Sound Design: The ultimate analogue kick

Backbone, tagged as ‘drum re-synthesizer’ is a new sample-based VST from DAW stalwarts Steinberg. Its primary remit is the creation of single drum sounds from basic audio content, but if you read that and assumed that this is just another way of layering sounds to create something new, think again. As well as the more obvious sample-stacking capabilities, Backbone uses a number of more unusual techniques such as re-synthesis and ‘decomposition’ for further sonic exploration and manipulation.

Any user of Steinberg’s Halion or Groove Agent line of products will be familiar with the interface, which consists of multiple modules with sub-pages. The main window size can be adjusted, though font-size (and overall legibility) is not altered unless you’re using a HiDPI setup, which is somewhat frustrating, to be really honest.

Like with Halion, I found some aspects of the icon-driven navigation a little unintuitive – at least initially anyway. For an instrument designed with speedy sound-creation in mind, ways of switching views and closing sub-windows should be more clearly sign-posted. However, once you immerse yourself in its universe for a while, Backbone does become more straightforward to use.

Sounds themselves are based on combining up to eight layers of samples, with each layer getting a similar set of manipulation and treatment tools. These include the usual suspects – a sample editor as well as pitch, filter and amp envelopes, but here you will also find a resynthesis section. This allows you to manipulate samples on a spectral level, with controls allowing you to alter playback and tweak the sound spectrum (displayed below the controls). This is undoubtedly a very powerful tool, and a great way of generating interesting content to layer with other samples. However, it is fair to say that some of the best results come from trial and error, and it is equally easy to turn decent sounds into something ringing and resonant (and not necessarily in a good way).

The same thing applies to the Decompose function that splits sounds into tonal and noise-based elements for independent tweaking, where some twisting of knobs is required to determine optimum analysis. If you get it right, then some interesting possibilities await, such as layering the tonal spectrum of a cowbell, with the noise of the human voice.

Once you’re happy with the results of the combined layers, two four-slot effect sections can be used with a range of EQ/filter, dynamics, modulation, distortion and reverb/ delay processors to provide a little extra finessing.

Backbone is an interesting single-sound drum synthesiser, with some quite innovative features, but in many respects it might have been far more alluring if it hadn’t included ‘drum’ within its title. After all, it can only playback one sound at a time, and is therefore not geared towards building coherent drum kits that can be triggered from a single track or MIDI channel.

If Steinberg were to address this, and also create a re-badged generic (ie not just drum-based) version, then I would be able to see myself taking another look at this with even greater interest.

Bruce Aisher steinberg.net

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