Moog One: System Architecture

Moog One: System Architecture - Part 1 Starts at 30:10

"This series of live streams features several Moog One engineers deep diving into the work flow of the Moog One.

Today we have Michael Ashton, Moog's Senior Firmware Engineer who is joined by Amos Gaynes, Moog's Product Design Engineer discussing the Moog One's System Architecture."

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Rare SYNERGY II+ SYNTH w/Kaypro Computer + Software

synergy_demo_divx.avi

YouTube Uploaded by jeanielotsacats on Sep 9, 2011

"This is a demo of the Synergy II+ synthesizer. Based on the Bell Labs Digital Synthesizer created by Hall Alles in 1975, the Synergy II+ remains one of the rarest and most sophisticated digital synthesizers in music history. There are only a few dozen of these left in working condition today."


via this auction

Additional video at the auction and below.

"DKI SYNERGY II+ SYNTHESIZER WITH KAYPRO 2X

VOICE PROGRAMMER, SYNHCS 3.22 SOFTWARE,

COMPLETE SYNERGY VOICE LIBRARY AND MANUALS

In 1975 an engineer at Bell Labs, Hal Alles, created the world's most sophisticated digital synthesizer. A set of cards in a IEEE-696 computer chassis, it used an RS-422 digital instrumentation interface to talk to a minicomputer. There was no preset voice program, no predetermined synthesizer architecture. Each researcher at Bell Labs had to write a custom program on a DEC PDP minicomputer just to produce sounds from the Alles digital synthesizer.

The Alles synthesizer (eventually known as the Bell Labs digital synthesizer) offered the user a pool of digital oscillators with variable waveforms. It had no fixed synthesis architecture. Unlike other synthesizers -- for example, a typical analog Moog synthesizer with 3 oscillators in parallel -- the Bell Labs digital synthesizer let the user arrange the oscillators in any architecture desired. The Bell Labs digital synthesizer could use 2 oscillators per voice or 32 oscillators per voice, or anything in between.

But Alles went further. He designed the Bell Labs digital synthesizer with immensely flexible envelopes and filters. It had two types of digital filters, A filters and B filters. It had 16-point amplitude and frequency envelopes, far more complex than the simple-minded ADSR envelopes used even today, and it used two different 16-point envelopes for each oscillator. The user defined a maximum envelope and a minimum envelope for both frequency and amplitude. Then the Bell Labs digital synthesizer automatically interpolated the shape of the final envelope between those two radically different 16-point envelopes depending on how hard the keys on the synthesizer keyboard were struck.

The Bell Labs digital synthesizer was complex and unwieldy. But it could produce an amazing range of timbres. Most digital synthesizers have a distinctive overall "sound" -- metallic and sharp (the Casio FZ series), or cold and sterile (the K5 additive synthesizer), or fuzzy and hummy (the Emu Morpheus). But the Bell Labs digital synthesizer had no typical "sound" -- it could caress your ears with timbres as organic and velvety as an analog synthesizer, or whack you upside the head with sounds as brash and sharp as a phase distortion digital synthesizer.

The Bell Labs digital synthesizer could produce anything from raunchy timbres as harshly brutal as a Mack truck smashing through a brick wall to delicate evocations as diaphonous and ethereal as a butterfly's wing. It could sound hi-tech and futuristic and digital, or retro and touchy-feelie and analog.

Laurie Spiegel programmed the Bell Labs digital synthesizer using the C programming language, then brand-new, on a DEC PDP-8 minicomputer, to generate many notes from single keys on the synthesizer keyboard. You can hear the Bell Labs digital synthesizer on Laurie's CD Obsolete Syetems on the track called "Improvisations on a Concerto Generator." Don Slepian used the Bell Labs digital synthesizer to general digital soundscapes with arpeggios synchronized to the player's tempo. (You can hear it on Slepian's CD Ocean of Bliss, tracks 1 and 2.) Max Mathews and Larry Fast used the Bell Labs digital synthesizer to make breathtaking music. Fast used it on several tracks on his CD Games.

