With the quick development of sampling technology, virtual analog instruments aren’t dominating the market anymore. For a long time virtual analog instruments were more favored than sampled ones, because the latter didn’t have such broad opportunities for programming the sound. reFx, however, offers all the tools you would ever need with their Nexus 3. This Rompler has it all: the vibrant sound of a sampled instrument and the editing potential of a virtual analog synthesizer. Nexus 3 is surely on the expensive side of Romplers, but don’t let this throw you off: for $250, you’ll receive the program itself and a sample library of over 2750 presets. And they are all worth it. There are deep basses and bright leads, striking drums, moving strings and many more impressive sounds. A lot of samples are reverbed already, but unlike a lot of other synths, reverbs here are perfectly balanced. The sound is not too wet or too dry, and it almost feels alive. Tinkering with these samples is pure enjoyment.
Interface
The program’s
interface is very easy to use for everyone from beginners to pro musicians.
There is a main window with knobs around it, all split into categories: Filter,
Amp, Master Filter, Delay, Reverb and Output. A definite plus of the program is
that it allows you to layer up to 8 samples together. The main window, or
display, as called by reFx, consists of a small screen with 8 buttons on each
side of it. With the Library button
you navigate the enormous sound archive. We already mentioned this, but you
will surely be delighted with them. You can choose from pads, pianos, basses,
classical instruments and others. The
buttons around open up different options for fixing the sound just for your
liking. You can use one of the suggested presets are create something of your
own. The options are endless. The Mod button leads to modulation
matrix, whose options are already more than enough to sculpt your sample. Then,
there is Arp, another great tool,
surely one of the best arpeggirators I have seen. Up next is TG, or Trance Gate, great for looping. Freq, a visual frequency analyzer, is a
rare find on the synth market, but surely useful for visual people. Mix allows you to go into detail and
enhance your sample even more by changing certain aspects either for all of the
layers, or just one. Live is purely
an information tool, showing news about reFx’s last updates and expansion. Last
but not least, there’s Sys to change
the velocity curve, transpose, add or subtract voices.
Conclusion
All in all, Nexus 3 is one of the greatest synths right now. It’s what you could call a “one size fits all”: a great investment, regardless of your level as a producer. As you progress on your journey and learn, Nexus 3 will surely not lose its value and will continue to be a useful tool. Its potential is endless; you could use it for almost every EDM genre and subgenre out there. Perhaps, one of the only synthesizers you will ever need. PC minimum system requirements :
The Speakers roaring with booming bass and scintillating synths. Strobes flashing wildly in unison with the rhythm. Arms raised to the sky as thousands...
