Originally released in 2008, Discovery Pro is a pillar in DiscoDSP line of commercial software synths. The 'bigger brother' of Discovery, Discovery Pro provides a wider range of features, including 12 filters instead of six (including two Moog filters, nominated X and Y), Nord Lead 2 SysEx import and export capabilities, unison mode, aftertouch support, keyboard split, a scalable GUI, and a host of other nice additions. The demo version (shown above) is full-performance-capable except that user presets and banks cannot be saved, and current state parameters cannot be saved. The version of Discovery Pro for the linux platform is available in both 32- and 64-bit architectures, and is provided as a VST plugin.
Discovery Pro provides a lot of sonic potential, with nine virtual analog waveforms, two additional waves and an adjustable noise signal that adjusts from white to pink, as well as a high-quality resampling Wave Oscillator section that allows to import user waves, Frequency Modulation (FM) capability, and a PAD Resynthesis section.
Looking at the GUI, the oscillators are located in the upper central area of the window, and include detuning plus and minus five octaves, fine detuning, pulsewidth modulation for the pulsewave oscillators, an FM dial and volume mix control between the two signals. Important to note is that these oscillators (as well as the other sections) also have 'state' or 'zone presets,' found by clicking on the small down-arrow to the right of the header word. These provide quick access to saved settings, providing easier and faster access to preferred settings.
At the upper lefthand side of the GUI are the two oscillators (with arpeggiator), an assignable modulation envelope. Below these are buttons that control layering of voices (Discovery Pro provides a maximum of 128 voices). Copying and pasting of layers is possible with the Edit section to the left of these buttons.
Another interesting capability is morphing, which Discovery Pro permits through the Morph button located above the Panic button on the lefthand edge of the GUI window. Morphing is possible between two internal states that each layer provides: morph source and morph sensibility.
At the lower left side of the GUI are controls for pitchbend depth, portamento and octave shifting.
Below the oscillator section is a relatively new panning control section, and below this is the preset and bank indicator and selection area.
On the righthand side of the GUI are the filter and amplitude (ADSR) envelope controls. Also included here is the filter selection area, controls for envelope depth, filter frequency and resonance, keytracking and distortion.
Just below the filter envelope controls is the Wave Oscillator and PADsynth section. The sound source selected here can be used to frequency-modulate the main oscillator section by clicking the 'FM' light just below the bank indicator.
Discovery Pro also provides an effects section right next to the Wave Oscillator and PAD synth section. Digital Delay, Gate Effect and Graphic Envelope Modulation controls are provided here.
A thorough manual for Discovery Pro is available at the DiscoDSP website HERE.
In addition to the abundance of presets already included in the Discovery Pro installation package, there are extra downloadable presets available (one bank free), complete with audio demos, directly from the DiscoDSP HERE.
Still more presets are available at KVRaudio HERE.
