Most synthesizers start with an oscillator. Myth from Dawesome starts with two audio files. The plugin uses a machine-learning-assisted resynthesis engine to blend them into a single evolving timbre, then lets you sculpt the result. A new free update, version 1.81, extends the effects section and adds a batch of presets, and it is a good moment to look at what Myth offers to anyone playing an MPE controller.
What Myth actually is
Myth is not a classic subtractive or wavetable instrument. You load audio into the oscillator slots, and the engine resynthesizes those sources into what Dawesome calls an "iris." You then shape that sound with transformers (brass, saw, string and square). A second, modular-style section adds oscillators, virtual analog filters, resonators, LFOs, envelopes, MIDI effects and an arpeggiator, arranged in a linear, pedalboard-like workflow.
Dawesome is careful to say Myth is not an "AI synth" in the generative sense. The machine learning is used for the resynthesis step. What you hear is still driven by the sounds you feed it and the way you play it, which makes it a natural fit for performers who want a sound that reacts to touch.
What changed in version 1.81
The update is free for existing users and focuses on the effects rack. It adds 13 new effects processors: a maximizer, limiter, compressor, split EQ, dual delay, reverse delay, tape, pulse gate, mal-sync, plate reverb, brute, gate and auto pan. It also ships 57 new presets and replaces the quick-access preset menu with a proper preset dialog, which should make browsing a large library less awkward.
For a plugin built around heavily processed textures, a stronger effects section is not a cosmetic change. Dynamics tools such as the compressor, limiter and maximizer help tame the level swings that expressive playing can produce. Tape, plate reverb and the delays give resynthesized sounds a sense of space without reaching for a separate plugin.
Why the MPE support matters
According to the coverage of the release, Myth supports full MPE as well as MTS-ESP microtuning. That combination is worth noting for three reasons.
First, resynthesis engines can respond to expression in interesting ways. Mapping pressure to the balance between your two source sounds, or slide to a transformer amount, turns a static morph into something you shape note by note. Chords stop being a single blended timbre and become several independently evolving voices.
Second, per-note pitch bend lets you glide individual notes through the resynthesized material. Because the oscillators are built from audio rather than simple waveforms, a slide can reveal different character as it moves.
Third, MTS-ESP support means players using alternate tunings can keep the instrument in tune with a shared tuning source. If you work microtonally, see our guide to MPE and MTS-ESP.
A quick MPE test before you commit
As with any plugin, claims of MPE support deserve a short check on your own controller. We suggest three tests:
- Pitch bend range: confirm the plugin and controller agree on the same range, usually ±48 semitones. If a slide jumps unexpectedly, read our pitch bend range fix.
- Independent chords: hold a chord, then bend and press only one note. Only that voice should change.
- Modulation routing: assign pressure and slide to a source-blend or filter parameter and check that the response feels smooth rather than stepped.
Price and availability
Myth is available as a 64-bit VST3 and AU plugin for macOS and Windows. The listed price on the official Dawesome website was 107.40 euros at the time of the update, down from 179 euros, and it is also sold through retailers such as Audio Deluxe and Plugin Boutique. Check the current price and system requirements before buying, since promotions change.
The takeaway
Version 1.81 will not change what Myth is, but it makes the plugin more complete as a self-contained instrument. For MPE players, the more interesting part is the underlying design: a sound source built from your own audio, with per-note control layered on top. If you have been looking for an expressive synth that sounds unlike a typical oscillator-based patch, it deserves a place on your demo list.