Soonth Blocks, the FREE modular synth plugin, is back with a redesigned UI. Soonth released Blocks around two years ago, and when we initially covered it, the plugin seemed like a lot of fun.
On a more serious note, it also seemed like a good way for modular newcomers to build some foundations.
I’ll do a quick recap for anyone who missed Blocks the first time around, but you should know it’s not competing with the likes of VCV Rack; it’s far more basic, and that’s the point.
The basic idea is that you start with a grid of empty slots that you fill with Blocks to make a patch/preset.
You can place Blocks wherever you like and even stretch them across multiple slots. There are several Block types: Sources, Modulators, and Effects.
Sources are oscillators, including Sine, Saw, Triangle, and Noise. These Blocks are the starting point that you can then manipulate with Modulators and Effects.
Modulators include LFOs and ADSR Envelopes, and Effects include Reverb, Filter, Delay, and a Mixer.
A dedicated Modulators menu is one of the upgrades in this new version of Blocks. The new menu, which you’ll see down the right-hand side of the interface, makes it easier to see and adjust everything happening.
Along with the Modulator menu, Blocks has introduced tabs and selectable themes to the upgraded UI.
Blocks maintains the same drag-and-drop functionality it always had, but the new changes make things clearer and easier to reach.
Stability was an issue when we first covered Blocks, and it crashed now and then when testing. To be fair, back in 2021, it was in the early beta stage of development, and some issues were to be expected.
I’m not yet sure how much progress has been made in that area since then, but I do know that working on stability is a priority moving forward.
I think the concept of stripping things back to the most basic building blocks is a good idea and usually the best way to learn.
Don’t forget to check out Plugin Boutique’s September Gift.
Blocks is available in 64-bit AU and VST formats for macOS and Windows.
Download: Blocks (FREE)
More:
- SampleScience Release FREE Modular Synth VCO Instrument
- InfernalSynth Is A FREE Semi-Modular Synthesizer
Last Updated on September 7, 2023 by Tomislav Zlatic.
