Twist

Nowadays, it’s easy to try and explore your musical side. There are many pieces of software that allow you to play with sounds and patiently study the craft. You can use complex DAWs to build tracks from start to finish, and you can also implement a variety of plugins such as EQs, dedicated effects, vocal editors, or powerful synthesizers that allow you to diversify your arsenal of sonic tools.

But once in a while, you may stumble upon a program that doesn’t fit into any of the categories above, yet you can still find useful. Such is the case of Twist, a stand-alone synth that is, well, different.

As I’ve already mentioned in the subheading, Twist has a node-based interface. This means that you have a limitless workspace where you can constantly add various elements. These units have nodes that you can connect through visible links (think of them as virtual wires), but also parameters that will modify the sound output.

While an interface of this kind usually gives you plenty of freedom, it can be a bit confusing if you don’t know your craft well enough. Since there are so many possibilities, a novice producer wouldn’t really know where to start. In a way, this configuration is similar to that of an analog modular synth.

Thankfully, Twist comes with a few relevant examples that you can study and learn how to connect the dots and create useable samples. Remember that the program isn’t designed to allow you to record whole songs, but only 60-second samples that you can later integrate into your productions. One great feature is that it lets you import audio files in the form of WAVs, FLACs or OGGs and modify them using sequencers, oscillators, arpeggiators, filters, delay lines, ADSR units, and many other tools.

If you learn to master the workflow, Twist can really help you get creative with your music; unlike other “stricter” DAWs and instruments, it leaves a lot of room for improvisation.