Rob Papen
Originally released only as a Rack Extension
for Propellerhead’s Reason DAW in 2015, Rob
Papen’s latest plugin instrument (VST/AU/AAX),
Vecto, employs a method of sound generation
that doesn’t come around too often these days:
vector synthesis. This powerful technique was
pioneered by Sequential Circuits with the
Prophet VS in 1986, and followed up most
famously by Korg with their legendary
Wavestation shortly after. Quite simply, it
centres on manual control and modulation of
the output blend of multiple oscillators using a
joystick or similar controller. The complex,
shifting tones of vector synthesis are well suited
to sustained sounds – pads, strings and the like –
and particularly favoured by cinematic sound
designers and ambient producers.
Fantastic four
Packed into a tidy but busy single-window
interface, Vecto is a four-oscillator polyphonic
synth, with the oscillator mix governed by the
XY pad – see Vector director – unless it’s turned
of, in which case the individual oscillators are
balanced in the conventional manner, using
their Volume controls. Like other Rob Papen
synths, a huge variety of waveforms are
available for every oscillator, in categories
comprising Analogue (Sine, Square, Triangle,
Rob Papen
Vecto £80
The latest virtual instrument from the renowned Dutch sound designer
and plugin developer brings back a classic 80s synthesis technique
“Vecto employs a
method of sound
generation that doesn’t
come around too
often: vector synthesis”
FILTERS
Two multimode filters,
working in series or parallel
AMP ENVELOPE
Featuring the Fade
parameter for
altering the Sustain
WAVEFORM
Choose from
hundreds of
oscillator waveforms
FX
Two effects, each
with its own choice
of modules
SMA
Pulse width
modulation by any
other name
XY PAD
Perform vector synthesis
and modulate anything
FREE LFOS
Two simple but effective
low-frequency oscillators
ARPEGGIATOR
Arpeggiation, step sequencing
and modulation
MOD MATRIX
Make up to eight
modulation
assignments
FREE ENVELOPES
Assign these two
ADSRs (with Fade)
to anything you like
EDIT MODE
Shape the XY pad’s path of
travel by moving breakpoints
SineRez, Noise, etc), Additive (Glass, Organ,
Vocal, etc), Spectral, and seven Samples menus
including Big Samples, Tuned Percussive
Samples and FX Samples. The usual oscillator
tuning controls are in place, as is a Sub knob that
dials in a square wave in one direction and a sine
in the other, an octave below the main oscillator.
The Analogue, Additive and Spectral waves
can also be manipulated using a number of
further parameters. Spread applies unison-style
thickening by adding ofset oscillators above
and below the main frequency; and Symmetry
Modulation is Vecto’s name for pulse width
modulation, controlled by the Symmetry (pulse
width), Speed (LFO rate, described as a
percentage, for some reason, but topping out at
around 30Hz) and SMA (mod depth) knobs.
Oscillators 2, 3 and 4 can be synced to Oscillator
1, and a menu built into each oscillator enables
convenient selection (and, optionally, inversion)
of one of a range of volume modulation sources.
88 / COMPUTER MUSIC / June 2019
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CMU269.rev_vecto.indd 88 27/03/2019 11:21