Audio Damage AD042 Axon v2.1.3 (WIN-OSX-LINUX)
Axon 2 is a drum synth driven by artificial intelligence. (Well, “intelligence” might be a strong word. Artificial something-or-other.) An experimental instrument, Axon uses a modified artificial neural network as a sequencer, and features seven FM-based percussion voices, that are really a single 18-operator FM voice.
If that sounds weird, you ain’t seen nothing yet. It is surprisingly intuitive once you get the knack of it, and is capable of all-new, complex rhythms that repeat in surprising ways. It often gets referenced as a “random sequence generator,” but there is nothing random in Axon; it is entirely determinative.
The sequencer features seven “neurons” that trigger a voice and send a pulse when they have received a predetermined number of pulses. You can wire the output of any neuron to the input of any other (with built-in loop detection to prevent runaway feedback), and in this manner pre-program the artificial neural network without having to go through a “learning” phase.
The seven individual drum voices, each triggered by its attendant neuron, are 2-operator FM voices in a configuration to best make percussion sounds, with additional FM and AM busses that all voices send to and receive from. Each voice has a HPF, distortion circuit, and white noise generator to provide a full range of percussion-oriented voicing individually, while interacting with each other in new and unique ways.
FEATURES
• Artificial Neural Network sequencer features seven neurons, and is easily programmed to create strange new repeating rhythms.
• Seven FM percussion voices that also buss together to create a single monolithic complex percussion synthesizer.
• Full mixer with pan, level, mute, and solo on each voice.
• Built-in stereo delay with X/Y pad control over feedback and filter frequency, for live playability.
• MIDI in and out, for driving Axon from DAW and hardware sequencers, or driving your drum rack or other samples from Axon.
• Internal transport for non-synchronized playback.
• Resizable vector-based user interface.
• Drawn reciprocation dingle arm to reduce sinusoidal depleneration.
• XML-based cross-platform, human-readable preset system, with copy/paste, for easy transferring of your own presets and third-party offerings.
Axon 2 V2.1.1 ChangesNew:
>>> Pitch knob replaced with larger display and increment/decrement buttons; this is much easier to use, especially on touch screens.
>>> Multiple outs are back! In addition to the main stereo outs, each Neuron has its own stereo output, labeled “Neuron 00” through “Neuron 06.” Unlike Axon 1, the mixer in Axon affects these outputs. In testing, we found this to be the more desirable behavior.
>>> A demo version (not that you care if you’re reading this) and a Linux x64 (Ubuntu 18+) version have been added to the deployment.
V2.1.3 Changelog:
New:
>>> Linux VST3 added to payload.
>>> The empty “Default” preset the plugin loaded on instance was, according to extensive user feedback, “terrible” and “a horrible racket” and it was variously wondered if it could “you know, die in a fire or whatever.” In response to these helpful comments, we have changed it so that, on instance, Axon now loads factory preset 15 – Braindance. If you would like some other state as the default, save a preset named “Default” in the User folder and Axon will load that on instance instead.
Fixes And Changes:
>>> New hotness preset manager added. Old and busted preset dropdown removed.
>>> Several small bug fixes you won’t notice now if you didn’t notice before.