Imaginando VS Visual Synthesizer Walkthrough // Reactive VJ-style Visuals for desktop/iOS

*Important : VS is on a 50% off intro price til 12th July 2021.*

Imaginando have created, with VS (Visual Synth) a reactive visualisation app specifically designed to be accessible to users from a musical rather than a graphics background. If you understand concepts like envelopes, lfos, modulation, attack, release etc, you will grasp this pretty quickly. That said, the app has a few pitfalls for new users, and this video will provide a thorough walk through the main features of the app which many users will find invaluable. I am using the iOS version here but the tutorial is equally useful for users of the desktop version. The video has timestamps when viewed in youtube. The pinned Youtube comment also contains the details of what you need to do to have a chance to win in the insanely generous giveaway - win 1 of 5 free copies of ANY Imaginando plugin/app for desktop or iOS. This video was sponsored by Imaginando, but a Gavinski vid is a Gavinski vid, and as usual I do not shy from my responsibility to my viewers to give a fair, honest and useful review, chock full of enthusiasm for the good stuff, as well as suggestions for improvement. I also point out an important difference (at least in the release version, this wil hopefully change) between the iOS and desktop versions that it is important to be aware of. If you find this video useful, don't forget to thank me with a ThumbsUp and - most important - do yourself a favour by subscribing and hitting the notification bell so as not to miss out on future deep dive reviews on new music making app releases, as well as insane giveaways. Shout out to devs: reach out to me if you are interested in me doing a sponsored vid on one of your apps. Going forward, the chances of me doing non-sponsored deep dives on complex apps will be slim. Too many apps, not enough time. 🙏

Note for you Perplex On fans out there - he made the factory presets for this app.🙏

My Instagram

My twitter

My PayPal

Timestamps:
00:00 Intro (please note that VS is on intro price of 50% off), giveaway details, quick initial example
03:15 What is special about VS compared to ohher audio visualisation tools, what I will cover in this video
04:48 Quick preset demo on techno, mellow techno and drum n bass
11:31 Brief overview of the interface and a VERY important difference between the release versions on iOS and desktop. Settings, presets, rendering area
17:25 Brief overview of the Layers Manager. Very important point about the difference between the background layer and materials layer.
19:06 Brief overview of the modulations section and mod matrix
21:30 Detailed Walkthrough of layers manager, blend types, colour panel etc,
25:00 How to pipe midi into VS, using midi trigger, materials parameters
32:10 Important points about the background layer in iOS vs desktop version, a common pitfall
34:54 A nice hack: how to use an external lfo to modulate the background layer. Nice AU parameters implementation 👍
40:30 The modulation section. The Mod Matrix. An example using modulation on drums.
44:51 The Lfo section, envelopes section
48:33 My personal favourite part: the Audio Modulation section
56:15 Quick summary, review: what I like, suggestions for improvement, a couple of tips.

App store link and description :

VS provides a creative way to generate beautiful graphical representations of your music projects. Driven by both audio and MIDI data, VS is the visual equivalent of a traditional synthesizer.

VS takes the concept of music visualisation to a whole new level of customisation and expression, putting you in control and giving you the power to perform however you want.

VS is powered by graphical materials that you can interact with and layer on top of each other to create complex evolving visuals.

As well as a standalone app, VS includes an AUv3 plugin version, so you can run it directly inside your favourite iOS DAW programs like AUM and Audiobus etc.

As the name suggests, VS Visual Synthesizer can be played live like an audio synthesizer; use your MIDI keyboard to make each layer come alive with the concept of ‘polyphonic visual voices’.

We partnered with new media artist ‘Perplex On’ to bring you a factory preset bank full of amazing interactive visuals, you can start using right away, to create dazzling animations and make your music move in a whole new medium.

Features

- 8 Polyphonic visual layers
- 4 voices per layer
- 50 built-in material effects
- Exclusive factory presets by Perplex On
- 1 background layer with solid color/image/video (no modulations)
- 4 LFO’s
- 2 EG’s
- 4 Dual-mode Audio Modulators (peak and band)

[GavinskisTutorials]

Hey everyone! iOS music production vids on YouTube don’t pull big numbers, which means ad revenue is tiny. The view count on vids on apps which are also available on desktop, like this one, are a bit higher, but I’m averaging around £3 in YouTube ad revenue per 1, 000 views, and most of my videos don’t even break 5, 000 views. It’s hard to justify the time I put in with these kinds of returns. I’m deeply passionate about iOS music, but I really need backing from viewers and devs to continue. If you enjoy what I’m doing here and want to see more, here’s how you can help keep this channel alive. If you can do even one of these things from time to time, I may be able to keep the channel alive, but that is by no means certain, as relatively few viewers choose to support. People are so used to getting digital content for free. Please be one of the supporters!:

🟪 1. Joining my Patreon, which has stuff like exclusive vids, preset packs, app giveaways, AUM session files and more, you can check it out here:


🟪 2. Using my Plugin Boutique link

The Appstore has not had an affiliate system since 2017, so clicking on AppStore links on my vids gives me no support. But if you are buying desktop plugins, you can use my Plugin Boutique link. Maybe even bookmark it, and use it every time you can, I would REALLY appreciate it! Just go to this link:


Then navigate to the page of the plugin you want to buy. I will get a small commission at no cost to you!

