Imaginando
{{Short description|Audio software company}}
{{Infobox company
| name = Imaginando Lda
| logo =
| industry = {{Unbulleted list|Music technology|Music software|New media art}}
| founded = {{Start date and age|2014}} in Braga, Portugal
| founders = {{Unbulleted list|Nuno Santos}}
| hq_location_city = Braga
| hq_location_country = Portugal
| products = TKFX, LK, DRC, DLYM, K7D, FRMS, VS, BAM, TV3, GRFX
| area_served = Worldwide
| num_employees = 6
| website = {{URL|imaginando.pt}}
}}
Imaginando Lda is a Portuguese company founded in 2014 by Nuno Santos that develops software for music production, sound design, and performance as well as audio reactive visuals. The company's headquarters is located in Braga, Portugal.{{Cite web |title=Imaginando. Dar música aos estrangeiros com tecnologia portuguesa |url=https://www.dinheirovivo.pt/fazedores/amp/imaginando-dar-musica-aos-estrangeiros-com-tecnologia-portuguesa-12854440.html/ |access-date=2024-06-06 |website=Dinheiro Vivo |date=21 January 2017 |language=en}}{{Cite web |date=2017-04-24 |title=#17: Nuno Santos Imaginando Founder, Co-Creator of DRC Virtual Analog Synth |url=https://brianfunk.com/blog/2017/4/18/nuno-santos-ios-developer-creator-of-drc-virtual-analog-synth |access-date=2024-06-06 |website=Brian Funk |language=en-US}}{{Cite web |first= |title=IMAGINANDO'S MOST POWERFUL STRENGTH: FORWARD-THINKING SYNTHS AND TOOLS FOR MUSIC PRODUCTION |url=https://magneticmag.com/2023/01/imaginandos-most-powerful-strength-forward-thinking-synths-and-tools-for-music-production/#google_vignette |access-date=2023-01-31 |website=magneticmag.com|date=31 January 2023 }}
History
Imaginando was founded by Nuno Santos in Braga, Portugal (City of Media Arts of UNESCO), who is the company's current CEO and CTO. The company started as a business initiative with no venture funding.{{Cite web |last=P3 |date=2016-07-04 |title=Imaginando: controlar a música electrónica a partir dos "gadgets" |url=https://www.publico.pt/2016/07/04/p3/noticia/imaginando-controlar-a-musica-electronica-a-partir-dos-gadgets-1826429 |access-date=2024-02-13 |website=PÚBLICO |language=}}{{Cite web |last=Faria |first=Inês |date=2016-12-04 |title=Imaginando: making Portugal stand out in the electronic music scene |url=https://portugalstartups.com/2016/12/imaginando-making-portugal-stand-out-in-the-electronic-music-scene/ |access-date=2024-02-13 |website=Portugal Startups |language=en}}{{Cite web |title=Imaginando. Dar música aos estrangeiros com tecnologia portuguesa |url=https://www.dinheirovivo.pt/fazedores/imaginando-dar-musica-aos-estrangeiros-com-tecnologia-portuguesa-12854440.html/ |access-date=2024-02-13 |website=Dinheiro Vivo |date=21 January 2017 |language=pt}} As a solo entrepreneur, he looked for a solution for maintaining a single code base for multiple target devices, thus Qt Framework was adopted.{{Citation |title=QtWS17 - One developer, Three products, Three platforms, Nuno Filipe Magalhães Santos, Imaginando | date=25 October 2017 |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vgBq4dMoI_g |access-date=2024-02-07 |language=en}}
In 2015 he joined forces with his long time friend Rui Antunes, an analog electronics expert and synthesizer repairer, to create Imaginando’s first synthesizer. Rui developed an analog modeled synthesizer in Pure Data, which served as a base for the development of the DRC (Digital Resistor Capacitor) synthesizer.{{Cite web |title=Imaginando DRC |url=https://www.soundonsound.com/reviews/imaginando-drc |access-date=2024-06-17 |website=www.soundonsound.com}}{{Cite web |last=ECO |date=2016-12-17 |title=E se pudesse tocar uma harpa laser? Já pode |url=https://eco.sapo.pt/2016/12/17/e-se-pudesse-tocar-uma-harpa-laser-ja-pode/ |access-date=2024-06-06 |website=ECO |language=pt-PT}}{{Cite web |date=2016-04-18 |title=Visão {{!}} DRC: o primeiro sintetizador português já está disponível para download |url=https://visao.pt/exameinformatica/noticias-ei/software/2016-04-18-drc-o-primeiro-sintetizador-portugues-ja-esta-disponivel-para-download/ |access-date=2024-06-06 |website=Visão |language=pt-PT}}
During DRC development and stemming from a new media art open call from GNRation, they created a project called “Harpa Laser”. The project consisted in a 2 meter tall iron structure that incorporated 8 lasers in parallel and with a DRC engine running on a Raspberry Pi. This new media art installation debuted in the 2015 Noite Branca, in the streets of Braga.{{Cite web |last=ECO |date=2016-12-17 |title=E se pudesse tocar uma harpa laser? Já pode |url=https://eco.sapo.pt/2016/12/17/e-se-pudesse-tocar-uma-harpa-laser-ja-pode/ |access-date=2024-02-13 |website=ECO |language=pt-PT}}{{Cite web |date=2016-12-02 |title=Já se cruzou com a Harpa Laser da Imaginando? – Marketeer |url=https://marketeer.sapo.pt/ja-se-cruzou-com-a-harpa-laser-da-imaginando/ |access-date=2024-02-13 |language=pt-PT}}
