Introduction to Using the Absynth Mutate Feature

There are several things that set Absynth apart from the rest of the mainstream soft synths out there. This fun video tutorial from Soundmagus shares a bit about one of the more interesting ones, the Absynth mutate feature!

Sometimes the best way to become familiar with something like the Absynth mutate feature is to simply spend a bunch of time experimenting with it! In this video tutorial the basic functions of the mutate tool are explained, as well as how you can put them to use. Although other synths offer morphing and mutating abilities, Absynth approaches this slightly differently than most. You can begin with a sound that you are already familiar with, or perhaps a preset from the factory library. Then you select a sound or sounds that may sound interesting if you were able to somehow combine them in some way. This is precisely what the Absynth mutate feature does, but it’s not quite that simple. First, you need to understand how randomization works with synths.

When you click a randomize button on a synth, you expect a certain amount of unpredictability. This is exactly why it has become such a popular feature to have available over the years. There is only so much intentional sound design one can do before losing hold of that mysterious thing that allows us to create brilliant sounds. So, every once in a while we reach for something like randomization to shake our sounds (and us) up a bit! It is a quick way to find new inspiration and even stumble into something truly great. Of course, you give up a lot of control doing this, which is what brings us back to the Absynth mutate tool.

You see, when you select a sound or sounds to mutate your original sound with, it is going to apply a certain amount of randomization to the parameters you have selected in the interface. But it does so in relation to the sound(s) selected. So you get a much more controlled approach to instrument alteration. You can, of course, set the degree (percentage, or severity) to which your original sound will be affected. You can also add randomization to this function, or choose to only apply pure randomization. When you opt for randomization, rather than mutating, you will be randomizing without limits (except for the parameters you have selected as targets and the amount of randomization to be applied). So with the Absynth mutate feature you get more than you may have expected. Which seems to be the one true constant throughout this incredible synth.