Overview
Alchemy is a chemical synthesis-inspired additive synthesizer that transforms the periodic table into a sound design playground. Choose chemical elements as oscillators, mix them together to create reactions, and shape your sound with physics-inspired effects.
Key Concept
Each element in the periodic table represents a unique waveform with distinct harmonic characteristics. Combine elements to create chemical reactions that generate complex, evolving timbres.
Getting Started
Quick Start Guide
- 1
Load Alchemy in your DAW
Insert Alchemy on a MIDI track or instrument channel in your preferred DAW.
- 2
Choose your first element
Click any empty slot in the element ring and browse the periodic table. Start with Hydrogen (H) for a pure sine wave.
- 3
Play and adjust
Play a note on your MIDI keyboard. Adjust the ADSR envelope and add more elements to layer waveforms.
- 4
Enable reactions
Toggle "Reactions ON" to hear how your elements interact chemically, creating evolving harmonic content.
First Time Users
Start with the factory presets to understand the sonic possibilities. Try "Hydrogen Cloud", "Carbon Steel", or "Noble Gas Pad" to hear different element combinations.
Interface
Main Components
Top Bar
• Preset Browser: Save and load element combinations
• Search Bar: Quickly find elements by name or atomic number
• Settings: Global preferences and audio configuration
Element Ring (Center)
The main circular interface where you add and visualize up to 8 chemical elements. Each colored orb represents an active element contributing to the final sound.
Left Panel
• ADSR Envelope: Visual graph and fader controls
• Filter & Volume: Classic synthesis controls
Right Panel
• Compressor & Drive: Dynamic control
• Effects: Geiger, Reverb, Delay, Modulator
Bottom Bar
• Voicing Modes: Poly, Legato, Retrig
• Reaction Toggle: Enable chemical interactions
Element System
Understanding Elements
Each element in the periodic table corresponds to a unique waveform. The element's atomic number, group, and period determine its sonic characteristics including harmonic content, brightness, and stability.
Element Properties
- • Base Waveform: Fundamental harmonic structure
- • Harmonic Series: Overtone relationships
- • Stability: How the waveform evolves over time
- • Reactivity: How it combines with other elements
Element Categories
- • Noble Gases: Pure, stable tones
- • Alkali Metals: Bright, energetic
- • Transition Metals: Complex harmonics
- • Halogens: Sharp, aggressive timbres
Element Colors & Characteristics
In Alchemy, element colors represent chemical categories with distinct sonic and harmonic properties. Understanding these color families helps you build cohesive and complementary patches.
Purple: Alkali Metals (Li, Na, K, Rb, Cs)
Character: Warm, resonant, organic
Waveform: Rich harmonic series with rounded peaks, smooth attack
Best for: Warm pads, soulful leads, vocal-like textures. Pair with each other for unified timbral families.
Green: Halogens & Chalcogens (F, Cl, Br, O, S)
Character: Bright, sharp, penetrating
Waveform: High-frequency emphasis, fast attack transients, cutting presence
Best for: Bright leads, percussive stabs, high-frequency shimmer. Use sparingly to add definition.
Blue: Noble Gases & Transition Metals (He, Ne, Ar, Ni, Pd)
Character: Inert, ethereal, crystalline
Waveform: Pure sine-like overtones, minimal harmonics, bell-like resonance
Best for: Ambient textures, bell sounds, tuning & reference tones. Excellent for drone-like patches.
Orange: Transition Metals (Cu, Au, Fe, Cr, Mn)
Character: Metallic, warm-bright, complex
Waveform: Rich mid-range focus, intricate harmonic relationships, responsive to reactions
Best for: Versatile synth leads, musical bell tones, hybrid bass. Highly reactive pairs for dynamic synthesis.
Red: Radioactive & Heavy Elements (U, Ra, Po, Th, Pb)
Character: Dense, unstable, evolving
Waveform: Low-frequency dominant, decaying harmonics, chaotic when reacted
Best for: Deep bass, percussion, experimental textures. Use with Reactions ON for dramatic timbral shifts.
