Essential Information About the Waldorf Attack 3 Software
- Modern Percussion Synthesis: direct successor to the famous Attack, designed to create precise, punchy, and highly modifiable electronic drum kits.
- Rich Kits and Comfortable Polyphony: up to 24 percussion sounds per kit and 64 voices to layer kicks, snares, hats, and textures without limitations.
- Sound by Sound, a True Synthesis Engine: dual oscillator (virtual analog and multisamples), modulations, advanced filters, envelopes, LFOs, and a complete effects chain.
- Studio Workflow: resizable interface, preset browser, MIDI Learn, and 6 stereo outputs for detailed mixing in your DAW.
Requirements According to License Type
This version is an
Upgrade: it is intended for users who already own
Waldorf Edition 2 LE. An eligible version must be present to activate and use the UPG license.
What is Waldorf Attack 3 For?
Waldorf Attack 3 is a
drum synthesis plug-in designed for broad electronic production: techno, house, electro, drum and bass, synthwave, modern pop, experimental hip-hop, sound design, and soundtrack. Its
kit-based approach (multiple grouped sounds) allows you to quickly build a coherent rhythmic identity, then refine each element as a full-fledged instrument.
Thanks to
multisamples combined with virtual analog synthesis, you can switch from a very "punchy" and stable kick to more organic, lo-fi, or hybrid percussion. The
6 stereo output buses facilitate integration into a professional mix: element separation, parallel processing, effects automation, and advanced routing in your digital audio workstation.
Main Features
A Complete and Quick-to-Adjust Per-Sound Architecture
Each percussion sound features
2 oscillators capable of producing timbres via
virtual analog synthesis or from
multisamples. To enrich the attack and harmonic complexity, Attack 3 offers
frequency modulation as well as
ring modulation. The
"Crack" module adds a grain of impact and snap, ideal for making snares, claps, and aggressive percussion stand out in the mix.
Filtering and Dynamics: Sculpt, Place, Breathe
The multi-mode filter covers a very wide palette with
12 dB and
24 dB slopes and modes including
High-pass,
Low-pass,
Band-pass,
Shelf,
Bell, and
Notch, as well as
Comb plus/minus and
Redux for metallic, granular, or intentionally degraded textures. Two envelopes (in
ADSR and
ADBDSR modes) allow fine control over the sound's evolution, from ultra-short attack to a more musical tail.
For foundation and clarity, you have an
EQ and a
compressor plus an
assignable effect slot per sound. The result: percussion that hits hard when needed while remaining clean and manageable in a dense arrangement.
Modulations and Effects for a Lively Groove
The
2 LFOs per sound offer adjustable shapes, phase, and speed control, plus
delay and
fade parameters to introduce movements gradually. This is perfect for adding life to hats, creating subtle pitch variations, or animating filter resonances without heavy automation.
On the effects side, Attack 3 includes
Delay,
Drive,
Phaser,
Flanger,
Chorus, and
Reverb. The
effect mix is adjustable
per sound, allowing, for example, a dry and centered kick alongside a wider, reverberated snare.
Advanced Mixing: 6 Stereo Outputs and Bus Processing
For a serious studio workflow, the plug-in offers
6 stereo outputs. Each output bus has its own
EQ,
compressor, and
3 assignable effect slots. You can organize your kit (kick, snare, hats, percussion, FX, room) and process each family like on a real console, ensuring sonic coherence and better headroom management.
Presets, Navigation, and MIDI Playability
Attack 3 includes
36 percussion kits totaling
over 850 sounds, with a
preset browser for both kits and individual sounds. Additionally, sounds
12 to 24 can be played
polyphonically via
MIDI channels, useful for turning certain percussion elements into melodic parts, tom chords, or keyboard-playable textures.
The
resizable interface improves comfort on small screens as well as multi-monitor setups. You also benefit from a
global tuning to match your percussion to the track's key, along with
MIDI Learn for quick controller mapping.
Technical Specifications
Sound Generation
- Successor to the Attack Percussion Synthesizer
- Up to 24 percussion sounds per kit
- Polyphony: 64 voices
- Per sound: 2 oscillators (virtual analog synthesis and multisamples)
- Frequency modulation and ring modulation
- "Crack" module
- Multi-mode filter: 12 dB and 24 dB slopes, High-pass, Low-pass, Band-pass, Shelf, Bell, Notch, Comb plus/minus, Redux
- 2 envelopes: ADSR and ADBDSR modes
- 2 LFOs: adjustable shapes, phase, speed, delay, and fade
Effects
- Per sound: EQ, compressor, and 1 assignable effect slot
- Effect types: Delay, Drive, Phaser, Flanger, Chorus, Reverb
- Effect mix adjustable per sound
Outputs and Mixing
- 6 stereo outputs
- Each output bus: EQ, compressor, and 3 assignable effect slots
Included Presets and Content
- 36 percussion kits included
- Over 850 sounds included
- Preset browser for kits and individual sounds
Additional Features
- Sounds 12 to 24 playable polyphonically via MIDI channels
- Resizable graphical interface
- Global tuning
- MIDI Learn
Supported Plug-in Formats
- macOS: VST3, AudioUnit, AAX
- Windows: VST3, AAX
System Requirements
- Windows: Windows 10 or Windows 11, Intel or AMD processor (64-bit only)
- macOS: macOS 10.14.x or later, Intel or Apple Silicon processor
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