Blade 2, Rob Papen’s unique cosmic harmolator-based Synthesizer plugin, has just received a major upgrade with additive synthesis, new filters & more
Rob Papen Blade has become one of my all-time favorites when it comes to special synthesizer plugins. The idea is to morph harmonics through an XY pad controlled synth “atmosphere”. On top of that, you could also record, edit, and playback these movements. Blade is a sound design tool perfect for unique cosmic sounds not possible with any class synth plugin. I’ve had Blade in my plug-in arsenal for a long time and I use it when I’m looking for ambient, sci-fi-like sounds.
Rob has been hard working with his developer on Blade 2 for a few months now. The sequel of the “atmospheric Synthesizer is now available for download and the sonic capabilities of it have been significantly expanded.
Rob Papen Blade 2
Rob picks up where it left off at Blade 1 and consistently continues the unique concept. Blade 2 introduces a new additive mode which allows you to morph/mix between 4 additive waveforms using the XY pad. Flexible, the engine not only supports the factory additive waves but invites you to create and edit your own. Another big highlight is a new wave-analyzer that transforms your sample data into a waveform. They can be integrated and used in the harmolator and additive modes. For me, Rob has unlocked yet another level of Blade’s experimental sonic possibilities. I’m excited to try that out.
Well, that’s not all. Rob also added the other parts of the synthesis core: new analog-style oscillators, noise generator, or even 32 different filter types to choose from. Blade 2 also incorporates an upgraded arpeggiator section with new creative features. There are now two additional rows for controlling the X and Y position of the XY pad. Also new is the ‘ratcheting’ feature including different ratcheting modes.
Last but not least, Blade 2 now features three multi-fx processors with high-quality algorithms.
All in all, an update that I personally have been waiting for a long time. Blade 2 is a Synthesizer plugin that I do certainly not recommended to everyone. They are perfect for musicians who attach great importance to sound design. But mainly want to travel through a new sonic sphere that differs significantly from classic synth sounds.
Rob Papen Blade 2 is available now for $99 USD / 99€. Owners of Blade can upgrade for $39 USD / 39€. It has also been added to the eXplorer-6 bundle & SoundDesign-X bundle at no cost.
More information here: Rob Papen
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I own explorer 6 and was delighted to hear this was a free update. It’s an awesome update with the new features and improvements. A much cleaner interface too which makes it a lot easier to work with for those with 4K monitors. Most importantly I think is its sound which is all its own. From razor sharp glass and bell sounds to warm and rounded bass, pads and experimental-blade 2 has you covered. Highly recommended