VACUUM PRO

How to use your new £160 polysynth plugin

German developers AIR Music Technology are the brains behind tons of powerful software instruments such as The Riser, Hybrid 3, Structure 2, Transfusor 2 and the brand-new Loom II. That’s why, for this special Vintage Synthesis issue of , we’re especially excited to give you the full version of their epic analogue-emulating polysynth instrument Vacuum Pro (plus their Fresh AIR Expansion Pack), as sold for an incredible £160!

Vacuum Pro has everything an analogue synth lover could possibly want: six voices of polyphony, two analogue oscillators per part, quad-voice unison per oscillator, dual resonant filters (HP/BP and LP), four envelopes, two LFOs, an arpeggiator, ring mod, three effects, eight macro Smart Controls, and much more besides.

If you’re looking for an analogue sound, Vacuum Pro has it nailed. At various points around the synth are six valve tube saturation stages, along with glowing yellow lamps. Gentle gain settings will apply subtle warmth and flavour, while higher values impart obvious heat and grunt to the raw waveforms. Having drive stages throughout the signal path is akin to overdriving an analogue synth’s internal circuitry, and is far more flexible than simply plonking a distortion plugin over the final output – you can add the chosen amount of warmth and shaping before and after any subsequent filtering, modulation or processing. Elsewhere, there are Pitch Drift and Dust controls for retro-style analogue detune and imperfections. And we’re only just scratching the surface, of course!

Sonics aside, one reason retro-inspired synth plugins are so popular is the fact that the interface and controls are laid out in a familiar way, making them easy to use for synthesis beginners or experts alike. So anyone familiar with classic analogue synth emulations (or, indeed, the real things) will be right at home with Vacuum Pro, as the signal flows logically from left to right.

Here, we’ll walk you through Vacuum Pro’s features, to show you how easy it is to create amazing sounds in no time. Once you’ve fallen in love with Vacuum Pro’s incredible sound and ease of use, make sure you check out their other awesome instruments and effects. And AIR are giving readers the chance to get their AIEP3 Complete Bundle – a collection of 40 instruments and effects – for just £69.99 (usually £499.99). Simply claim your free copy of Vacuum Pro, and you’ll find the offer automatically added to the checkout.