Native instruments razor review

Press Release: Native Instruments today introduced Razor, an innovative and highly distinctive software synthesizer designed together with forward-thinking electronic artist Errorsmith.

A lot of VST synths are trying to recreate and preserve the past. This made a lot of sense until the big analogue synth revival started about eight years or so ago. Now, in , we're practically tripping over new, affordable analogue synths from Korg, Arturia, the modular manufacturers and so on. Part of me has always thought that really, computers should be used to do things that are still impossible in the physical domain. Razor is such a synth. Because it uses hundreds of partials to craft its whole sound - from the oscillators to the filters to the reverbs - it's a synth that simply couldn't have existed in the 80s or 90s. What does it sound like?

Native instruments razor review

Paired with powerful fine-tuning features — did somebody say Safe Bass? Partly this is down to that ultra-clean additive synthesis; in particular, he credits the Spectral Clip module for giving him finer control over harmonic balance. Mostly playing a supporting role in the full-spectrum pop arrangement, the bass leaps into the foreground in the verses for a series of lithe, precise pitch bends which steal the show. The Sheffield producer has long balanced an avant-garde sensibility with dazzling sonic clarity. When pushed to its extremes, Razor does just that. Everything but the drums here was made using Razor. The giveaway is the glassy, detuned decays, which manage to sound chaotic and controlled at the same time. Even as the track gets increasingly washed out and diffuse, its angles remain clean and — well, sharp. But when necessary it can play a subtler role, adapting to functional production tasks. Just so with this DJ Dahi-produced track. Its job is to put a gentle twist on the classic bass sound, and it does so neatly and unfussily, striking a balance between weight and precision. The mixture of threat and humour is key to this track from Fever Ray, co-produced by Swedish studio chameleon Peder Mannerfelt.

Discover what polyphonic aftertouch is, how it works,… Production December 6,

Razor is an additive synthesizer built with the Native Instruments Reaktor technology. Razor was created as a joint effort between Native Instruments and Errorsmith , a Berlin-based music producer and a well-known Reaktor instrument designer. Being a big dubstep fan that I am, this was more than enough reason to grab Razor and see what it can do. The interface is split into several familiar-looking sections for oscillators, filters, envelopes, LFOs, effects, etc. Anyone with basic understanding of how synthesizers work should be able to start experimenting with Razor right away, even without reading the provided manual nevertheless, reading the manual is always a good thing, and the Razor manual is very informative and well-written. However, even though the synth follows a classic design , each section hides a trick or two up its sleeve, making Razor a pretty unique sounding instrument. The oscillator section features two oscillators and offers a selection of 14 unique oscillator types.

Today, its unapologetically digital signature can be heard on tracks by boundary-pushing experimentalists like Mark Fell and Jlin as well as mainstream hits by the likes of Kendrick Lamar and Dua Lipa — even Jean-Michel Jarre has found a place for it in his collection. Additive synthesis is, in short, the process of creating complex new sounds by stacking up partials — simple sine waves with precisely controlled frequencies and amplitudes. Additive synthesis, by comparison, is like a playground in that respect. A little over a decade before starting work on RAZOR, Erik was butting up against the limitations of hardware synthesizers of the time — sometimes going so far as to crack them open and modify them to better suit his needs. When I started with Reaktor there was no need to modify my analog synths anymore; I could take something from the Library, learn from it and modify it — or develop my own stuff from scratch.

Native instruments razor review

Childs IV on Jan 15, in Review 0 comments. If, either, you own Native Instruments' Razor, or you're thinking about purchasing it, now would be the time. Native Instruments recently updated the very popular Reaktor-based, additive synth to 1. And, with this update, there are some wonderful new additions on many fronts. The most exciting part of this update would have to be the new modules. My favorite new module would have to be the Resonant Reverb. This new Reverb addition can be somewhat darker than what we heard previously. Now sporting a Cutoff knob, you're able to easily get some 'moody' into your patches, making the Razor a much more emotional synth than it was previous If that's even possible. Air, is also a lot of fun to work with, as it just applies Reverb to quieter partials, while still leaving the louder partials alone.

A very long straight wire carries a current i

Under the hood, everything in Razor bar the dynamics effects is done by manipulating the frequency, amplitude and phase of its partials. The Sheffield producer has long balanced an avant-garde sensibility with dazzling sonic clarity. The pristine and extremely dynamic sonic character of additive synthesis allows Razor to generate a wide and very distinctive array of energetic, hypermodern sounds, ranging from expressive basses and leads to complex, futuristic soundscapes. I used it a bit at first and it has a very strong sound but I do not find myself using it Roles: Music Producer. Much monstercat! Just so with this DJ Dahi-produced track. Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. Another feature worth noting is the Safe Bass generator which is used to add more spectral content to the fundamental frequency. Razor also includes a library of carefully selected presets with a focus on cutting-edge electronic sound aesthetics, accommodating both contemporary club music genres like Dubstep and Techno as well as modern film and game scoring applications. The dual oscillator section provides a wide arsenal of timbres, ranging from typical analog-style waveforms to unconventional models like "Primes", "Sick Pitchbend" and "Hoover Sync". For example, the filters don't process an audio signal; instead, they adjust the partials directly. Everything but the drums here was made using Razor. Explore what makes future funk unique and get expert guidance on crafting your own tracks, covering beats, basslines, synths, and….

As refreshing as it is phat, Razor makes additive synthesis not just palatable but downright desirable. Amazing sonic capabilities.

You can get some real cool vintage futuristic Staby leds with it. In all seriousness, some of the included presets are quite astonishing and they show how proper use of modulation can turn already unique sounding timbres into amazing soundscapes. Brilliantly designed and brilliant sounding. Razor is an additive synthesizer built with the Native Instruments Reaktor technology. These two silent killers make carving out solid, tearing bass noises of the deepest destructive nature almost ridiculously easy. Many club scenes of the past decade have built Razor into their music, appreciating its bold, larger-than-life sound. I bought this initially, I think it probably comes with Komplete now. I like it. Jay Rock. Most Popular. Of course, the display is not there just for the OMG double rainbow! Even as the track gets increasingly washed out and diffuse, its angles remain clean and — well, sharp. I spent quite a bit of time to get that sounding right. Worth every penny!