Baby Audio Grainferno

Baby Audio Grainferno is a next-generation granular synth plugin that tears your audio into tiny fragments and rebuilds it into entirely new instruments, textures and atmospheres. From playable, in-tune synth tones to evolving soundscapes and wild experimental noise, it turns any sample library into an endless source of inspiration for producers, sound designers and composers.

At its core, Grainferno is all about control. It lets you load up to two samples per patch, morph between them in multiple ways, and then sculpt the resulting grains with per-grain processing, host-synchronised motion and deep modulation. Whether you want a subtle shimmer behind a track or a full-on granular performance instrument, Grainferno gives you the tools to get there quickly, while still rewarding detailed tweaking.

Crucially, Grainferno is designed to play in tune. With audio rate generation and key-mapped modes, you can turn almost any source material into a pitched instrument that follows your MIDI input, regardless of the original sample. Add in bespoke onboard effects and a powerful drag-and-drop modulation system, and you have a flexible creative engine that can sit at the heart of your sound design workflow.

Granular Synthesis, Refined

Grainferno breaks incoming audio into tiny grains and then regenerates them using a state-of-the-art granular engine. Controls for rate, size, scan and scatter let you decide how often grains are triggered, how long they last, where they are taken from in the sample and how random their position should be. The result is a fluid, hands-on way to move from recognisable source material to completely transformed textures.

Playable, In-Tune Instruments From Any Sample

Unlike many granular tools, Grainferno is built to function as a true instrument. Audio rate generation and key-mapped rate modes allow you to lock the synthesised pitch to your incoming MIDI notes, so your granular patches can be played melodically. With the right settings, you can turn vocals, field recordings, drums or found sounds into expressive, tonal instruments that sit perfectly in the key of your track.

Dual Sample Morphing and Per-Grain Processing

Grainferno lets you load two different source samples into the same patch and morph between them using seven distinct modes. This makes it easy to blend contrasting materials into a single evolving sound. On top of that, per-grain effects including a grain filter, grain compressor and grain blur allow you to shape each grain as it is generated, opening up a huge range of timbral possibilities from smooth and glassy to rough and chaotic.

Deep Modulation and Onboard Effects

A powerful drag-and-drop modulation system lets you animate almost any parameter in Grainferno. You can draw your own modulation waveforms, layer multiple destinations and even cross-modulate sources to create intricate, evolving movement over time. Complementing this is a curated set of bespoke effects designed specifically to enhance Grainferno’s granular output, so you can finish complex, animated sounds entirely within the plugin.

• State-of-the-art granular engine - Grainferno dissects your audio into microscopic grains and rebuilds them with precise control over rate, size, scan and scatter. This lets you move seamlessly from subtle enhancement to complete sonic deconstruction, making it ideal for everything from cinematic sound design to experimental electronic production.
• In-tune granular synthesis with key-mapped modes - Audio rate generation and key-mapped rate modes allow Grainferno to follow your MIDI input, turning almost any sample into a playable instrument. Selecting Octave Snap mode ensures that the notes you hear match the notes you play, giving you reliable, musical results when building leads, pads and basses from unconventional sources.
• Dual-sample morphing and per-grain effects - Load two different samples into a single patch and morph between them using seven morph modes to create complex hybrid textures. Per-grain filter, compressor and blur controls shape each grain at the moment of creation, so you can fine-tune the character of your sound at the most detailed level.
• Deep drag-and-drop modulation and onboard effects - A flexible modulation system lets you drag and drop sources onto almost any parameter, draw custom shapes and build layered, evolving movements. Combined with Grainferno’s bespoke effects, this gives you a self-contained environment for crafting dynamic granular sounds that shift and transform over time without needing extra plugins.

Plugin Type

• Granular synthesiser plugin
• Sample-based sound engine

Core Functionality

• Breaks audio samples into grains and regenerates them via a granular engine
• Audio rate generation for in-tune, playable granular sounds
• Dual sample loading per patch with morphing between two sources
• Seven morph modes for blending between samples
• Per-grain filter, compressor and blur processing
• Host-synchronised grain rate and scan motion
• Quickstart templates for configuring samples for tonal, atmospheric or experimental results

Main Controls

• Template selector for instant configuration of granular behaviour
• Rate control to set grain generation speed, including key-mapped modes
• Size control to set grain length relative to their spacing
• Scan control to move the grain generation point through the sample
• Scatter control to introduce randomness to grain position

Modulation and Effects

• Drag-and-drop modulation system
• User-drawable modulation waveforms
• Support for layering modulation destinations
• Cross-modulation between modulation sources
• Bespoke onboard effects tailored to granular processing

Additional Information

• Includes an onboard library with hundreds of factory samples
• Rate control offers Octave Snap mode for tonal, key-accurate results
• Tooltips available inside the plugin for parameter explanations