Synapse Audio

Scoring 10/10 in 207 (2014), the second
version of Synapse Audio’s Dune synth was a
landmark virtual instrument, turning what had
previously been a decent virtual analogue/
wavetable synth into a mainroom-illing
powerhouse. While it’s apparent at irst glance
that Dune 3 (VST/AU/AAX) doesn’t mark quite as
sweeping and profound a revision as its
predecessor did, there’s still plenty of good,
meaningful new stuf here for experienced
users and newcomers alike to sink their teeth
into. Before we get to all that, though, a quick
recap is in order.
A three-oscillator synth with superb built-in
efects, arpeggiation and sequencing, Dune’s
two headline features are the ability to
independently set Oscillators 1 and 2 to Virtual
Analogue, Wavetable or (rather basic) FM mode,
and the incredible number of unison voices it’s
capable of generating: up to 8320 when running
32 stacked oscillators each in the Oscillator 1 and
2 blocks, and eight global unison voices, at
16-voice polyphony. The oscillators feed into a
zero-delay feedback ilter with various onboard
distortion and second-stage iltering FX, and the
overall sound of the thing is big, beefy,
glamorous and supremely versatile. In one
sense, it’s a workhorse, delivering the full
spectrum of ‘static’ and sequenced sounds, and
Synapse Audio
Dune 3 £139
This fully paid-up member of the exclusive supersynth club looks and
sounds better than ever with its latest full version update
“In one sense, it’s a
workhorse, and in
another, it’s a character
instrument with its
own sound”
DUAL FILTERS
A new second filter,
routable in series or
parallel with the first
FILTER BALANCE
Blend the two
filters to taste
SWARM STACK
This modulated
supersaw blasts
through the mix
FILTER EFFECTS
Four new insert effects have
been added to the list
WAVETABLES
More than 20
new wavetables
have been
added
WAVETABLE EDITOR
Click the button to open
the Editor
IMPROVED FX
All seven effects
modules have
been beefed up
FILTER ROUTING
Three serial routing schemes
and one parallel option
GRAPHICAL UI
Edit the EQ effect
with the knobs or
interactive graph
NEW EQ
Now with two
parametric bands
and cut filters
ARPEGGIATORS
You now get two of
them for sequencing
and arpeggiation
in another, it’s a character instrument with a
sound very much its own.
Fundamentals summarised, then, let’s move
on to what’s new in Dune 3…
Under the ’table
Dune 2 included a solid array of prefab
wavetables, and not only does v3 almost double
their number to 47, but it also introduces a full-
on Wavetable Editor. Here, the currently
selected waveform in the wavetable can be
shaped freehand or using Line and Segment
drawing tools, and manipulated in terms of
harmonic (partial) volume and phase in the
Additive Editor mode. Samples can be
converted to wavetables, either split into a
speciied number of waveforms, or spread
across as many as their length dictates, up to the
maximum of 256. Selecting the Morph function
creates a smooth transition through the
wavetable from irst wave to last, and other
88 / COMPUTER MUSIC / April 2019
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CMU267.rev_dune3.indd 88 2/5/19 2:36 PM