The Noisy 2 interface is colourful and clear. In this synth Layer view all three main types of resonator have been selected.
Expressive E’s idiosyncratic synth sequel puts MPE front and centre.
You could never accuse French company Expressive E of being conventional. Following the release of their innovative Touché expressive controller pad in 2017 they’ve put out a range of distinctive software synths and patch collections and more recently, significantly, the Osmose hardware synth.
Their latest offering is Noisy 2, a plug‑in software synth that’s an update of the original Noisy from 2020, which had a notably colourful, funky interface. The new version is easier on the eye, and more importantly adds new synthesis features as well as a scheme for handling signals coming in from MPE‑enabled controllers. As MPE (MIDI Polyphonic Expression) and expressive keyboards become ever more widespread the onus will be on developers to make synths that properly cater for them, rather than just delivering MPE‑readiness in some generic sense, and Noisy 2 looks to be all about that. How does it work out in practice?
Art Of Noise
Some basics to start, so we know what we’re dealing with. Noisy 2 runs as a VST2, VST3 or Audio Unit plug‑in on macOS 11/ Windows 10 or later. It’s a dual‑layer synth, with two identical sound engines running in parallel, outputting into a shared suite of effects. Maximum polyphony is eight notes, though you can restrict it to fewer voices too, down to a monophonic ‘legato’. The user interface is tabbed, so in use you’re mostly viewing either Layer 1 or Layer 2, or the FX tab. A header bar has facilities to transpose layers by octaves, adjust their volumes, and disable each element.
A quick glance at one of the synth layer user interfaces reveals this isn’t another Minimoog emulation. All will become even clearer in a minute I hope, but essentially Noisy 2’s sound production is based on a trio of resonators that are excited by a single noise source. There are 21 different kinds of unpitched noise, from the synthetic and algorithmic (‘velvet’, ‘white’, etc) to others (‘rain’, ‘frying’, etc) that probably started life as field recordings. The resonators visible across the bottom of the window sound in response to this signal. They can be enabled individually, and each offers six different sonic characters: two somewhat like analogue synth oscillators, and four complex physical models. Actually, courtesy of a mixer (which will operate with stereo pans or in a CPU‑saving mono mode) you can also expose the noise source directly too, so there’s a potential maximum of four tone generators per voice.
Next along the signal chain is a resonant (though not self‑oscillating) multimode filter with five modes: 12 and 24 dB/octave low‑pass, plus 12dB/octave band‑pass, ‘band‑stop’ and high‑pass. There’s a cute graphical joke here, with the cutoff knob appearing chunkier when you select the Moog‑inspired 24dB ladder. Then there’s an output module with a soft‑clip distortion stage that includes a feedback loop and goes from light harmonic excitation to much thicker, bass‑heavy distortion.
Outputs of the synth layers finally feed into four stereo effect processors connected in series. The first two are identical multi‑algorithm types that can rustle up tremolo, more low‑pass and high‑pass filters (though not on a per‑voice basis here), auto‑pan, distortion, ‘noisifier’, ring modulation, three types of phaser, and a chorus. Finally there’s a quite well‑equipped stereo delay with delay times up to 5s, and a sparkly, open plate reverb with decay times up to about 20 seconds.
Noisy 2 comes with plenty of presets: 700 or so to suit standard non‑MPE MIDI controllers, and about 500 for owners of Osmoses, Seaboards, Push 3s, Linnstruments and more. Main presets load settings for both synth layers, effects and some associated parameters in about one second, but there are also single‑timbre presets available for each synth layer, allowing for quick mix‑and‑match pairings.
Onboard effects are versatile and sound good, and what’s more their parameters can be controlled in real time from your touch, or a hardware MIDI controller.
Devil Inside
Noisy 2’s synth signal chain, of ‘oscillators’ (a term which is never used, by the way) feeding a filter, might make you think it’s just a variation on a typical analogue subtractive synth design. In a simplistic way it is, and in fact it can be made to sound attractively synthetic and analogue. But there’s a lot that’s unusual too.
To begin with, many of the modulation sources we’d expect to see on a typical synth seem to be missing here. The are no banks of envelope generators — only a simple attack/decay shaper in the Expression Control module — and only one rather simple LFO.
Instead, it’s the inputs from your playing that are intended to become the primary sources of modulation. That’s a concept that might be familiar to Osmose and Haken Continuum players, who will also search in vain for an envelope generator (for example) in the editor for their onboard synths, and are always encouraged to tease out desired shapes from the playing surface.
You might expect the way this is realised in Noisy 2 could be complicated. Actually, it’s quite simple, though it’ll require some brain‑bending on the part of even seasoned programmers in the early stages.
