AG Cook x Native Instruments Super*Saw Review: The Ultimate Supersaw Synth?
- Sonny
- Jul 21
- 6 min read
We are currently standing on the brink of a fundamental shift in how virtual instruments are designed, moving away from "do-everything" workstations and toward highly specialized, conceptually driven tools. The release of Super*Saw on July 16, 2026, marks a pivotal moment in this evolution. Born from a collaboration between the legendary Native Instruments and PC Music founder AG Cook, this plugin is not just another synthesizer; it is a manifesto on the power of a single waveform.
As we look to the future of digital sound creation, SuperSaw arrives as a response to the often-overwhelming complexity of modern VST instruments. In an era where music producers are frequently bogged down by endless sub-menus and modulation matrices, SuperSaw is becoming a beacon of workflow efficiency. It takes the most iconic sound in electronic music history: the supersaw: and elevates it to a standalone art form. By stripping away everything but the sawtooth wave, Native Instruments and AG Cook have created a prosthetic for the modern producer, allowing for a level of timbral density and emotional resonance that was previously difficult to achieve without massive, CPU-heavy plugin stacks.
The A.G. Cook Design Philosophy: Software as a Prosthetic
Before diving into the technical specifications, it is crucial to understand the design philosophy that underpins this instrument. A.G. Cook has long advocated for a production style that amplifies pop clichés via digital tools, pushing familiar timbres to hyper-real, sometimes unstable extremes. In his view, software is less of a tool and more of a prosthetic: an extension of the creative mind that should enable, rather than hinder, the compositional process.
Conceptual Pillars: Cook treats the supersaw as one of the seven conceptual pillars of his sound, positioning it alongside "extreme vocals" and distorted guitars as a primary carrier of emotion.
Composition-First Workflow: By focusing exclusively on sawtooth waves, the plugin encourages a "composition-first" approach where the producer anchors the track in strong melodies and chords before engaging in deep sound design.
Hyper-Real Aesthetics: The plugin is designed to avoid the "safe middle ground," leaning into the shiny, high-gloss textures of hyperpop and modern rave while maintaining a deadpan simplicity in its interface.
This philosophical approach is reshaping the way we think about vst instruments. Rather than asking "what can this synth do?", Super*Saw asks "what can you do with this sound?" It is a refreshing departure from the feature-creep that has dominated music production software for the last decade.
The Engine: 32 Voices of Harmonic Density
At the heart of SuperSaw lies a formidable sound engine that leverages the power of massive oscillator stacking. While we have seen similar approaches in instruments like the Melatonin Sine Machine, which manages thousands of oscillators, SuperSaw focuses that power into two distinct "Swarm" banks.
The architecture is built around:
Dual 16-Saw Oscillator Swarms: The plugin features two independent oscillator banks, each generating 16 sawtooth waves. This creates a total of 32 oscillators per voice, leading to a thickness and harmonic richness that is virtually unparalleled in the current market.
Per-Voice Detune and Offset: Each swarm allows for precise control over detune and stereo offset. This enables the creation of wide, shimmering pads or laser-focused, aggressive leads that cut through even the most dense arrangements.
Extreme Portamento: A hallmark of Cook’s style is the use of per-voice glide. Super*Saw allows for individual portamento per note, creating the smooth, sliding pitch bends that have become synonymous with the hyperpop genre.
8-Voice Polyphony: While 32 oscillators per voice sounds like a lot, the engine is optimized for 8-voice polyphony, ensuring that even complex chords remain clear and manageable within a standard DAW environment.
Beyond the raw oscillators, the synth includes a multi-mode filter with 2-pole and 4-pole slopes. Whether you need a subtle low-pass for a warm pad or a sharp high-pass to create a metallic lead, the filter section provides the necessary surgical precision. This focus on "digital harmony" is a recurring theme in the future of best vst plugins.
Performance and Motion: The 4-Corner Morpher
One of the most innovative aspects of Super*Saw is its performance-oriented interface. Native Instruments has implemented a 4-corner Morpher that completely revolutionizes how we handle automation. Instead of drawing complex curves for dozens of individual parameters, we are witnessing a shift toward unified gestural control.
