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The Full Multi

Samples are stored in RAM unless you activate the DFD (Direct From Disk) option which, for some obscure reason, has to be downloaded from the Native Instruments' web site. The size of the samples in Morphology typically range from 5-15Mb so creating a full Multi of eight instruments may require 75-100Mb of RAM, that's on top of the RAM required to run the VSM software and the RAM required by your sequencer if you're running Morphology as a plug-in.

Using virtual memory can slow down applications so the very best option is to have lots of RAM on board. The second best option is to use DFD which streams the sample data from your hard disk. Although DFD streams data, a little like virtual memory, a small portion of the beginning of each sample is loaded into a buffer (whose size you can adjust) to ensure that there is no delay when triggering a sample.


Morphology' Microtuning section features almost 20 alternative tuning. (click to enlarge in new window)There are several edit sections which will be familiar to most synth and sampler users, plus one or two not-so-common features. For example, the Instrument section contains a fascinating Microtuning section with almost 20 alternative tunings including Bagpipe, Ragga and Thailand. other controls here include an adjustable velocity curve and glide.

The Filter offers 1-, 2- and 4-pole low pass filters, high pass, band pass and band reject. The cutoff and resonance controls change a graphic of the filter curve so you can see how changes are going to affect the sound.

The Modulation section includes an ADSR (Attack, Decay, Sustain and Release) envelope generator, also with a graphic display. A Curve button lets you adjust the Attack stage from a slow swoop to a more immediate start.

More Morphology

All the samples in the collection can be played 'as is' but you can extract even more mileage from them simply by applying some effects. A subtle delay, for example, can be very powerful as the delays blend with the evolving texture of the sound creating even more complex and subtle tonal changes.
There are four LFOs, one each for volume, pan, tuning and the filter, and there are three LFO shapes - sine, sawtooth and square. Again, a nice graphic shows the LFO shapes which is a great visual aid when creating sounds.

The effects section includes Reverb, Chorus, Delay and a Master Filter. The controls are minimal but effective - sorry! - and very easy to use. Each effect has a few presets to chose from but you can't create your own. The Master Filter is applied to the entire signal up to that point and can be set to low pass, high pass, band pass or EQ. Settings are made by dragging nodes around the filter curve.

Full of Boddy

The samples were created by veteran synthesist and electro musician Ian Boddy who has released over 20 albums and who has probably performed more live concerts that any other electronic musician; over 70 at the last count. Ian's style makes much use of textures and he's a past master at analogue synthesis and wringing the last ounce of credibility out a sample.

The sounds are divided into eight categories - Atmospheres, Drones, FX, Harmonic Loops, Industrial, Pads & Synths, Virtual Synths, and Voices - each with several sub-categories. With well over 300 sounds there's not room to list them all but a full list is on the Zero G website.

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