ClangCymbal is a monophonic synthesizer designed to create metallic percussion sounds with a distinctive texture. It achieves this through a sophisticated feedback delay network (FDN), which shapes the metallic tones in a way that surpasses previous cymbal synthesis attempts. While the cymbal sound is not entirely perfect, it offers a unique and compelling alternative for producers seeking metallic percussion elements.

This synthesizer features a 64 by 64 FDN with individual control over each filter in the feedback path, combined with a noise and pulse oscillator that serves as the sound’s excitation source. It includes a modulation envelope with 128 control points and a simple tremolo effect reminiscent of earlier models. Due to the complexity of its sound generation, ClangCymbal operates monophonically and demands high CPU resources, with 2x oversampling ensuring improved audio fidelity.

Users should note that the output level can vary significantly, so it is advisable to use a limiter after the synthesizer to maintain consistent volume. The plugin is currently experimental on macOS and supports Linux only on Ubuntu 22.04, with build instructions available for other distributions. An alternative polyphonic version called ClangSynth also exists, offering a smaller feedback delay network per note for those interested in more complex arrangements.