Serum 2

Hey folks, welcome back! Yesterday, Serum 2 dropped an update out of nowhere, and I’ve been checking it out. This update brings some great new features, and in this video, I’ll give you a quick rundown and share my thoughts on what I like and don’t like about it.

Key Points:

• Free Update for Serum Owners

• If you own Serum One, the Serum Two update is completely free!

• I recommend leaving a tip for the developers since there are a lot of great new features.

• New Features in Serum Two

• Three Oscillators: Unlike Serum One, which had two, Serum 2 now offers three oscillators, each with different modes:

• Wavetable

• Multi-sample (new addition)

• Sample

• Granular

• Spectral

• Wavetable Editor is still there, and it's better than ever, allowing you to create and morph waveforms.

• New Oscillator Modes:

• Multi-Sample Oscillator: Turns Serum 2 into a kind of sampler, allowing you to load SVSFZ files and create your own sample-based instruments.

• Sample Playback: A basic sample player that can handle one-shots and loops.

• Granular Synthesis and Spectral Synthesis: The granular mode allows detailed editing of scan speed and density, while the spectral mode can be used for advanced frequency manipulation.

• Noise Sampler: Adds another layer for sound design with various presets.

• Filters and Effects:

• Serum 2 comes with two filters that you can route oscillators through.

• Interesting Filters: Includes filters like DJ Mixer (high/low cuts) and PZ SVF, which allows you to draw your own filter curves and morph between them.

• Effects: You can apply a variety of effects, including EQ, reverb, delay, and more.

• Splitters: You can now split the signal into low, mid, and high bands and apply different effects to each.

• Modulation:

• LFOs and multi-stage envelopes are available for modulation, but I think more LFOs would have been nice (Bitwig’s unlimited modulation sources are a good example of how this could be better).

• Modulation is slightly cumbersome when switching between LFOs, as the modulation amount isn’t visible unless you dive into the modulation matrix.

• Clip System:

• Serum 2 has an internal clip system where you can record, quantize, and automate MIDI clips, almost turning it into a mini DAW.

• Arpeggiator: It also has an arpeggiator with various playback patterns, including the ability to define your own arpeggio patterns, much like Cthulhu.

• Other New Features:

• Diatonic Transposer: You can change the scale and mode within the synthesizer, which ensures you only play the correct notes for the selected scale.

• Clip Launcher: Similar to a DAW, Serum 2 allows for launching and triggering different clips, offering a performance-oriented feature.

• CPU and Performance:

• Spectral engines can be CPU-heavy, but you can optimize performance by adjusting settings and using the voice control feature to distribute voices across the stereo field.

• Thoughts on the Update:

• The update brings a lot of great sound design options, especially with the new oscillator modes and filter options.

• It’s still one of the best wavetable editors, which I use all the time.

• It might feel like the software is losing focus with the clip system and DAW-like features, but overall, it’s a fantastic synth that covers a lot of ground.

• Final Thoughts:

• If you don’t have a synthesizer yet, I highly recommendSerum 2. It offers a wide range of features and is great for creating unique sounds.

• It might not be a game-changer, but it's definitely a solid package.

Conclusion:

Serum 2 is a fantastic synth that adds a lot of new features, especially for those who want to dive into deeper sound design. The update is free for existing Serum 1 owners, and it offers a lot of new modulation options, sample capabilities, and advanced synthesis types. If you’re into wavetable and multi-sample synthesis, it’s definitely worth checking out.



Check it out: https://bit.ly/4idDNKQ