Lifelike Acoustics, Unreal Expression
With a company name like Expressive E, you’d expect exploration and expression to be at the forefront of their offerings, and Sweetwater’s production pros are pleased to confirm that their Imagine plug-in exceeds any and all expectations. The trademark of their touché français has been carved out to reimagine a wide range of acoustic and resonating instruments with an unmatched level of incredibly deep control, thanks to a partnership with Applied Acoustics Systems. Complex sonic modeling is masterfully streamlined under macro controls to apply abstract textures, timbres, and more to various instruments, resulting in exceptionally unexpected aural landscapes and otherwise-impossible articulations. Couple this with a robust suite of onboard FX, multi-stage envelope generation (MSEG), hundreds of presets, and extensive modulation options, and you’re just scratching the surface of this unbridled expression engine.
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Imaginary instruments
Masterfully concealing Imagine’s complex mathematics and astounding aural architecture is a combination of sometimes-quirky, yet intuitive macros, letting you construct imaginary instruments by uncoupling familiar concepts from their physical limitations. With up to two simultaneously available instruments, you’re able to choose from three inciting noise sources: a mallet, a continuous signal, or a sequence. This source is run through a combination of two resonant bodies, including such options as tubes, bars, skins, and strings. With unique parameters for each combination of instruments and noise source, you’re given a wildly inspiring sandbox to bring impossible textures and tones to life.
Reactive, real-time exploration
Working alongside Applied Acoustics Systems (AAS), Imagine taps into their cutting-edge acoustic physical modeling, letting you freely combine conceptual elements of acoustic instruments. A swath of assignable macros and compelling parameters are purpose-built to encourage real-time exploration of each brilliantly bizarre patch you produce. Modulation is at the heart of these instruments waiting to be imagined, as every macro control contains a Multi-stage Envelope Generator (MSEG), of which there are 200 presets and nearly infinite number of potential permutations. These MSEGs have been thoughtfully designed with every instrumental and timbral combination in mind, introducing undulating motion to morph across and between layers, deepening the character of every sound.
Thoughtfully crafted, endlessly personal
Armed with the groundbreaking technology of AAS, Expressive E wasn’t content to curb their collaborations there. Months of refining this masterclass of expressivity included work with professional musicians, sound designer, composers, and digital producers to create over 400 studio-ready presets, sprawling a wide array of musical possibilities and derived from diverse feedback. This also resulted in 300 instrument presets and 150 arpeggiator presets, optimized for use with Imagine’s physics-defying sonics. Real-time modulation is just as malleable with the onboard FX, including a frequency shifter, vibrato, distortion, dedicated delays, and modeled plate reverbs. With two slots for every preset’s dual-layer composition, voltaic textures are only a touch away.
Expressive E Imagine Hybrid Acoustic Synthesizer Plug-in Features:
- Streamlined UI and thoughtful macros pair down complex mathematics into intuitive controls
- Collaboration with Applied Acoustics Systems integrates groundbreaking sonic-modeling technology to capture the precise characteristics of various instruments and resonance bodies
- Dual-layer, 2-instrument system is built to inspire impossible and imagined instruments that could never exist within the laws of nature
- Multi-stage Envelope Generators (MSEG) masterfully modulate under each macro parameter, fully customizable
- Thoughtful preset designs are the result of months of collaboration with professional artists, composers, sound designers, and more
- 400+ factory presets, 300+ instrument presets, 150+ arpeggiator presets, and 200+ MSEG presets ensure studio-quality tools with infinite potential
- High-fidelity onboard FX include distortion, frequency shifter, vibrato, delay, and modeled plate reverb for unmatched texturization
- Seamless compatibility with Touché and Touché SE Expression Controllers as well as Lié software
