GForce Plugins Get the MPE Treatment, RIP A.KAV – Sounds and Presets
5,0 / 5,0 | 
This week, we’ve got some great presets for two brilliant GForce Software synths, yet more MiniFreak sounds, and we bring you some sad news from the world of sound design.
May the GForce be With You
GForce Collection for Prophet-5 and MAP by Expressive E
It’s all been a bit quiet on the GForce Software front lately. That was until a couple of weeks ago, when they quietly updated their website and branding and, at the same time, delivered a long-overdue and incredibly welcome plugin manager application. Oh, how I will miss those hours spent scanning through my GForce account, checking dates and version numbers. Not!
So that was the first bit of welcome news. Then we had the release of the GForce Oberheim Matrix-12, a brilliant and faithful recreation of an all-time classic, re-visioned for the modern software era and sounding every bit as powerful and complex as the original hardware, only now it is much easier to use. But if you thought that was it, you’d be very much mistaken.
Now, in conjunction with those clever folks over at Expressive E, we have another cool thing involving one of our most trusted and beloved plugin developers. GForce Collection is the latest Expressive Suite from the makers of Osmose. Expressive Suites are collections of specifically programmed MPE presets, designed by Expressive E to work with third-party MPE-capable software instruments.
The best part about it is that, as well as offering these presets as a standalone package, you can also buy a bundle with the featured plugin and get a really good deal, that is, of course, if you don’t already own it. The collaboration with GForce features two of their most recent synths: the Sequential Prophet-5 and MAP, their unique modular-esque synth plugin that harks back to a more radical time in synthesis.
Each GForce instrument gets 250 new Expressive E presets, all of which make excellent use of MPE. Of course, Expressive E hopes you’ll be using them with their Osmose Synth or Osmose CE, but these will work with any MPE controller, like an Ableton Push 3. The most surprising thing, for me anyway, is how well the Prophet-5 accommodates MPE input, almost like it was built for it.
GForce’s MAP is less surprising but equally deep and fun. These two GForce instruments could not have been better candidates for the MPE treatment, but I do hope there are more GForce collaborations involving MPE with some of their other classics, not least the new Matrix-12. You can buy each instrument’s patches separately, or you can buy them as separate bundles with the GForce plugin in question. But the best deal is buying the whole kit and caboodle together and benefiting from a healthy discount. Have fun!
- The GForce Collection (Prophet-5 plugin, MAP plugin and both sets of presets) – Introductory price €119.00, rising to €238.00 when the offer ends
- Prophet-5 Expressive Suite (Prophet-5 plugin and presets) – Introductory price €71.40, rising to €119.00 when the offer ends
- Prophet-5 Presets – Introductory price €35.99, rising to €59.99 when the offer ends
- MAP Expressive Suite (MAP plugin and presets) – Introductory price €71.40, rising to €119.00 when the offer ends
- MAP Presets – Introductory price €35.99, rising to €59.99 when the offer ends
Starpath for KORG ARP 2600 in Aid of The Alan R. Pearlman Foundation
From the collective talents of Scott McAuley and James Dyson, two sound designers at the top of their game and often featured in this very column, comes Starpath Volume 1, a collection of 200 brand new sounds for KORG’s excellent ARP 2600 plugin. This bank of excellent sounds, which fully utilises the power of KORG’s interpretation of this most famous of synthesizers, came about late one night when Scott and I were discussing ways of helping The Alan R. Pearlman Foundation.
Scott suggested that he design a bank of sounds that the Foundation could sell, allowing them to keep 100% of the proceeds. He enlisted our mutual friend, James Dyson, and I was able to obtain copies of the plugin from the fantastic Dan Phillips over at KORG R&D to send to Scott & James so they could get to work. And get to work they did!
