ELKA SYNTHEX - Sounds, Patches & Ambient Soundscapes | Synth Demo

synth4ever

"Elka Synthex analog synthesizer demo, featuring various sounds, patches and ambient soundscapes. This Elka Synthex synth demo showcases various Elka Synthex sounds including pads, leads, resonant sweeps, organs and more. Filmed at the Vintage Synthesizer Museum in Oakland, CA.

Manufactured from 1981-1984 in Italy, the Elka Synthex is a lush sounding classic 8-voice polyphonic analog synthesizer. It was conceived by independent Italian designer Mario Maggi and has 30 knobs, 6 sliders, 80 switches and a joystick, as well as a 4 track sequencer. Later versions implemented basic MIDI functions.

The Elka Synthex utilizes 2 DCOs per voice, each with multiple waveshapes: triangle, saw, square, pulse, PWM and ring mod. It also has a lovely multimode filter with frequency, envelope control, resonance and keyboard tracking, as well as lowpass, two bandpass options, and highpass filter modes.

The Elka Synthex also has 2 LFOs, multiple envelope generators, multiple chorus modes as well as oscillator cross-modulation and oscillator sync capabilities. LFOs can be routed to osc1, osc2, PW1, PW2, filter or amp and waveshapes include triangle, saw, ramp and square. Voices can be split, dual or layered, and it also supports footswitches for advance, glide, hold and release and direct onboard glide/portamento.

The Elka Synthex sequencer offers four different tracks which can have different length and sounds (Upper/Lower can be allocated to different tracks), and supports rests between notes as well as length of notes. In addition, 2 of its tracks can output MIDI data.

Instead of traditional pitchbend/modulation wheels, the Elka Synthex has a joystick which provides real-time control over the two LFOs, oscillator and filter modulation. The 6 sliders beside the joystick assign what (LFO, osc and filter) goes to the joystick.

Overall, the Elka Synthex is an extremely lush sounding synthesizer with many famous artists such as Tangerine Dream, Nick Rhodes (Duran Duran) and Jean Michel Jarre having used it. It is probably most famous for its "laser harp" sound.

The Elka Synthex is a beautiful machine, quite large in size, and can put out some amazing pads and timbres. The chorus and ensemble effects are particularly lovely, as they add an incredible shimmer to the sounds. The Elka Synthex is quite rare these days and commands hefty prices on the second-hand market, but if you have the opportunity to try one, do not hesitate as it is an experience like no other."