Vanguard (synthesizer)

Vanguard was a VSTi and AU software synthesizer created by Canadian independent publisher reFX and Markus Krause from Tone2 Audio.

Production

Released in 2004, Vanguard was a virtual analog synthesizer with three oscillators, 31 waveforms alongside a unison that goes up to 10-voices, a filter with 13 types, delay, and reverb effects, and stereo pattern controlled trancegate and arpeggiator. Most functions could be automated, such as cutoff frequencies, resonance, ADSR, and LFO. Vanguard worked with any VST-capable host and featured the Trancegate and Arpeggiator tools.[1][2] A majority of the audio engine was programmed by Markus Krause of Tone2 Audio. The factory presets were made by Manuel Schleis.

Discontinuation and current use

Vanguard was discontinued in 2016. The software can still be downloaded from the reFX website for existing licensed users and can still be played through any DAW that supports 32-bit or 64-bit plugins, namely FL Studio.

Vanguard is used by many [3] electronic dance music producers, despite not remaining as prevalent as reFX's Nexus 4 hybrid synthesizer plugin. Vanguard is considered to be an impressive and straightforward synth amongst many producers.

Revival

In late 2022, reFX announced they had revived the Vanguard synthesizer as Vanguard 2 with an updated vector-based user interface, in addition to 10 new wavetables by Mirko Ruta, 24db ladder filters for lowpass and highpass, a new reverb by Mirko Ruta replacing the old reverb and a distortion effect alongside 136 new factory presets made by Mirko Ruta and other modulation features, such as a new 3rd envelope and a new delay type intended to widen a sound.[4]

References
  1. "reFX Announces Vanguard Virtual Analog Synth". Audio Masterclass. United Kingdom. 11 April 2004. Retrieved 20 September 2015.
  2. Shear, Tom (2011). "reFX Vanguard Blogs". Waveformless Soundware. Retrieved 20 September 2015.
  3. "Article on equipboard.com". Retrieved 20 November 2020.
  4. "reFX releases Vanguard 2: much-loved soft synth returns from the plugin grave". MusicRadar. England and Wales. 25 November 2022. Retrieved 27 December 2022.


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