Gray: Post-Transition & Other Metals (Al, Sn, Si, Ge, As)
Character: Neutral, balanced, flexible
Waveform: Moderate harmonic complexity, mid-range presence, stable pitch
Best for: Universal elements that blend with anything. Perfect for beginners or building foundation layers.
Color Pairing Tips
- • Same Color: Elements of the same color blend naturally, creating unified tones
- • Complementary Colors: Purple + Green creates warm-bright contrast; Blue + Orange creates ethereal-metallic blend
- • Reactions: Colors affect reaction intensity—same-family elements react smoothly, cross-family creates dramatic shifts
- • Frequency Balance: Mix Purple (warm) with Green (bright) for full-spectrum presence
Selecting Elements
Method 1: Periodic Table Browser
Click an empty slot in the element ring to open the full periodic table. Elements are color-coded by category. Click any element to add it to your patch.
Method 2: Search
Use the search bar at the top to quickly find elements by name (e.g., "Gold"), symbol (e.g., "Au"), or atomic number (e.g., "79").
Method 3: Category Filter
Browse by element category (Noble Gases, Alkali Metals, etc.) to find sonic families that work well together. Each category has distinct timbral characteristics.
Pro Tip
Elements from the same group (vertical column) blend well harmonically. Elements from the same period (horizontal row) create interesting contrasts.
Synthesis Engine
Additive Architecture
Alchemy uses additive synthesis where each element acts as an independent oscillator. All active elements are summed together to create the final waveform. The more elements you add, the more complex the harmonic spectrum becomes.
Core Parameters
ADSR Envelope
Controls the amplitude envelope for all elements. Attack (0-5s), Decay (0-5s), Sustain (0-100%), Release (0-10s).
Filter Section
LP/HP/BP modes with cutoff and resonance. The filter shapes the combined output of all elements. High-cut (HC) mode removes harsh highs.
Volume & Drive
Master volume control and drive for adding saturation. Compressor helps tame dynamic range with soft/hard knee options.
CPU Usage
Adding more elements increases CPU usage. For optimal performance, use 3-5 elements per instance. Enable "Reactions" only when needed for creative effects.
Chemical Reactions
What Are Reactions?
Reactions are Alchemy's unique feature that simulates chemical interactions between elements. When enabled, elements don't just sum together—they interact based on their chemical properties, creating evolving harmonic relationships, phase modulation, and dynamic timbral shifts.
How It Works
When two or more elements are active with Reactions ON, the synthesis engine analyzes their atomic properties (electron configuration, electronegativity, atomic radius) and generates interaction behaviors. Highly reactive combinations (like alkali metals + halogens) create aggressive modulation, while stable combinations (noble gases) remain pure.
Reaction Types
Synthesis (Combination)
Elements merge harmonically, creating sum and difference frequencies. Example: H + O creates water-like evolving textures.
Decomposition
Unstable elements break down over time, creating decaying harmonic cascades. Great for percussive patches.
Displacement (Competition)
More reactive elements dominate, suppressing others. Creates morphing timbres that shift focus between elements.
Reaction Controls
Toggle the "Reactions" button in the bottom bar to enable/disable chemical interactions. When ON, you'll see visual indicators around the element ring showing which elements are reacting.
Intensity (coming soon)
Future update will allow controlling reaction strength from subtle to extreme.
Rate (coming soon)
Control how quickly reactions occur—from slow evolution to rapid modulation.
Experimentation Tip
Try pairing elements from opposite ends of the periodic table for dramatic reactions. Fluorine (F) + Cesium (Cs) creates explosive timbral shifts, while Helium (He) + Neon (Ne) stays stable and pure.
Effects
Built-in Effects
Alchemy includes four physics-inspired effects that enhance the chemical theme. All effects run in series and can be combined for complex spatial processing.
Geiger (Radiation)
Adds random crackle and noise bursts inspired by Geiger counter radiation detection. Amount controls density (0-100%).
