UVI FALCON 2
This French hybrid supersynth soars to new heights with new effects, extra performance devices and the addition of an additive oscillator
Essentially a supercharged version of their free UVI Workstation, Parisian developer UVI’s Falcon hybrid synth/sampler has been the ‘secret weapon’ of many a well-informed producer for over five years now (9/10, 227). Building extensively on the core architecture of UVI Workstation, Falcon puts multiple synthesis and sampling styles, a huge spread of highquality effects, a wealth of scripted performance devices and more at the heart of a freeform modular system that, while certainly not for the faint-hearted, is as powerful as virtual instruments come.
Although many tweaks, fixes and additions have been worked in through almost 20 point releases since launch, the release of version 2 is a milestone for Falcon’s devoted fan base, who have long extolled the superiority of their sound design platform of choice over comparable rivals. And happily for that demographic, Falcon 2 is a free upgrade for registered users of version 1, so if you’re already in the club, head over to the UVI website and get downloading. For everyone else, this review will summarise the instrument as a whole, drawing particular attention to the new stuff added for v2.
A bird in the hand
Falcon 2 (VST/AU/AAX/standalone) is a multitimbral synth capable of simultaneously loading an unlimited number of Parts, assigned to any combination of MIDI channels, and blended in a familiar mixer-style interface. Each Part contains a Program, which comprises multiple Layers of key-zoned oscillator groups, and any number of effects, and there’s no limit (apart from that imposed by the bounds of the host CPU) to the complexity of the stacks, splits and round robins that can be constructed.
The library of oscillator types takes in the gamut of synthesis and sample playback styles. In the former department, you’ve got your basic Analog and the eight-oscillator Analog Stack; four-operator FM; a very capable Wavetable module (incorporating FM as of v1.5); the instrumentally-specific Drum and Organ oscillators; the string-modelling Pluck; Noise; and – the headline new feature of Falcon 2 – Additive (see It all adds up). For sampling, there’s regular old ‘tape-style’ repitching, two types of
“Falcon’s devoted fan base have long extolled the superiority of their sound design platform of choice”
timestretching, slicing, and three granular options. It’s a truly comprehensive line-up.
A wide range of modulation sources is onboard, and again, there’s no cap on the number of them that can be employed within each Program, Layer or Keygroup. Falcon 2 adds to the nine established LFOs, envelopes, sequencer, etc, with the Parametric LFO. This enables detailed morphing and skewing of the waveform via the Shape, Pulse Width, Symmetry and Swing controls. Just the thing for wonky cyclical movement.
Flipping the script
Effects are equally well represented, taking in an embarrassment of signal processing riches for deployment at every level of a patch, from reverbs, delays and modulation processors, to single- and multiband dynamics, EQs, filters, distortion, stereo tools and beyond. Falcon 2 brings their number up to 90 (although that includes the Legacy Effects, which are really only there for compatibility with old MachFive and UVI Workstation patches) with the addition of four new modules: the Roland-inspired Tape Echo, Track Delay (handy for offsetting claps, FX, etc), Formant Crusher (a formant filter with bitcrushing) and Sallen Key Filter.
Falcon also lets you get under the bonnet using the Lua scripting language to create your own sequencers, effects, performance interfaces and utilities, and a well-stocked library of devices is included. The new 8-track Drum Sequencer brings easy beat programming to the party, while the Euclidean Drum and Tonal Sequencers employ Euclidean distribution of active steps and accents for the instant ‘guided’ production of percussion parts and melodic/ harmonic lines. For more on Lua scripting within Falcon, incidentally, see 276’s Producer Masterclass with electronica legends Plaid.
High flyer
The addition of the Additive oscillator to Falcon 2 rounds off its synthesis arsenal nicely, and the rest of the improvements are all welcome and genuinely elevatory. The Parametric LFO and Euclidean Sequencers are our highlights, but experienced users will also appreciate the new Modulation Quick Menu and Keygroup User templates.
The factory library still disappoints, though, weighing in at just 1GB. Sure, there’s a ton of fantastic presets in there, but for an instrument that deals so heavily in sample-based sounds, the paucity of such material out of the box continues to disappoint. Of course, UVI want you to expand Falcon 2 with their amazing catalogue of multisampled instrument libraries, but for the asking price, we do feel that more should be bundled in.
That aside, Falcon 2 is without doubt one of the most potent and inspiring virtual instruments money can buy. It’s just as at home cooking up boisterous basses, luxurious pads, expressive keys and spectacular multisynthesised soundscapes as it is powering hybrid drum kits, rearranging loops and hosting muiltisampled instrument emulations. And while its intricate hierarchy of systems and associations can be befuddling at times, the effort required to negotiate the learning curve is well worth the sonic rewards. uvi.net
“Falcon 2 is without doubt one of the most potent and inspiring virtual instruments money can buy”