Full Bucket Music has announced the release of Ragnarök, a freeware virtual analogue synthesizer in VSTi plugin format for Windows based host applications. The instrument is inspired by a custom built analogue synthesizer from 1980.
This one is definitely not “just another” subtractive synthesizer in terms of functionality and architecture. Ragnarök features a unique oscillator bank with up to four oscillators per voice. With just a few clicks, you can layer several oscillators and this thing can already sound incredibly fat. Programming raging analogue style bass sounds is pure joy with Ragnarök.
Things get even better when you add a bit of the built-in overdrive effect. It works very well for adding some grit on top. I still haven’t spent enough time playing this instrument to give a final verdict in terms of versatility, but I was able to get some great sounding basses and lead patches out of it pretty quickly. It can also be used for pads and you can even use it to make some cool BOC style sounds when you combine the overdrive effect with pitch modulation. The built-in 7-band EQ is also useful for taming the sound of Ragnarök, because the instrument has a rather raw sounds (which I really like), especially with the overdrive effect switched on.
The included factory presets are all quite useful and some of them are pretty awesome. I’ve made a quick video which runs through some of the factory presets, just to give you a basic idea about how the instrument sounds. You can hear a full audio demo of Ragnarök on SoundCloud (it’s a KVR OSC submission by Hans Peter).
This is the sixth freeware instrument by Full Bucket Music (Ragnarök was made as a collaboration with Hans Peter aka CrimsonWarlock who did the GUI design, the patches and synth concept). FBM’s fantastic Mono/Fury instrument is still one of my favorite freeware virtual analogs.
Video Demo
Check out the Ragnarök demo video:
Download
Ragnarök is available for free download via Full Bucket Music (1.4 MB download size, ZIP archive, 32-bit & 64-bit VSTi plugin format for Windows).
Last Updated on November 7, 2014 by Tomislav Zlatic.
