Granular sound particles can be set in motion around a two-dimensional flow field.
SoundMorph has a new plug-in.
Dust is the company's first VST/AAX/AU plug-in. It offers an unusual method of generating and visualising complex sounds in which eight "particles," each one containing a granulated sound source, can be set in motion across a two-dimensional, binaural "flow field." This means users can zoom into, scan through and modulate multiple sounds as they fly around the stereo field, creating evolving patches not possible with typical synthesis engines.
Particles can contain user-uploaded samples or sounds included by the manufacturer and are fired off by "emitters," which can shoot particles in user-determined directions and intervals. Modulation can be simultaneously controlled by LFOs, sequences, MIDI or by a particle's own parameters and can be mapped to dials controlling the position and velocity of a given particle in the flow field. Each particle comes equipped with a three-stage amp envelope and controls for granulation, such as position, interval and length.
The flow field is defined by four effectors, which repel or attract particles like magnets, and can be placed around the field by the user. An equation also shapes the forces in the flow field with presets called things like "Inward Spiral" and "Anti-clockwise rotation," but you can also create your own equations. A convolution reverb is built into the plug-in, too.
Listen to an audio example of Dust.
Learn more about Dust in this tutorial video.