The Resurrection of a Legend: A First look at Native Instruments Absynth 6

The music production community thought Absynth was gone forever. It hadn't been updated in years and was eventually officially 'canned' from the Native Instruments lineup. However, NI has surprised everyone by bringing this unique synthesizer back to life.

Absynth 6 isn't just a small update; it is a complete rebuild of the original software. It was developed with the help of its original creator, Brian Clevinger. This new version brings the instrument up to modern standards with a sharper look, new expressive features, and a smart way to browse sounds. For music producers, the return of Absynth means the return of one of the best tools for creating long, evolving soundscapes.

A New Look and Smarter Browsing for Absynth 6

When you open Absynth 6, the first thing you notice is the screen. The software has finally moved away from its old, small window to a sharp, clear interface that fits modern computer screens.

The new "Preset Explorer" uses a visual map to organize sounds. Instead of just reading a list of names, artificial intelligence (AI) groups similar sounds together. This helps you find specific textures or percussion sounds visually. If you prefer the old way of doing things, you can still switch back to the standard list view.

How It Makes Sound: Hybrid Synthesis

Absynth has always been famous for creating weird and otherworldly sounds. This is because of how it is built. Unlike many standard synthesizers, Absynth 6 uses three independent layers to create a single sound.

Each of these three layers can use different methods to generate audio:

• Standard Waveforms: For classic synthesizer sounds.

• FM (Frequency Modulation): For metallic and bell-like tones.

• Granular (Cloud): This breaks sounds into tiny pieces to create textures. The new version has a "high density" mode that makes these textures sound much smoother.

• Sample Engine: You can import your own audio files (like MP3s) to use as the starting point for a sound.

  
  

The Mutator: Controlled Randomness

Randomization in synthesizers can often result in messy noise that you can't use. Absynth 6 fixes this with a feature called the "Mutator."

This tool allows you to randomly change parts of your sound in a smart way. You can choose exactly what changes. for example, you can lock the rhythm and pitch so they stay the same, but let the computer randomly change the distortion or effects. This turns the randomizer into a helpful tool for finding new ideas without ruining the original sound.

Moving Sound: The 68-Point Envelope

The main reason Absynth is so popular for movie soundtracks and ambient music is its "envelopes." An envelope usually controls how a sound starts and stops. Most synthesizers have simple envelopes, but Absynth offers complex 68-point envelopes.

This means you can draw a very complicated line to tell the volume, pitch, or filters exactly what to do over a long period of time. You can even make the sound vibrate fast at the beginning and slow down at the end. This allows for sounds that feel alive and constantly changing, rather than just repeating the same loop.

Effects and Processing

Absynth 6 also works as a powerful effects unit. It includes a master effects section with tools like the "Aetherizer" (a mix of delay and reverb) and the "Cloud Filter."

You can actually load Absynth as an effect on other instruments, like drums or guitars. This lets you run your audio through Absynth’s filters to create strange, spacey sounds that are hard to get with normal plugins.

The Verdict

The return of Absynth is great news for sound designers. With new features that allow for more expression when playing on a keyboard, it feels like a modern instrument again. It connects the classic sounds of the early 2000s with today's technology. For producers who want to create deep, breathing textures, Absynth 6 is definitely worth checking out.