Pendulate

A Chaotic Synth by Newfangled Audio

Bored of the same old synth sounds? Newfangled Audio's Pendulate is refreshingly different. Pendulate is a chaotic monosynth that uses a brand new double-pendulum-oscillator to create previously unheard sounds - biting basses, searing leads, and gritty textures. It can smoothly fade from a sine wave to total chaos, with an expanse of territory to explore in between.

Unleash Chaos

When designing the Pendulate oscillator Newfangled Audio took great care to bring out these underlying patterns. The result is an oscillator that can smoothly fade from a sine wave to total chaos, with an expanse of territory to explore in between.

Create the Chaos

Pendulate’s chaotic oscillator is based on the physics of a double pendulum. What initially looks like randomness contains underlying patterns, interconnectedness, constant feedback loops, repetition, self-similarity, fractals, and self-organization. 

Control the Chaos

Pendulate’s chaotic oscillator is matched with a wavefolder and low pass gate inspired by the ideas of legendary synthesizer designer, Don Buchla. These three modules, oscillator, wavefolder and gate, combine to make everything from warm basses to searing leads.

Modulate the Chaos

Every parameter in Pendulate’s three modules can be modulated by Pendulate's Envelope Generator, LFO, or by MIDI and MPE sources. The innovative modulation interface allows you to easily and quickly patch any combination of sources to any destination, creating sounds that are sure to make you move with them.

Technology Behind Pendulate

Pendulate is based on a new oscillator concept, which started because Newfangled Audio was curious to know what a double pendulum would sound like if translated to audio. A double pendulum is a simple mechanical system which is chaotic, which means what it does in the future is hard to predict from what it’s done in the past. The initial system didn’t sound very musical, but after a lot of tweaking it sounds really great, really interesting, and that’s what you hear today.

Features

• Novel chaotic oscillator based on the double pendulum makes sounds you’ve never heard before, but will want to hear again.
• Wavefolder based on the one in the Buchla 259 Complex Waveform Generator, adding MIX and CUTOFF.
• Low Pass Gate based on the Buchla 292 adds controls for POLES and RESONANCE.
• Innovative modulation UI allows modulation over every control from the main page, allowing up to 169 simultaneous modulation routings.
• MPE support allows amazing control from innovative new controllers.
• Envelope and LFO each have multiple outputs generated at once like a modular synth should.
• Modulation! Every mod output to every control means up to 221 modulation points in an intuitive single pane.
• Animations! The Double Pendulum, Wavefolder, and Low Pass Gate modules each have animations to show how each module responds to your input, and to modulation.
• Three unique colour schemes to customize your look.
• 136 Presets including artist presets from Matt Lange and Matthew Wang.
• Support for new tunings via MTS-ESP. (This is a new tuning standard from ODDSound being implemented across the industry with backing from Aphex Twin.)
• Master pitch modulation to the Pitch Bend knob. (This allows for vibrato which was an oversight that it wasn’t in 1.0.  It also allows for pitch envelopes and arpeggio style sequences when using the Sequencer.)
• Modulation to the LFOs, Envelopes, and S+H module. (This is a power user feature, but it really opens up the modulation system. Modelled after modular synths)
• LOOP mode for Envelopes, turning them into LFOs. (Functionally bringing Pendulate from 1 to 2 LFOs)
• Modulatable Output Level control to the LFOs and Sample and Hold modules. The bipolar switch allows them to be bipolar outputs. (More flexibility in modulation programming)

System Requirements

Windows

• Windows 8 and later (Windows 11 supported) (64-bit only)
• AAX, VST2, VST3

Mac

• macOS 10.9 and later (Intel / M1 Apple Silicon supported) (64-bit only)
• AAX, AU, VST2, VST3

Important Notes:

• Newfangled Audio tests their desktop plugins in Ableton Live, Cubase, FL Studio, Logic Pro, Pro Tools, and Studio One (However, their plugins should work with any compatible host.)
• No iLok dongle is required to run this software - only a FREE iLok account/Manager is required for authorisation.