BK Harmonic is an additive synthesizer that builds sound from individual overtones — then gives you tools no other synth has to shape, scan, and filter them based on musical harmony.
Get it while it’s early
This is not a finished product. It’s a beta — we’re building it in the open and pricing it accordingly. When it reaches version 1.0, it will be a finished product and we’ll support it like one.
Until then, you get every update, every new feature, every fix — from now through the full release. Your purchase price is locked in the day you buy.
Early adopter heads-up: If you’re purchasing within the first two weeks, there may be some snags while we figure out how to get everyone installed properly. Bear with us — we’ll get you up and running.
Beat Kitchen School residents get the plugin included for the duration of their residency — no separate purchase needed. Open the plugin and enter your Discord username to activate.
Downloads
↓ macOS Installer v0.4.0 (AU + VST3 + Standalone)
Install: Double-click the downloaded .pkg and follow the installer. After installing, your DAW will find the plugin automatically.
Individual formats (advanced)
↓ AU for macOS ↓ VST3 for macOS ↓ Standalone for macOS
Use the installer above unless you know where plugin files go.
Windows build is untested — please report issues on Discord.
v0.4.0 · Release notes →
What's new in v0.4.0
- New Harmonic Envelope section. Pick a group of partials in a 24-cell grid and shape its level with a dedicated ADSR plus Fade, Depth, and Attack Height. A polarity invert makes the group bloom up on release.
- Source 2 “Synth” mode. A detuned double of the partials matrix for instant unison and chorus, with a Track Morph toggle to follow or ignore Converge / Stretch / Unison.
- Per-note modulation throughout. Every envelope shapes each note independently. Env 2 now drives VCA and VCF; Env 2 and the Harmonic Envelope both gained a polarity invert.
- Global Transpose with octave buttons, plus a new Filter “Key” slider for true keyboard tracking.
- Bipolar Phase. Sweep positive for a clean pitch bend, negative for a spectral tilt.
- Stability + polish. Fixed the static blowup, CPU overload from voice stacking, clicky filter sweeps, and dead short attacks.
What makes it different
Fold crossfade — The partials display shows every overtone in your sound. Sweep the fold slider to crossfade between harmonic layers — upper partials fold below the fundamental, redistributing the energy. Not a filter. Not a waveshaper. Fold instead of filter.
Overtone scanner — An arpeggiator for harmonics. Steps through individual partials with triangle, saw, or random patterns. Lock it to a scale and it only visits partials that belong.
Harmonic gate — Reinforces partials whose pitch class matches your chord. Suppress the rest. The timbre follows the harmony. Capture a chord, follow incoming MIDI, or split the keyboard so your left hand controls the gate.
51 scales — From major and minor to maqam, raga, and Messiaen modes. The scanner and harmonic gate are scale-aware.
Sculpt — Draw the amplitude of each partial by hand. Morph between saw, square, triangle, and pulse waveshapes or paint your own.
Tuning — Stretch the octave wider or compress it. Slide between just intonation and equal temperament. Stack unison voices from subtle to thick.
Mod matrix — 6 sources (LFO 1, LFO 2, Env 1, Env 2, Velocity, Mod Wheel) x 26 destinations.
Formats
| Platform | Format | Status |
|---|---|---|
| macOS | AU (Logic, GarageBand) | Beta |
| macOS | VST3 (Ableton, Bitwig, Reaper) | Beta |
| macOS | Standalone | Beta |
| Windows | VST3 | Coming soon |
macOS 11+ (Apple Silicon + Intel)
Installation
macOS AU: Unzip and move BK Harmonic.component to ~/Library/Audio/Plug-Ins/Components/
macOS VST3: Unzip and move BK Harmonic.vst3 to ~/Library/Audio/Plug-Ins/VST3/
Windows VST3: Unzip and move BK Harmonic.vst3 to C:\Program Files\Common Files\VST3\
Restart your DAW. The plugin appears as “BK Harmonic” under the Synth/Instrument category.
The plugin is code-signed and notarized with Apple Developer ID. No Terminal commands or special permissions needed — just install and go.
Activation
Purchased a license:
- Open the plugin in your DAW
- Paste the license key from your email
- Done — works offline after activation
Beat Kitchen residents:
- Open the plugin in your DAW
- Enter your Discord username
- Check Discord for a verification code in #bk-harmonic-support
- Enter the code in the plugin — activated
Support
Got a question, found a bug, or need help installing? Head to the #plugin-support channel on Discord.
By purchasing or installing, you agree to the license agreement. "BK Harmonic Synthesizer" is a working title and may change.