Use Case: Lo-fi textures, glitchy percussion, sci-fi ambience
Reverb
Algorithmic reverb with three room sizes: SMALL, MED, LARGE. Simulates sound bouncing off surfaces in a chemical lab environment.
Use Case: Spatial depth, ambient pads, realistic instrument placement
Delay
Tempo-synced delay with multiple subdivisions: 1/4, 1/8, 1/16, 1/2, 1/32, dotted/triplet variations. Feedback and mix controls available.
Use Case: Rhythmic echoes, doubling, spacious leads
Modulator
Multiple modulation types: CHORUS, FLANGER, PHASER, TREMOLO. Adds movement and width through LFO modulation.
Use Case: Stereo widening, vintage character, animated textures
Presets
Managing Presets
Alchemy includes a robust preset system for saving and recalling your element combinations and settings. Access the Preset Browser from the top-left corner of the interface.
Saving Presets
- 1. Create your element combination and adjust parameters
- 2. Click "Save" in the preset browser
- 3. Enter a descriptive name (e.g., "Metallic Lead" or "Noble Gas Pad")
- 4. Add tags for easy searching (optional)
- 5. Confirm to save to your library
Browsing Presets
Navigate through factory and user presets using the browser. Presets are organized by category:
- • Pads: Evolving atmospheric textures
- • Leads: Cutting melodic sounds
- • Bass: Low-end foundations
- • Plucks: Short, percussive tones
- • FX: Sound design and ambience
- • Keys: Tonal, harmonic patches
Factory Presets
Alchemy ships with 100+ factory presets including:
Single Element
Pure tones showcasing individual elements
Compound
Multi-element combinations
Reactive
Patches with reactions enabled
Processed
Heavy effects chains
Preset Location
User presets are stored in:Documents/Paraflex Audio/Alchemy/Presets/
MIDI Control
MIDI Implementation
Alchemy responds to standard MIDI messages and supports extensive MIDI CC mapping for hands-on control.
Supported MIDI Messages
MIDI Learn
Right-click any parameter to enable MIDI Learn mode. Move a control on your MIDI controller to assign it.
Quick Assignment: Cmd/Ctrl + click a parameter, then move your MIDI controller
Voicing Modes
Polyphonic (poly)
Up to 16 voices of polyphony. Each note is independent.
Legato
Monophonic mode. New notes don't retrigger envelopes when playing legato.
Retrigger (retrig)
Monophonic mode. Envelopes retrigger on every new note.
MPE Support (Coming Soon)
Future update will include MPE (MIDI Polyphonic Expression) for per-note control of pitch, timbre, and pressure.
Advanced Features
Settings & Configuration
Audio Settings
Sample Rate
Inherited from DAW (44.1-192 kHz supported)
Buffer Size
Automatic latency compensation
Oversampling
2x/4x modes for ultra-low aliasing (higher CPU)
Performance Optimization
- • Reduce polyphony count (8 voices uses less CPU than 16)
- • Disable reactions when not needed
- • Use simpler elements (noble gases) for lower CPU load
- • Freeze tracks when bouncing to audio
- • Lower oversampling setting if experiencing dropouts
Automation
All parameters are automatable in your DAW. This includes element selection (you can automate which elements are active), ADSR controls, filter settings, and effect parameters.
Pro Technique: Automate the Reactions toggle to switch between static and evolving timbres within a single note or phrase.
Sidechain Inputs (Coming Soon)
Future update will allow external audio to modulate element parameters, enabling dynamic spectral changes driven by other tracks.
Troubleshooting
No sound output
- • Ensure at least one element is loaded
- • Check master volume is not at zero
- • Verify MIDI notes are being received (check DAW MIDI monitoring)
- • Confirm filter cutoff is not completely closed
Crackling or distortion
- • Reduce number of active elements
- • Lower master volume or enable compressor
- • Increase buffer size in DAW settings
- • Disable oversampling if CPU is maxed
Preset not loading
- • Check preset file permissions
- • Verify preset folder location hasn't changed
- • Re-scan preset library from settings
- • Contact support if corruption suspected