SporeSound releases Graphite, a free (donationware) wavetable synthesizer in VST, VST3, and AU plugin formats for compatible DAW software on PC and Mac.
Graphite comes only one day after Matt Tytel released Vital, the long-awaited wavetable synthesizer, which is also free (with optional paid upgrades). Should this year’s Black Friday season be called wavetable synthesizer season instead?
See also: Free Autotune VST PluginsEither way, Graphite certainly looks interesting on paper.
The instrument’s oscillators use wavetables with 2048 samples in WAV format. The user can import generated wavetables into Graphite from the Node (£11.97) wavetable editor by Sonic Academy.
Graphite also offers a pair of multi-mode filters that can operate in parallel, serial, or split routing. The modulation section consists of four ADHSR envelopes and three LFO modules, along with macro knobs and external modulation sources.
The user can further shape the sound using Graphite’s built-in effects. The instrument features two different reverb effects, chorus, flanger, a tube preamp, compressor, and a delay. It is also possible to build simple sequences via Graphite’s arpeggiator module. The FX modules can be rearranged freely.
The thing I mentioned as Vital’s biggest advantage was its interface. For such an incredibly complex synthesizer, Vital looks unusually inviting and intuitive.
While I don’t think that Graphite’s GUI design is bad, it could definitely be improved. The color scheme is almost too dark, so some labels and controls are hard to see. Some of the knobs and controls could be a bit larger, too.
That said, Graphite is a promising instrument and one that could easily become quite popular if a few improvements are made.
At the moment, the instrument doesn’t come with any presets. You can save custom presets, but be sure to place them in the correct folder (Documents/SporeSound/Presets if you’re on Windows).
Graphite is free to download and use, with optional donations. The software is compatible with 64-bit VST, VST3, and AU plugin hosts on Windows and macOS.
More info: Graphite (30.3 MB download size, EXE installer, 64-bit VST/VST3/AU plugin format for Windows & macOS)
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17 Comments
Masked tiger
onanother one really this one looks kool gonna get it ^^
Tomislav Zlatic
onA big thank you to BPB reader Carlos for the info about this freebie.
Freetracks
onSeems fishy… Is it Serum in another form?…
Febbie D.
onThis is it… The second rise of Wavetable Synthesis
Christiaan Schutte
onThe more synths the merrier I always say! Definitely going to check this out!
TonyM
onThe ability to change the size of the interface is helpful – makes the labels and controls easier to see.
Frank Wilson
onThanks!
MRG
onAh, finally. It was insufferable but we have it, the long awaited Vital killer… Mmm, it is dark in here.
Surge, Vital, Graphite, the more the merrier, innit?
Febbie D.
onThe synth is good and decent, but the LFOs is super weird… ‘3’
Febbie D.
onI suppose im too used to the vital/serum lfo
Bruno de Souza Lino
onI mean, sure the instrument has a smaller interface than Vital, is less of a CPU hog than Vital but…How do you even learn it? There’s no manual, no information on the site…Since the synth doesn’t use a similar approach to other wavetable synths, it’s hard to figure out how to use it. It took me a good 15 minutes to get a single oscillator to make a sound, couldn’t figure how you assign the filters to the oscillators and so on.
bbb
onwhy does it shows that its harmful for my pc??
Jac Zero
onMy PC said that too
Fotis
on“Either way, Graphite certainly looks interesting on paper.” I see what you did there, Tomislav :D
MRG
on2B or not 2B. That’s the question.
Atme
onThis synth has a lot of potential, but it needs some polishing. I hope the developers will take their time to improve it. <3
Raven
onLooks Epic! May the developer smooth it out and perfect it! Thanks too all involved!