One of our favorite software instrument developers, Madrona Labs, has released an exciting new product – Sumu, a software synthesizer that pushes the boundaries of what’s possible with resynthesis and vector synthesis. Available now for Mac and Windows in AU and VST3 formats, Sumu lets you manipulate sampled sounds in completely new ways.
Resynthesis Meets FM and Vector Synthesis
At the heart of Sumu is a powerful resynthesis engine that can represent any sampled sound as up to 64 individual partials or oscillators. Each partial has its own frequency, volume and noisiness that can evolve over time. This allows for highly expressive sound design possibilities, from realistic time-stretching to wild timbral transformations.
Sumu combines this resynthesis approach with FM synthesis and a unique vector-based spatialization system. The Space module lets you position each partial independently in a 3D sound field. You can visualize the movement of the partials in real-time as you manipulate the sound. According to Madrona Labs, what you see is exactly what you hear.
Intuitive Interface
Users of Madrona’s previous soft synths like Aalto, Kaivo, and Virta will feel right at home in Sumu. The fully resizable vector GUI puts all the controls on a single page. At the center is a powerful patcher for creating complex routings quickly.
While the modular structure allows for very deep programming, it’s designed to feel more like playing an instrument. Many of the modules include helpful visualizations to understand what’s going on under the hood. The RES module features classic 4-pole ladder style filters to further shape the sound.
Here’s a video demo of some of some of the sounds you can make with Sumu:
Availability and Pricing
Sumu is available now for Mac OS 10.14+ and Windows 10+ in AU and VST3 formats. It runs on both Intel and Apple Silicon Macs.
For a limited time, you can purchase Sumu at a special introductory price of $129 USD. This gets you a perpetual license for Sumu 1.0 and any 1.x updates. After the intro period, the regular price will be $179.
You can also download a free demo version to try it out first or buy it directly from the Madrona Labs website.
Early Impressions
Sumu looks like an incredibly deep and powerful instrument for sound designers and synth enthusiasts looking to explore new sonic territories. The combination of resynthesis, FM, physical modeling, and vector synthesis is really unique. And the well-designed interface (similar to other Madrona Lab’s products see our Aalto review and our Virta review) invites experimentation and happy accidents.
I created a quick lofi demo just using Sumu’s presets (slightly modified here and there). All the sounds you hear in the video below are from Sumu (yes, including the vocals), except for the beat (courtesy of the brilliant Visco by Forever89).
Check it out here:
Madrona Labs has a track record of creating innovative and musical instruments, and Sumu seems no different. At the intro price of $129 it’s a very compelling option for those wanting to expand their synthesis palette. I look forward to spending more time with Sumu and seeing what kinds of new sounds it can uncover.
It’s an exciting time for software synth lovers who love experimenting with sound. Between Sumu, the new Noisy 2 by Expressive E, the recent Tela by Fors, Dawesome’s Myth and Arturia’s Pigmentt 5 (to name a few), there’s certainly no shortage of incredibly inspiring virtual instruments.
