Branches is a semi-modular synthesizer inspired by classics of the past. It runs both as a standalone instrument with support for external MIDI input or as a plugin (AUv3) in your favorite DAW app. Audio from the oscillators are permanently hardwired into the lowpass gates and the default patch is setup to receive MIDI and trigger the lowpass gate for the complex oscillator. This way you can get up and running fast and are then free to experiment with your own patching. Branches is utilizing what is sometimes referred to as a "west coast" style of processing which in this case means timbre is adjusted by adding harmonics to a basic sine wave. One of the oscillators does this by fading between multiple waveforms freely, the other does it by employing a wave folder and blending it with another user selectable waveform. The first one can also modulate either frequency or amplitude of the second. Branches support MIDI input on two channels. This allows you to control each oscillator and low pass gate individually if you please, acting as a duophonic synthesizer. Utilizing the rest of the modules opens up a world of different possibilities - generative random melodies, timbre changing over time, modulation from your host app etc.
Wait ...No Presets???
Neat West Coast-type synthesizer. Good sound quality and well suited toward the experimental. Think Buchla synth. Probably not the best synthesizer for imitative synthesis and pop music. But wait. I can't find any way to save a patch. Does Branches really not have a preset management capability??? If so that totally eliminates this synth for performance applications IMO.
United StatesVery good implementation of popular hardware
Feels a lot like playing with my semi modular synth and it’s sister controller minus some parts but with a few added. Very good software implementation. A lot of fun. Good modular sounds.
United StatesBroke audio
This app looks great and look forward to using it, but I’m not going to touch it for a few updates. In my first session with it, it broke my iPad Pro’s audio engine! (iOS 13.6.1). I was working with the random module and there was a “pop!” and no audio. Anywhere. Not iTunes, not YouTube, not any other music app. Fortunately, it all came back after rebooting. But I’m not going to touch this app again for a while!
United StatesSo far it’s great...
It took a lil learning, and I know not what I’m doing. Sounds amazing though. Hails to the branch
United StatesCool potential but needs work.
I was excited for this, but it’s not quite ready IMO. First, the screen is cut off on both sides of my iPad Pro 10”. Second, I can’t make a connection for the life of me. Touching and dragging from a related output to a related input does not work. I was able to delete the initial patch cables, but haven’t been able to make a new one yet. And it’s odd that there’s no presets. Unless they are being cutoff. So the initial patch that came with it is gone and until it’s fixed, I can’t patch anything new...
United StatesBravo!
First modular (or semi) I’ve been able to kind of grasp before losing interest. The two channel system allows for easy side by side comparison since you can route everything on channel 2 exactly like channel 1, then start makes small adjustments to see how the sounds differ. So beautiful! The online user manual is also very well done. Two big thumbs up here!
United StatesSounds OK very unresponsive as au or stand alone.
The app is cropped. Can't see the full app in stand alone mode. I don't think this was tested properly before releasing it.
United States
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