In 1978, the synthesizer manufacture Crumar licensed the design of the Bell Labs digital synthesizer. They hired another engineer, Stoney Stockell, to turn Alles' collection of IEEE-696 circuit boards in a minicomputer chassis into a commercial digital synthesizer with a built-in keyboard and front knobs. (The original Bell Labs digital synthesizer had 4 joysticks, 10 buttons and 16 sliders, but no other controls. It didn't even have a synthesizer keyboard. Researchers had to wire up an external organ keyboard to the RS-422 lab interface to communicate with it.)

With 32 digital oscillators and 2 sixteen-point frequency and amplitude envelopes for each oscillator, the Synergy digital synthesizer had 128 envelopes total, with 16 points each. No other synthesizer had ever used such a complex architecture. There were too many oscillators and envelope points even to be controlled by the dozens of buttons and knobs on the Synergy's front panel, so an external computer was used. To voice the synthesizer, a Kaypro 2 computer got connected to the Synergy via RS232 serial interface, and Crumar programmers wrote a Z80 assembly language program for the Kaypro 2.

When Crumar licensed the Bell Labs digital synthesizer, they changed their name to DKI (Digital Keyboards Incorporated). The DKI Synergy synthesizer originally sold for $3500, not including the Kaypro 2 computer -- that added another $1795. Attached to the Synergy by an RS232 serial port, the optional Kaypro 2 came with SYNHCS: the Synergy Host Control System. This was the program that let the user program the Synergy's staggeringly sophisticated digital synthesis architecture and create and store user-defined synthesis architectures on Kaypro floppy disk. The SYNHCS program has many different pages that let the user define the number of oscillators and the shape of the max and min envelopes, set the oscillator architecture, set up aperiodic vibrato and envelope loop points, define the A and B digital filters, edit voice banks, set up real-time perofrmance presets for the Synergy II+ synthesizer and store Synergy timbres and real-time performance banks on Kaypro floppy discs.

The Synergy came in two models: the Synergy I, with 24 sounds in ROM and no MIDI and no user programmability, and the Synergy II+, which added a modification board inside the synthesizer to allow MIDI in and out and full programmability and user storage of new timbres by means of the Kaypro 2 computer.

DKI originally hoped that users would buy the Synergy and then keep on buying Synergy ROM cartridges, like customers buying one razor and many razor blades. Wendy Carlos signed on to create timbres for the Synergy, and eventually 22 different banks of 24 voices were created for the Synergy, for a total of 524 Synergy timbres. These timbres ran the full gamut from spacey digital sounds to chimes and gongs, to ethnic instruments like drums and xylophones and membranophones, to plucked and struck sounds, to brass and woodwinds, and rich strings and subtle keyboard timbres like the celesta and the vibraphone and the electric piano.

The Synergy doesn't sound like any other synthesizer. It's warm and vibrant. It sounds alive. This is party due to the unprecedented sophistication of the synthesizer envelopes, which interpolate between 16-point max and min values depending on how hard each synthesizer key gets pressed on the keyboard. In part it's due to the interaction of the A filters and B filters with the digital oscillators, since each digital filter gets defined for each separate oscillator. And in part the unique sound of the Synergy results from the synthesizer's aperiodic vibrato, which add user-controlled unpredictability to the amplitude and frequency envelopes of each oscillators, just like a real acoustic instrument, where each note on a violin or each note on a flute sounds slightly different.

All the timbres on this YouTube video were created using the Synergy with multitrack tape. This video shows SYNHCS running on the Kaypro 2x and sending the Wendy Carlos voice bank number 1 to the Synergy:" [video above]

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Architecture of Radio for iOS

architectureofradio from R Vijgen on Vimeo.

Thought this was pretty cool. Not technically a synth or music app, but it does appear to produce audio. Looks fun and can be used for background audio or mangling with effects. Could also make for interesting visuals during a live performance.

iTunes: Architecture of Radio - Richard Vijgen

"The infosphere, Visualized.

Every time we use our phones, tablets or laptops we are entering an invisible world of wireless digital signals. It is a world that we cannot see but that is literally all around us.
The Architecture of Radio is a 360 degree data visualization of what this world might look like. It shows the cell towers, GPS satellites and Wi-Fi routers around you that allow us to live our digital lives.

