WoodSynt
Synthesizer
Only for Mac
$79.99
WoodSynth is a synthesizer with 4 independent layers. Each layer is in fact a synthesizer on its own.
Each layer has 3 VCO’s plus a samples or wavetable based source, coming from a file or from recording the audio track.
Up to 16 voices can be set per layer.
Layers can be used in parallel, assigned to a region of the keyboard or used in a sequential mode where the first note(s) on are played by layer 1 and the next note(s) by layer 2 and so on.
This last mode allows to have a different sound per note played (and independent from a keyboard region).
WoodSynth has a polyphonic pitch-bending touch bar which also displays notes received from a keyboard.
Each layer has its own filter and envelope with ADSR per voice, a pitch shifting envelope per VCO, a delay, a basic reverb, a modulator LFO per VCO, 2 general LFO’s and a 16 steps sequencer.
Key tracking can be applied on the ADSR attack and release, on the filter cutoff and on the VCO modulation.
Surround and 3D panning is supported when inserted on a multi-channel track. The panning can be modulated by several sources like pressure or key tracking, which allows for expressive live panning by the musician using his keyboard.
Although the standalone app can be used as such, it is mainly intended as the license for the AAX, AU, VST3 and VST plugins which can then be used by any DAW on all your Macs (as long as the standalone app is downloaded from the Mac App Store on that Mac).
- MacOS plugin type : AU, AAX, VST, VST3 and stand-alone app.
- Has 4 independent synthesizers, each with up to 16 voices.
- Supports MPE and Midi V2.
- Has a polyphonic touch bar with polyphonic pitch bending.
- Velocity, channel pressure, (polyphonic) aftertouch, CC74 can be used to modulate several synth parameters.
- VCO’s have the usual waveforms (sine, saw, square, triangle, pulse and noise) and can be modulated in various ways (FM, AM, Pulse Width, Slew rate)
- Samples can be recorded from the audio input/track or loaded from file (sample files should be in the WoodSynth iCloud folder)
.
- Wavetables can be loaded from file or converted from loaded or recorded samples.
- Each voice has a 4-pole Moog Lowpass filter with resonance and ADSR envelope.
- An offset can be set in the Filter cutoff for the R channel to create a stereo effect.
- Each voice has a pitch shifting ADSR envelope which can be independently enabled for each VCO.
- Has Key tracking for VCO pan, Filter cutoff, ADSR Envelope Attack and Release.
- Each layer has a delay unit (which can be separately panned) and a basic reverb.
- Each layer has a 16 steps sequencer which can run on multiple voices (poly mode).
- Each layer can set the midi channel and range of receiving midi notes (which allows for up to 4 split keyboard regions).
- Layers can be set in sequential mode : first note(s) played on layer1, next note(s) on layer2, etc.
- Layers have an additional high-pass filter saturation and crush control.
- Synth audio and delay can be panned independently.
- The 2 general LFO’s can have their source from the samples or wavetables (or track input).
- Supports Ableton Link to sync tempo and start-stop.
- Has 4 User Control rotaries which can be freely assigned.
- The User Controls can be controlled by a midi CC which can be set or learned.
- Presets can be stored in iCloud Drive (makes them available on all your devices).
- Has surround and 3D panning.
- The VST plugin supports NI (Native Instruments) NKS keyboards.
- Supports CV output.
more - Added 11 presets with sequencer sounds for the new WoodPecker sequencer.
- Fixed bug when sending same note to different midi channels.
- Fixed bug : when current layer is not the first and playing notes, the layer jumped back to the first
4.2 10/28/2025
- fixed broken ML (midi learn) and Midi CC control
4.1.1 06/28/2025
- Added Midi Clock support (midi V2 and midi V1) :
BPM setting can track the midi clock.
Midi RT play/stop command can start/stop the sequencer (and/or the metronome).
- Added velocity to the 3D panning modulation options..
- Fixed slew rate for the general LFO’s when set to random mode.
4.1 06/26/2025
Fixed a crash when opening the Reverb panel (push button in the Delay panel) in the zoomed in view (not the expanded view).
4.0.1 03/24/2025
- Added Tube Oscillator type (based on the tube modelling in WoodValvet) :
Drive, bias and tube type parameters allow to smoothly change harmonics and waveform from sine wave to square wave.
An optional integrator circuit after the oscillator can generate sawtooth waveforms.
