TOMiC Evolution: Selectable Layer Mix Modes, Plaits Engine, Advanced FM, Audio Bounce, Modulatable Macros & Noise Resonators

We are thrilled to unveil the latest major release of TOMiC Drum Synth — our high-precision, zero-compromise percussive synthesizer engineered in pure Rust. This update pushes transient sculpting, sound design depth, and layering flexibility to unprecedented heights.

Every single enhancement in this update is grounded in deep real-time DSP craftsmanship. Here is the full breakdown of all new features, synthesis models, and architectural improvements now available in TOMiC.

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🎚️ 1. Breakthrough Layer Mix Modes (LayerMixMode Engine)

Until now, blending oscillator and noise layers relied strictly on traditional linear crossfading. In this release, we introduce a dedicated, mathematically versatile LayerMixMode engine across all three crucial blend stages of every voice:

• Oscillator Blend: OSC 1 ⟷ OSC 2
• Noise Blend: Noise 1 ⟷ Noise 2
• Voice Master Blend: Oscillator Section ⟷ Noise Section

Each blend stage now features an independent selector with 5 distinct mathematical interaction modes, dynamically scaled by the Blend knob (where 0% always gives Layer 1 alone, scaling smoothly into the full characteristic interaction at 100%):

• Crossfade (Linear): Smooth, predictable linear crossfade between signals.
• Equal Power (Constant Power): Leverages a sine/cosine energy-preserving law. It eliminates the traditional 3dB midpoint loudness dip, maintaining authoritative punch and body throughout the entire knob rotation.
• RingMod (True Ring Modulation): Seamlessly morphs from the dry primary signal into full-scale amplitude multiplication between the two sources (x1 * (1 - t) + (x1 * x2 * 2) * t). Essential for metallic cymbals, resonant bells, and aggressive industrial snares.
• Add (Additive Summation): Adds the second layer on top of the first without attenuating the primary source (x1 + x2 * t). Layer 1 retains 100% of its low-end weight and transient impact while Layer 2 layers harmonic brightness or sizzle over it.
• Min/Max (Digital Comparator): Samples the absolute min/max amplitude values per-sample in real time (min * (1 - t) + max * t). This generates biting digital gating and sharp transient interlocking, tailor-made for modern Neurofunk, Hardwave, and Glitchcore.

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🎹 2. Plaits Macro-Oscillator Engine & Hybrid Synthesis

The synthesis core expands with a full port of the Mutable Instruments Plaits Macro-Oscillator Engine, running alongside our existing Braids engine with a dedicated violet waveform display and zero-footprint ergonomics using existing Timbre, Color, and Aux controls:

• Virtual Analog: Non-linear waveshaping with simulated analog thermal drift and variable sync.
• Waveshaper & Wavefolder: Asymmetrical fold and drive stages for saturated, aggressive kicks and toms.
• Chord Engine: 4-voice polyphonic chords, detuned stacks, and percussive harmonic clusters.
• Wavetable & Speech: Digital wavetable morphing and formant synthesis for vocal and robotic percussion hits.
• Modal Resonator: Physical modeling of vibrating plates, bars, and membranes excited by impulse triggers.
• Analog Bass Drum, Snare & Hi-Hat: Circuit-modeled analog drum generators capturing iconic 80s drum machines.

✨ Universal Granulate Layer — Granular Synthesis Across ALL Oscillator Models

One of the most requested sound design upgrades is now live: the Granulate layer is now 100% universal across all synthesis types! Previously restricted to a separate oscillator type, Granulate now operates as a high-speed real-time granular processing cloud layered on top of any selected oscillator engine:

• Works Over Every Engine: Run granular cloud processing seamlessly on top of Standard Waveforms, Linear & Phase-Mod FM, all 25 Braids models, all 9 Plaits macro-oscillators, additive Harmonics, and Cluster stacks.
• Real-Time Micro-Grain Generation: Dissects the raw synthesized signal into micro-acoustic grains with independent control over grain size, spawn rate, window envelope shapes (Hann, Gaussian, Tukey, Rectangular), and randomized pitch variance.
• Instant Ambient Halos & Glitch Textures: Effortlessly transform punchy analog kicks, Braids wavetables, or Plaits chord clusters into shimmering granular halos, drifting ambient particle clouds, and shattered glitch accents on the fly.

