Neural DSP introduces Archetype: Rabea X, a revamped plugin featuring updated effects, amps, and the Overlord Synth. With a redesigned UI, additional speaker option, and optimized performance, this plugin offers a wide range of tonal options for guitarists.
Neural DSP today announced the introduction of Archetype: Rabea X, a reinvention and reimagining of the original Archetype: Rabea plugin, another in Neural DSP’s celebrated series of collaborations with the world's most creatively and technologically adventurous guitarists.
Rabea Massaad, as both a solo artist and a member of innovative bands Dorje and Toska, is the quintessential modern musician, as at home on YouTube as he is on the fretboards of guitars. He’s also a teacher, the creator of dozens of instructional and informational videos on playing, performing, and gear. That same artistic versatility that was originally captured with Neural DSP’s acclaimed Archetype: Rabea is now taken to new heights via the Archetype: Rabea X plugin. It offers updated takes on key processors that are critical parts of his sound, including Octaver, Fuzz, and Overdrive effects, as well as stereo Delay and Reverb effects with their own unique parameter controls.
Archetype: Rabea X features a unique and innovative suite of amps and effects, as well as the groundbreaking Overlord Synth. There’s also a new speaker option, a redesigned UI, two new noise options for the oscillators (White & Pink), a portamento Glide knob for smoother transitions between notes, and Quad Cortex compatibility via a future CorOS update. All told, this plugin embodies the uncompromising creativity that defines Rabea’s artistry.
"Rabea is a brilliant guitarist, musician, and teacher all in one, and that’s what we’ve set out to do with Archetype: Rabea X — bring that brilliance to other musicians in a way that’s authentic and accessible,” said Douglas Castro, Neural DSP Technologies CEO. “It’s an incredibly versatile plugin, distilling his sonic vision and designed to offer a wide variety of options for players in search of his unique tonal. Today, we proudly present to you, Archetype: Rabea X.”
What's New
- Revamped Overlord Synth: Updates include a fully redesigned UI with visual waveform representations for a more intuitive tone-shaping experience, two new noise options for the oscillators (White and Pink), and a Glide knob for smoother transitions between notes.
- Additional Speaker: The cabinet for the Lead Amp now includes a V30 speaker, offering expanded tonal versatility.
- Redesigned UI: A refreshed interface with updated visuals offers an intuitive, user-friendly experience.
- Optimized Performance: Enjoy faster, smoother, and more responsive functionality.
- Updated EQs: The onboard 4-band semi-parametric equalizers for the Clean, Rhythm, and Lead amps now include high and low-pass filters.
Pre Effects
Featuring a Dual Compressor, Octaver, Fuzz, and Overdrive to cover everything from chimy blues to colossal distortion. Use the vintage/modern switches on the Octaver, Fuzz, and Overdrive to toggle between independent algorithms with era-appropriate characteristics.
Amps
Three remarkable amplifiers meticulously tweaked with Rabea to deliver a world of vintage and modern tones.
- Clean: Traditional Cali cleans with added modern chime, this simplistic amp is truly one for the classic players.
- Rhythm: An all-rounder by no exaggeration! This amplifier excels at edge-of-breakup, searing gain, and everything in between.
- Lead: An incredibly malleable modern high-gain amplifier, delivering all the tight or saggy chugs you could ever possibly desire.
Cabsim + IR Loader:
A comprehensive cabsim module with IRs captured by Neural DSP. Featuring six virtual microphones that can be easily positioned around the speakers. In addition to the included IRs, this module can be used to load your own impulse responses.
Room Reverb
The Room Send controls in the cabsim module introduce a subtle room reverb effect, adding natural depth to your sound.
Post Effects
With somebody as renowned for their abundant use of delay and reverb as Rabea, Neural DSP crafted the plugin’s post-effects section to deliver exceptional tonal versatility:
- Stereo Delay: As analog as you can get in a plugin! This delay features all the usual parameters you’d expect, with Icicles and Cross-feed controls for infinite dreamy delay sounds. Toggle the pre/post switch to position the delay before the amplifier for a vintage approach to tone crafting.
- Reverb: Vast, rich, and endlessly expansive, just as you’d imagine! Hit the Freeze button while playing a chord to suspend it in space, transforming it into a pad you can jam over while using the independent “Volume” and “Pitch” controls to change its sound.