NOTE: If the app takes longer than a few seconds to load please check if location services (GPS) is enabled and the device is connected to the internet.

Why should I use this app?

Out of curiosity! We are increasingly dependent on a global ecosystem of digital signals. We use them for so many things, yet we cannot see them. We can see the roads we use to travel, the buildings we live in, but not the infrastructure that is changing the world. How can we understand this world without understanding how it works?
The purpose of this app is to make the invisible visible so we can look at it, think about it and discuss it.

Why Should I not use this app?

This app is not a measurement tool. It’s purpose is to inspire, to see the world through a different lens. The app is based on real world data and gives you a pretty good idea of the density of digital signals around you, but it won’t tell you where to move the couch to get a better WIFI signal.

So how does it work?

The Architecture of Radio is a data visualization, based on global open datasets of cell tower, Wi-Fi and satellite locations. Based on your GPS location the app shows a 360 degree visualization of signals around you. The dataset includes almost 7 million cell towers, 19 million Wi-Fi routers and hundreds of satellites.

Is this really what radio signals look like?

We can’t see radio with our eyes. The waves that we use for our cell phones and Wi-Fi are way outside the spectrum of visible light. In order to “see” radio, it has to be interpreted or translated into an image that we can see. There are many ways to do that but it will always be an interpretation.

The Architecture of Radio is an impression of the infosphere, a way of seeing it."

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Cherry Audio Releases Pro Soloist Synthesizer

video upload by Cherry Audio

The British Stereo Collective - "Ghosts in the Machine," featuring Cherry Audio's Pro Soloist

video upload by Cherry Audio

""Ghosts in the Machine" by The British Stereo Collective. ALL sounds (including percussion) were played by hand exclusively on Cherry Audio's Pro Soloist virtual instrument. No other synths were used in this recording.

Composer, artist, and producer Phil Heeks of The British Stereo Collective draws his inspiration from classic 70s/80s TV theme compilations, film soundtracks, and sound effects LPs of the era. Read more about Phil's various projects and links to his work at https://cherryaudio.com/videos/excerp..."

Introduction to Cherry Audio's Pro Soloist - Hosted by Tim Shoebridge

video upload by Cherry Audio

"To get users up and running with Pro Soloist, Cherry Audio and Tim Shoebridge of Sound Mangling have again teamed up to create an introductory tutorial video walking users through the extensive features of this iconic virtual synthesizer instrument."

Cherry Audio Pro Soloist: A detailed demo/tutorial of a prog rock and 1970s classic

video upload by CatSynth TV

"We take a detailed look at the new Pro Soloist from Cherry Audio, a recreation of the ARP Pro Soloist that became in mainstay in 1970s prog rock as well as a featured instrument in funk, electronic music, and more. We look at the features from the original, including the front-panel "paddle" presets and the unique touch sensor effects. We then take a deep dive below the hood into the enhanced features for directly editing the individual modules and parameters of the underlying synthesizer architecture (including the resonators) and explore the onboard effects section. Finally, we look at a few of the factory presets, including banks from INHALT and Vintage Vibes by James Dyson.

This instrument was developed in collaboration with Mark Barton, who was also behind the Novochord and Solovox instruments that we at CatSynth have enjoyed.

To find out more, please visit cherryaudio.com

"Pro Soloist is the latest in Cherry Audio's roster of ultimate 'what if?'
virtual instruments. Featuring the precision crafted and circuit-modeled DSP designs of award-winning developer Mark Barton, Cherry Audio's Pro Soloist goes beyond emulating the treasured, preset-based monophonic analog synth originally released by ARP in 1972. Pro Soloist not only exactingly reproduces the expressive controls, 30 infamous presets, and the unique underlying architecture of this prog rock classic, it breaks it out of its cage by making it fully programmable and expanding it with full polyphony, splits and layers, a mod matrix, integrated studio-quality effects, and more."

00:00 Introduction
00:25 History of the Arp Pro Soloist
01:23 Overview of the Cherry Audio Pro Soloist
02:21 Original front-panel presets
08:35 Global controls
09:35 Touch Sensor Effects
16:00 Edit Mode
16:59 VCO
18:59 VCF
21:53 Resonator bank
23:53 Modulating the resonator bank with the mod matrix
26:45 Effects panel
34:46 Multi-layer mode
38:08 Factory Presets
42:18 Vintage Vibe expansion bank
43:44 Conclusion"

Press release follows.