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⚡ 3. Advanced FM Architecture: Attack / Decay / Sustain & Linear vs. Phase-Mod Engines

Frequency Modulation in TOMiC has been re-architected into a full-scale sound design engine for both Oscillator 1 and Oscillator 2, providing surgical control over FM index evolution:

• Dedicated FM Envelope (Attack, Decay, Sustain):
  • FM Attack (0.01 ms – 500 ms): Dial in slow-blooming metallic swells, reverse-type FM sweeps, or laser-sharp transient strikes.
  • Doubled FM Decay (1.0 ms – 1000.0 ms): Maximum decay time has been doubled to a full 1000 ms, empowering you to create massive 1-second rolling 808 FM bass drops, cinematic sub thuds, and long evolving modular hits.
  • FM Sustain (0% – 100%): Hold constant FM depth for sustained metallic leads, industrial drones, and pitched tonal percussion.
• Selectable FM Engine (Linear FM vs. Phase Modulation):
  • Linear FM: Direct frequency modulation with raw, analog-style dynamic character and gritty harmonic saturation.
  • Phase Modulation: True DX-style phase modulation delivering pristine mathematical clarity and perfect harmonic stability even under extreme modulation depths.
• Hybrid FM with Braids & Plaits: Frequency and Phase modulation can now be applied directly to 25 Braids and 8 Plaits waveform curves (including CSaw, Morph, SawSq, SinFold, Buzz, Harmonics, Wavetables, and Analog BD)!
• Modulation Matrix Integration: Both FM Attack and FM Sustain are now first-class modulation destinations, allowing LFOs, Envelopes, and Macros to dynamically reshape the FM contour on every hit.

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🔊 4. Noise "Character" Knob: Chaos Math & Modal Acoustic Resonators

The noise generator in TOMiC is far more than a simple hiss source — it is a sophisticated transient sculpting suite. In this update, we introduced the dedicated Character knob (0% – 100%) for classic noise types (White, Pink, Brown, and Velvet) across both Noise Layer 1 and Noise Layer 2, completely transformable in real time and fully routable in the Modulation Matrix (Noise Character):

• White Noise — Chaos Fold & Crystalline Shimmer:
  • At 0%: Pristine, continuous classic white noise.
  • As Character increases: Each audio sample is folded through a non-linear logistic-map chaos iterator coupled with a Simper TPT SVF modal resonance bank. It transforms flat digital hiss into sparkling crystalline shimmer, metallic top-end sheen, and vivid harmonic sizzle.
• Pink Noise — Fractal Density & Whispered Breath:
  • At 0%: Classic smooth 1/f pink noise hiss.
  • As Character increases: Applies fractal power-law density burst timing combined with a 3-mode acoustic formant resonator bank. The noise organically morphs between vocal "ah" and "oo" formant vowels, injecting an uncanny human breathing character and airy whispered textures into hi-hats and snares.
• Brown Noise — Turbulence & Seismographic Sub-Rumble:
  • At 0%: Deep, steady low-frequency brown rumble.
  • As Character increases: Destabilizes the brown noise integrator with chaotic stick-slip turbulence, layered over a 2-mode ultra-deep sub-bass resonator (tuned to the 20–90 Hz register of earthquakes and thunder). The low-end orbits an ominous, drifting sub-harmonic drone that responds dynamically to Wander modulation.
• Velvet Noise — Impulse Chaos & Bell/Glass Strike:
  • At 0%: Clean, evenly spaced sparse impulse train.
  • As Character increases: Morphs impulse spacing and polarity into non-linear chaotic clouds where every discrete impulse trigger physically strikes a 3-mode tuned modal resonator bank (inspired by Mutable Instruments Rings and Elements). Turns simple clicks into resonant glass shards, struck bells, and metallic tubular rings.

⚡ New Modular Noise Algorithms

In addition to the Character knob, the noise library expands with cutting-edge synthesis types:

• GrainGlitch: A granular-feedback FM noise oscillator generating fractured digital textures, micro-glitches, and crunchy attack layers.
• FilterBank: 4 independently swept bandpass filters excited by pulse trains and S&H noise for dynamic tonal sweeps.
• Cluster Phasing: Internal LFO wobble modulation applied across harmonic square-wave clusters for wide spatial stereo movement.
• Chiptune LFSR: 8-bit linear-feedback shift register emulation recreating iconic vintage game console noise channels.

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🎛️ 5. Modulatable Per-Channel Macros & Compound Meta-Modulation

Every channel in TOMiC features 7 dedicated Macro controls capable of driving complex multi-parameter sweeps across synthesis, filter, and FX chains. In this release, we unlocked Compound Meta-Modulation: per-channel Macro values are now first-class modulation targets across the entire modulation ecosystem!

