FabFilter have announced that the latest version of their award-winning virtual analogue software synthesizer is now available. Said to expand and improve on its predecessor in every area, Twin 3 features a completely redesigned GUI, more oscillators and filters, an even more powerful modulation system, and an all-new effects section.
Oscillators & Filters
The instrument is now equipped with four oscillators, the design of which has been completely overhauled to include features such as analogue-modelled drift which introduces subtle random pitch and phase fluctuations, as well as pulse width modulation, hard sync, and phase sync. Polyphony has also been increased, with the voice count doubled to a maximum of 64, and a new Per Oscillator mode allows the instrument to step through the oscillators with each new incoming note.
Twin 3’s filter count has also been doubled from two to four, and the filters themselves also benefit from a number of enhancements. New vintage-style Bell, Shelf, and Notch modes are present, offering a characterful non-linear distortion, and extended sound design possibilities are provided by a 6dB/octave slope option and modulatable Cutoff/Peak Offset controls. A new High Quality mode has also been included, offering a 4x oversampling function.
Effects & Arpeggiator
A newly designed effects section houses six processing modules, with dynamic control and saturation available thanks to Compressor and Drive processors, and a range of spatial and rhythmic effects provided by Reverb, Delay, Chorus, and Phaser modules. All of the section’s parameters are available as modulation targets, allowing users to manipulate them with either the built-in envelope generators and followers, XLFOs, XY controllers, and sliders, or control them with external sources via MIDI.
There is also a new Arpeggiator equipped with features such as host sync capabilities, Groove/Legato modes, Rate Offset controls, and a wide range of note value and order options that promise to provide users with endless creative inspiration.
GUI
In addition to the extensive functionality enhancements, Twin 3 has also been given a new look, with FabFilter aiming to make the instrument more accessible and visually informative whilst speeding up navigation and operation. It is now possible to add and remove individual oscillators and filters as they are required, and new scaling options and a Full Screen mode help to ensure that the instrument works effectively with a wide range of display setups.
Enhanced visual feedback is provided by inclusions such as per-oscillator oscilloscopes, a spectogram, and visualisation of modulation signals throughout their path, whilst filters are controlled from within an interactive EQ-style display. The overall colour scheme has also been made darker, with the intention of making the interface less tiring on the eyes over long sessions.
Compatibility
Twin 3 is supported on PCs running Windows Vista and above, and Macs running macOS 10.13 and higher. It is available in VST, VST3, AU, and AAX plug-in formats.
Pricing & Availability
Twin 3 is available now, priced at $129€129.
