INSTRUMENTS / GENERATORS

FL Slayer (Deprecated)

FL Slayer is realistic electric guitar simulation originally developed by reFX. It uses a hybrid synthesis similar to physical modeling. The simulator is equipped with a high quality amp section and effects rack enabling you to recreate the complete electric guitar sound without additional plugins.

Parameters

Guitar Site Simulation Properties

Playing Mode (combo box)

This parameter controls the playing style used by Slayer:

  • None - Handles notes like a standard synthesizer.
  • Autochords - Creates guitar style chords based on the played notes (you can control the strum speed with the Speed knob).
  • Powerchords - Creates power chords automatically based on the played notes. The keyboard is split into two sections. C5 and higher notes produce C1-G1-C2 style chords; the lower range produces C1-F1-C2 style chords (you can control the strum speed with the Speed knob).
  • Strumming - Strumming is designed for individual guitar chords on live playing. Single notes are played as usual, but all chords are automatically strummed (you can control the strum speed with the Speed knob).
  • SoloFixed - This is a monophonic mode, where overlapping notes create a portamento/glide effect. In this mode, the portamento speed is a constant value for all transitions and is defined by the Speed knob (speed is linked to the current tempo).
  • SoloDynamic - This is a monophonic glide mode similar to SoloFixed, however the glide speed depends on the pitch difference between the start and end notes. A glide from C3 to E6 will take longer than a glide from D6 to E6. You can control the glide speed with the Speed knob (speed is linked to the current tempo).

Basic Properties

  • Speed knob - Affects the strumming/gliding speed used in some of the playing modes (see above).
  • Hold switch - If the hold button is on, notes are not muted after releasing a key, unlike the usual behavior (if the switch is off). You can link this parameter to your sustain pedal, so that pressing the pedal keeps the guitar strings "vibrating".
  • Glissando switch - FL Slayer supports two sources of pitch bending (glissando). One is coarse pitch bend (+-12 semitones range), the other one is fine pitch bend (+/- 2 semitone range). Since there is one pitch bend wheel, and Slayer needs two, Slayer includes a second pitch bend wheel on its interface - Pitch Bend 2. This switch lets you select which pitch bend is the coarse: PB1 sets the regular pitch bend to the coarse range; PB2 sets the Pitch Bend 2 knob to the coarse range.
  • Pitch Bend 2 - A second pitch bend control for the Slayer channel. See Glissando switch above.

String Types

The string radio buttons let you select the string type used in the guitar simulation:

  • Noise - The classic Karplus b algorithm.
  • 6String1/6String2/6String3 - These are best used to simulate electric guitar string sounds.
  • Slap - Used to simulate the string sounds of a slap bass.
  • EBass - Used to simulate the string sounds of a hard played E-bass.
  • Fretless - Used to simulate the string sounds of a fretless bass.

Coil Type

Select the type of used coil simulation:

  • None - No pickup simulation is used. The sound is taken "as is" directly from the string simulation.
  • Single - Simulates the sound of a single coil pickup. You can additionally control how the pickup simulation sounds by moving the pickup (with mouse) to different positions. Note that you need to move the mouse up/down.
  • Double - Simulates the sound of a double coil pickup. You can additionally control how the pickup simulation sounds by moving the pickup (with mouse) to different positions. Note that you need to move the mouse up/down.

Additional Guitar Simulation Properties

  • Tone - Sets the pitch of the formant filters which changes the overall tone of the instrument.
  • Slap - Controls the "slap level" of the signal. The higher the note velocity, the more "slap" occurs. If the Slap knob is set to 0 (zero), the slap effects is disabled for all velocities.
  • Fret - Controls how much fret noise is mixed together with the guitar sound. You can use high settings for more aggressive pluck sounds in basses.
  • Harmonic - Used to simulate the different pickup types used in electric guitars. High settings are for bright sounding pickups, low settings for darker sounding pickups.
  • Vel - Sets the velocity sensitivity of Slayer. Use high settings for very dynamic sounds like slap basses. Use low settings for non-velocity sensitive sounds like power chords.
  • Damping - Controls the decay time of the sound. Muted guitars use a high dampening amount.
  • Velocity Control of Damping (Vel) - Defines how the damping reacts to velocity. High settings allow you to control the damping amount with the notes' velocity.

