Draft:Vital (Spectral warping wavetable synth)

Vital
Vital
Original author(s)	Matt Tytel
Developer(s)	Vital Audio
Initial release	24 November 2020
Written in	C++
Operating system	Windows, macOS, Linux
Type	Software synthesizer
License	GNU GPL v3 (source code); freemium proprietary binaries
Website	https://vital.audio/

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Vital is a spectral‑warping wavetable software synthesizer plugin developed by Matt Tytel and distributed by Vital Audio. It was first released on 24 November 2020 as a freemium product running on Windows, macOS, and Linux platforms, provided in formats including VST, VST3, Audio Unit, and LV2 :contentReference[oaicite:1]{index=1}.

Development

Designed by Matt Tytel—the creator of Helm—Vital introduced advanced spectral warping, enabling harmonic-level modulation of wavetables. It features a visual interface with real‑time animated controls (oscilloscopes, spectrograms), drag‑and‑drop modulation, and stereo split modulation :contentReference[oaicite:2]{index=2}.

The source code is released under the GNU GPL v3 license, and available publicly on GitHub.[] Implementation under GPLv3 allows third parties to fork and maintain the code independently; proprietary licensing may be requested for closed‑source use :contentReference[oaicite:3]{index=3}.

Features

Synthesis engine

Vital includes:

Three morphable wavetable oscillators supporting spectral warping (Stretch, Shepard‑tone, spectral time), plus additional wave‑domain modifiers (FM, RM, sync) :contentReference[oaicite:4]{index=4}.
One sample playback oscillator.
Two multimode filters with continuous blends.
Audio‑rate modulation for envelopes and LFOs, including stereo LFO splitting :contentReference[oaicite:5]{index=5}.

Modulation & Effects

Drag‑and‑drop modulation matrix.
Modulators include envelopes, LFOs, random sources (Perlin, Lorenz attractor, sample‑and‑hold), and modulation remapping :contentReference[oaicite:6]{index=6}.
Built‑in effects: multiband compressor, delay, phaser, chorus, reverb, etc. :contentReference[oaicite:7]{index=7}.

Interface

The GUI emphasizes clarity with real‑time animated graphical widgets visualizing modulation, filters, waveforms, and spectral content :contentReference[oaicite:8]{index=8}.

Compatibility

Available in VST/VST3/AU/LV2 plugin formats; supports MPE and micro‑tonal tuning :contentReference[oaicite:9]{index=9}.

Editions and licensing

Vital follows a freemium model:

Basic (Free): full synthesis engine available, includes 75 presets, 25 wavetables; commercial use permitted per EULA :contentReference[oaicite:10]{index=10}.
Plus (≈US$25): 250 presets, 70 wavetables.
Pro (≈US$80): 400+ presets, 150 wavetables, unlimited text‑to‑wavetable conversions, prioritized support.
Subscription (≈US$5/month): includes store credit, exclusive packs, early feature/plugin access :contentReference[oaicite:11]{index=11}.

Free vs Open Source clarification

"Free" refers to gratis use: the basic edition may be used in personal or commercial works without payment :contentReference[oaicite:12]{index=12}.
The core binary engine and interface are proprietary, but the source code is licensed under GPLv3—free as in freedom—allowing inspection, modification, and redistribution under GPL terms :contentReference[oaicite:13]{index=13}.
Some freemium restrictions apply only to content (presets, wavetables, text‑to‑wavetable API), not to engine functionality :contentReference[oaicite:14]{index=14}.

Reception

Users and reviewers widely praise Vital as a "fantastic free synth" that rivals commercial offerings such as Serum or Pigments. A community Reddit discussion noted “Vital lacks almost nothing compared to paid synths” :contentReference[oaicite:15]{index=15}. Similarly, news outlets highlighted its combination of advanced synthesis features paired with zero‑cost core usage :contentReference[oaicite:16]{index=16}.

References

External links