introduction video upload by Lambda Synthetics
"Lambda Synthetics today launches their Kickstarter campaign for the PolyPulse, the algorithmic performance workstation which combines the playfulness and performability of physical instruments with the precision and sonic detail of digital music production techniques into a single package!"
PolyPulse workflow overview
Ward Slager performing live with the PolyPulse
You might remember Lambda's PolyPulse from SUPERBOOTH23. They are now on Kickstarter seeking funding.
Details captured for the archives:
The PolyPulse is an algorithmic performance workstation which combines the playfulness and performability of physical instruments with the precision and sonic detail of digital music production techniques into a single package!
Its 5 tracks each have an algorithmic sequencer, a polyphonic sound engine of your choice, customizable audio effects chain and morphing touch pad. The algorithmic sequencer allows you to easily create long evolving rhythms and melodies. With the touchpads you can fluently morph between four presets per track to create expressive and dynamic changes in sound and texture.
The PolyPulse has four audio inputs which can be sampled, and has eight audio outputs allowing for various routings including individual outputs per track or spatialized multi-speaker setups. It can be synced using MIDI, sample accurate clock signals and it even talks Open Sound Control. MIDI can be used to control sequence synthesizers and CC messages morph sounds on your favorite synthesizer module!
Key features
The PolyPulse can already do a lot! In the following section we're outlining what the current firmware is capable of, but we hope to be adding features in the years to come! Algorithmic sequencer
With the PolyPulse you create rhythms using an algorithmic sequencer controlled by a set of parameters. This allows you to quickly create a variation on a groove by turning just a single knob. Melodies are created using 'note lists'. When a note is triggered by the sequencer, it picks a pitch from the note list and sends that to the sound engine. Due to the separation between rhythms and melodies you can mix and match to try out new combinations and to discover wonderful sequences.
Morphing and mixing
With the touchpads you can have expressive control over all sound engine and audio effects parameters. On each corner of a touchpad a sound can be stored. These sounds can be modified on-the-fly, or prepared beforehand and stored in the project.
Each track also has a dedicated volume knob and effects sends knob. The effects send can be routed internally, or you can send signal to your favorite external effects processor!
Sound engines
On each track you can select a sound engine with up to eight voices of polyphony:
An 'analog-style' synthesized drumkit with a kick, snare, clap and hi-hat.
A (stereo) sample player which play sequences of samples so you can quickly create complex drum patterns.
A subtractive synthesizer with four oscillators, noise source, harmonic ring modulation, and a 24dB lowpass filter or 12dB morphing filter.
A four operator FM synthesizer with modulation matrix so you can create custom FM algorithms, and even morph between different algorithms!
An additive synthesizer with up to 32 sine waves per voice, for those complex digital sounds and glitchy textures!
A physical modelling synthesizer with noise and samples as excitation source and two feedback loops to blend between positive and negative feedback.
Audio effects
You can add up to four audio effects per track. Additionally four effects can be added to the master bus. The PolyPulse has a multichannel audio effects system. This means you have the freedom to apply audio effects to a mix of the sound engines voices, but also to the individual voices of a sound engine. The user chooses when (and how) channels are summed, so the PolyPulse can also be used in spatial audio setups with up to eight speakers.
Currently, the following audio effects are included in the PolyPulse software:
Amplitude modulator is a multichannel tremolo effect.
Compressor can be used to constrain the dynamic range, increase the punchiness of a sound or slam a drum bus.
Degrade is a tape simulation to add a degraded character to your sounds.
Delay can be tempo synced, has a multichannel ping-pong mode and can do pitch sweeps or fades when modulating the delay time.
Drive has several distortion algorithms so you can add a bit (or a lot) of crunchiness!
Fade delay is a granular delay effect with pitch shifter and feedback sustainer to create long and heavenly drones from simple sounds.
Filter is a 12dB resonant filter than can morph from lowpass ➝ bandpass ➝ highpass ➝ notch ➝ lowpass.
Mono mixes the incoming signals to a single output.
Multiband splits audio up into multiple frequency bands, so you can apply effects to different frequency bands.
Reroute connects individual synth voices to various audio outputs and can be used as spatial panner during multispeaker performances.
Stereo spreads and pans signals over a stereo spectrum. Each new note starts in a random position and can slowly move around in the stereo field.
Technical specifications
Solid metal enclosure
Hands-on interface:
32 high resolution encoders, with coarse and fine-tune control
5 capacitive touchpads
13 metal-shaft potentiometers
65 key switches
OLED display with excellent viewing angles
1GHz ARM® Cortex-A8 processor with 512MB RAM
24 bit / 48 kHz high quality, low noise audio on 6.35mm jacks:
2 balanced line inputs
2 microphone inputs with pad and gain controls
8 balanced line outputs
Stereo headphone amplifier with volume control
Trigger in/out
2 sample accurate trigger inputs (48 kHz)
2 sample accurate trigger outputs (48 kHz)
3 trigger outputs (750 Hz)
Full size MIDI IN/OUT
RJ45 ethernet connection:
Can be used to connect to the file manager to backup projects, upload samples and update firmware
Open Sound Control
The PolyPulse can be powered by a power bank and has a headphone amp so you can make music almost anywhere!
The problem with empowering anyone to make music at the drop of a hat means that instant gratification replaces years of study and dedication and the world ends up full of sounds that are no better than a baby banging its rattle against its playpen with proud parents proclaiming it a musical genius.
ReplyDelete