The Morpher functions through:
State Interpolation: Users can store four distinct patch states: one in each corner of an X/Y pad. By moving the star-shaped cursor between these corners, the plugin continuously interpolates every parameter, allowing for seamless transitions between radically different sounds.
Star-Shaped Motion Modulator: Beyond manual control, the "Star" modulator can be set to move automatically along predefined trajectories. This affects pan, amplitude, or pitch over time, introducing a sense of rhythmic instability that feels organic and alive.
Musical Constraint Tools: To ensure that these morphing gestures remain musical, Super*Saw includes built-in scale and chord modes. These lock the output to specific tonal centers, enabling even the most experimental morphs to remain harmonically relevant.
Quantized Gestures: The morphing trajectories can be quantized to the DAW’s tempo, creating rhythmic patterns that are perfectly synced to the beat while still allowing for controlled deviations.
This system effectively replaces heavy DAW automation with a single, expressive performance control. It is an exciting development that simplifies complex layering workflows, making it easier for artists to focus on the performance rather than the programming.
Sounds and Presets: From Rave Leads to Ethereal Soundscapes
While the engine is specialized, the sonic variety found in the factory library is surprisingly vast. The presets have been meticulously curated by AG Cook and a team of top-tier sound designers, spanning a wide range of modern electronic styles.
Basses: The bass presets utilize the "mono-unison" mode to create massive, floor-shaking low ends that maintain the characteristic sawtooth bite.
Leads: These are the stars of the show, ranging from classic trance-inspired "saws" to the glitchy, unstable textures found in Cook's recent work.
Pads and Soundscapes: By leveraging the 16-saw swarms and the built-in reverb and delay engines, Super*Saw excels at creating shimmering, ethereal atmospheres that feel three-dimensional.
Plucks and Harmonies: The fast envelopes and per-voice detune make this plugin a fantastic choice for percussive, melodic elements that need to pop in a mix.
In 2026, we are seeing a move toward presets that are "mix-ready" but highly malleable. Super*Saw delivers on this front, providing a foundation that can be quickly transformed into something unique using the Morpher.
The Workflow Revolution: Simplifying the Stack
As we look at the broader landscape of music production software, the primary value of Super*Saw lies in its ability to simplify the producer's workflow. Historically, creating a world-class supersaw sound required multiple instances of different synths, complex routing, and layers of external processing.
Native Instruments has integrated high-quality chorus, delay, and reverb directly into the instrument. This ensures that the supersaw stacking: complete with its widening and depth: is handled entirely within a single plugin window. For sound engineers and studio owners, this means less time troubleshooting phase issues between layers and more time focusing on the creative direction of the track.
Beyond this, the integration with Komplete Kontrol and Maschine hardware is seamless. The 4-corner Morpher is automatically mapped to the touch strips and encoders, turning the virtual instrument into a tactile performance tool. This level of integration is becoming a crucial requirement for professional audio engineers who demand both speed and reliability.
Verdict: Is This the Ultimate Supersaw Synth?
Priced at $99/€99/£89, Super*Saw is an accessible yet powerful addition to any producer's arsenal. While some may argue that its focus on a single waveform is limiting, we believe that this limitation is its greatest strength. By mastering one specific sonic territory, Native Instruments and AG Cook have created a tool that does one thing better than anything else on the market.
Key Takeaways:
Sonic Identity: It provides the most polished and powerful supersaw sound available in a single VST instrument.
Innovation: The 4-corner Morpher and Star Modulator set a new standard for gestural performance and automation.
Ease of Use: It simplifies complex layering workflows, making professional-grade sound design accessible to both professionals and hobbyists.
Aesthetic Focus: It perfectly captures the hyperpop and modern rave aesthetic, thanks to AG Cook’s direct involvement.
In conclusion, SuperSaw is more than just a synthesizer; it is a forward-looking instrument that embraces the digital nature of modern music. It enables producers to create sounds that are both intimate and hyper-polished, leading to a new era of creative possibilities in the intersection of music and technology. Whether you are a seasoned sound engineer or a bedroom producer stepping into the world of electronic music, SuperSaw is an essential tool for the future of sound.
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