"Cherry Audio releases the highly anticipated Pro Soloist, the latest in its growing line of authentic classic synth emulations. This Pro Soloist breaks out of its cage with fully programmability, expanded polyphony and dual layers, an arpeggiator, a mod matrix, studio-quality effects, and more.

PRESS RELEASE - November 21, 2023: Cherry Audio is thrilled to release the highly anticipated Pro Soloist, the latest in its growing line of authentic emulations of classic synthesizers. Featuring the precision-crafted and circuit-modeled DSP designs of esteemed developer Mark Barton, Pro Soloist goes far beyond reproducing the expressive controls, 30 presets, and the unique architecture of this 1972 classic. Most significantly, Cherry Audio breaks Pro Soloist out of its cage by making it fully programmable and expanding it with full polyphony, splits and layers, an arpeggiator, a mod matrix, integrated studio-quality effects, and more.

Early analog synthesizers were a mystery to most working musicians. In 1972, ARP Instruments released the Pro Soloist, one of the first commercially successful preset-based synthesizers. Pro Soloist featured a revolutionary electronic design and feature set, most notably its innovative "touch sensor" keyboard (now commonly known as aftertouch), where pressing a note harder introduces changes to the sound, allowing highly expressive playing. The Pro Soloist was a hit with acts as varied as Tangerine Dream, Gary Numan, Herbie Hancock, Styx, Prince, Parliament, and Vangelis. Perhaps best remembered was Tony Banks, who amplified the Pro Soloist's legendary presets in epic keyboard solos for the legendary band Genesis.

Cherry Audio has received countless requests to reproduce this oft-forgotten gem — one of those came from frequent collaborator Mark Barton (GX-80, Novachord + Solovox, Miniverse, and others). With unparalleled attention to detail, Mark has created an authentic reproduction of the analog signal path along with the 30 original presets, and together we have substantially expanded the Pro Soloist's capabilities. Cherry Audio has added a dual-layer voicing architecture, with 16 polyphonic voices per layer, that enables two different presets simultaneously, with independent panning for rich stereo timbres and complex sounds. Pro Soloist also includes a split keyboard mode and a brilliant “Last Note” option that effectively simulates polyphonic aftertouch using monophonic-aftertouch controllers.

Pro Soloist's distinctive three-panel interface makes clear that this is far more than a preset synth. Cherry Audio has precisely recreated the look and sounds of the original paddle presets in its main Performance mode panel. In Edit mode, we've exposed all of its unique analog synthesis architecture parameters, most notably, the fully-variable, five parallel bandpass filter "Resonator Bank," key to the Pro Soloist's realistic acoustic orchestra timbres. Additionally, we've revealed the LFO and ADSR/AR envelopes and elevated the sound design possibilities with a "Super Wave" oscillator and a robust six-slot modulation matrix. The Arp/FX panel rounds it out with a syncable arpeggiator and a dozen studio-quality effects for distortion, phaser, flanger/chorus, echo, and reverb.

In short, Cherry Audio has elevated the Pro Soloist from a bare-bones monophonic lead synth into a massive, polyphonic powerhouse beyond anything imagined 50 years ago.

Pro Soloist also features 450 presets created by an extraordinarily talented team of sound design veterans, including James Terris, INHALT, Drew Schlesinger, Huston Singletary, and Mark Barton. More captivating sounds are available in the Vintage Vibes Preset Pack (sold separately) by James Dyson. With additional touches such as Cherry Audio's acclaimed MIDI mapping functions, highly optimized DSP for optimal performance, and a visually immersive interface, Pro Soloist will satisfy both vintage synth aficionados and today's music producers.

