MATRIXSYNTH: The Modal Electronics Modal CRAFTsynth


Friday, November 18, 2016

The Modal Electronics Modal CRAFTsynth


It looks like Modal Electronics, makers of the Modal 002 and 008 line of flagship synth, is coming out with a new compact mini desktop synth. This comes as no surprise as one of the men behind Modal Electronics is Paul Maddox of Vaco Loco. I'm not seeing anything on their site yet.

Here are some details via Synth Anatomy:

"Easy Self-Assembly

The Modal CRAFTsynth Monophonic Synthesizer Kit allows you to build up the synthesizer from 5 separate boards, with its simple yet effective design making it easy to assemble. The assembly process requires no soldering, tools or specialist knowledge, everything you need comes straight out of the box and allows you to slot the pieces together with ease. You can assemble the synthesizer within 10 minutes, giving you a hands-on experience when it comes to building your synth.
Powerful Monophonic Performance

The CRAFTsynth features 2 oscillators per voice with a range of controls for in-depth manipulation such as detune and fine detune for OSC 2 as well as a selection of different waveforms including: Sine, Tri, Saw PWM, Noise and FM (OSC2 modulates pitch of OSC1). This versatile range of controls allows you to sculpt your own synth sounds with ease. The LFO features six destinations in total including: VCA amplitude, filter cutoff, FM amount, OSC mix, PWM amount and pitch/frequency. This wide range of parameters allows you to create your own sounds with extreme precision, giving you in-depth control over every part of the sound. There is also a mixer stage of OSC levels, allowing you to further edit your sound for added depth and clarity. The Unison/Spread mode splits the oscillators into four separate sub oscillators per oscillator, virtually expanding your synth to a total of eight oscillators which are also de-tunable for a massive sound. The Modal CRAFTsynth is also fully class compliant, meaning it can be controlled by a wide range of popular DAWs, offering seamless integration for your favourite programs and applications.
LFOs and Presets

The Modal CRAFTsynth features four LFO wave forms in total, with each LFO being invertible for added versatility. The LFO wave forms are as follows; Sine, Tri, Saw, Square. This standard range of LFOs allows you to create everything from atmospheric pads to in-your-face leads and more. The resonant low pass filter can become state variable when using the CRAFTapp (available end of 2016). The CRAFTapp that comes included with the synthesizer allows you to get in-depth with your synthesis, giving you the ability to control custom enveloped, low pass filters and more.
Intuitive Layout

The highly intuitive layout of the Modal CRAFTsynth places everything you need right at your fingertips. The eight front panel potentiometers offer unparalleled editing control with two pages of editing functionality, allowing you to control parameters with precision. The CRAFTsynth also features 16 path storage locations (expandable through CRAFTapp) as well as 16 recallable EG presets for ease of use (full editing control with CRAFTapp). The playable touch panel interface features five note keys plus controls for scale and glide time. The touch panel interface’s keys are clearly labelled with its primary function giving you the ability to change between scales and more. Delay and distortion effects are also included for adding harmonics and texture to your sound. A Headphone and Line output are included for direct monitoring as well as outputting the CRAFTsynth to speakers and other audio devices. The synthesizer itself is powered via a USB cable or an optional AA battery pack.

Modal CRAFTsynth specification:

Monophonic DSP based self assembly synthesiser, requires no soldering or electronics skills, tools or knowledge
Eight front panel potentiometers for editing control, with two pages of editing functionality
2 oscillators per voice (sine, tri, saw, pwm, noise plus FM (OSC2 modulates pitch of OSC1) - detune and fine detune for OSC2
Mixer stage for OSC levels
Unison / spread mode that splits the oscillators into four separate sub oscillators per oscillator
giving a total of eight oscillators, de-tunable for a HUGE sound
LFO with six destinations (VCA amplitude, filter cutoff, FM amount, OSC mix, PWM amount, pitch / frequency,
Four LFO wave forms, each invertibleSine, tri, saw, square
LFO auto syncs to MIDI clock if present
Resonant low pass filter
16 recallable EG presets for ease of use
Soon to be released, CRAFTapp will provide full editing control of EG’s for custom envelopes which can be stored within a patch
16 patch storage locations (manageable through Modal CRAFTapp)
Playable touch panel interface with five note keys plus controls for scale and glide time
Scale changes between major, minor, diatonic and blues
Delay and distortion (waveshaping overdrive, not bit crushing) effects
Headphone and line output
Class Compliant MIDI provided over USB connection to host computer or tablet
Powered by USB or optional AA battery pack
Modal CRAFTapp for iOS*, Macintosh and PC coming end of 2016 (subject to Apple AppStore conditions), Android support planned for Q1 2017.

Due to ship mid-December 2016, MSRP UK £79.99 including VAT, projected US and Euro pricing TBA. Pre-Order here: Gear4music.com" BTW, I included the Gear4Music pre-order link for you, but please do check with the shops on the right. They make this site possible. At the time of this post, Gear4Music does not.

Couple more pics:

No comments:

Post a Comment

To reduce spam, comments for posts older than one week are not displayed until approved, usually same day. Do not insult people. For items for sale, do not ask if it is still available. Check the auction link and search for the item. Auctions are from various sellers and expire over time. Posts remain for the pics and historical purposes. This site is meant to be a daily snapshot of some of what was out there in the world of synths.

PREVIOUS PAGE NEXT PAGE HOME


Patch n Tweak
Switched On Make Synthesizer Evolution Vintage Synthesizers Creating Sound Fundlementals of Synthesizer Programming Kraftwerk

© Matrixsynth - All posts are presented here for informative, historical and educative purposes as applicable within fair use.
MATRIXSYNTH is supported by affiliate links that use cookies to track clickthroughs and sales. See the privacy policy for details.
MATRIXSYNTH - EVERYTHING SYNTH