What is this?

The Mx44 is a polyphonic multichannel midi realtime software synthesizer. It is written in C and hand optimized for the (Intel) MMX instruction set. It runs under Linux, using any kernel modified for realtime performance (Well ... Mandrake 10.1 works just fine for me.) The sourcecode is licensed under GPL.

The core algorithm is a  4 x 4 crossmodulating matrix (phase and amplitude) with individual envelopes for each oscillator. Oscillators have individual frequency intonation, can emphasize any of the eight first harmonics and even do some internal crossmodulation. Envelopes can be switched between VCA and VCF modes (ehrm, actually wawe-shaping, but it will still quack like a duck by any other name.) The sustainloop of the envelope can be brought into oscillation in the audible spectre as well as provide slow LFO sweeps. There is also a minor load of key and velocity related modifications for wowie zowie realtime ecstacy emulation ...

 
Implemented GS controllers
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R #  Ctrl

  73 Attack  (modifies the time value of all env stage 1 and 2)
  75 Decay   (modifies the time value of all env stage 3 and 4)
  79 Loop    (modifies the time value of all env stage 5 and 6)
  72 Release (you get the drill ...)
	      
  05 Portamento (routed to intonation, being the closest match)
  94 Celeste (modifies amount of frequency offset)
	
* 07 Channel Volume (yep!)
  10 Pan            (rotates the sound-image)
	 
* 01 Modulation (modulation send amount from op with "Wheel" btn ON)
		 
* 70 Timbre     (modulation send amount from op with "Wheel" btn OFF)
* 71 Variation  (balance between modulation from op 1+3/op 2+4)
		 
* 74 Cutoff Freq (resonance ctrl for oscillators connected to envelope)

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Controllers marked with asterix operates in true RT mode (ie: on a sustained note.) The rest is set up at note-on

Is it any good?

It is very good for esoteric pads and ultra electric leads. I use it all the time together with the Rosegarden sequencer or some of my old Atari toys (like M!) I don't think you can make it sound like a realistic grand piano though, but then again: Somebody out there, please prove me wrong ;-)

A 166 Mhz Pentium will provide you with 20 simultanious voices, whereas a 400 Mhz Pentium II can with ease provide you with 88 simultanious voices. My current 1.1Ghz Celery occasionally runs 200 voices (800 oscillators). That ought to be enough for most people? Write any number after the command to change the 48 voice default.

Why are you releasing this for free?

Short and honest answer: I thought I needed the free advertizing! But I really also do think it is A Good Thing(TM) when people release free software.

The Mx4 was a preproduction evaluation project for its planned successor, the Mx8, which was targetted for the Motorola Altivec instruction set. It was supposedly the midle part in a trilogy of applications including midi-preprocessor, polysynth and audio postprocessing.
 
The Mx44 software works by itself though, and with a bit of hacking you could probably quite easily add the missing pieces using other free sources. Or why not integrate it with ALSA and JACK. Mmmm ... No wait, that is already done :) .... But then DSSI maybe?

I thought I was finished with the evaluation and had moved on to other hardware. Apparently I am still here?

Who are you? Are you a monkey?

That is a really good question! I have often wondered meself   ;-) ... But if you want to find out, you can reach me at < dev.null (@) chello.se >  or snailmail to:

Jens M Andreasen
Bastugatan 45 II
118 25 Stockholm
SWEDEN

SMS: +46 706 77 55 47