Description
The CMI V is a meticulously recreated digital sampling powerhouse, inspired by the groundbreaking Fairlight CMI Series IIx. As the first commercially available digital sampler, the original CMI shaped the sound of countless MTV-era hits and film scores, powering artists like Depeche Mode, Kate Bush, Peter Gabriel and Herbie Hancock. CMI V not only faithfully models this legendary instrument but expands its capabilities with modern enhancements, offering three distinct synthesis engines, deep sound design options, and up to ten instrument slots for parallel sound creation. Its sampler, Time Synth, and new Spectral Synth modes provide unrivalled flexibility, allowing musicians to sculpt sound in ways that were previously impossible. The intuitive interface, velocity-sensitive virtual keyboard, and assignable controls make navigating complex soundscapes effortless, while the authentic 8-bit character captures the nostalgic charm of the 1980s. Whether crafting lo-fi textures, pristine digital tones, or experimental soundscapes, CMI V is designed to inspire creativity and transport your productions across genres such as EDM, hip-hop, neo-disco, and beyond. Experience the iconic sound that defined an era, now accessible on modern systems.
Key Features
- Authentic Sampling and Synthesis:
Experience the original CMI’s 8-bit character with advanced sampler, Time Synth, and Spectral Synth engines for limitless sound design possibilities. - Ten Instrument Slots:
Load and combine multiple samples or synthesis sounds in parallel, each with independent settings, for complex, layered textures. - Enhanced Interface and Controls:
Velocity-sensitive keyboard, assignable sliders, and dedicated control banks provide an intuitive and dynamic sound creation workflow.
Sampler Excellence:
The Sampler section is at the heart of the CMI V, enabling complete control over start time, length, loop points, envelopes, filters, and vibrato. Users can visualise waveforms in three dimensions, edit sounds with precision, and import their own samples up to thirty seconds in length. Adjustable sample rates from 2.1kHz to 44.1kHz ensure full control over texture, character, and sonic grit. CMI V’s Sampler allows musicians to recreate iconic tones or invent entirely new ones, maintaining the spirit of the original instrument while benefiting from modern editing flexibility.
Time Synth Capabilities:
The Time Synth mode offers a powerful additive synthesis engine, with independent envelopes for 32 harmonics and real-time visualisation through an integrated oscilloscope. Users can start from scratch, modify existing presets, or transform samples from the Sampler into complex harmonic compositions. This approach provides immense creative freedom, enabling intricate sound manipulation, from subtle movement to radical sonic transformations, ideal for experimental or contemporary music production.
Spectral Synth Innovations:
The Spectral Synth introduces a fresh approach to additive synthesis, allowing modulation of harmonic distributions via controls such as Centre, Spread, Bias, and Fundamental Boost. Motion and energy can be applied to sounds using modulations and controllers, producing unique textures. Cross-synthesis enables combining Time Synth and Sampler data for harmonic profiling, generating new sonic possibilities with unpredictable but musically inspiring results, pushing the limits of digital sound design beyond conventional techniques.
Specifications
- Software synthesiser playable via MIDI keyboard
- 600 original CMI samples included
- 360 presets crafted by expert sound designers
- Up to ten instrument slots with 32-note polyphony per slot
- Faithful recreation of analog filter response
- Sampler, Time Synth, and Spectral Synth modes
- Variable bit depth and sample rate
- Classic 32-step sequencer inspired by page-R
- 24 modulation sources per track for CONTROL parameters
- High-quality output effects
- Compatible with VST, VST3, AU, AAX, and standalone operation
- Windows 10+ (64-bit) or Mac OS 11+ (including M1 CPU)
- 4 GB RAM, 4 cores CPU 3.4 GHz (4.0 GHz Turbo), 3 GB free disk space
- OpenGL 2.0 compatible GPU required
