MusicRadar Verdict
Signal is dramatic and powerful, and limitless in rhythmic potential.
Pros
- +
Excellent presets. Effective interface. Lots of rhythmic options.
Cons
- -
Could do with a manual.
MusicRadar's got your back Our team of expert musicians and producers spends hours testing products to help you choose the best music-making gear for you. Find out more about how we test.
Signal is a 40GB (compressed to 20GB) 'pulse engine' library for Kontakt, drawing on a range of multisampled analogue synths and acoustic and electric instruments.
"A good range of per-pulse and global effects are onboard, and a macro system enables custom performance setups to be built"
Two sound sources ('pulses') are combined in a patch, each controlled by two modulators and playback controllers, chosen from four available types: Wave (LFO-modulated), Step (step sequenced), Arp (arpeggiated) and Loop (Signal's own 'tape looping' engine).
These can be applied in parallel to a range of parameters (volume, pan, filter, etc), except for Loop and Arp, which only handle playback. A good range of per-pulse and global effects are onboard, and a macro system enables custom performance setups to be built.
The 500 tagged presets don't disappoint, and the interface is effective and handsome. On the downside, it lacks a manual (the onboard help doesn't cover it) and the whole 'pulse' marketing makes it sound more high-concept than it actually is. Minor complaints, though.
“Meticulously crafted analogue and digital circuits all curated from the ground up for bass-centric tonal expansion”: Fender unveils the Bassman effects line – 5 pedalboard essentials for bassists
“A full range of controls for instruments and DAWs, along with a semi-weighted keyboard that’ll please the players”: Novation Launchkey 49 and 61 MK4 review
“It's not quite as dark, but it explores other subjects a little bit more”: Robert Smith confirms existence of ‘companion’ album to Songs Of A Lost World
