NAMM 2024: From France’s Two Notes Audio Engineering comes the Genome, an in-the-box “ecosystem” of post-processing effects. Taking in amp sims, dynamic IRs and icon-replicating pedals through to correctional tools, the comprehensive suite aims to provide all the digital tools a guitarist or bassist will need in one setting.
Two Notes’ boffins have been creating tour-readied and studio-primed equipment for 15 years, including the creation of load boxes, attenuators and digital cabinet emulators.
Genome has been five years in-the-making, having been teased in 2022 and given a beta outing in 2023, now Two Notes is ready to drop its biggest imprint in the virtual market – unveiling a software suite that "puts progressive tone-shaping in the driving seat"
It’s being defined as a “carrier-class adaptive channel strip” for end-to-end tone-shaping and it packs a hell of a lot under the hood. Load it up and you’ll find a range of amplifiers, pedals, pro-quality virtual cabinets and additionally juice post-production effects. Future updates will see the amount of digital toys expand further still.
The software is powered by three all-new proprietary engines and also includes the firm’s signature DynIR technology. That, it says, allows for “seamless assimilation into virtually any live or studio rig.”
The DynIR engine harnesses the power equivalent to 160,000 studio-grade IR files and offers eight mics per cabinet. With dual mic-ing and an apparent 10,000 different mic positions available - accounting for front and back placement - players can put their sonic fingerprints all over the Genome’s DNA.
Reportedly built for a smooth workflow (thanks to the lane-based signal flow), a total of 20 components unite to make creating presets as quick as possible and put the focus on playing instead of tampering. Optional dual lanes also allow for effortless parallel processing.
AI is a powerful ally to the software. Its Codex technology is a next-generation unification engine which, in english, should mean it helps you make the most of your digital rigs.
As such, it is fully compatible with the Neural amp modeller (NAM) as well as AIDA-X and Proteus captures, with the AI surgically adapting any static AI model.
In simpler terms, what the Codex offers is an additional interface with gain, bass, middle, treble and volume controls to refine your static amp modeller. There's an option to highlight whether the tone-shaping is for a guitar or bass, with a four-band EQ flanked by low and cut controls.
Its enhancer panel, meanwhile, allows for nitty-gritty fiddling with dry/wet, body, thickness, and brilliance. Sadly, the latter doesn't make you play any better, per se.
The Tube-Stage Modeling (TSM) amplifier engine serves up pro-grade and uniquely characterized preamps which channel the magic of big-name guitar and bass products. It’s also possible to mix and match these preamps.
A fully customizable poweramp is also present, with four separate tube models (6L6, EL34, EL84 and KT88) ready to be played with for personalized tone-sculpting. The tubes come with push-pull, AB class or single-ended and A class configurations.
It wouldn’t be complete without virtual pedals, and there are plenty of them. Genome launches with a fairly sizable palette with the likes of a saturated analog delay, a “raunchy” vintage overdrive and Big Fuzz-styled stompbox waiting to be cranked. Its offerings all take inspiration from legendary pedals – you can tell which from their shamelessly on-the-nose designs - and will be added to with fresh updates along the line.
Once tones have been dialled in, a host of studio-grade effects are on hand for further sonic polishing. These include dynamic control modulation, spatial effects and corrective processing and they are all embedded with Two Notes’ Torpedo virtual cabinet emulations.
“Five years ago, we kicked-off a project to re-imagine our long-standing studio mainstay, Wall of Sound,” Two Notes CEO Guillaume Pille says of the project. “Whether it’s an amp DI, a modeling processor, amp sim or a DI instrument feed, Genome is primed and ready to elevate your sonics with all our tone-bending knowhow.
“With a feature-packed roadmap across 2024, backed by an onslaught of component releases, it is poised to become the beating heart of your rig and virtual backline.”
Genome is now available from the Two Notes website and clocks in at $79.99. Free lifetime licences are available to all existing registered Two Notes software. For the non-registered users, a 14-day trial period is on offer.
For more information, head to Two Notes.
Keep up to date with all gear releases ahead of NAMM 2024, head over to our guide to the latest NAMM 2024 news.
