Rapid is the first release from Parawave Audio, and it looks like the company has gone all-out to create an instrument that will compete with the best synths currently on the market. It promises "stunning sound and a fast workflow," and enables you to combine multiple synthesis layers to create your perfect patch.
There are eight layers, each of which offers three oscillators that can play wavetables and multisamples. You'll also find 20 filter types, seven insert effects, multiple modulators, an arpeggiator, an effect stack and a routing matrix.
The theory is that you can create big, complex sounds using a single instance of Rapid. If you're a fan of pre-rolled patches you can call up more than 650 presets.
The synth is said to be capable of creating a wide range of sounds spanning multiples genres, while a "fast" preset browser and macro and quick modifier knobs are on hand to speed up the workflow. Parawave Audio also plans to release Rapid Extensions - add-on packs containing wavetables, multisamples, presets and additional tools.
Rapid costs €210, putting it at the higher end of the soft synth price spectrum, but there's a demo you can try before you buy. It's a Windows VST plugin only at this stage, but we're told that a Mac version is in the works.
Find out more on the Parawave Audio website.
