Download of the Month: Krakli Software Yava2

Nov 1, 2005 12:00 PM, By Len Sasso

           
 

Yava2 ($24.95), from Krakli Software (www.krakli.co.uk) is an analog-modeled subtractive-synthesis VST plug-in with an array of features that belies its modest price. Purchase includes the effects plug-ins Charlton and Gate-XOR, for phasing and gating, and the additional synths YFG and BEL, which are devoted respectively to noise and to clangorous, bell-like sounds.

A glance at Yava2's control panel and a spin through its bank of factory presets will convince you that there's a lot going on in this little synth. The story starts with a pair of oscillators labeled Orch and Morph. Orch generates a stack of waveforms that can be offset by octaves and slightly detuned. Morph is a variable-waveshape oscillator with five preset waveforms (including noise). Morph can be hard-synced to Orch, and a separate sine-wave oscillator can ring- or frequency-modulate a mix of their outputs.

Alongside the oscillators is a pair of 12 dB-per-octave state-variable (lowpass, bandpass, or highpass) filters, which you can arrange in parallel or in series. You can position the ring and frequency modulation either before or after the filters. The signal path ends in a dual-delay effect that can sync to tempo.

Yava2's modulators include two assignable ADSR envelope generators, a dedicated ADSR amp envelope, a flexible module that combines LFO and sample-and-hold functions, two gate sequencers, and two sequencers that you can configure as control or as note sequencers. An 8-destination-by-9-source modulation matrix controls modulation routings. Needless to say, things can get quite animated (see Web Clip 1).

Although Yava2 is the main attraction, don't overlook the other plug-ins in the package. BEL is especially charming. You can download a demo of Yava2, as well as a variety of free synth and effects plug-ins, from the Krakli Web site.