Serum 2: A New Era in Synthesis
After more than a decade of anticipation, Xfer Records has finally unveiled Serum 2, the highly awaited sequel to its groundbreaking synth plugin, Serum. This update elevates the already-formidable wavetable synth into an even more powerful and versatile sound design tool. Best of all, if you already own Serum, you can download Serum 2 right now for free.
Major Enhancements and Expanded Capabilities
Serum 2 significantly expands upon the capabilities of its predecessor with a slew of new features, including:
New oscillator types – In addition to the original wavetable oscillator, Serum 2 introduces spectral, granular, and sample-based oscillators.
Upgraded wavetable engine – Now featuring dual warping, a smooth interpolation mode, and a variety of new warp modes, including true FM and phase distortion.
Triple primary oscillators – Users can now incorporate three primary oscillators in a single patch, opening up advanced FM routing and complex sound design possibilities.
Granular and Spectral Resynthesis
Two sample-based oscillators effectively turn Serum 2 into a powerful sampler and multisampler with a stock library covering orchestral instruments, keys, guitars, and more. Users can also import their own .sfz files.
The new granular oscillator breaks samples into tiny grains, producing evolving and textured sounds, while the spectral oscillator harmonically resynthesizes imported samples, wavetables, and even image files in real-time for unique sound manipulation.
Expanded Filters and Effects
Serum 2 introduces a dual filter section that now includes eleven new filter types, such as classic ladder filters and a disperser-style "diffuser" filter. The effects section has also been completely revamped with:
Flexible routing options
New signal splitters for multi-band and mid/side processing
Analogue-style frequency shifter
Convolution reverb for richer spatial effects
Revolutionized Modulation System
The modulation engine in Serum 2 has been dramatically enhanced:
Increased LFOs – Now featuring ten LFOs instead of four.
Expanded envelope options – An additional envelope raises the total to four.
New modulation sources – Any oscillator or filter can now be used as a modulation source.
Advanced LFO modes – Including chaos modes, S&H generator, and Path LFO for vector-based modulation.
Next-Gen Sequencing and Preset Management
Serum 2 is more than just a synthesizer—it’s a full-fledged music creation suite:
New multimode arpeggiator for dynamic pattern generation.
Clip sequencer and MIDI editor with automation and probabilistic sequencing.
Improved preset browser featuring 626 factory presets with categorization and tagging.
Backwards compatibility ensures seamless integration with presets from the original Serum.
Conclusion
Whether you're designing cinematic textures, aggressive basslines, or lush pads, Serum 2 is now one of the most versatile sound design tools available.
For music producers and sound designers, this is a must-have upgrade—and with the free update for existing users, there’s no reason not to dive in. Serum 2 isn’t just an evolution; it’s a revolution in software synthesis.
I’ve created VST preset banks for Serum 2, designed to elevate your productions with unique and high-quality sounds. These preset banks offer a diverse range of tones, from lush pads to hard-hitting leads, catering to various genres and production styles. Whether you're looking for fresh inspiration or professional-grade sounds to enhance your music, these expansions provide the perfect toolkit. You can purchase TheZachMichael's Serum 2 preset banks now at Elizabeth Records and take your sound to the next level!
