BABY AUDIO BA-1 Synthesizer Plugin Owner’s Manual
- June 11, 2024
- Baby Audio
Table of Contents
BABY AUDIO BA-1 Synthesizer Plugin
INTRODUCTION
MEET BA-1
BA-1 is based on a portable 1980s synth with a toylike appearance and a gritty
sound. Despite its small size, it left a big mark on music history, while
still flying somewhat under the hype radar. The original has been used as a
secret weapon for bubbly synth textures by some of Sweden’s most successful
pop producers of the past two decades. It was also a staple of 1990s digital
dancehall and beloved by the indietronica scene for its raw lo-fi quality.
The original hardware has never been properly captured in software form. So
for our first ever synth, we started there. And added a whole lot more! In
keeping with our motto ”it’s an evolution, not an emulation”, we modeled the
hardware with the greatest possible accuracy, before carefully upgrading it
with new and useful features. A second analog-modeled oscillator, FM,
polyphony, and more, help to vastly expand the sonic palette of the original.
All while keeping its signature sound unspoiled.
Additionally, BA-1 lets you drain the battery, bend the circuits, use the
built-in speaker, etc. for an authentic lo-fi aesthetic that is normally hard
to get with software.
BA-1 is simple, but surprisingly tweakable. We’ve put great effort into tuning
all parameters to be in the perfect sweet spot. This results in a fun and
rewarding programming workflow where you’ll create new patches on repeat.
We hope you’ll have fun using BA-1!
BA-1 – ALT COLOR OPTIONS
FEATURES & PRESETS
FEATURES
Oscillator Section:
Meticulously modeled to offer the raw grit and drift that made the original
hardware so beloved. The triangle and PWM waveforms are particular highlights
if you want a classic 80sdub sound. A second oscillator has been added in BA-1
– compared to the original – for more flexible sound design options.
FM:
FM adds complexity and depth to the classic analog subtractive architecture,
giving youmore sound design options. Dial-in the FM-oscillator either an
octave above or below Oscillator 1 to add some plasticky 80s texture.
Filter Section:
Analog-modeled and nicely rounded 24dB low-pass filter. The resonance offers a
gritty biteand will start to self-oscillate when pushed towards the 95-100%
range – just like the real hardware.
Envelope Section:
Lets you shape the sound with the same quirky side effects as in the original
hardware.
Additionally, we’ve added the option to host-sync the attack time to your
DAW’s BPM. This allows for sweeping sounds that rise in perfect sync with your
music.
LFO Section:
A simple and intuitive LFO section that is easy to master and hard to mess up
– like the original synth. We’ve added the possibility to sync the LFO to the
host BPM for mor modern applications.
Tone + Drive Effects:
BA-1’s FX section would probably be worthy of its own retro-color plugin. It
is inspired by cheap 1980s rack effects and guitar pedals. ‘Tone’ offers two
shelving filters to easily make BA-1’s character darker or brighter. ‘Drive’
adds gritty analog-modeled distortion and has two modes: ‘Circuit’ models the
effect of circuit bending the original hardware, while ‘OD’ models an 80s
overdrive pedal.
Delay + Reverb + Chorus Effects:
The grainy delay, reverb and chorus combo is THE sound of the 1980s! We’ve
recreated this epic FX combo in BA-1 – modeled after budget rack hardware from
the era. Engage all three effects at once and you’ll have a hard time
programming a dull sounding patch.
Sidechain:
Synths sound better when they ‘move with the mix’. That’s what the Sidechain
feature is for. It can work in ‘External’ or ‘Internal’ mode. By default,
Sidechain is set to ‘Internal’ and will create an automatic 4/4 ducking
pattern synced to your host tempo. This can be dialed-in to taste. Click the
‘Routing’ label to switch to ‘External’ mode and duck BA-1 when a sidechain
input is present. Place the sidechain either before or after the FX section by
clicking the routing switch.
Battery:
The original synth was portable and could be powered by batteries. But they
never lasted long – and weird sonic artifacts were introduced as the power
deteriorated. We’ve modeled this behavior and exaggerated it slightly for a
better effect. Drain the battery to achieve pitch fluctuations, noise and
distortion the further down you go.
Speaker:
Sometimes a mix needs some ‘moving air’ to come alive. While the original
hardware’s speaker was by no means high quality, it had a quirky and pleasant
lo-fi vibe. We’ve modeledit in all its rough glory. When using BA-1, you can
click the speaker button to switch from line to speaker output.
Re-Gen:
Create new and unique patches with every click. Unlike a regular randomizer,
Re-Gen hosts a smart algorithm, calibrated to come up with usable and musical
patches. When you’re stuck for inspiration, click Re-Gen and let it take you
in a new direction.
500+ High Quality Presets:
BA-1 comes with a ton of new musical inspiration in the form of 500+ carefully
crafted presets. This includes 4 genre-based expansion packs created by top
sound designers in the industry. Whether you’re into synthase, modern pop, lo-
fi hip hop or 80s / 90s nostalgia, we got you covered.
4 Color Options:
After long hours in the studio it can be nice to see something new. BA-1 lets
you switch between gray, blue, purple and orange color modes to keep things
fresh. Click right here on the colored squares to preview the options.
Utility Settings:
Switch between Mono and Poly mode (the original hardware was mono only). Turn
Velocity Sensitivity on or off. Open the Midi Settings. Or reset BA-1 to its
initial state.
Resizability:
Plugin window fully resizable (click+drag bottom right icon)
INSTALLATION
COMPATIBILITY
Plugin formats: VST, VST3, AU, AAX.
Platforms supported: Mac OS 10.7 and up including Catalina, Big Sur and Native
Mac M1 compatibility. PC Windows 7 and up.
DAWs supported: Ableton Live, Pro Tools, Logic Pro, FL Studio, Cubase, Nuendo,
Reaper, Reason and any other major DAW software on the market.
INSTALLATION
A software download is supplied with your purchase, however you can always go
to babyaud.io/downloads for the latest software updates.
After downloading, unzip the file and select either Mac or PC depending on
your system. (Warning: don’t run the PC file on a Mac and vice-versa).
- MAC: Double click on the PKG installer and follow the instructions
- PC/WINDOWS: Double click on the setup file and follow the instructions
LEGAL DISCLAIMER
By using this software, you accept our End User License Agreement. You can read our EULA here: babyaud.io/eula All third party manufacturer and/or product names – if mentioned here or elsewhere – are trademarks of their respective owners and are in no way associated or affiliated with Baby Audio.
ACTIVATION
Activate your software by entering the serial key that was emailed to you when you bought the product. Serial keys are entered in the ‘trial mode’ open screen. If you have any problems activating, please email [email protected]
TRIAL VERSION
The BA-1 trial version will output 5 seconds of silence every 60 seconds. To
buy
the full version, go to babyaud.io
UNINSTALL LOCATIONS
MAC OS
AU: /Library/Audio/Plug-ins/Components/
VST: /Library/Audio/Plug-ins/VST/
VST3: /Library/Audio/Plug-ins/VST3/
AAX: /Library/Application Support/Avid/Audio/Plug-Ins/
Presets: /Library/Application Support/BABY Audio/Presets/BA-1
Settings: /Library/Application Support/BABY Audio/Settings/BA-1
WINDOWS
VST: The file will be in the custom path selected during installation
VST3: \Program Files\Common Files\VST3\
AAX: \Program Files\Common Files\Avid\Audio\Plug-Ins\
References
- BABY Audio - Music Production Software - VST, AU, AAX Plugins
- BABY Audio - BABY Audio Downloads
- BABY Audio - EULA