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Apple Mac OS X Version 10.5 Leopard [5-User Family Pack]
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Apple Mac OS X Version 10.5 Leopard
Waldorf Attack VSTi & RackAttackReview by: Waldorf Electronics GmbH are a relatively small synthesizer manufacturer company based in a castle outside of Cologne, Germany. They have a solid track record for making products that are slightly off-center but with the highest quality. For many years they had only one or two products in their line at a time, but the recent success of their Microwave II/XT and Q/MicroQ models has allowed them to expand into other areas, one of them being VST effects and instruments.
Sound Engine The Attack and RackAttack share the same synthesis engine and are virtually identical in functionality, with only minor differences. Before we get into these differences, let's look at the sound engine and what it's capable of. There are two oscillators per voice that can be set to the standard waveforms: Saw, Triangle, Pulse, Sine, Noise, and 'Sample and Hold'. As is the case with other Waldorf instruments, the oscillators have more "life" than other synths lumped into the virtual analog category. These guys have spent a lot of time on making the oscillators more lively than sterile, and this is obvious when you listen to the sounds. Samples of and crash cymbals are also included, which has been a common practice on drum machines since the early days.
The filters are another area where Waldorf have always excelled, and the Attack and RackAttack don't disappoint. Lowpass, highpass, bandpass, notch, shelving EQ, and bell EQ are all present and accounted for. The filters are capable of sine-wave self-oscillation at high resonance settings, which can add either boom or presence when and where you want it. The engine also has two ADSR envelope generators per voice. The Decay and Release phases have a controllable shape parameter for creating the sharper decay slopes that are present in natural percussion envelopes. Three XOR (Exclusive OR) groups are available for the instrument as a whole. This feature allows you to put sounds together into one of three groups that only allow one sound at a given moment in time. If you think of a real hihat cymbal, it can be either open OR closed but never both at the same time. Of course, this feature is not limited to cymbals and can be used creatively with any other sound generated by the engine. Speaking of "other" sounds, if you re-read the above description of the sound engine you won't see many differences between it and a standard subtractive synthesizer. This is another hidden bonus in the Attack/RackAttack - the ability to use the same sound engine for bass, pad and lead sounds. Of course, you won't get an engine as powerful as the microQ for this purpose, but then again this is a far more capable engine than most entry-level VSTi synthesizers. The key to mixing single-trigger percussion hits and polyphonic synth sounds within the same system is in the way a sound is arranged in memory. The 24 sounds in a given program are arranged in groups of 12 sounds - the lower 12 sounds are each triggered on the global MIDI channel by 12 consecutive notes, and the upper twelve sounds use separate MIDI channels and are triggered across the remainder of the note range. Of course, it's easy to transpose a sound back down into the "missing" octave, so it's not as though you're blocking the 12 notes from the first 12 sounds. This memory arrangement is an excellent way for users with limited VSTi slots (like Cubase 4 and 5 users) to get what amounts to 13 separate synths (well, 1 drumset with 12 sounds and 12 different scalable sounds) in one instance. For Logic users, it's a bit more work to make the most of this architecture, as we'll see in a later section. One pet peeve I had with the User Interface: Some parameters are "Global" and some are "Local" for each sound. More than once I found myself tweaking the delay parameters (Global) for a single sound, and realized moments later that I had wrecked the effect I had already set up for another sound while I was at it. It would be helpful if global and local parameters were graphically delineated. Sound Quality Let's face it - just reading a bunch of features is only going to tell you so much. The market is full of dual-oscillator Virtual Analog synths these days, and so far there aren't many things that look different in the Attack and RackAttack. Now, there may be some of you that are drooling over the very thought of having a Crack Modulator, but let me assure you that you are most definitely in the minority. The majority of us will be drawn to these Waldorf percussion synthesizers because of the sound quality. Anyone who wants electronic drum sounds will find something in these two products. These synthesizers can create everything from techno - to industrial - to hip-hop. The presets on both units are top-notch, but as with all Waldorf synths they are really only a starting glimpse into what's possible with the engine. The real power with this architecture is the