A mint condition and serviced Pro Soloist can easily fetch $2,500 or more these days, and its unique architecture makes MIDI retrofits impossible. Cherry Audio is thrilled to introduce this virtual and expanded Pro Soloist at the jaw-dropping price of only $49 (list $69), obtainable now from cherryaudio.com and authorized resellers worldwide. Pro Soloist is also available as part of Cherry Audio's new and comprehensive Synth Stack 4 collection. This ultimate sonic package includes all 22 of Cherry Audio's virtual instruments to date at an unbelievably affordable price, on sale for a limited time.

Pro Soloist is available in AU, VST, VST3, AAX, and standalone formats for Windows (7 or above, including Windows 11) and macOS (10.13 and above), including native support for Apple Silicon. A free 30-day demo is available. Visit cherryaudio.com for additional product details, system requirements, videos, and an extensive collection of awe-inspiring sound demos."

The Fancyyyyy K-Accumulator - A Complex Oscillator Made of Complex Oscillators 👽

K-ACCUMULATOR - 21st Century Complex Oscillator video upload by Fancyyyyy Synthesis

Note, this appears to be the first Fancyyyyy post on the site. :)

Currently exclusive to Perfect Circuit

"The Fancyyyyy K-Accumulator is a revolutionary stereo complex oscillator that combines cutting-edge synthesis techniques in an intuitive, hands-on architecture inspired by classic complex oscillators. Designed in collaboration with Grrrwaaa aka Graham Wakefield, creator of Max/MSP's gen~ platform, fans of experimental timbres and novel synthesis techniques are right to celebrate K-Accumulator's emergence into the Eurorack landscape. Seamlessly combining pulsar synthesis, phase modulation, and complex 3D waveshaping, K-Accumulator pairs its modulation and carrier oscillator pairs with an onboard function generator, pattern generator, and flexible root frequency quantization and manipulation, providing fruitful terrain for exploring captivating timbres in systems of any size.

Starting from a core sine and cosine wave, K-Accumulator provides an innovative morphing matrix architecture which progressively remaps panel controls to waveshaping positions for the carrier and modulator oscillator section. Expand tones with complex harmonic wavefolding, blended frequency shifting, and harmonic stretching. Shape tones into newly mangled forms with formant synthesis, sync damping, and asymmetric phase modulation, or invite chaotic movement and surprise with damped cross phase modulation and damped self-feedback. Even the onboard function generator can sing, enabling audio rates for pulsar synthesis that can be operated independently from the main oscillator. Despite the PhD in DSP you might need to fully understand K-Accumulator's synthesis engine, the morphing matrix architecture allows these many manipulations to be smoothly and seamlessly explored through intuitive manual control.

Even further possibilities abound when employing K-Accumulators twenty-three patchable points of external signal integration, with most primary CV inputs featuring dedicated attenuverters for precision control. In addition to CV control over the frequency, shift, depth, morph, and shape controls, the primary oscillator in K-Accumulator offers CV inputs for thru-zero phase modulation, damped/pulsar control, and an external input which can be used as an external sync source or for pitch-tracking an external source to use K-Accumulator to harmonize with external sources. Its outputs offer both the sine and cosine waves, creating unique stereo space through the phase differences on each output as it is manipulated by the waveshaping engine. Control root frequency for the oscillator section, function generator, or both, with both 12-TET and Just Intonated quantization, multiple scales of frequency control, and a dedicated detune control in the modulation oscillator for inharmonic applications.

At the left side of K-Accumulator, a highly flexible function generator is onboard for additional modulation or audio sources. Multiple unique internal trigger modes, looping capability for LFO and audio rate oscillation, thru-zero FM, and onboard waveshaping make this a potent source of signal manipulation for either K-Accumulator itself or anywhere in your system. To the right of the function generator, a Delta-Sigma pattern generator enables stepped and smooth pseudo-random pattern modulation, providing an onboard sequencer for root frequency, or any other parameter. With its immensely capable and unique synthesis engine alongside flexible and creative onboard modulation sources, Fancyyyy's K-Accumulator offers a new vision of complex oscillation for contemporary modular synthesis, translating vanguard digital signal processing into a familiar form factor for deep sonic exploration, intuitive skronking, and new musical forms yet unheard."

Available at Perfect Circuit

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FM Drift Demo - Ableton Move/Live Sound Pack by A Force Truly Evil

video upload by A Force Truly Evil

"Available here: https://sci-fiaudio.com/?product=fm-d...

