It’s not unusual for soft synths to be furnished with new preset packs - everyone loves new sounds, after all - but Expressive E’s new Phase Plant Expressive Suite is rather more than that. Yes, it contains presets - some 400 of them, in fact - but these are MPE patches that, with the right controller, can give Kilohearts’ Phase Plant plugin whole new levels of expression and nuance.
As you may be aware, MPE (or MIDI Polyphonic Expression, to use its full title) is a cutting-edge technology that enables you to go beyond simple velocity- and aftertouch-sensitivity and add real time control in multiple dimensions. By moving your fingers, you can adjust not only volume, but also pitch and other parameters on a per-note basis. You can even use MPE’s capabilities to trigger and modulate the likes of LFOs, filters and effects - the creative possibilities are pretty much limitless.
Expressive E is an MPE expert, having been working on musical expressiveness since 2013. The latest manifestation of the company’s accumulated knowledge is the Osmose, the company’s standalone MPE synth and controller, which has the advantage of looking like and having the familiar feel of a standard keyboard, so you’ll feel comfortable playing it right away.
It probably won’t surprise you to learn that the Osmose is the perfect partner for the Phase Plant Expressive Suite, enabling you to harness its articulations and textures to the fullest extent. Whether you’re playing emulations of acoustic instruments, cutting-edge electronic ones (by way of FM, wavetable, and analogue synthesis) or cinematic soundscapes, the levels of control and expression are stunning.
That said, owners of Ableton’s MPE-compatible Push 3 also have a lot to gain, as this gives you a great way of unlocking the Phase Plant Expressive Suite’s potential, too. Owners of other MPE controllers should also take a keen interest.
Above all, the Expressive Suite is here to help you to get better, more musical results, and to give Phase Plant owners a whole new world of creative opportunities. An intro sale means that they can currently get it as a sound expansion pack for $39/€39, or as four separate preset packs for $15/€15 per pack; a bundle containing both Phase Plant and the Suite is currently on offer at $99/€99. These prices only apply until 15 April, though, so don’t delay.
You can find out more and buy the Phase Plant Expressive Suite on the Expressive E website.