Madrona Labs releases Virta - Sound-Controlled Synthesis and Effects Plug-in for Mac & Win

Madrona Labs has released Virta, a patchable toolbox for turning your voice or other instrument into wild new synth sounds.

Virta is a modular synthesizer and effects processor that responds directly to you. When you route your voice (or any kind of audio) into Virta, the sound analysis engine precisely extracts information about its pitch, timbre, and dynamics over time. These new signals can control nearly any parameter in Virta, just the same as you can with MIDI or OSC.

This makes for an instrument that can easily follow your every twist and turn. Virta is modular, so audio-controlled synthesis is just one road you can travel. You can also make stuff like:

• Expressive vocal processing chains.
• 4-voice MIDI-controlled pitch shifters.
• MIDI/OSC-controlled synths (with or without audio control).
• Drones for days.
• First-ever faithful emulation of the mating call of the Space Pony (!!).

Virta's interface has four main sections, from top to bottom:

• The header section, where you'll find the patch menu.
• The signals and shapes section, where Audio and MIDI/OSC (KEY) signals flow into Virta, and where the oscillators (OSC1 and OSC2) and modulators (LFO, and ENVELOPE) reside.
• The patcher section, where connections between modules are made and unmade.
• The processing and output section, where the sounds you make are massaged and processed by the FORMANT, GATE, DELAY, and OUTPUT modules.

Price: $89.00 (Intro). Virta is available for Mac OS X and Windows in VST and AU plug-in formats.

Find out more and try the demo at http://madronalabs.com/products/virta