MusicRadar Verdict
Signal is dramatic and powerful, and limitless in rhythmic potential.
Pros
- +
Excellent presets. Effective interface. Lots of rhythmic options.
Cons
- -
Could do with a manual.
MusicRadar's got your back Our team of expert musicians and producers spends hours testing products to help you choose the best music-making gear for you. Find out more about how we test.
Signal is a 40GB (compressed to 20GB) 'pulse engine' library for Kontakt, drawing on a range of multisampled analogue synths and acoustic and electric instruments.
"A good range of per-pulse and global effects are onboard, and a macro system enables custom performance setups to be built"
Two sound sources ('pulses') are combined in a patch, each controlled by two modulators and playback controllers, chosen from four available types: Wave (LFO-modulated), Step (step sequenced), Arp (arpeggiated) and Loop (Signal's own 'tape looping' engine).
These can be applied in parallel to a range of parameters (volume, pan, filter, etc), except for Loop and Arp, which only handle playback. A good range of per-pulse and global effects are onboard, and a macro system enables custom performance setups to be built.
The 500 tagged presets don't disappoint, and the interface is effective and handsome. On the downside, it lacks a manual (the onboard help doesn't cover it) and the whole 'pulse' marketing makes it sound more high-concept than it actually is. Minor complaints, though.
“Radio stations all said Layne’s voice is wrong”: Alice In Chains and Jane’s Addiction producer Dave Jerden helped to define the sound of alternative rock
Why did Jon Batiste have a Jupiter-8 plugin controller, a Maschine+ and an Ableton Live controller sitting on his piano when he sang the National Anthem at the Super Bowl? We’re still not sure
“Random dudes are allowed to criticise my Grammy speech, but they best put their money where their mouth is, otherwise MOVE out of the way”: Chappell Roan stands her ground on need to support developing artists