Operation Overlord
Archetype: Rabea’s legendary Overlord Synth — a full-featured subtractive monosynth playable with any standard guitar (no keyboard or MIDI programming required!) — has received significant updates. These include a fully revamped UI with visual waveform representations for more intuitive tone-shaping, two new noise options for the oscillators (White and Pink), and a Glide knob for smoother transitions between notes. You’ll also retain its fantastic features, such as proprietary note triggering, pitch tracking, and envelope tracking algorithms, enabling seamless synth control with your guitar.
“Archetype: Rabea X is the next step in Neural’s dedicated mission of creating flawless virtualizations of the world’s most amazing and creative guitarists,” concluded Dan Davies, Neural DSP Technologies Chief Marketing Officer. “We worked tirelessly to assure that users of Archetype: Rabea X will enjoy the full Rabea experience!”
The new Archetype: Rabea X plugin is free as an update to existing Archetype: Rabea plugin users. New users can get 30% off Archetype: Rabea X from December 18th, 16:00 EET, until January 6th, 16:00 EET.
For more information, please visit neuraldsp.com.
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To create an aux track in LUNA or Pro Tools, press Cmd+Shift+N (or Ctrl+Shift+N on a PC) and set “aux” as the type.
Here’s a lesson in how to apply automation settings to various parameters in your mixes.
Hello, and welcome to another Dojo! Tighten up your belts, because this time I’m going to take you further down “automation lane,” and point out some DAW features that may be missing in your mixes. You’ll recall that last month, I sang the praises of immersive audio and how having your automation skills “on point” can be a big benefit in your mixing process in this paradigm. I also dove into the differences between “write,” “latch,” “touch,” and “trim” settings. Now, you should be able to apply them to a multitude of different parameters available in most DAWs.
Three Plus One, Send/Return
Most of the time, in the latter stages of mixing, you’ll use the “big three” automation options: volume, pan, and mute/solo. As mentioned before, I generally use the “touch” setting when doing moves of this nature, because it will keep any previously written automation moves and only overwrite new data when the fader is touched. (Upon release, it immediately goes back to reading the previous automation data.)
In addition to these three, automation really blossoms when applied to send/return levels to aux bus effects, and will allow you to create dynamic mix textures such as delays and reverbs that evolve over time. I would add that the send/return automation is a key parameter for me, and something that I use on every mix. Every DAW, once in an automated “enable” state, will track your send levels to your aux effects (delays, reverbs, etc.).
Pre Fader, Post Fader…. What’s the Difference?
These terms are important to understand and describe the points in the signal path where various audio processes occur in relation to the channel’s fader. “Pre fader” is when you apply effects or processing before the channel’s volume fader—which means that the amount of signal you send to your reverb effect remains constant regardless of changes in the channel’s volume level. Thus, when you apply a reverb effect pre fader, increasing or decreasing the channel’s overall volume won’t affect the reverb level in the mix.
“Post fader” refers to a point in the signal path that occurs after the channel’s fader. So, any processing applied takes place after the audio signal passes through the channel’s volume fader. Changes made to the fader’s position directly affects the level of the audio signal that’s sent for processing. For example, using a compressor post fader on a vocal track means that the compressor’s response is influenced by the vocal’s volume changes. If you lower the vocal’s fader, the compressed signal will also be quieter. This can be useful for maintaining a more balanced dynamic range in the mix, should you choose.
“Automation really blossoms when applied to send/return levels to aux bus effects, and will allow you to create dynamic mix textures such as delays and reverbs that evolve over time.”
I’ve found that I do 99 percent of my send/return automations pre fader. Why? Because I don’t want any overall volume rides that I may do to affect my effect’s send levels (amount of reverb, amount of delay, etc.), and if I want to adjust the amount of effect levels, I simply automate the aux send fader and leave my overall volume fader alone. But, whatever works for you is the right way to do it.
Try This!
Instantiate some new aux buses. (In LUNA and Pro Tools, the hotkey to do this is Cmd or Ctrl+Shift+N; then set the track type to aux.) Most DAWs are very similar, but read your manual if you are unsure how to do this (Fig. 1). On each aux bus, place a plugin of your choice. Get creative! Don’t just use reverbs and delays, but throw in an amp simulator, bit crusher, tremolos, etc. Next, select the audio track(s) you want to assign to the aux bus(es) of your choice. Also, feel free to assign multiple aux buses to a single audio track, because each bus can be independently automated.
Pick an audio track and set it on “write” or “touch” mode. Regardless of what your GUI looks like, press play and start adjusting the aux send’s fader levels. Play back your automation, edit, and have fun with your mixing. Next time, I’ll guide you through the advanced ways to automating your plugin parameters for even more finely nuanced control and creative possibilities. Namaste.
