Shortcircuit XT by Surge Synth Workforce is an open-source sampler plugin for macOS, Home windows, and Linux, and it’s now in beta.
We’ve got lots of people to thank for the progress to this stage, not least of all, the Surge Synth Workforce for taking up Vember Audio’s Shortcircuit2 again in 2021.
We additionally have to look additional again, to September 2018, when Claes Johanson, proprietor of Vember Audio, launched the supply code for Surge 1.6 underneath the GPLv3 license.
This transfer by Vember Audio led to Surge XT (probably the greatest free synth VSTs ever), at present’s Shortcircuit XT information, and the overall air of pleasure each time we hear something from the Surge Synth Workforce.
I’m certain we’re all grateful for that chain of occasions.
Whereas the Surge Synth Workforce nonetheless has some deliberate options so as to add to Shortcircuit XT, and there are certain to be some bumps/bugs alongside the way in which, what we are able to say for certain is that the sampler has come a good distance since Shortcircuit2.
The sampler presents as much as sixteen components, every suitable with samples and multi-samples in varied codecs, together with WAV, SFZ, and AIFF, with a easy drag-and-drop workflow.
Shortcircuit XT options a number of synth engines that you should use as devoted devices or alongside samples to create hybrid sounds.
Along with the featured synth engines, Shortcircuit XT boasts intensive sound design and modulation choices.
You have got as much as 5 envelopes, 4 LFOs, phasers, randomizers, filters, built-in FX, and a complicated modulation matrix.
You even have a complete mixing console.
One other characteristic which may curiosity customers trying to maximize efficiency potential is MPE compatibility, which helps you to get probably the most out of your MPE controllers.
It’s nonetheless comparatively early days, however Shortcircuit XT has already come a good distance.
The Surge Synth Workforce has added some notes to the GitHub web page for customers/testers to contemplate earlier than/throughout use.
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Final Up to date on February 2, 2026 by Tomislav Zlatic.
