Native Instruments has launched Super*Saw, a new software synthesizer co-created with GRAMMY-nominated producer and PC Music founder A. G. Cook. Developed over two years, the instrument transforms Cook’s approach to layered sawtooth synthesis into a playable production tool for modern pop, electronic music, and experimental sound design.
Cook is known for helping shape the sound of contemporary pop through his solo work and collaborations with artists including Charli xcx, Beyoncé, Caroline Polachek, and Oklou. Super*Saw draws directly from the patches and production sessions behind his distinctive sound.
A. G. Cook’s Supersaw Sound in a Single Instrument
Supersaws are created by layering and slightly detuning multiple sawtooth waves. The technique produces the wide, dense, and harmonically rich textures heard throughout modern pop, trance, and electronic music. Traditionally, Cook built these sounds by combining multiple instrument instances and carefully programming each layer. Native Instruments worked from his existing patches and sessions to consolidate that process into a dedicated synthesizer.
At the heart of Super*Saw are two independent oscillator banks, each containing 16 sawtooth waves. This architecture allows producers to create everything from smooth chord stacks and expansive pads to aggressive leads and metallic, dissonant textures.
X/Y Morpher Offers Hands-On Sound Transformation
One of the instrument’s main features is its four-corner X/Y Morpher. Producers can capture four separate patch states and continuously move between them using a single control.
The Morpher turns complex parameter changes that might otherwise require several automation lanes into one expressive performance gesture. It can be used to transition between contrasting tones, reshape harmonic density, or introduce movement into sustained sounds. Per-voice glide and offset controls provide additional tools for creating fluid pitch smears, unusual transitions, and stereo motion inspired by Cook’s production style.
Chord, Scale, and Quantize Tools Support Experimentation
Native Instruments Super*Saw also includes musical constraint features designed to keep experimental sounds playable. Chord, scale, and quantize controls help producers explore new harmonic ideas while remaining within a chosen musical framework. The instrument can also introduce controlled off-grid variations, making it possible to add intentional dissonance without losing the underlying harmonic structure. Mono and polyphonic modes support a range of applications, including basses, leads, stacked melodies, pads, and full chords.
Presets, Filters, and Built-In Effects
Super*Saw ships with a broad preset library covering lush harmonies, rave-inspired leads, metallic dissonance, and exaggerated glide effects. These presets offer starting points for both polished pop production and more abstract electronic sound design.
Its integrated processing section includes:
- Chorus
- Delay
- Reverb
- Low-pass, band-pass, and high-pass filters
- Two-pole and four-pole filter slopes
- Mono and polyphonic playback modes
Super*Saw also integrates with Komplete Kontrol keyboards and Maschine, allowing it to fit into Native Instruments hardware-based production workflows.
A New Creative Tool for Modern Pop Production
Super*Saw packages one of A. G. Cook’s signature production techniques into a focused and performance-friendly synthesizer. Its dual 16-saw oscillator banks provide the scale needed for dense layered tones, while the X/Y Morpher and musical constraint tools make complex sound design easier to control in real time.
The instrument’s visual identity also reflects Cook’s creative circle, with logo and Morpher design work contributed by his longtime visual collaborator, Simon Whybray. For producers interested in hyperpop, experimental pop, trance, and contemporary electronic music, Native Instruments Super*Saw offers a direct route into the wide and highly animated textures associated with Cook’s work.
Super*Saw is priced at $99 and can be purchased directly from Native Instruments.
