Rez
Key Features
- Highly resonant chained lowpass filter with cutoff, separation, resonance, velocity sensitivity, and dedicated LFO modulation
- 16-step phrase arpeggiator with independent per-step sequencers for gate time, portamento, cutoff, and phaser frequency
- Overdrive with three tone modes (Warm, Bright, Thin) for everything from subtle warmth to aggressive distortion
- Phaser with formant-like vocal character, optional LFO modulation, and velocity-controlled frequency
- Dual tempo-synced delays with independent speed settings, stereo width, and modulation depth controls
- Oscillator section with sub-oscillator, phase modulation, detuning, lo-fi bit-crushing, and noise-based pitch aging
Description
Rez by Ugo Audio is a virtual analog monosynth built around one of the most expressive resonant filters found in any software synthesizer. Multiple chained lowpass filters act as a single powerful unit, delivering a singing, squelchy resonance that gives the plugin its name and its unmistakable sonic character.
The oscillator section pairs a main oscillator with a sub-oscillator, offering selectable waveforms, detuning, phase modulation, and a lo-fi bit-crushing mode labeled "Low." An "Age" control modulates pitch with noise, adding anything from subtle analog drift to chaotic instability.
Beyond the filter, Rez packs a full effects chain: overdrive with three tone modes (Warm, Bright, Thin), a phaser with formant-like vocal qualities, and dual tempo-synced delays with stereo width control. The arpeggiator is where the synth truly stands out, functioning as a phrase arp with a 16-step sequencer that can independently modulate gate time, portamento, cutoff, and phaser frequency per step.
Producers have long praised the filter's quality, comparing it favorably to commercial instruments many times its price. The arp's ability to remember played note order makes it especially effective for creating melodic sequences and rhythmic patterns that feel intentional rather than mechanical.
Rez ships with two selectable GUI skins (yellow and black variants) and supports optional preset banks (Clockwork, Foundation, Aurora) with 128 patches each. It runs as a 32-bit VST plugin on Windows, so modern users will need a bridge like jBridge for 64-bit hosts.
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Frequently Asked Questions
Does Rez work in 64-bit DAWs?
Rez is a 32-bit VST plugin, so it does not load natively in 64-bit hosts. You can use a bridging tool like jBridge to run it inside modern DAWs like FL Studio, Ableton Live, or Cubase in their 64-bit modes.
What makes the arpeggiator in Rez different from a standard arp?
Rez uses a phrase arpeggiator that triggers notes in the order you play them on the keyboard, rather than sorting them by pitch. It also has a 16-step sequencer that can modulate gate time, portamento, filter cutoff, and phaser frequency independently per step, allowing complex evolving patterns.
Are the preset banks included with Rez?
Rez ships with built-in excerpt presets from the three commercial banks: Clockwork (arpeggios and grooves), Foundation (basses and leads), and Aurora (pads, percussion, and SFX). The full 128-preset banks are sold separately through ugoaudio.com.
Can Rez produce sounds beyond bass and leads?
Yes. Despite being a monosynth, Rez can create atmospheres, bell tones, percussive hits, swirling rhythmic textures, and sound effects. The combination of phase modulation, the formant-like phaser, and the step sequencer's modulation capabilities opens up a surprisingly wide range of sounds.
