Max for Cats ENSEMBLE v1.0 for Ableton Live

Inspired by the classic string machines of the 1970s, Ensemble is a Max for Live string synthesizer with a unique built-in morphing formant filter. Ensemble also includes chorus and phaser effects which can be used separately.

Just like its hardware predecessors, Ensemble's interface makes it easy to create and manipulate rich, warm string sounds. But of course, since this is a Max for Live device, Max for Cats has provided useful tools to take these sounds well beyond their original scope.

Oscillators

Each of Ensemble’s two voices features a pair of tunable oscillators which can be switched between triangular or rectangular waveforms. For added richness, the oscillators can be pulse-width modulated, with a separate LFO for the speed and intensity. The oscillators’ pitch can also be modulated with the vibrato function (controllable via aftertouch). Ensemble also features an optimized ADSR envelope for shaping the amplification of the sound.

Morphing Filters

A unique feature of Ensemble is the formant filter which offers 10 different types of vowel filter. What’s more, you can morph between them using an intuitive XY grid. Filter types, morphing smoothness and morphing time can all be controlled to achieve beautifully animated and intriguingly vocal-like sounds. Phaser and chorus effects as well as saturation and equalizer to modify and shape the sound are also at your disposal.