The drive control can be modulated by the oscillator’s LFO, by the Aux ADSR or by midi input (pressure, aftertouch, modwheel and CC74).
- Added new convolution reverb unit based on WoodVerberator.
It has a new reverb type dropdown, a new reverb time (0 .. 10s) and a new damping control.
Reverb Send can be modulated by the general LFO’s and by keyboard pressure/aftertouch.
Reverb parameters now have their own UI panel.
Reverb now has its own HPF, LPF and Saturation (not shared with delay any longer).
- Added Samples per note : allows sampled instruments like drums, piano, etc.
Notes without a sample have several modes to generate sound from an existing sample.
- Added new Preset Browser.
- Added SetList : a small list of presets with midi PC values starting from 0 and up.
- Added manual triggering of the sequencer (live playing, see section 6.1.9 …).
- Sequencer can now show the note values in stead of only semitone values.
- ML (midi learn) now indicates when a midi CC is already used.
- Added 10+ presets.
4.0 03/23/2025
- Added licensing via license code (MacOS plugins only).
- Factory presets and samples not copied to user space any longer but read from the package.
- Fixed some wrong preset parameters in VST3.
3.8 06/01/2024
- VST3 now supports the new NI NKS2 MK3 keyboards :
- AU and AU instrument now support midi v2 UMP 16/32 bits for LogicPro.
- Fixed display of some params in the Korg Keyscape midi v2 keyboards.
- Fixed problem when DAW reloads state which uses a sample file.
- Added a subtle hint to the bottom buttons (in the classic iPad view) that there is a left and right difference.
3.7 02/25/2024
- Added Midi V2 CI (Capability Inquiry) PE (Property Exchange) support : allows midi v2 CI capable Initiators (keyboards, controllers, WoodTroller, …) to automatically map WoodSynth midi CC parameter names and values to their controls. Also WoodSynth preset names (programs) with their PC and bank and category can be transferred.
- Supports the new Korg Keyscape keyboards with midi v2 CI Property Exchange.
- Added a preset category dropdown which allows to only see a subset of the presets.
- Added new Poly Aftertouch panel which allows multiple destinations.
- Poly Aftertouch / Pressure destinations now have an amount slider.
- Added Aftertouch/Pressure destinations for detuning Oscillators 1,2&3.
- Added Aftertouch/Pressure destination for panning (LR) of Oscillators.
- Added Aftertouch/Pressure destination for ring mod of Oscillators 1&2.
- Added Aftertouch/Pressure destination for crossfade of Oscillators 1&2
3.6 01/18/2024
- reduced graphics CPU usage with factor of 2.
- fixed anti-alias filter frequency for non-wavetable sample loops.
- anti-alias filter not default on any longer
3.5.2 10/24/2023
Added Midi V2 support :
- Uses the 16 bits velocity in received v2 note-on/off messages.
- Uses the 32 bits values in received v2 CC, Aftertouch, Pressure and Pitch messages.
- Uses the received new v2 “Per note pitch” messages (v1 MPE equivalent).
- Uses the received new v2 RPN (Registered Per Note) 74 messages (MPE equivalent).
- Uses the new v2 note-on attribute type 3 (Pitch 7.9).
- Sends v2 messages (16 bits velocity, 32 bits control values) when Sequencer midi out or Touch bar midi out is on.
- Responds to Midi V2 CI Discovery and Profile Inquiry messages.
- Added Midi v2 button in Advanced to enable v2 or revert to midi v1.
- Added Midi v2 group dropdown (All, 1..16).
Other new features :
- Added (back) “Remove Preset” in presets menu.
- Selected preset now shows checkmarks on all sub folders.
- Added Undo & Redo (press Alt for Redo button in Classic view).
- Added Compare A/B button (toggles between original preset and modified preset).
- Added Octave Up/Down buttons to touch bar.
- Midi out does not send any longer to its own (WoodSynth) destination.
- Sequencer midi out now also sends :
velocity in note-on messages with value set to the step volume.
CC74 message with value of sequencer step param2.
Mod wheel message with value of sequencer step param3.
Pitch wheel message (Osc1 detune, Sequencer sub semitones, …).
correct note values when using Variations, also with Var Glide on.
3.5 10/19/2023
Fixed potential crash when loading sample files and sample rate conversion was done.
3.3.5 07/05/2023
- VST3 updated to support Native Instruments NKS keyboards, presets, previews, controls and the light guide (different key colours for the layers, …)
- Added Sequencer Absolute (ground note) Mode, allows to play melodies without modifying the sequence.
