US plugin brand Baby Audio has released its latest plugin instrument, Tekno, a virtual drum synth with 18 engines that combine circuit-modelled virtual analogue, FM and digital approaches to percussion design.
Tekno has been designed in collaboration with audio signal processing engineer Jatin Chowdhury, and comes stocked with 73 preset kits from producers including Mr. Bill, Richard Devine, Virtual Riot and Yoad Nevo. According to Baby Audio though, Tekno is far more than a simple source of preset drum sounds.
Rather than making use of samples, every engine in Tekno synthesises its sounds from scratch, and the developer is quick to tout the non-linearity of its virtual analogue circuity, which apparently results in a more nuanced and varied response from each hit.
Each sound generator has its own set of bespoke parameters allowing users to adjust the pitch, shape and timbre of the sound.
At the low end of the frequency range are two kick generators, the first of which, Kick A, is punchy and slightly 909-like, albeit with a broader range of sound shaping options. Kick B, meanwhile, is more 808-inspired, with a long tail and powerful low-end.
There are similar variations in the other engines too. Snare A, for example, covers fuller and more tonal sounds, while Snare B is snappier. Similarly, Hats A and B between them cover off a range of sounds between sharp metallic tones and softer, noisier hats.
Beyond these engines are a range of percussive generators aimed at creating sticks, cymbals, toms and tonal bleeps and glitches.
Along with the generators themselves, Tekno comes equipped with a range of analogue modelled effects that can be applied to each drum hit individually. These include tape saturation, an exciter, ring modulation, reverb, a compressor and more.
There’s also a suite of master effects including a filter, reverb and a limiter/clipper capable of tying the full kit together with a touch of saturation. The master section also offers a variety of humanise tools designed to push the non-linearity even further, introducing changes in timbre, velocity and timing with each hit.
Baby Audio isn’t being shy about bigging up its latest release, claiming that Tekno combines “the best of both analogue and digital” and “sets the bar for the hardest hitting synthesized drums ever put in a plugin.”
You can put these claims to the test yourself with a free trial download. The plugin itself is priced at $129 but is currently available for the intro price of $79. It can also be bought via a 6-month rent to own program priced at $14.99 per-month.
Tekno is available in VST, AU and AAX formats for PC and Mac. Head to the Baby Audio site to find out more.
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