Alchemy Explained

Laurence is back with another in-depth collection of video tutorials about Camel Audio's super synth Alchemy! This synth is not for the faint of heart, it's a sonic powerhouse with tons of features and functions. Laurence has your back though, he shows you it all from start to finish so you can practice your own sonic alchemy with this truly amazing virtual synth.

Getting Started

• Introduction to Alchemy (02:26) - Alchemy is a very powerful additive, virtual analogue, spectral and granular synthesizer and sampler! Although complex, it's easy to use once you wrap your mind around it. Watch Laurence cover and unravel all the features of this synth so you get it!

• The Interface (04:06) - Laurence shows you the various areas of the Alchemy interface and how you interact with them including using displays and knobs.

• Signal Flow (03:38) - Laurence explains how the signal passes in and out of Alchemy.

• The Title Bar (06:50) - Next, Laurence covers the Browser, Simple and Advanced views and the File Menu. Also, choosing different skins for Alchemy and Randomizing presets is covered.

• Preset Browser (04:58) - Laurence shows you how to browse through presets using Alchemy's powerful preset browser. Next, using categories, rating presets and giving comments to a preset is shown. He then wraps up this video with how to assign attributes to presets and saving sounds.

• Performance Controls (15:40) - Perform knobs, XY controller, master envelope and remix pads are revealed. Laurence shows you how to manipulate presets and also your own sounds as well. Assigning targets to the performance controls is then explained.

The Synthesizer

• Sources Introduction (15:56) - Laurence shows you all the Common controls to all the sources, Source drop down menu, as well as Copying and Pasting sources. Laurence then explains Looping within source audio and ways of importing audio into Alchemy.

• Modulation Introduction (04:59) - Learn how to assign modulators in Alchemy and assigning modulation to modulator parameters.

• Additive Synthesis (14:16) - Discover what Additive Synthesis is as well as Additive re-synthesis in Alchemy. Manipulating Additive data and Additive sound design is also explored.

• Virtual Analogue (07:48) - See how to use Alchemy as a virtual analogue synth. Waveforms, unison and detuning is also discussed.

• Spectral Synthesis (08:03) - Explore Spectral Synthesis to re-synthesize audio. Spectral re-synthesis sound design is shown.

• Granular Synthesis (18:35) - Learn to import sounds to manipulate in the granular element. Size, Density and all about grains is covered as well as Granular Sound Design including tuning, position and stretching audio.

• Source Editor (04:22) - Discover the editor and how it relates to each source. Learn to make sure samples are set to play on the correct key.

• Morphing (09:24) - Explore morphing between presets and morphing parameters. See how to use the different morph modes and the XY controls to morph parameters.

• Additive Editor (18:51) - See how to generate your own additive waveforms and manipulate their pitch, amp and pan settings. Partials, fundamentals and analyzing additive re-synthesis data is also shown.

• Spectral Editor (07:51) - Discover how to draw in waveforms using the Spectral editor. Brush modes, opacity and manipulating spectral re-synthesis data is also covered.

• Arpeggiator (14:58) - Learn to use the Arpeggiator and Sequencers. Tuning the Arpeggiator and applying pan and amp variation and Arpeggiator swing is all revealed.

• The Filters (14:11) - Alchemy has a multitude of filters. Filter types, cutoff, resonance and drive are explained as well as filter slopes and Formant filters.

• Effects Rack (06:52) - See how to apply Effects. Reverbs, Delays and Distortion modules. Learn to use Mod FX to generate Chorus and Flanger effects. Utility Effects is also discussed.

Modulators

• Modulators Pt. 1 (14:15) - Explore LFO's and ADHSRs. Hold, MSEG and drawing in your own envelopes using breakpoints is shown as well as using the Sequencer for creative sound design. Extracting grooves from MIDI Files is then revealed.

• Modulators Pt. 2 (06:22) - Learn how to use Mod Map to force a random LFO to play notes from a minor triad. Then see how the XY MSEG can manipulate two MSEG's at once!

• The Master Section (03:19) - Discover trigger modes, global tuning and portamento. Pitch bend and global settings for Amp and Pan is also revealed.

Sound Design Examples

• Granular Beats (12:11) - Watch Laurence manipulate beats in the granular element, altering tempo without changing the pitch. He then mashes up the classic amen break!

• Granular Chords & Stabs (06:34) - See Laurence take whole tracks and extract old school rave stabs as well as evolve big pads and atmospheres.

• Vowel Bass (13:17) - Explore how to use Alchemy to make an Electro House / Dubstep style Vowel/Formant Bass sound.

• Granular Mid Range (05:55) - See how to add some foley sound and manipulate it in the granular element to enhance a Dubstep bass sound. Laurence then wraps it all up with how to use and alter foley sound to create twisted mid-range frequencies!