Output SIGNAL Pulse Engine Virtual Instrument (Download)

SIGNAL Pulse Engine from Output combines analog and digital synthesis with professionally recorded live instruments to create a powerful virtual instrument with vast sonic capabilities and an elegant, easy-to-use interface. Well suited for producers, composers and musicians, SIGNAL utilizes the Native Instruments Kontakt 5 player and is packed with over 40GB of professionally recorded content.

SIGNAL can create a broad palette of sounds by way of its pulse engines, which are broken into two layers, each with a channel strip and two rhythm generators. The source menu selects from a variety of sounds including sampled acoustic instruments or sampled synthesizer tones. For example, combining a distorted guitar and a cello creates a new and unheard sound source that is layered and can be further processed by the rhythm generators and built-in effects.

Selecting the rhythm tab opens options for selecting pulse type and pulse rate. Pulse types include selections for step-sequencer modulation, LFO wave-shaping modulations, an arpeggiator, and the infinitely repeating loop. There are several premade patterns for the arpeggiator and step sequencer, and each can be used as is, modified, or cleared in order to make your own patterns from scratch.

The advanced tab offers access to additional parameters and modulation controls including volume, panning, filter type, distortion, saturation, and envelope settings. The four macro sliders can control up to six parameters simultaneously with offsets to dial in the perfect range for sound control. The sliders provide a simple way to transform sounds and each preset offers its own unique set of macros for manipulating sounds.

The effects section offers individual effects for each layer and includes EQ, Compression, Lo-Fi, Tape Saturation, Drive, Stereo Spread, Delay, Reverb, and Flutter. Additionally, the global effects process the sounds from both layers combined and include EQ, Compression, Phaser, Chorus, Limiter, Filter, Delays, and a high-quality Convolution Reverb.

All of the presets have been organized into the pulse instruments page. There is a list of over 500 presets and a tag list to help narrow the search for a particular type of sound. By selecting one or more tags, the full list is shortened to contain only presets with the selected attributes.