incredible flexibility of what you can create. It's still nice to have the 808 and 909 sounds there at the touch of a button when you do want them, though. There are over a dozen very interesting FX banks of sounds provided with the unit, ranging from classic house kits to very outside computer sounds. In addition, there are preset templates for 808, 909 and Simmons SDS5 kits always available for you to use as building blocks for your own kits. (I'm a huge fan of the "doooosh" sound of Simmons drums, so it's nice to have a bank of those always at hand!) Other helpful user interface features include reverting a single sound to the saved version, and randomizing single sounds or whole banks to get you started. Be aware, however, that randomize really does operate without regard to "reasonable" parameters, so you're just as likely to get a usable snare, a bit of silence, or a speaker-destroying howl. Audition your randomized kits at low volume! 909 Fanatics take note: The cymbal samples used in the Attack are NOT the classic 909 hats. They have a chunkier feel, more like a Linndrum or Yamaha RX5. Still classic sounding, but not as instantly "dance". For 808 fans, the purely synthesized "psssst" hats of earlier beatboxes are present in abundance. Notes for Logic Audio Users As I mentioned earlier, it is obvious that the frankly unique implementation of multitimbrality is tuned for the Cubase mindset, where you have a virtual "equipment rack" and address it across multiple midi channels. This is fundamentally different than the Logic mindset in which a VSTi is assigned to a single audio and midi channel by default. This makes 11 of the "upper" 12 sounds unplayable unless you know how to set up the environment correctly. Those comfortable with tweaking the Logic Environment know you can easily set up a multi-instrument to address AudioInstruments multitimbrally, but this needs to be set up for each instance of Attack you load. If Attack is a part of your everyday arsenal, you'll probably build it into your autoload, but for most first-time users, Attack will likely be confusing - if the number of postings on Logic and VSTi-based bulletin boards are any indication. As of Logic 5.2 and higher, multiple outputs are supported on VSTis (and Attack does work!), but users of older versions of Logic will be unable to use the eight outputs on Attack. Many of the preset FXB banks use multiple outputs, so when auditioning banks, you may not hear some sounds. Also note that the random sound generation tool also randomizes the output assignment. Finally, for automation purposes, the Attack plug in appears to Logic to be 24 separate synthesizers in sequence. Automating Attack using CC#s is almost impossible under Logic 4.x. Fortunately, it is possible using the new 5.x track-based automation. Logic Control still sees Attack as one big instrument however, so be prepared to do a LOT of page button pressing if you want to edit Attack graphically. What's different in the RackAttack?
Perhaps the most important difference between the software and hardware units is the additional flexibility in the modulation routings found in the RackAttack. This is probably because the matrix-editing interface of the Rack Attack, while showing less information at once than the plug-in interface, is better suited to supporting menu-driven options like matrix modulation. The effects section in the RackAttack is also far more comprehensive than what can be found in the Attack VSTi, with four separate effects busses being shared for all sounds, and a greater variety of effects. This could be attributed to a few factors, including the above mentioned case of a menu-driven interface being better for supporting more options - as well as the fact that Waldorf had already developed a number of excellent effects for the MicroQ, which also uses the same software platform. Also, given the plethora of effects that are bundled with every major digital audio package, let alone the hundreds of free and low-cost effects processors that can be easily downloaded from the Internet, it's not as necessary to include effects inside of the VSTi itself. The RackAttack also has a Pattern Play feature that is like a supercharged arpeggiator. You can create patterns of up to 128 steps, and have a separate pattern for each of the 24 sounds in a program. They are syncable to midi clock, or to the RackAttack's internal tempo. You could, for example, set up a four-on-the-floor on the kick key, and a 16th note on the closed hi-hat key, while one snare could have a 64th note burst fill while all your other sounds are played "live". Waldorf really appears to have given this some thought for live use. Don't mistake this for a full blown pattern sequencer, however - you'll still need to use an external sequencer or keyboard to build songs using the RackAttack. This is not going to replace your MPC-60, but will definitely compliment any hardware sequencer. The external input can also provide interesting results, passing external signals through the sound architecture as an oscillator replacement. The input is stereo, and you can select