AMP Section

AMP Type

This radio button group selects the amplifier type used in the simulation:

  • Dry - Signal is passed through EQ. No feedback, no presence. Drive knob is used as a gain control of the signal. Use this setting for unplugged sounds.
  • Tube - Simulation of a three-stage valve amplifier with soft saturation. Signal is passed through presence, distortion, EQ, Speaker simulation.
  • EQ - Signal is passed through EQ before it passes through 3-stage distortion. This amplifier can be the best choice for effects like Talkbox.
  • Bandpass - This is a special amplifier. Signal is passed through band passes and soft saturators in 3-stages. Presence controls band pass cut-off. Finally it goes through EQ. Try boosting low and high band of EQ for "fat" sounds.

Cabinet Type

This radio group selects the cabinet type of cabinet used in the simulation:

  • Dry - This is the sound you would get if the guitar is connected directly to a Hi-Fi system (linear sound, no distortion). You can use this mode for unplugged sounds.
  • British - Simulates a British Cabinet. Use this for aggressive sounds.
  • Combo - A combo box simulation. Use this for softer sounds.
  • StaX - Very aggressive cabinet with a big boost on high frequencies. Use it for heavy metal style sounds.

Additional Amplifier Properties

  • Drive - Controls the level of distortion.
  • Presence - A simple high–shelf filter that adds or removes brightness to the sound.
  • Feedback - Amount of feedback that is returned from the output of the amplifier simulation back to the site simulation.
  • Low - Controls the bass level below 200 Hz.
  • Mid - Controls the mid level around 1000 Hz.
  • High - Controls high frequencies above 2.5 KHz.

MFX-90 Effects Unit Properties

The effects unit contains a combo box which selects the effect type and two additional knobs which sets parameters specific for each effect type.

Effect Type

Selects the effect type. Two general effect types are available: AMP - A pedal effect applied before the amplifier; MST A master effect that is applied after the amplifier;

  • Dry - No effect is applied.
  • AMP: Phaser - The signal is modulated & mixed with dry signal to create a phasing effect. The first parameter controls the LFO speed for modulation. The second one is the feedback level.
  • AMP: Tremolo - AMP type tremolo effect. It automatically retriggers on new notes and syncs with the song tempo. First parameter controls LFO speed. Second one controls modulation depth.
  • AMP: WahWah - A low-pass filter with resonance and an envelope follower. The first parameter controls the attack speed, the second controls the modulation depth.
  • AMP: WahWah LFO - A WahWah with LFO. The first parameter controls the LFO speed, the second - the modulation depth. The LFO automatically syncs with the played notes.
  • AMP: Ringmod - Ring-modulation that automatically tunes harmonic with the played notes. Parameter 1 controls the harmonic for the modulator.
  • AMP: Fuzz Box - Signal-shaper for adding grunge to the signal. Please use this effect carefully since it adds a high amount of harmonics to the signal, which can damage your equipment! Parameter 1 controls Fuzz Box drive. The second parameter adds digital distortion.
  • AMP: Harmonizer - This effect adds harmonics one octave below and one octave above the current played note. Parameter 1 controls the mix level for the upper harmonics, parameter 2 the mix level for the lower harmonics. This effect only works well on single notes (avoid it with chords).
  • AMP: Talkbox - Simulates human-voice formants. Parameter 1 selects the LFO modulation speed; parameter 2 selects the formant pitch. This effect often sounds better with coil simulation set to "none" (see above).
  • MST: Chorus - Smooth stereo chorus. The first parameter controls LFO modulation speed, the second parameter modulation depth.
  • MST: Flanger - Flanger with feedback. The first parameter controls LFO modulation speed, the second parameter modulation depth.
  • MST: Phaser - Stereo phaser. The first parameter controls the LFO speed for modulation, the second parameter controls feedback level.
  • MST: Leslie - The popular "leslie" effect known from Hammond Organs, originally created by a speaker rotating around a microphone. The first parameter controls rotation speed, the second one controls modulation depth.
  • MST: Tremolo - Creates tremolo effect. First parameter controls LFO speed. Second one controls modulation depth. It automatically re-triggers on new notes and syncs with song tempo.
  • MST: DubDelay - A simple left-right delay for adding some spatial depth to the sound. Parameter 1 controls delay time.
  • MST: Multitap - A stereo-tap-delay with filter. The first parameter controls delay time, the second one controls feedback. It automatically syncs with the song tempo.

Plugin Credits: reFX (engine), Frederic Vanmol (FL Plugin adaptation & interface)