In 2017, Imaginando ventured on another open call by GNRation, this time turning a piece of antique furniture into a gigantic digital music box.{{Cite web |date=2017-09-27 |title=A giant-sized music box, made with digital tech and antique furniture |url=https://cdm.link/2017/09/giant-sized-music-box-made-digital-tech-antique-furniture/ |access-date=2024-02-07 |website=CDM Create Digital Music |language=en-US}}
Products
In 2014, Imaginando released TKFX, a Native Instruments Traktor Dj Controller.{{Cite web |title=Imaginando - TKFX · Tech Review ⟋ RA |url=https://ra.co/reviews/15819 |access-date=2024-03-06 |website=Resident Advisor |language=en}}
In 2015, Imaginando releases LK, an Ableton Live & MIDI Controller.{{Cite web |date=2015-03-09 |title=LK Gives Your iPad or Android Tablet Easy Control of Ableton Live [Gallery, Hands on] |url=https://cdm.link/2015/03/lk-gives-ipad-android-tablet-easy-control-ableton-live/ |access-date=2024-03-06 |website=CDM Create Digital Music |language=en-US}}
In 2016, Imaginando released DRC, a polyphonic synthesizer.{{Cite web |date=2016-04-18 |title=Visão {{!}} DRC: o primeiro sintetizador português já está disponível para download |url=https://visao.pt/exameinformatica/noticias-ei/software/2016-04-18-drc-o-primeiro-sintetizador-portugues-ja-esta-disponivel-para-download/ |access-date=2024-03-06 |website=Visão |language=pt-PT}}
In 2018, Imaginando released DLYM, a chorus and flanger effect.{{Cite web |date=2018-03-07 |title=Free DLYM Delay Modulator VST/AU Plugin Released By Imaginando |url=https://bedroomproducersblog.com/2018/03/07/free-delay-modulator-vst/ |access-date=2024-03-06 |website=Bedroom Producers Blog |language=en-US}}{{Cite web |author1=Ben Rogerson |date=2018-03-09 |title=DLYM puts chorus, phaser and flanger effects into a free VST/AU plugin |url=https://www.musicradar.com/news/dlym-puts-chorus-phaser-and-flanger-effects-into-a-free-vstau-plugin |access-date=2024-06-17 |website=MusicRadar |language=en}}
In 2019, Imaginando released K7D, a tape delay audio effect.{{Cite web |last=Fab |date=2019-05-14 |title=K7D Review - A Great Sounding Yet Ultra Affordable Tape Delay For Desktop and iOS |url=https://audionewsroom.net/2019/05/k7d-review-a-great-sounding-yet-ultra-affordable-tape-delay-for-desktop-and-ios.html |access-date=2024-03-06 |website=AudioNewsRoom - ANR |language=en-US}}
In 2020, Imaginando released FRMS, a granular synthesizer that combines granular, subtractive, and FM synthesis.{{Cite web |last=Goldschmitz |first=Thilo |date=2020-05-23 |title=Test: Imaginando FRMS, granulares FM-Synth-Plugin |url=https://www.amazona.de/test-imaginando-frms-granulares-fm-synth-plugin/ |access-date=2024-02-07 |website=AMAZONA.de |language=de-DE}}
In 2021, Imaginando released VS, a visual synthesizer that can turn musical compositions into graphical effects (based on GLSL shaders, images and videos), in real time, by taking advantage of incoming audio and MIDI information.{{Cite web |title=Imaginando VS |url=https://www.soundonsound.com/reviews/imaginando-vs |access-date=2024-02-07 |website=www.soundonsound.com}}{{Cite web |date=2021-06-21 |title=VS Visual Synthesizer responds to your music, with shader and layer powers (Mac, Windows, iOS) |url=https://cdm.link/2021/06/vs-visual-synthesizer-responds-to-your-music-with-shader-and-layer-powers-mac-windows-ios/ |access-date=2024-06-17 |website=CDM Create Digital Music |language=en-US}}
In 2023, Imaginando released BAM - Beat Maker & Music Maker, a groovebox style application that can also host plugins.{{Cite web |title=Why are so many producers praising Imaginando BAM? |url=https://musictech.com/reviews/digital-audio-workstations/imaginando-bam-review/ |access-date=2024-02-07 |website=MusicTech |language=en-GB}}{{Cite web |last=Schroeder |first=Markus |date=2023-12-06 |title=Test: Imaginando BAM, Groovebox, iOS, Mac, Windows, VST |url=https://www.amazona.de/test-imaginando-bam-groovebox-ios-mac-windows-vst/ |access-date=2024-02-07 |website=AMAZONA.de |language=de-DE}}
In 2024, Imaginando released TV3 - Acid Synth, a synth inspired by the iconic Roland TB-303 bass synthesizer.{{Cite web |date=2024-11-25 |title=Imaginando TV3 acid synth and bassline generator, free through Dec 1 |url=https://cdm.link/tv3-acid/ |access-date=2025-05-09 |website=CDM Create Digital Music |language=en-US}}
In 2025, Imaginando released GRFX - Granular Effects, an audio effect that uses granular synthesis principles to transform sounds into textures, rhythmic patterns, and ambient soundscapes.{{Cite web |date=2025-04-24 |title=Imaginando GRFX Might Be the Most Fun Granular Plugin You'll Use This Year |url=https://weraveyou.com/2025/04/imaginando-grfx-might-be-the-most-fun-granular-plugin-youll-use-this-year/ |access-date=2025-05-09 |website=We Rave You |language=en-US}}{{Cite web |date=2025-04-28 |title=Imaginando GRFX puts granular effects in sweet harmony |url=https://cdm.link/imaginando-grfx |access-date=2025-05-09 |website=CDM Create Digital Music |language=en-US}}