Patch It Like Our Parents Did!

excellent
key review info
application features
  • Sine, square, sawtooth oscillators
  • (6 more, see all...)

There are lots of people who make music using various softwares which generate a huge amount of ?techno" or ?electro" sounds and most of them don't know what sine, wave or saw mean, nor do they have a clue about terms like ?Fourier" and ?oscillator". They just push some buttons or twist some dials and sound is simply heard, or so they think; well, behind those buttons, and dials complex math is running and the purpose of a software like Quack Sound Effects Studio is to make these facts and "objects" better known and give the "old ones" the opportunity to work again on the real-life gadget-patching.

Some not-so-many years ago, these sounds were generated using real-life, physical "machinery": proper oscillators, all sorts of filter-EQs set to comb-notch the sound in the weirdest of ways and tens - if not hundreds - of knobs to twist away plus a huge amount of cables - this is how people used to make electro-sounds. The Quack Sound Effects Studio delivers a digital form of those immense tables with piled-up devices: add as many as you like, mix them up, shape them, cut and boost while spreading virtual cables between them all.

The Looks

Absolutely nothing fancy in Quack's GUI: no skins, no coloring options, no 3D-buttons and definitely nothing that could be called "cool" or "eye-catching". It is more than obvious that the creators of the Quack Sound Effects Studio had only the functionality of their software in mind and left the graphic design more or less to the end of their preoccupations. As a matter of fact, even if I don't know these fellows I'd say that they have been playing with the "proper tools" (as I prefer to hereby call the real-life oscillators and all things alike): the work area is scalable up to fullscreen and the modules you insert can move freely, according to your wishes or needs.

Returning to how the GUI of the Quack, I just have to add that it sports a lot of very handy icons which directly command the addition of certain modules. The icons have been drawn rather carefully and really intuitive. For example, the sine-form displays a curve; the square-form has proper squares as icon and the saw-wave some triangle-shaped lines. As well, the split and mix icons are more than intuitive and one really doesn't need advanced sound-processing knowledge to quickly get a good idea on what's happening in there.

Everything is in 2D: modules are displayed in the form of small tables with different numbers of rows depending on each one's functionality and with short text explanations. Clicking and dragging on each module lets you move it wherever you want in the entire space so you can arrange any array configuration to suit your needs. "Patching" is even easier as you simply connect the output (red dot) of a module to the input (green dot/s) of the next one. It is really a 2D simulation of a huge desktop you can fill with devices of your own choice, but it is considerably easier to operate than the real-life gadgets.

The Works

Before starting anything, don't hope you'll instantly become the second JM Jarre or the next Vangelis! Indeed, with some inspiration, some large amount of tweaking and a lot of patience you could very well replicate some of the sounds the two "sacred monsters" of electro have used and even made classic.

Should the very beginners get their hands on the Quack Sound Effects Studio, I really can't tell how much patience they will have or how their work will result in sound. In my opinion, Quack is one very nice software for experimenting with basic digital sound, but apart from that, I'd say it's a program for those who already know what this thing is about or have even worked in "the field". The price ($49) is rather OK even for a PC-toy but I'd rather look at the Quack Sound Effects Studio as an experimental software or a tool for the diehard fans of sound-generating. After reading a part of the tutorial I have finally begun to understand what does what and even managed to pull out a nice set of buzzes :)

I won't describe here what each module does, since there are more than 20 separate devices you can load on the "tabletop" and each of these has features to tweak and set up. I'll just add that the Quack Sound Effects Studio has obvious roots in the old origins of the digital era: when a channel or device is set to inactive, it has the ZERO value; you will be able to run it as you set that value to ONE...

As a matter of fact, the entire working algorithm of the Quack Sound Effects Studio is based on a very mathematical basis: frequencies are expressed in numbers, panning-as well, it is numbers which describe the action of a sweep-filter and so on. Overall, the working of the Quack Studio resembles very much a "primitive" visual version of text command-based software: it has shapes and buttons which automatize a part of the tasks but still one needs strong knowledge of the basic software to feel comfortable with this version.

Working with the Quack Sound Effects Studio is pretty much like having to administer a real-life synthesizer, unless you feel rather like inside it having to take care of absolutely everything needed in order to produce a certain sound or type of sound. One thing is sure: each minute you spend working in Quack Sound Effects Studio will make or - should I say - force you to learn new things or at least learn better the things you know about sound-synthesis. A really good software which will take you back in time and in the technology's history while also putting your mind to hard work.

The Good

The best thing for Quack Sound Effects Studio is that it simply exists: I really didn't know there are softwares like this anymore! A very good software for those who still like the "old" sonorities of cult electro music and/or want to bring them back to life. I have to give a big mark for the tutorial in the help section - it's really useful and will surely mean very much for those who want to get used to the "real McCoy".

The Bad

I could not find any bad things in the hours I have spent playing with Quack Sound Effects Studio; of course it's possible to have missed a thing. Maybe as a recommendation...a contemporary and best-looking GUI will surely increase the attraction it has.

The Truth

I felt really good with Quack Sound Effects Studio; it reminded me of old times and also made me happy that still the early history of digital sound has not been forgotten. Definitely a must for the sound-enthusiasts and a must-try for those who want to know what sound is made of.

Don't turn the page before seeing the few screenshots below:

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user interface 3
features 4
ease of use 4
pricing / value 5


final rating 5
Editor's review
excellent
 
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