🟪 3. If buying DMT Cymatics presets, please use my link


James from DMT Cymatics is very prolific and has made a lot of great preset and sample packs for iOS. If you use the link below when buying, I will get a kickback from your purchases of DMT Cymatics packs. Again, consider bookmarking it! If people use my link, I am incentivized to cover James’s packs, that is a win-win for both James and I, and costs you nothing. Thanks for the support!

🟪 4. Making a direct donation from time to time

🟡 Buy Me a Coffee Donations Page


🟡 You can book a consultation / voice / video chat with me via my Buy Me a Coffee 1-to-1 Bookings Page


🟡 PayPal


🟪 If you are a dev, all of the above are good ways to support, but you might additionally contact me about the possibility of doing a sponsored video on one of your apps / plugins. My email is 953211370 (at) qq.com


🟧 Gavinski on Other Socials

Feel free to follow me on any of these social media platforms:

🟠 Twitter


🟠 Instagram


🟠 Threads


Thank you!

Original post below:
25th June update: Imaginando have been listening to users, adding features and smashing bugs like crazy, as they always do. The current iOS Beta now has hdmi out from iOS added, finally, praise be! I'm sure the app will continue to improve and grow, exactly as has been the case with LK. 👏👏👏

The winners have been randomly chosen:
Christopher Ruckowicz (iOS)
Joshuah Good (iOS)
Andrew Jackson (desktop)
Hannes (desktop)
Illya Kacima (desktop)

Congrats! 🎉 🎉 🎉

[SkipHunt]

Yes!!! I've been wanting and looking for something like this for years! And one of my favorite developers went and made it. Awesome :) - if I win, I'd love a copy of macOS desktop VS Visual Synth. Now watching a bit of the premiere. Congrats to Imaginando and best of success with your launch. :)

[visuals]

I don't think I can pass up on this at half price. I will purchase this after the contest is done if I don't win. Once again...as always...Great Review! One copy of VS Visual Synth! Thanks buds!

[vagelismoschos]

Visual synth for OS is most welcome!! Thanks Gavin!! Great presentation!!

[PAL-MUSIC-]

Well... thus is pretty cool, now you can see the Sound. some awesome sounds too, great video as always Gavin 🙏
love to win 🆚... 👍🏼

[FrankLinnemann]

That looks like fun! Thanks for the video!! Have all Imaginando apps except this one.

[michaelbragg]

Thanks again for another great tutorial. Dabbler in video and sound art so this looks right up my ally. If I win the Gavinski lottery I would choose the iOS version of VS. Thanks for all you do.

[urboytgd]

This was much needed! Great for making visualizations of your music! I’d love a chance to win this! Respect bro!

[voidcom]

Good to see you again :) Cool walkthrough as expected, would love to win the Desktop Version of VS. This App is cool!

[Eissom]

Very clever plugin and review! It's so nice to see that within this saturated market of audio plugins, there's still companies finding ways of being creative. If I win the contest, I'd like to have a copy of desktop FRMS.

[osidenick]

Wow! For some reason I was expecting a sound synthesizer that used visuals for programming it. Instead, VS opens up a whole other dimension for creation. It’s making me dream big. Would love VS for Desktop.

[nobatttroll]

....veryvery nice, indeed, in the future there will be some kind of sequencing and fading the videos, I am sure....and as you mentioned, would be super to split screens for fullscrenview on an other monitor...thanx for introducing Mr. Gavinski....

[anthonyrodriguez]

I love your in depth reviews. Keep these video coming. You ate doing an amazing job at it. If I win a copy I would love to have VS for iPad.

[cvwonder]

Vs desktop. Thanks Gav, you continually change my ideas of stuff I can explore

[roguebond]

This is freaking inspiring. I LOVE the visuals that accompany the music. This is a really cool step forward, at least, for inspiring creativity and stimulating the listeners. In essence, it can and should have a strong effect in the influence of of the resulting music and art. So, it is more than just a visual aesthetic; It is a creative tool for making music that wouldn't otherwise have been created. I like it.

[andropolonsky]

Imaginando!..seems and sounds great!..its gona be a great upgrade to my understanding of me and relations of sound and pictures connections..wish to have it..and nice to see you Gave..again!)

[MichaelHauserMusic]

Nice run-through! Looks like lots of fun and the level of control is great! If I'm a lucky winner, I'd choose VS for Mac.

[shimgadget]

This looks stunning.Great tutorial Gavin

[dhamiri]

THIS REALLLY DOPE COOL . I was looking for something like all pandemic!!! . I NEED THIS !!!

[smoneky]

This app is yet so great and it has so much potential to becoming a standard for iOS. Thanks to show us that it produces great visuals also with non edm/dance/high bpm music, I really admire your ability to tame such a beast and to explain so clearly even complex sections. Obviously I’d love to win VS for iOS. Great job as always Gav, congratulations.