The Atoms tender synthesizer by Child Audio has entered the music manufacturing panorama as a promising instrument for producing experimental and off-kilter sounds.

On this assessment, I discover the varied options and capabilities of this model new bodily modelling synth, highlighting its strengths and areas for potential enchancment.

Child Atoms Overview

With its financial institution of progressive presets and potential for producing distinctive atmospheres, transitions and otherworldly textures, Atoms affords a recent perspective on digital music manufacturing for below $60. It’s not one thing you’d get as a primary tender synth, however extra of a supplementary instrument whenever you’re in want of a bodily modeling instrument with a bit extra avant-garde taste.

Execs

• Intuitive person interface that lends itself to experimentation
• Gives experimental and obtuse presets, supreme for producing progressive and unconventional concepts.
• Excels in creating odd FX loops for digital manufacturing, including metallic and otherworldly textures to compositions.
• Distinctive functionality to generate transitional concepts, disrupting conventional track constructions and including intrigue to compositions.

Cons

• A minor problem in Ableton Dwell concerning automation lane triggering.
• Some presets might characteristic delicate variations upon every playback, doubtlessly requiring customers to freeze tracks and commit them to audio for consistency.

Scroll to the underside of the article to view our full scoring breakdown.

Consumer Interface and Navigation

The person interface of Atoms is intuitive and simple, permitting for simple navigation and management. A notable characteristic is the power to develop the display screen measurement by merely dragging the nook along with your cursor, which is especially helpful given the plugin’s ’spherical’ parameters.

Rather than your common synth parameters, you will have a complete of 6 main dials:

1. Chaos
2. Order
3. Power
4. Overtones
5. Drive
6. Filter

You’ve gotten a second layer of parameters beneath that assist you to additional form the sound, that are your common ADSR dials alongside Vibrato, Motion, Modulation and a Reverb management.

There may be additionally a 4-way switchable dial that switches the interior algorithm between Normal, Different, Lo-Fi and Inharmonic. Every have a unique taste, and it’s price taking part in round with this.

If you happen to’re feeling fortunate, there’s a nifty little ‘cube roll’ characteristic that randomizes parameters for you. This has quick develop into a staple in a number of comparable sound design plugins like Synplant, Playbox and Shaperbox, and it suits proper at dwelling right here too.

Sound and Presets

Child Atoms totes itself as a “simulation of interconnected plenty and comes with tweakable properties and dimensions. The mannequin is triggered by a digital bowing motion that excites the system and makes it vibrate to generate sound.”

Fairly esoteric stuff, however the primary takeaway right here is that this isn’t your common workhorse synthesizer. I’ll attempt my greatest to clarify my expertise with the synth over the previous few weeks.

Atoms affords a variety of presets that lean in the direction of the experimental and obtuse, making them supreme for kinds that embrace closely detuned drones and off-kilter sounds. Whereas these presets might not at all times seamlessly match into present tracks, they function a helpful useful resource for producing progressive and unconventional concepts.

If I needed to describe the tonality of the synth, it could be a wedding between industrial, metallic colours and natural, evolving sensibilities.

One of many defining options of Atoms is the distinctive modulation prospects that largely deal with motion parameters that vary from delicate to excessive.

Its within the modulation the place you possibly can start to grasp the esoteric advertising and marketing copy about springs. The textures that end result from modulating these dials have a singular quality- you’ll simply have to listen to it for your self.

Within the audio instance beneath, I used a number of cases of Atoms to create all of the layers (apart from the drums). This could offer you a good suggestion of the tonality of the synth.

Inventive Purposes

Transitions

For me personally, one of many standout options of Atoms is its means to generate distinctive transition concepts, providing a departure from typical transition strategies (I’m far too responsible of counting on white noise risers).

By layering and tweaking preset notes, customers can create distinctive results that disrupt conventional track constructions, including a component of shock and intrigue to their compositions.

Environment & Sound Design

Whereas any synthesizer, at its core, is geared in the direction of sound design, Atoms excels at creating odd FX loops for digital manufacturing, serving to you so as to add metallic and otherworldly textures to drum loops and transitions. Mix a few of its lengthy, drawn-out ethereal pads with one thing like a rhythmic gate, and you’ve got a fast and straightforward recipe for some mind-bending loop concepts.

If it wasn’t already apparent from my audio instance above, the synth additionally shines in its means to supply indirect atmospheres and experimental drones and tones.

If you happen to purchased Atoms and are struggling to make good use of it, I’d encourage you to mess around with the octave vary. This wildly adjustments the appliance of every preset.

Tonal Vary and Creative Affect

In contrast to conventional ambient pads that you just’ll discover different synthesizers, Atoms opens up a sonic realm of metallic and obscure tones, evoking imagery harking back to psychological horror settings. For producers impressed by experimental artists akin to Haxan Cloak and Autechre, this plugin affords a wealth of artistic prospects.

Whereas I discovered that it shined in producing obtuse and otherworldly sounds, some artists like Germaine Franco have discovered makes use of for it in orchestral scores, and, to my shock — romantic comedies. So, it’s versatile, to say the least, and the one limitation with this synth goes to be your creativeness.

Efficiency and Technical Concerns

In its early phases, Atoms exhibited occasional bugs, akin to the shortcoming to undo/redo parameter adjustments in sure DAW environments. This appears to have been ironed out, nevertheless I do maintain having some bizarre glitches in Ableton Dwell the place automation lanes will randomly flip off. Unsure if it is a person error on my half, nevertheless it’s price mentioning.

It’s additionally price noting that some presets might characteristic delicate variations upon every playback, doubtlessly as a result of programmed randomization, which can require you to freeze tracks and commit them to audio for consistency. I’d name this extra of a characteristic than a bug, although.

Wrapping Up

Atoms by Child Audio presents itself as a pioneering tender synthesizer, catering to the wants of producers looking for experimental and unconventional soundscapes.

When you have a particular inventive imaginative and prescient that lends itself to extra obtuse, sci-fi and avant-garde, or if you happen to typically work on movie or sport scores, Atoms gained’t disappoint.

Typically, I’d not advocate Atoms as your first synthesizer because it’s not a brilliant versatile workhorse synth. It’s a distinct segment synthesizer restricted to some particular colours and tones — nevertheless it does it actually, very well.

Whereas minor technical issues exist, this synthesizer’s artistic prospects and inventive affect make it a compelling addition to the toolkit of the fashionable producer.

Child Audio Atoms: A 2-Week Fingers-On Overview

VERDICT

When you have a particular inventive imaginative and prescient that lends itself to extra obtuse, sci-fi and avant-garde, or if you happen to typically work on movie or sport scores, Atoms will not disappoint.

PROS

Gives experimental and obtuse presets, supreme for producing progressive and unconventional concepts.

Distinctive functionality to generate transitional concepts, disrupting conventional track constructions and including intrigue to compositions.

CONS

A minor problem in Ableton Dwell concerning automation lane triggering.