulated in real
time, and the result is limitless potential for
creating rifs, noises, basslines, percussion,
atmospheres, pads, chord sequences… you
name it. The scope is mind-boggling, and we
heard at least 50 potential track-starting
sequences among the presets alone.
The sheer number of multi-coloured dots in
the Motion Sequencer might be intimidating,
but Obscurium features a brilliantly intuitive
editing system for adjusting multiple steps
together. The four Draw Tools are Grid (enabling
up to 32 steps to be adjusted up and down
together), Ruler (for drawing ramps), Brush (a
randomiser with ‘depth’ control) and Sine (for
drawing sine wave shapes of deinable
frequency and amplitude). These tools can be
applied to individual lanes or all of them at once,
with an Ofset control ensuring variation
between lanes.
The other two editing toolsets – Modiiers
and Superobscure – facilitate quick shuling of
existing settings (cutting and pasting, swapping,
exchanging values with the step to the left or
right, etc) and user-deinable random step value
creation, respectively.
There’s also a modulatable Morph Fader, the
main function of which is smoothly transitioning
between two complete Motion Sequencer
setups. And below the Trigger Sequencer lie two
independent Loop Faders for independently
setting the start and end points of the Motion
and Trigger sequences.
Parameter Shift progressively switches the
Motion lane parameter assignments (swapping
the Chord and Cutof sequences, for example)
and can be modulated. Then there’s Obscure
Clock, which uses an eight-step sequencer to
adjust the speed of the Motion Sequencer; and
Obscure Sequencer, which uses another eight-
step sequencer to do weird and wonderful
things to the playback order of the Motion
Sequencer steps. The more you play with
Obscurium, the more you discover.
Despite its apparent complexity, using
Obscurium quickly becomes second nature. We
can’t think of a synth that makes it easier or
quicker to create complex, unique patches, and
as the selection of over 400 presets
demonstrates, it’s surprisingly versatile. It also
sounds great, ofering warmth, punch, bite, edge
and smoothness in equal measure – and then
there’s the ability to incorporate third-party
instruments, which obviously extends the shelf-
life immensely.
If you make any kind of electronic music, are
involved in sound design or produce music for
visual media or games, you owe it to yourself to
try this remarkable instrument.
Web www.sugar-bytes.de
Verdict
For Great sound
Highly versatile
Immensely inspirational
VST instrument hosting
Huge preset selection
Against Grey on black text can be
diicult to read at times
Obscurium is an amazing synth in its own
right, but it becomes essential when you
start getting other instruments involved
10/10
Alternatively
Sugar Bytes Cyclop
181 » 9/10 » €119
For monophonic bass with copious
modulation, give Obscurium’s
sister synth a try
Native Instruments Absynth 5
145 » 8/10 » £169
Obscurium can do abstract sounds,
but Absynth is the daddy
There are plenty of virtual instruments
out there with fantastic modulation
and processing setups – including a
couple by Sugar Bytes – but while the
results that they deliver can be
inspirational, they’re obviously limited
to the base sounds of the instruments
themselves. Sugar Bytes, clearly aware
of this, have taken the rather sizeable
step of building VST instrument
support into Obscurium, enabling the
sound generation engine to be
swapped out for the plugin instrument
of your choice entirely, or layered with
it. All 11 modulators in the Motion
Sequencer are freely assignable to any
parameter within the hosted plugin;
this can be done manually (there’s a
handy Learn function for each) or via a
randomiser that selects 11 parameters
willy-nilly from the available options.
Sugar Bytes do caution that some
older plugin instruments may not be
fully supported, but all our favourites
worked beautifully. A more pertinent
factor is choosing which of your
instruments will best suit the
sequencer. One consideration is
polyphony, as monophonic patches
obviously won’t be compatible with the
Chords generator. Choosing
instruments with quality ilters is also a
good idea, as they can be modulated all
over the shop.
Instrumental gymnastics
Individual lanes can be modulated by the global LFO
and envelope, with user-deinable range settings
Sugar Bytes’
decision to include
VST instrument
support is a
welcome one
“Obscurium features
a brilliantly intuitive
editing system for
adjusting multiple
steps together”
November 2015 / COMPUTER MUSIC / 101
sugar bytes obscurium / reviews <
CMU223.rev_obscurium.indd 101 9/23/15 2:01 PM