right, left, or summed mono as your sound source. This is good if you want to use two sound sources simultaneously on two drum sounds - you'd assign one to use the left channel, and one to use the right. Note that signal processing is mono, and that you cannot modulate or change the pitch of an external sound signal. The recent wave of trip-hop music has led to a resurgence of lo-fi percussion sounds. The RackAttack has a Sample & Hold filter type and a Sample & Hold effect type, each of which can be used to add grunge to the sound. In addition, there is an overdrive effect to saturate your sound... though this might be more exciting for the junglists out there. Waldorf's sub-$1000 rack synths have used a button and knob parameter matrix for over ten years, and either they've gotten better at making these limited interfaces navigable, or I've been successfully reprogrammed to actually like them. If you haven't used a Waldorf interface, understand that they differ from other manufacturers in that they try to keep every parameter one click from the top. There are no deep submenus like you'll find on a Roland or Korg rackmount. This makes it easy to keep track of where you are in the system and what you're editing. Recently released: Waldorf has made available a Mac AND PC tool to convert Attack FXB files to RackAttack Sysex midifiles. For those who have used Attack in the studio but want to take a hardware module on the road, this is an excellent utility to allow you to bring your favorite sounds across. The Bottom Line - Attack At its selling price of $120, the Attack VSTi is a no-brainer for most electronic musicians. It is easy to use and sounds fantastic. The LoftSoft cesSynth5 and LinPlug Element P percussion synthesizers are both capable units, but neither offers the same power as the Attack. Take a look at these first if money is an issue and you do want to experiment with a true percussion synthesizer, but otherwise the Attack is a far more versatile product that will easily justify the extra expense in the long run. Another option for software percussion synthesis is the new wave of percussion-oriented sample players. Native Instruments Battery and Steinberg LM-4 Mark II stand out as the leaders in this pack, but as they are sample-based they won't offer the same immediate flexibility of electronic sounds as the Attack. The decision between the Attack and a sampler-based unit will come down to your desire to work with a traditional subtractive synthesis engine and your requirements for traditional percussion sounds. The Bottom Line - RackAttack The RackAttack has a different proposition. Its cost ($600 street) makes it something that most of us have to think about before popping down to our local music store and bringing one home. Sure, it offers a percussion engine that few other products can touch, but it doesn't have a sequencer to put it into the land of the drum machines, like the Korg Electribe-R Strangely enough, the MicroQ is also a viable option for percussion synthesis. Just as the RackAttack muscles in on the MicroQ's turf with its polyphonic synthesis capabilities, so does the MicroQ with its Drum Maps. The MicroQ does go far beyond the RackAttack in synthesis capabilities, with a third oscillator, dual filters with additional filter types, more effects types, and a very powerful apreggiator. The RackAttack has the cymbal samples, crack modulator, and the Sample & Hold filter and effects type. Although it has a list price that's a few hundred dollars more, the street prices seem to be more competitive for this hot item and the RackAttack actually ends up selling for more money in a few stores. Waldorf seems to be positioning the RackAttack as "The Attack you can TOUR with", and that is a very valid point: If you are a percussionist using an Attack with an Octapad, you'll want the stability and reliability of a dedicated hardware solution. And with the converter tool, you can bring your favorite Attack sounds on the road. For the studio musician who is already comfortable with the VSTi paradigm and doesn't need the extra features, the Attack VSTi should do just fine.
Oscillators: 2 per sound (9 waveforms each). RackAttack Features Oscillators: 2 per sound. Waldorf Attack VSTi Pros
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Competition Waldorf RackAttack Pros
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In March 2001 Waldorf announced the 
Frequency, ring and crack modulators are all available to take the Attack synths into the realm of strangeness. FM is superb for getting metallic industrial sounds. Ring modulation is an essential ingredient for the unharmonic Kraftwerk-style sounds. Crack modulation is used for handclaps and other sharp "crack" sounds like rimshots.
The RackAttack comes in a groovy little blue 2U package. It has six unbalanced 1/4" outs and a stereo input, and the standard MIDI in/out/thru jacks. The omission of a digital out is unfortunate on a unit of this price. It's obvious this is due to the fact that the metal case it comes in is identical to that used for the MicroQ, which also lacks digital outs.