• Direct Macro Value Targets (Macro 1..7 Value): Route any internal modulator — LFOs, ModEnvs, Marbles, Chaos/Orbital physics, Hand-Made REC curves, Markov generators, or step sequencer parameter lanes — to dynamically drive a Macro's raw 0.0 – 1.0 value.
• Multi-Destination Modulation Fan-Out: When a modulator animates a Macro knob, that Macro simultaneously propels all of its assigned destinations (e.g. sweeping filter cutoff, distortion drive, FM index, and decay time in perfect unison from a single modulated source).
• Sequencer Lane & Matrix Integration: Easily sequence complex morphing percussion patterns by automating Macro lanes in the step matrix or driving them with generative modulators.

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🎛️ 6. Persistent MIDI CC-Learn Across DAW Projects & .tomic Files

Hardware controller integration is now completely seamless:

• Total Session Persistence: All MIDI CC-Learn assignments are now saved and restored within DAW project sessions (VST3 and CLAP) as well as standalone .tomic preset files. Your custom MIDI controller templates stay ready immediately upon project load.
• All 16 Channels & Macros: MIDI CC Learn now covers all 16 instrument channels, per-channel local macros, and global master performance macros.

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⏱️ 7. Flawless DAW Transport Sync: Fixed Loop-Back, Start Jumps & Step Rushing/Skipping

One of the most critical timing enhancements in this update is a complete overhaul of the DAW Transport Resync Engine, eliminating long-standing edge-case timing anomalies reported when hosting TOMiC inside major DAWs (including FL Studio, Studio One, Reaper, Bitwig, Ableton Live, and Renoise):

• The Root Cause Resolved: In earlier versions, when a DAW looped back (e.g. from bar 4 back to bar 1) or when starting playback from an arbitrary timeline position, the plugin only resynchronized beat timing timestamps, leaving the internal step_counter at its pre-jump index. Whenever a project's loop markers did not land on an exact multiple of the active pattern length, this caused the sequencer to skip the first beat, fire the wrong step, or rush/double-trigger notes across the loop boundary.
• Sample-Accurate Continuous Index Recalculation: The transport sync engine now recomputes the exact continuous step index, intra-step sample phase, and pattern boundary simultaneously on every start, jump, and loop-back. The downbeat on step 1 hits with absolute, sample-accurate precision every single time.
• Tested Across All ASIO Buffer Sizes: Validated through dedicated unit and chunking tests (host_loop_step_resync_test and step_boundary_no_double_fire_test) ensuring perfectly rock-solid playback across buffer sizes from ultra-low 64-sample ASIO tracking up to 2048-sample offline rendering.
• Strict Zero-Allocation RT Safety: Completely audited the real-time audio thread to eradicate all heap memory allocations during dynamic automation and randomization flushes.

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💽 8. High-Fidelity Audio Bounce & Resampling (Full Mix, Stems & Bounce-to-Channel)

Exporting, stems bouncing, and creative resampling in TOMiC are now integrated directly into the core engine with dedicated high-speed background rendering:

• Full Song & Pattern Audio Bounce: Render your entire multi-channel drum pattern or complete Song Mode arrangement directly into pristine 32-bit floating-point WAV files, complete with adaptive FX tail preservation for seamless looping.
• Individual Channel Stem Export ("Save As..."): Export individual channels (e.g. isolated Kick, Snare, Hi-Hats, or Percussion layers) into standalone WAV stems with a single click, ready for immediate arrangement and mixing on your DAW timeline.
• Instant In-Place "Bounce to Channel": Bounce a fully synthesized, modulated channel (with its FM synthesis, Plaits oscillators, granular clouds, envelopes, and FX chains) and automatically load the rendered audio directly back into any channel's Sample Layer or Round-Robin slot! This opens up infinite resampling possibilities — layer complex textures, slice rendered hits, and free up synthesis power effortlessly.
• Non-Blocking Background Thread: The bounce engine executes on a dedicated high-priority background worker thread with live progress feedback, keeping the user interface completely fluid during heavy multi-bar exports.

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✨ 9. Elevated Dark UI & Refined Ergonomics

The graphical interface receives a luxury hardware aesthetic pass:

• Elevated Depth: Realistic rim-highlights, smooth drop shadows, and glossy knob highlights give every panel tactile presence.
• Symmetrical Noise Layout: Mix, Stereo, Attack, and Decay knobs now sit in a unified, intuitive row mirroring the Oscillator section.
• Native Hi-DPI Scaling: Built-in work-area DPI detection delivers crisp UI zoom and scaling across 4K displays in VST3 and CLAP hosts.

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🚀 Download the Latest TOMiC Update

The updated build is ready for download immediately. All existing active license keys are fully compatible with this release — simply download the latest installer for Windows or Linux bundle and run it.

Discover more on the TOMiC Drum Synth Product Page or grab your license at the Purchase Portal!