This very large bank explores all aspects of the 2600, using it as Alan had originally intended or exploring the new capabilities delivered by the plugin, not least of which is polyphony! There’s plenty for everyone here, with sounds to suit all styles and genres, each expertly programmed by two of the best in the business. But the best bit is that every cent goes directly to the Alan R. Pearlman Foundation. Run by Alan’s daughter, Dina, the Foundation runs numerous events and projects, all with the aim of keeping her father’s legacy alive.
You can buy the pack directly from the Foundation’s website for $39.99.
Obsession Vol.2 for Oberheim OB-X8 by GEOSynths
Jamie Morden is back with another volume in his collection of sounds for the beautiful Oberheim OB-X8. This second bite of the apple includes 128 brand-new sounds, this time focusing more on the powerful synthesis features of this “greatest hits of Oberheim” synth, whereas Volume 1 was more concerned with classic and famous sounds.
Owners of Volume 1 will recall that Jamie made use of some free FX plugins to further enhance the sounds, with each patch getting its own FX preset, should you wish to use it. This time round, Jamie’s actually created his own FX plugin, called GEOSpace, and has made great use of it with this new bank as you will hear in the demo video. Match the patch names up on the synth and the plugin and away you go!
As always, there is a great range of sounds available here, with Jamie showing off his incredible skills as he squeezes out some exemplary sounds from this modern-day classic analogue polysynth. You can buy Obsession Vol.2 for $39 on its own, or if you missed Vol.1 first time around, you can grab the bundle for $69! Just hop on over to the GEOSynths site to buy, and to download the free GEOSpaces FX plugin!
Trance Supersaw for Arturia MiniFreak 49/MiniFreak/MiniFreak V by NatLife Sounds
Another week, another excellent bank of new sounds for the Arturia MiniFreak in all its various guises. This time, we’ve got a bank of sounds from NatLife that focuses on the legendary trance supersaw. Pioneered by the Roland JP8000/8080 virtual analogue synth in the 1990s, and often emulated by other sound designers on other keyboards, the supersaw sound is up there with the likes of the DX7 E.Piano, Fairlight SARARR, D-50 Fantasia and Juno Hoover sound as one of the most influential, iconic and, some might say, overused sounds in electronic music!
But, like all those sounds, it endures to this day and is almost an essential ingredient in trance music to this day. NatLife has taken this sound, something that the MiniFreak is more than capable of reproducing with its Superwave oscillator, and created a collection of 50 new sounds that deliver 20 leads, 19 pads and 11 plucks that will easily drop into your trance tracks, or wherever you feel they might work best.
Ultimately, these sounds will work best on the new MiniFreak 49, with its additional features such as stereo spread, but they work perfectly well on the original MiniFreak and the MiniFreak V plugin, which, of course, you will need to install this bank onto your hardware if you have it. The pack is available for just €22.00 directly from the NatLife Sounds website!
Alexander ‘A.KAV” Kuropyatnik – 1969-2026
We finish this week on some very sad news. If you’re a regular reader of this column, you will be familiar with the name A.Kav, specifically related to the many banks of sounds we have covered from LFO.store. News reached us last week that A.Kav, known to friends and family as Alexander Kuropyatnik, had passed away a few weeks ago on October 4th, 2026.
I did not know KAV personally, knowing him only through his excellent sound design work, which we featured plenty of over the years, so it was a real shock to hear of his passing. As well as being a sound designer, he was a musician in his own right and was also a co-owner of a musical instrument shop in St. Petersburg, Russia. The store eventually morphed into a rehearsal space.
KAV covered many instruments in his sound design work, and his numerous banks are still available at LFO.store as well as Synthcloud, where there is a lengthy and detailed tribute to him. KAV preferred to remain in the background, letting his work speak for him, and I can certainly say he achieved that very well. Myself and the whole Gearnews team send our thoughts and condolences to Alexander’s family, friends and loved ones.
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One response to “GForce Plugins Get the MPE Treatment, RIP A.KAV – Sounds and Presets”
Sad news. I have some of Alexander Kuropyatnik’s sounds.
He will be missed