On Monday, Nakst released the free ExtraBold synth plugin (CLAP and AU formats) for Windows, macOS, and Linux.
The developer said the synth “uses traditional subtractive synthesis, with three powerful oscillators and a multi-mode filter.”
Looking at the user interface, there seems to be a lot going on. However, the developer says the synth is perfect for beginners.
“It sports a simple one-page UI layout and a fixed modulation pipeline, so its capabilities may seem limited,” Nakst said.
“But beneath this simplicity is a very characterful, aggressive sound engine with a bunch of tricks up its sleeve, including filter FM, ring modulation, hard sync, comb filters, global unison, and more.”
ExtraBold is designed as the sibling to the developer’s free FM synth Fluctus, which has a similar interface and design philosophy.
At the center of ExtraBold, there’s a row of four LFOs, which Nakst said can be “used together to create complex sounds that evolve the pitch and timbre of the oscillators and filter.”
The synth also features three effects slots, each of which can host one of the following effects: delay, reverb, tone, chorus, and distortion.
The mix of these effects can be mapped to the mod wheel for dynamic live performances.
ExtraBold is available through a ‘name your price’ model. If you wish you can download the plugin for free, and there is no copy protection or personal information required to access the downloads.
The plugin automatically detects your CPU features and is designed to run in a highly optimized manner for the best performance.
The synth requires 100 MB of space and 1 GB of RAM and offers the following formats: CLAP, Audio Unit (macOS), and FL Studio native.
Although multiple formats are available, the plugin was built from the ground up in CLAP, which the developer called the “future of audio plugins.”
CLAP is an open-source format released in 2022 designed to avoid the technical and legal limitations of the VST format.
Nakst explained that this enables advanced features, saying, “ExtraBold already supports many extensions, such as polyphonic modulation, preset discovery, parameter indication, remote controls, and more.”
Nakst’s website hosts six synth plugins. Out of all these, Apricot, Regency, Fluctus, and ExtraBold are free, while Altitude and Integrate are paid releases.
However, there are feature-limited free demo versions available for the latter two synths.
Download: ExtraBold (FREE / Name-your-price)
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9 Comments
Numanoid
onA great release, easy download and installation, low on CPU, comes with a handful of presets to get a user going.
Fruity Native, feels like good old DX plugs
Steve Charlton
onCheers, good summary!
Numanoid
onI just noted that the new Computer Music is out today it has the Inphonik RYM2612 FM Synth as freebie
obo
onThe installer won’t open on Mac unfortunately. It says it may be damaged or incomplete.
Kokoala
onCool ExtraBold Demo:
https://youtu.be/T3ovQrhVfYQ
Jeffery W Wright
onNo option to install it wherever you like, deal breaker.
Numanoid
onAFAIK, like VST3, Clap and FL Audio Native require that plugs are installed to a specific location
As stated this plugin is not offered as VST2 (or VST3) as to “avoid the technical and legal limitations of the VST format”.
obo
onAnyone figure out how to install on Mac by chance? Would like to check out this dev’s other plugs as well but doesn’t seem like they’re realizing Mac doesn’t work
Beginner
onAmazing synth. And the FL native 32 bits version works very well. Sad that when is idle uses a lot of CPU :(