Said to be their most advanced software synthesizer to date, Baby Audio’s latest release has been built on a new granular engine that’s capable of turning samples into everything from synth-like tonal instruments to lush, evolving atmospheres or “volatile digital noise”.
Grainferno is capable of generating grains from two independent source files and morphing between them in real time, allowing users to turn even the most ordinary samples into complex new sounds. Baby Audio say that unlike typical granular instruments, the new instrument is able to generate grains quickly enough for them to reach audio rates. The capability means that at higher speed rates, grains begin to behave more like oscillators, allowing any audio file to be turned into a playable synth voice while retaining the character of the original sample.
Just about every parameter can be modulated, and a drag-and-drop interface makes quick work of setting up routing between modulation sources and destinations. As for those sources, Grainferno comes equipped with three envelopes, three LFOs and three random generators, and it’s possible to set up cross-modulation between two sources. a selection of onboard effects are present, too, including ambient delay and reverbs, analogue-inspired modulation processors and some saturation effects.
The instrument comes supplied with 1.5GB of factory content, with 325 presets covering a wide variety of sounds, and a collection of 378 audio files providing an array of source material to experiment with the instrument’s capabilities. User’s aren’t restricted to the built-in content, as Grainferno supports the import of third-party samples. Helpfully, there are six configuration templates that make it possible to quickly check out a variety of core granular synthesis techniques with any loaded sample.
Compatibility
Grainferno is supported on PCs running Windows 10 or above, and Macs running macOS 10.11 and higher. VST, VST3, AU and AAX plug-in versions are available, along with a standalone application.
Pricing & Availability
Grainferno is available now, and is currently (12 March 2026) being offered at an introductory price of $79£59, reduced from its full cost of $129£99. Prices include VAT. It’s also available via Baby Audio’s subscribe-to-own plan — more information can be found on the company’s website.
