Vaporizer2 is the flagship hybrid wavetable additive/subtractive synth/sampler workstation from Vast Dynamics, and it’s now open-source.
The move to open-source came with the release of version 3.3.0 (latest info available via the Vast Dynamics GitHub page).
Vast Dynamics calls Vaporizer2 “Probably the most versatile wavetable synthesizer,” when you read the feature list, that might just be true.
Vaporizer2 boasts a high-performance wavetable engine with four independent alias-free oscillator banks (up to 24 oscillator unison). The powerful engine promises low CPU usage even when pushed close to its limits.
It has over 780 wavetables, single cycles, and more than 410 factory presets. Presets are easy to find with the preset management system, which allows you to search by tags, text, and ratings.
One of the highlights of Vaporizer2 is the flexible wavetable editor that provides seemingly endless options, including frequency shift, clean smooth, bend, and bloat for single cycles, parts, or whole wavetables.
You also get a convenient and easy-to-use wavetable draw mode. Wavetable draw mode features smooth bezier curves and a snap-to-grid function.
Vaporizer2 also offers 30 real-time wavetable effects per oscillator. The featured effects include hard sync, sincify, brew, and bend/bloat.
The additive synthesis section allows users to edit harmonics and phases in real time.
The sampler section features loop points, loop start modulation, key tracking, and zero crossing detection. A granular synthesis mode is also available in the sampler section, which could be perfect for creating cinematic, gritty, or unusual ambient textures. In addition, you can resample samples to wavetables with pitch detection.
As for modulation, a powerful modulation matrix provides 25 modulation sources and 220 modulation destinations. Modulation sources include key track, random drift, and four custom macro knobs.
This versatile synth has an innovative filter section with over 30 filter types and three effects busses, including 4X oversampling and mono cutoff. Onboard effects include flanger, reverb, chorus, delay, bitcrush, phaser, waveshaper, and more.
Throw in five MSEG envelopes, five LFOs per voice, three-step sequencers (sync to DAW), and a built-in arpeggiator, and we still haven’t covered everything.
Vaporizer2 is nothing if not ambitious!
To celebrate the release of version 3.3.0, Vast Dynamics is offering a free-to-download FL Studio 12.1 demo project (Club Sounds).
On the topic of ambitious free wavetable synths, check out SocaLabs Wavetable if you haven’t already.
Vaporizer2 is available in AU, VST, and AAX formats for macOS and Windows.
Download: Vaporizer2 (FREE)
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21 Comments
Tomislav Zlatic
onA big THANK YOU to BPB readers Olnium, Ilias, Drew Lake, Gery Zenz, Andrea, and Biome2023 for the info!
Numanoid
onZampler Sounds has released 870 MB free sample pack: SFZ patches and loops from the Norand Mono mkII
vanessa
onwhats the name of the libary. don´t find it anywhere ? thx
vanessa
onfound it. it is a bit hidden ;)
Numanoid
onGo to the ZamplerSounds site and Norand Mono MKII is a choice at the top of the page
Michal Ochedowski
onThanks a lot for that instruction. Yesterday my searching skills didn’t do very well :)
MRG
onVaporizer 2 has joined the server…
This MMORPG server of (open) wavetable synths is getting savage! o_O;
Daniel
onThanks. I love me so additive synth. Didn’t know about this one but seems awesome.
New free libraries:
– Fracture Sounds new ‘Blueprint’ series for Kontak PLAYER. First instrument: Electric Keys.
– Wrongtools – Spin. A duo of carousel music boxes.
– Sonuscore Free Dhol Ensemble. Cinematic hand drums from the South Caucasus.
– Don’t forget the new ProjectSAM series (The Free Orchestra 2). New instrument each month. 2nd instrument is probably coming out this week.
Spin sounds awesome.
f
oncant get any presets
f
onif someone does more this will be great it sounds amazing
Jacques (BlackWinny)
onI bought it in July 2019 for €42 (it was the version 2.4.2), but I found it rather below the level of Surge (which was already free and open source since October 2018). And then… I didn’t use Vaporizer 2.4, and I forgot it, missing the improvements since the day of my purchase.
I was wrong.
Because now I discover that in the meanwhile it has been greatly improved ! What I discover now is a totally new synth compared to the version 2.4 I had four years ago.
Many new features !
And honestly I think that now that it has too become free and open source it could perhaps seriously step on Surge’s toes ! Hard to say because Surge has many lovers throughout the world (including myself, using it since 2018) but this competition if it is courteous could profit to both… and to all the users.
Wing Yee
onLove this – thanks!
Scherbenfabrik
onLove wavetable synths. Unfortunately i get a setup error, telling me that my cpu neither supports AVX nor SSE2 vector expansions.
My recording pc has an i7 tho, maybe it will run there. Would hate to miss this, it looks awesome.
MRG
oni7 4th gen here, have the same error message.
This, somehow, fixed it for me. YMMV. I installed the v3.1.4_no_CPU_check that is on the website first (and checked if it ran on my machine, it did), then the v3.3.0 installer agreed to go all the way as an update.
Only tried the 64bit VST3, but can confirm I had both 3.1.4 and 3.3.0 installed that way. Good luck!
Scherbenfabrik
onThank you very much! I will give it a try.
Didn’t touch any lower versions because the info on 3.2 (and as i assume below) sounds like they are not free and require a license (or run in demo mode).
Scherbenfabrik
onI tried another path for v3.3.0 and it had the same error. But installing in the same folder as v3.1.4 did the trick.
Kinda weird but i’ll take it.
Thanks again. ^^
MRG
onYes, the 3.1.4 does install as a demo (that you could unlock with a serial). And crushing it with the now-full 3.3.0 seems to work. So far, no open portal to a parallel Hell dimension… I think…
Steve Jones
onI have an i7 4790 and I get the same error message about my CPU not supporting AVX nor SSE2, but it does.
Dee
onWow this is fantastic! The presets sound great and I’m looking forward to getting stuck in!
Febbie Ivaaden (Febbs!)
onProjectSAM’s The Free Orchestra 2’s New Library is up!
Not gonna spoil it to you guys~ You have to see it!
Tomislav Zlatic
onThanks for the news!