- Added new Sequencer Start/Stop modes : Metronome Start/Stop and DAW Transport Start/Stop.
- AAX added support for the new Pro Tools bus widths (7.1.4 … 9.1.6).
- Added Samples / WT Fade and Smooth to ML (midi learn).
- Fixed selection in Playlist on iOS.
- Fixed restore of MPE mode after loading.
3.3 06/25/2023
- Added more CV out sources :
Aux Env, Chan Pressure, Velocity, Mod Wheel, Expression Pedal, CC 74,
Sequencer Par2, Par3, Step Up, Step Down
- Added Sequencer modulation modes in 3D panning.
- Added Fade control to Sample loop used at start and end of each loop.
- Added Smoothing control to Wavetable source used when moving/modulating the wave number
- Added Anti-Aliasing filter to Samples and Wavetable sources.
- Added multi-out stereo busses to AU instrument (layers or CV output).
- Small UI update in expanded view : removed source panel buttons as all sources have their own panel (which is always visible).
- Added “Load from Presets” to CV panel.
- Fixed bug in multi-point ADSR Release : releasing the last note did re-trigger the release of the other voices.
- Fixed bug in Samples auto gain : was not used on all voices.
- Fixed bug in Wavetables : “Inter Slice” was not working.
- Fixed bug in Random Slice Start in Wavetables.
- Fixed crash bug when resizing window and Wavetable was shown.
3.2 04/29/2023
- Added slower step times (1/2 bar, 1 bar , … 4 bars) to the Sequencer.
- CV out now allows to set the output channel (useful when nr out channels > 8)
- Fixed bug in multi-point ADSR Release : releasing the last note did re-trigger the release of the other voices
- Fixed overload (sometimes no sound) for very low frequency (C1 … ) phase modulation.
3.1.7 04/13/2023
- Fixed severe no-audio problem when Phase Modulation (FM) was switched on and oscillator waveform was switched to noise or pulses.
3.1.4 03/25/2023
- Fixed potential crash when starting up.
- Fixed CC74 not working bug when WoodSynth in MPE mode and PC/CC chan (Adv) was not set to “all”.
- Added some more default CC’s (useful for WoodTroller).
- Added Wavetable Interpolation factors 64 and 128.
3.1.3 03/20/2023
- Added 115 presets + 39 samples (made by Rosario Gennaro).
- Touch bar pitch shift now follows the notes (used to be the relative horizontal position).
- Wavetable number now displayed in sequencer panel when parameter is set to “Slice Start”.
- Fixed playing of first muted sequencer note after note-on.
- Glide now also works when layer nr voices is set to 1.
- Fixed DAW setting of BPM when loading presets.
- Fixed some parameters not being reset when doing “Reset to Default”
- Loading a preset now stops a running sequencer.
- Fixed User Controls All button state (was not showing the correct state after loading a preset).
- Fixed Legato when number of Voices is set to 1.
- Fixed note priority “layer” when using the Touchbar.
3.1 03/07/2023
- VST3 controls in Bitwig are now shown.
- Fixed preset restore of Glide Time param (was rounded to integer).
- Fixed preset restore of selected Variation in the sequencer when mode is set to Select.
- Pressure and CC74 frequency modulation, filter U/D , filter Q, Mod Depth (for PulseWidth and Slewrate) are now all MPE compliant ( -> only the note with the same midi chan as the pressure or CC74 midi command is affected).
- Disabled the combination of pressure and CC74 to both control the frequency mod (used to be multiplication -> when one of them was zero, result was zero).
- Aftertouch Sensitivity (Adv Settings) now also applied to CC74.
- Fixed midi handling bug when NOT receiving from DAW (stand-alone , …) for the Osmose keyboard.
- Fixed note gliding in sequencer when mode is set to Global.
3.0.11 02/10/2023
- Fixed Unison note take over.
- Fixed bug in Sequencer for Unison when random notes or random skip was used.
- Increased spread of Unison both in pitch and panning.
- Added more LFO bar fractions (8, 12, 16 , 32 bars)
3.0.7 02/05/2023
- fixed some false preset changed indications
- disabled Ableton Link for AU instrument and VST3
- fixed metronome running in AU instrument
- fixed first step sometimes not played after note-on in sequencer
3.0.5 01/30/2023
New Sequencer functionality :
- Step “On” or “Skip” probability.