The way it works is that messages from your MIDI controller (such as key velocity, aftertouch, wheels and knobs) are combined in useful ways to form a single stream of ‘expression’ values in the plug‑in. That’s the role of the pink Expression Control boxes, visible in both Layer and FX pages. Their mesmeric real‑time graphs visualise the result of the control inputs together with an onboard AD envelope, to better illustrate how everything’s interacting. They appear in two forms to suit either MPE or standard MIDI controllers, but either way the resulting expression signal is routed all over the synth and effects architecture: it can be applied to parameters in positive or negative fashion anywhere you see an Exp Amount knob.
Skimming through the hundreds of excellent factory presets, it may never occur to you that there are so few conventional modulation sources. To get the most expressive results out of non‑MPE controllers one extra stage of configuration is required (see the ‘Matrix Matters’ box), but with an MPE keyboard like the Osmose I used for testing it’s genuinely plug‑and‑play in a way that no other DAW‑hosted synth has remotely been for me, yet. Then there’s a staggering amount of control available under the fingers, including per‑note bends of course.
If you’re a seasoned sound designer, you might be wondering how a synth with very few modulation sources has any real range, or can even produce sustaining sounds, which it assuredly can. The answers lie in other places than you’d expect, including the Noise module’s gain knob (for static or key‑operated sustain) and the resonators’ Reso knobs (for release time). More nuance still comes from the two faders bracketing every Exp Amount knob: they let you extend Fall and Rise times (up to about two and four seconds respectively) for the incoming expression modulation, for each parameter.
As for LFOs, there are in fact two. One is hardwired for sine‑shape vibrato use, operated with just two knobs underneath Resonator 1. The main LFO is more versatile but still simple: it offers four conventional waveforms plus random, beat‑sync’able rates from 0‑20 Hz, and can have its rate controlled expressively. Like expression, its effect can be fed all over the synth via LFO Range knobs.
Which brings me on to (of all things) a weird labelling anomaly. LFO modulation depth can be scaled in real time by expression — very useful — and the knobs that do it are labelled Exp Mode. This stopped me in my tracks initially: the PDF manual offered only a scant description, and that word ‘mode’ implied some kind of alteration between different states, with the three‑way arrow graphic only deepening my confusion. But by chance I noticed that in Noisy v1 the identical knobs are call ‘Exp Mod’, without the E, which suddenly makes perfect sense. There are a few other typos here and there in Noisy 2 (‘Distorsion’, ‘Noisifer’) and the user guide is vanishingly thin to the point of invisibility in places, so maybe the visuals and documentation are still catching up with the product.
The Rest Is Noise
Synths that are specifically able to introduce hazy, smoky, lo‑fi characteristics alongside ‘just’ weight and warmth are in vogue. More and more manufacturers are giving us ways to mess up our pristine signals, and it’s the way of many overtly cinematic sample libraries these days too. So Noisy 2 is potentially right on trend.
A tour of Noisy 2 presets is interesting. Despite strong nods towards physical modelling in the synth engine, very few sounds go for (or indeed achieve) acoustic realism. There are some mallet instruments, pianos and guitars, but they’re all unashamedly synthetic, fanciful renderings. There’s no sample or wavetable playback, like with ROLI’s Equator 2, and that shifts the focus strongly towards the synthetic and creative.
Nevertheless, Noisy 2’s character range is very broad, with multiple sweet spots. It does a great line in complex synth pads and atmospheres, as well as all sorts of dirty, metallic, scraping soundscapes. What’s perhaps less expected (given the name) are all the clean, elastic plucks which sequence and arpeggiate nicely, and a huge range of fat‑sounding, energetic analogue‑leaning tones. The synth‑style resonators can conjure up timbres ranging from the creamy and weighty to unstable and goofy, and the low‑pass filter modes offer both smoothness and girth. Filter‑heads may be pleased to hear that high levels of resonance in the 24dB ladder do not steal bass weight. The onboard effects, by the way, sound great, and all can get in on the expressive action.
The experience of programming Noisy 2 was, for me, one of pleasant weirdness. The modulation scheme is conspicuously low‑key: there’s no filter tracking parameter for example, and no dedicated LFO onset delays. The simplicity adds to a sense of immediacy, and could make creative journeys with the synth a pleasure. On numerous occasions I was reminded of a modular synth feel, with looseness and unpredictability in just about equal measure with clarity and control. That was only heightened when bringing expressively controlled effects into the mix, which could result in everything from subtle shaping to absolute timbral mayhem. CPU use, incidentally, is considerable: for example, it was very roughly 3‑4 times that of some Arturia analogue synth emulations I had running alongside during testing, for the same polyphony. But it’s not out of the way, and on my now three‑year‑old M1 Max MacBook Pro Noisy 2 was a barely detectable presence.
As for MPE and use with the Osmose in particular: well, given that we’re dealing with ‘just’ MPE here, across a MIDI connection, Noisy 2 feels almost as responsive and alive as the Osmose’s onboard synth, and can sound remarkably close in character. Gestures like shaking keys (both axes), rapid releases, key‑down retriggers and more are tracked with impressive rapidity, and can give rise to delightful timbral outcomes thanks to the MPE trigger modes.
