Go for it! MNTRA has a free version of Blrealis on their website called Borealis LE - it only has one algorithm but it’s great to try the plugin out :)
Thumbs up for your walkthrough 👍🏻 Sounds like a nice plugin, too. But what a horrible UI… too much eye candy to my taste. Really do like the simplicity of for instance the modulation pages, but now it needs menu diving / switching screens for a less informative main screen.
Hey Maik, interesting point - I didn’t find the UI too overloaded but see your point. The three symbols controls can be a little confusing at first, but they are actually nice performance macros to map multiple parameters to
@ yes, but how would the overall UI benefit when they would swap things? Take for instance the Elektron approach, the UI would consist of a main screen for in-depth control per modulation-type / group, and a second layer would give access to mapping macros. In this case (a desktop UI with more screen real-estate) the combined controles could be made accessible on top of the main screen. The current implementation looks like the ones on Native Instruments device… nice graphics, but in favor of less informative feedback and control. Then again, it’s sounds good and probably inside the Live rack those visuals become less prominent.
@@maikvanrossum Thanks for the feedback. The UI/UX design of Borealis is rooted in a very intentional workflow. As you can see from Mile’s brilliant review, the engine provides incredibly deep and dynamic control through RTPCs (real-time parameter controls), allowing you to set up complex modulations and behaviors ahead of time. These are then driven by the three X, Y, and Z macros, so you’re not stuck tweaking a bunch of parameters in real time or having them clutter your interface. Instead, the macros give you immediate, intuitive control over the sound. This is why we set it up this way. We put a lot of care and thought into balancing complexity and simplicity, creating a tool that provides immense depth in the background while keeping the front-end experience fluid and focused on creativity. The animated interface is a key part of this-it’s designed not just to look good, but to give you a clear and simple way to stay connected to the music without being pulled into technical details and out of your flow state. It’s a different workflow, and it might not be for everyone. But once you start using it, it starts to make sense. If you’re curious, we’d love for you to try Borealis LE for free and see if it fits your creative process.
@@maikvanrossum Thanks for the feedback. We also love Elektron gear and use it, and different tastes are totally valid and expected, but we did want to mention that the UX design of Borealis we took is rooted in a very intentional workflow, since the engine provides incredibly deep and dynamic control through RTPCs (real-time parameter controls), allowing you to set up complex modulations and behaviors ahead of time. These are then driven by the three X, Y, and Z macros, so you’re not stuck tweaking a bunch of parameters in real time or having them clutter your interface and mental bandwidth. Instead, the macros give you immediate, and to our test and feedback of many, a more intuitive control over the sound. This is why we set it up this way. We put a lot of care and thought into balancing complexity and simplicity, creating a tool that provides immense depth in the background while keeping the front-end experience fluid and focused on creativity. The animated interface is a key part of this-it’s designed not just to look good, but to give you a clear and simple way to know what is going on without being pulled into technical details. It’s a different workflow, and it might not be for everyone. But once you start using it, it starts to make sense. If you’re curious, we’d love for you to try Borealis LE for free and see if it fits your creative process.
Really nice plugin, seems really fun to explore. Great video M!
Thank you Jesse! It really is a fun reverb 💜
super nice - would love to try it out too. do you have any tips for getting started?
Go for it! MNTRA has a free version of Blrealis on their website called Borealis LE - it only has one algorithm but it’s great to try the plugin out :)
Thumbs up for your walkthrough 👍🏻 Sounds like a nice plugin, too. But what a horrible UI… too much eye candy to my taste. Really do like the simplicity of for instance the modulation pages, but now it needs menu diving / switching screens for a less informative main screen.
Hey Maik, interesting point - I didn’t find the UI too overloaded but see your point. The three symbols controls can be a little confusing at first, but they are actually nice performance macros to map multiple parameters to
@ yes, but how would the overall UI benefit when they would swap things? Take for instance the Elektron approach, the UI would consist of a main screen for in-depth control per modulation-type / group, and a second layer would give access to mapping macros. In this case (a desktop UI with more screen real-estate) the combined controles could be made accessible on top of the main screen. The current implementation looks like the ones on Native Instruments device… nice graphics, but in favor of less informative feedback and control. Then again, it’s sounds good and probably inside the Live rack those visuals become less prominent.
@@maikvanrossum yeah I definitely see your point here. I’m also a big fan of the Elektron interfaces and how they solve things UI wise
@@maikvanrossum Thanks for the feedback. The UI/UX design of Borealis is rooted in a very intentional workflow. As you can see from Mile’s brilliant review, the engine provides incredibly deep and dynamic control through RTPCs (real-time parameter controls), allowing you to set up complex modulations and behaviors ahead of time. These are then driven by the three X, Y, and Z macros, so you’re not stuck tweaking a bunch of parameters in real time or having them clutter your interface. Instead, the macros give you immediate, intuitive control over the sound.
This is why we set it up this way. We put a lot of care and thought into balancing complexity and simplicity, creating a tool that provides immense depth in the background while keeping the front-end experience fluid and focused on creativity. The animated interface is a key part of this-it’s designed not just to look good, but to give you a clear and simple way to stay connected to the music without being pulled into technical details and out of your flow state.
It’s a different workflow, and it might not be for everyone. But once you start using it, it starts to make sense. If you’re curious, we’d love for you to try Borealis LE for free and see if it fits your creative process.
@@maikvanrossum Thanks for the feedback. We also love Elektron gear and use it, and different tastes are totally valid and expected, but we did want to mention that the UX design of Borealis we took is rooted in a very intentional workflow, since the engine provides incredibly deep and dynamic control through RTPCs (real-time parameter controls), allowing you to set up complex modulations and behaviors ahead of time. These are then driven by the three X, Y, and Z macros, so you’re not stuck tweaking a bunch of parameters in real time or having them clutter your interface and mental bandwidth. Instead, the macros give you immediate, and to our test and feedback of many, a more intuitive control over the sound.
This is why we set it up this way. We put a lot of care and thought into balancing complexity and simplicity, creating a tool that provides immense depth in the background while keeping the front-end experience fluid and focused on creativity. The animated interface is a key part of this-it’s designed not just to look good, but to give you a clear and simple way to know what is going on without being pulled into technical details.
It’s a different workflow, and it might not be for everyone. But once you start using it, it starts to make sense. If you’re curious, we’d love for you to try Borealis LE for free and see if it fits your creative process.