The provided manual describes Polaris, a sophisticated sound library developed by Spitfire Audio in collaboration with Grammy-nominated composer and technologist Brian Transeau (BT). Polaris is designed to blend the worlds of synthesis and orchestral sounds, offering a vast array of new and inspiring sonic possibilities for music production, particularly for film scoring.
Function Description:
Polaris is a dedicated plugin (AU, VST2, VST3, AAX) that functions as a virtual instrument, allowing users to create complex, multi-layered sounds by combining organic string orchestra recordings with classic and rare synthesizer samples. The library features an intricate layering of extended string techniques orchestrated to emulate electronic music production. It leverages the "EDNA engine" for extensive experimentation and customization, along with a new granular synthesis machine for further sound manipulation.
The core functionality revolves around two main interfaces:
- Standard Interface: This provides a quick overview and access to main controls, preset selection, technique switching, signal mixing, and global effects. It's designed for ease of use and quick sound shaping.
- EDNA Interface: This offers deeper control over sound design, allowing users to manipulate two distinct sound sources ("Sound Bays A & B") from 129 available articulations. It includes detailed controls for envelopes, filters, wobbles (LFOs), and a comprehensive FX section for each sound bay, as well as auxiliary and master effects.
Important Technical Specifications:
- System Requirements (Mac):
- Mac OS X 10.13 to OS 12
- Minimum: 2.8GHz i5 (quad-core), 8GB RAM
- Recommended: 2.8GHz i7 (six-core), 16GB RAM
- M1 Apple computers are supported (64-bit DAW required)
- 32-bit DAWs are not supported.
- System Requirements (PC):
- Windows 7, 8, 10, and 11 (latest Service Pack, 64-bit)
- Minimum: Intel Core 2.8GHz i5 (quad-core) or AMD Ryzen 5, 8GB RAM
- Recommended: Intel 2.8GHz i7 (six-core)
- 32-bit DAWs are not supported.
- Download Size: 44.55GB
- Plugin Formats: AU, VST2, VST3, AAX
- Sound Sources: Combines organic string orchestra recordings with samples from classic synths (e.g., CS-80, Lexicon 224, Prophet T8, Oberheim OB-Xa, Matrix 12, Jupiter 8, Prophet 5) and vintage samplers (Fairlight, EMU E-II, Ensoniq Mirage).
- Articulations: 129 available articulations for sound layering and manipulation.
- Presets: 421 expertly crafted presets by BT and the Spitfire team.
- Round Robins: Multiple recordings of the same note to ensure natural-sounding repetitions.
- MIDI Control: Extensive MIDI CC mapping capabilities for automation and real-time control.
Usage Features:
- Preset Selector: Allows users to browse, filter (by starred, strings, granular, orchestra, synths, resampled, user), preview, load, and save presets. Users can also navigate through presets and save custom creations.
- Technique Selector: Enables selection of individual or multiple string techniques. Techniques can be triggered by keyswitches, CC range, velocity range, MIDI channel, or playing speed. It also features a Technique Editor for reordering and removing techniques.
- Main Controls (Standard Interface): Includes Volume, Dynamics (Expression), a configurable Knob (assignable to various parameters), Reverb, Release, Tightness, and Variation.
- Signal Mixer: Provides control over microphone signals (Single, Tight, Hall Mix, Closest, Close, Room, Far, Bound, Encode, Tape, Stereo) with individual faders, stereo width, pan, and invert options. Mixer presets can be loaded and saved.
- Main FX: Offers global effects such as NoiseFX (with various noise types), Attack, Release, Tightness, Variation, Vibrato, and Reverb (with impulse responses).
- Granular FX Page: Dedicated page for granular synthesis parameters including Delay, Delay Spread, Duration, Duration Spread, Frequency, Frequency Spread, Reverb, Tuning, Tuning Spread, Tuning Quantise, Filter Low, Filter High, Filter Spread, and Mix.
- EDNA Sound Bays (A & B): Two independent sound sources that can be loaded with different sounds, favorited, muted, and swapped. Each bay has its own Wobbles (LFOs for Volume, Pitch, Filter), Envelope (ADSR with Hi-Pass/Lo-Pass filters), and Sample/Note Controls (Tune, Pan, Offset, Trim, Glide, Bend, Clone).
- EDNA FX Pages: Comprehensive effects chain for each sound bay (Bay A FX, Bay B FX), Auxiliary FX, and Master FX.
- Bay A FX: Shape (talk box), Phonic, Peak (ladder filter), Amp, Distort, Flanger, Chorus, Aux Sends.
- Bay B FX: Form, Sonant, Notch (notch filter), Digital (bit-depth, sample rate, noise), Bias (saturation), Convo, Phaser, Aux Sends.
- Aux FX: Delay 1 & 2, Reverb 1 & 2, Convolution, Chorus, Flanger, Phaser. These are send effects with controls for time, damp, pan, feedback, size, stereo, colour, and return level.
- Master FX: EQ (3-band parametric), Grain FX (granular synthesis parameters), Aux Sends, Tape Saturation (compression, distortion, warmth, HF rolloff), Convolution, Limiter, Noise FX.
- Gate Sequencer: A rhythmic gate that independently mutes/unmutes Sound Bays A and B. Controls include Speed, Gate Cell activation, Volume, Smooth In/Out, Division Slider, and After Layer FX. Quick keys for range selection, linking A/B, and inverting tracks.
- Top Menu: Displays CPU, Disk, Memory, and Voice meters. Allows mode switching (Standard/EDNA), MIDI channel selection, global Tune, Pan, Volume, and access to Plugin Settings.
- Plugin Settings: Offers options for default scale, show keyswitches, automatic unload with mixer fader, gain units, knob drag type, disable warnings, auto-hide knob parameter popup, maximum voices, preload size, default stereo outputs, default preset loading, pitch/stretch quality, maximum pitch voices, and enable memory mapping.
Maintenance Features:
- Spitfire Audio App: Used for downloading, installing, updating, and managing Polaris. It includes features like "Locate Library" to re-link moved library folders and "Repair" to re-authorize the library.
- Reset Settings: Users can delete the
.settings file to reset plugin settings to default.
- Refresh Instrument: An alt-click refresh option in the top menu helps resolve hanging MIDI notes or issues after moving samples.
- Clear CC Mappings: Option to remove all MIDI CC mappings on the plugin.
- Download Management: The Spitfire App allows users to reset entire downloads or specific updates if issues arise.
- Troubleshooting: The manual provides guidance on common issues like empty preset lists, red exclamation marks (errors), slow downloads, and authorization problems.
- Two Licenses: Users are allowed to install Polaris on two computers they own, with the ability to copy the library folder between machines and use the "Repair" and "Locate Library" features.
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