At the same time, non‑MPE people should still have a great time, especially with monophonic sounds, where arguably certain hardware controllers (wheels, touch strips, and dedicated devices like the Touché) have distinct advantages all their own.
In the end, Noisy 2 is unlikely to be (and I don’t think is trying to be) anyone’s all‑in‑one synth: it doesn’t offer the realism of a sampler, nor the programming depth of a mod‑matrix monster. It’s much more leftfield, capable of striking sounds, and offers a novel (and often better) take on the idea of expressivity. Some underlying concepts are certainly unusual, but the design and user interface keeps everything feeling responsive and invitingly tweakable. If you’ve no interest in programming, the preset provision is excellent.
For owners of the Osmose and other MPE controllers, it’s one of the very best pure synth options out there.
All told, and given the quite modest asking price, I can’t recommend Noisy 2 enough. It’s inspiring and fun, and produces a range of rich, complex and fluid sounds that would be a challenge for many more conventional synths. For owners of the Osmose and other MPE controllers it’s one of the very best pure synth options out there.
Rezzy Reckoning
Noisy 2’s resonators, at the heart of the synth, have a huge impact on sound and character. Three of them run in parallel per layer, they can be offset in pitch (by a whopping six octaves, musical intervals, and fine detunes), and can have separate glide times. They’ll support polyphonic glide too.
The first resonator type, Oscillator Comb, offers up a spectrum of traditional synth waveforms in parallel with a comb filter source that can sound like a blown pipe or bowed string. The synth controls are unusual, employing a draggable puck on an X/Y pad for waveform selection: buzzy waveforms at the bottom, crossfading to a sine along the top. Expression and LFO signals can effectively animate the puck’s position, with current values shown by a little translucent shadow that moves around.
Next up, the Virtual Analog PWM resonator is all about square and double‑square waves of different pulse widths, and in the place of the comb filter are some Drift parameters that add pitch sloppiness.
The four Acoustic resonators are closely related: evocatively named after moons of Jupiter, all inhabit a similar spooky, metallic‑murky sound world, but differ in harmonic content. Within each model there’s a lot of variety, courtesy of an expressively‑accessible tone control that accentuates resonances across the harmonic series, a Modal Shift parameter that reconfigures the series, and an overall pitch selector.
When using the Acoustic resonators (and also the comb filter) the type of noise excitation you’ve chosen comes through loud and clear, forming part of the texture of the sound. By contrast, for most synth waveform sounds you’d have to strain to hear any difference at all. This is typical of the chalk/cheese duality of Noisy 2 in general, and is arguably a strength rather than a weakness, extending the synth’s character range.
Matrix Matters
Lurking with Noisy 2’s other global settings is a ‘Matrix’. It exists to route incoming MIDI (pitch‑bend, aftertouch or continuous control messages) to potentially every synthesis and effect parameter in the plug‑in. At first sight it looks like a big boost for programming depth, until you realise it operates at a global level, affecting every preset identically. By default only CC1 (your mod wheel) is routed to an effects depth parameter. But the matrix comes into its own with non‑MPE controllers, especially, for which you could (as an example) route aftertouch or a wheel to the Expression knobs on one or both layers, to really start leveraging expressive parameter control for held notes.
Expression Control
The Expression Control modules are the key to maxing out the potential of your controller keyboard: the MPE‑specific version is shown here. They track velocity (aka MPE Strike Value) and look after the triggering of an onboard AD envelope. Contrary to the way other MPE‑compatible synths tend to keep their two main touch phases (initial/pressure/Z‑axis and secondary/aftertouch/Y‑axis) as separate modulation sources, Noisy 2 rolls them into one and lets you balance the extent of their contribution. Seemingly limiting at first, in practice it’s anything but. In conjunction with four types of Trig Mode (shown in the screenshot), the scheme will let you do all those desirable MPE things like squeezing into sounds from silence with light and shallow touches, but will also support one synth layer triggering on key presses and another on releases, and many other fruitful combos.
Alternatives
There are plenty of fascinating physical‑modelling synths out there — among them Logic’s Sculpture, Rhizomatic’s Plasmonic, AAS’s Chromaphone and String Studio — but as yet none offer the same simple, useful integration with MPE touch as Noisy 2. ROLI’s Equator 2 was very much made with MPE in mind and it has tremendous range, but its oscillator types don’t include physical models. The same is true for Kilohearts’ Phase Plant, which has recently gained an endorsement from Expressive E, and specific compatibility with the Osmose.
Pros
- A wide gamut of interesting timbres, from analogue to quasi‑acoustic.
- Inviting and accessible, despite some unusual underlying concepts.
- Gold‑standard MPE compatibility, especially for Expressive E’s own Osmose.
- Fine onboard effects, which can get in on the expressive action.
Cons
- Dedicated programmers might be taken aback at some lack of facilities.
Summary
A distinctive, quirky, likeable and surprisingly flexible soft synth. MPE‑friendly like few others, it also works well with conventional controller keyboards.