- Random note can now be set per step (was previously on/off for all steps).
- Random note probability per step.
- Random note range can be set per step.
- Ratcheting (repetition of same note in the step) per step.
- 9 ratcheting patterns provided (triplet, 4-sixteenths, 2-eights, etc).
- Different duration per step. (regular step time multiplied or divided by 2,3 or 4).
- Ratcheting probability per step.
- 4 sequence Variations (which can have different values for all step params).
- Variations can be selected manually, randomly or from a Playlist.
- Playlist allows to create 64 steps sequence or can be used for verse, chorus, etc.
- Variation glide for note values and volume : gradual transition between 2 Variations.
- Sub semitone allows for “strange” note values in a Variation glide or for random notes.
- Variation glide between notes can be limited to the selected scale.
- Variation glide and Sub Semitone can be set on/off per step.
- Added Envelope ADSR parameters per step.
- Added more scales to the random note Limit Scales. (Ionian, Minor Harmonic, Acoustic, Lydian, Dorian, Phrygian)
New Sequencer UI :
- New large panel with all 16 steps in 1 row.
- Added per step Mute/Skip button.
- New large Volume fader per step.
- Added on/off/skip Led and playing Led for each step.
- Volume curve can be drawn.
- Added “All Steps” button. (modifying a step parameter is set in all steps).
Smaller improvements and fixes :
- Touch bar lowest center note is now C1 (was C2)
- Floating panels (Sequencer, CV, 3D, Advanced) can be moved around
- Midi Out channel for Sequencer and Touch bar are now global and not part of a preset any longer.
- Delay now has its own Mod LFO (freeing up the general LFO’s).
- Stereo Out delay now only applied on delay and reverb (to avoid destroying center bass notes).
- Resizing the window does not toggle between the classic-expanded view any longer.
- Smaller iPads can now also toggle to the expanded view (overview …).
- Fixed a problem in the Copy Factory Presets (was sometimes duplicating presets).
- Fixed delay and reverb in 3D output.
New Presets (all in the new factory subfolder “sequences”) :
- Creeping
- Electroad
- Lymbo's Echoes
- Mozartificial
- Mystic Candles
- Ratch 22
- The First Day In The Universe
3.0 01/22/2023
Added CV (Control Voltage) Out support for modular or hardware synths :
- Up to 8 channels of the audio interface can output a CV.
- The current note (or sequencer note) being played.
- The current note with pitch (pitch wheel, pitch mod, glide, FM mod).
- The current ADSR.
- LFO 1 & 2 (LFO sources can be set to a wavetable yielding non-trivial waveforms !).
- The BPM clock.
The minimum and maximum CV value notes can be set manually or measured to calibrate the note CV values.
AC coupled audio interfaces are supported by outputting a square wave in stead of a DC value.
2.7 11/13/2022
- Fixed the Filter Sustain Level (when Filter per Voice is on)
2.6.1 09/19/2022
Added Wavetable (playback) support :
- Wavetable files can be loaded or any sample file or sample recording can be converted to a Wavetable.
Wavetable start position (wave number) can be set and changed/modulated by LFO1, LFO2, note velocity or pressure, note position (key tracking), Expression pedal or Mod Wheel, Aux Envelope, Sequencer, or set to a random number for each new note.
- A new Wavetable display shows an overview (4 waves) and the current wave within the overview.
- The Wavetable can also be used as source for the 2 general LFO’s.
Improved Preset Selection with (system) File selection panel :
- Although this “Browse” panel was already present as item in the Preset dropdown, it now has its own button which makes it always and easily accessible (which was sometimes hard when a preset was selected at the bottom of a long list).
The (system) File selection panel also allows to rename, delete, copy, move, duplicate and tag a preset file.
- The “Add” and “Save” preset also have their own button now (same reason).
- The spacing in the classic Preset dropdown is reduced to display more presets (less scrolling).
Added (Wavetable) presets : “Riding the Waves” , “Up and Down”, “Caribbean Waves”.
2.6 08/21/2022
Fixed running on MacOS versions below 10.15
2.5.3 07/26/2022
- Added 11 presets with sequencer sounds for the new WoodPecker sequencer.
- Fixed bug when sending same note to different midi channels.
- Fixed bug : when current layer is not the first and playing notes, the layer jumped back to the first
more Version 4.2 10/28/2025
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