VST Instrument: Big Tick Cheeze Machine

"Cheeze Machine" is a string ensemble synth from Big Tick Audio. It's very simple to use (a definite plus), but it is light on variety and possibilities.

Features:
-1 oscillator
-8 presets
-Phaser, modulation, reverb

Sound:
First off, you should know that synth does not create realistic string sounds. It can, however, produce some better than average synth string sounds. It has only 8 presets, so the variety of sounds you can produce is limited. One clever way of obtaining more sounds is adjusting the Brightness and Feedback nobs. The Brightness nob can take you all the way from a warm, velvety bass to a more in-your-face, sawtooth-y sound. Using this method and others, it is possible to create basses, leads, and pads with this synth.

Ease of Use:
Nothing too complicated here. As first I wasn't clear on what "Ensemble" meant in the upper right of the panel. This is just a modulation/chorus effect. For those of you a little less knowledgeable, the "Voices" nob controls how many sustaining tones the synth can play. There is an algorithm that determines which notes will be cut out if you exceed that limit, so you probably just want to set it high in most cases.

Overall:
I don't regret downloading this plug-in, but I can't say I'll be using it much. It works nice as a supplement to other string patches you may have in other synths.



Download "Cheeze Machine" (requires Registration)

VST Instrument: reFX Claw

If I were to describe this little synth in one word it would be "cute." Though it is not heavy on features, it is exceptionally user friendly, and can put out some solid sound!

Features:
-1 oscillator
-32 presets
-built in distortion, delay, portamento, pan settings, cutoff, resonance

Sound:
Although I was not quite impressed with all of the presets, I was able to get some decent sound out of them with little tweaking. Many of the presets feature gratuitous amounts of portamento, which do not make them very playable. It is a monophonic synth, so you won't get much past basses and leads. It has somewhat an auto-pan feature which generates a pretty neat effect. Some of my personal favorite presets are "Fat Bass," "Atari in Space," and "Pretty Queen." The waveform nob turns about 270 degrees, giving you plenty of options for waveforms, which is a feature I greatly appreciated.

Ease of Use:
It doesn't get much easier. Pull up a preset, twist some nobs, and you'll have a handle on it in 15 minutes or less. The download actually includes a comprehensive manual. So if any confusion arises, the manual should clear things up right away!

Overall:
Like I said, this synth is not heavy on features. I'd say it is definitely worth a download. Hey, you might just find that one preset you love, and it'll make it's way into your next track!



(the drum track produced with Cakewalk Session Drummer 2)

Download reFX Claw