FM DRIFT IS A DEEP EXPLORATION OF FM SYNTHESIS INSIDE ABLETON DRIFT, DELIVERING FOUR NEW POWERFUL FM INSTRUMENTS THAT RIVAL — AND SOMETIMES SURPASS — SYNTHS LIKE OPERATOR

FM Drift is a sound pack focused exclusively on FM synthesis within Ableton Drift, and designed to demonstrate that Drift’s FM engine is powerful, flexible, and very expressive.

Fully compatible with Ableton Live and Push.

FM Drift delivers four complete FM instruments, each built on a clear FM architecture and fully controlled via eight carefully designed macros. All the sounds in the pack have been created exclusively using these FM instruments (Ableton Instrument Racks built with Drift).

Drift’s FM capabilities are on par with classic synthesizers like Operator, and even surpass it in certain aspects.

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ARTURIA Introduces Memory V | Analog Ladder Titan

Playlist:

1. Memory V | Analog ladder titan | ARTURIA
2. Memory V | Overview Tutorial | ARTURIA
3. Arturia Memory V: The Infamous Memorymoog reborn! - CatSynth TV
4. Arturia MEMORY V - The Memorymoog is BACK! Factory Presets Demo (No Talking) - Davide Puxeddu
5. Arturia Memory V | No Talking | - DKS SYNTH LAB



"Wield phenomenal power with Memory V, Arturia’s definitive software reimagining of the legendary Memorymoog. A titanic, front-of-mix analog instrument built for commanding leads, bold brass, and true polyphonic depth — delivering unmistakable vintage weight with modern stability and control. Harness the raw, expressive character of a true analog classic, reborn for today’s production workflows.

Memory V captures the colossal analog character and triple-oscillator architecture of one of the rarest polyphonic synthesizers ever made, recreated with Arturia’s advanced TAE® technology and expanded with modern modulation, arpeggiation, effects and expressive workflow integration.

From towering brass and dense basses to evolving leads, cinematic pads and unstable analog textures, Memory V delivers the unmistakable weight of early-80s polyphonic synthesis in a reliable, production-ready instrument.

_A true Analog Titan

Memory V honors the architecture that defined an era of polyphonic synthesis, and adds the tools you need to push it further.

Best-in class recreation

Discover the weight, movement and edge of the original hardware, preserved through component-accurate TAE® modelling of its oscillators, filter, mixer, drive and analog non-linearities.

Triple-oscillator architecture

Three free-running oscillators per voice deliver the harmonic depth that set the Memorymoog apart. Stack Square, Ramp and Triangle waveforms, shape pulse width and sync oscillators for rich, animated sounds

Legendary ladder filter

Shape sound with a modelled low-pass ladder filter per voice, complete with 24 dB and 12 dB modes, self-oscillation and Bass Compensation to preserve low-end weight at higher resonance.

Authentic analog feel

Use Vintage and Dispersion controls to introduce continuous analog drift, then fine-tune variation across pitch, pulse width, levels, cutoff, emphasis, modulation and envelope times.

Modern modulation and FX

Drag-and-drop modulation, a four-layer Multi-Arp and a 4-slot FX rack with 17+ studio-grade effects bring contemporary sound design into the legendary Memorymoog architecture.

300+ mix-ready presets

Explore a curated library of dense, front-of-mix sounds spanning vintage brass, saturated basses, cinematic pads, evolving textures, expressive leads and modern electronic tones.

Memory V: introductory offer

To celebrate the launch, eligible Arturia users can unlock a limited-time introductory offer on Memory V and selected bundle options."

https://www.arturia.com/products/software-instruments/memory-v/overview

DiscoDSP Releases Retromulator Based on The Usual Suspects dsp56300 Engine

via DiscoDSP

[Note: although DiscoDSP gives credit to The Usual Suspects, it's my understanding TUS is not happy about it. From a forum:

"He basically took our source, put his own wrapper on it and is trying to sell it and use it to promote his own business. Can't prevent it, but frankly this is reprehensible IMHO.

Yes. He knows he cannot legally "sell" it due to the licensing model our code is published under. Therefore he sells "support" of "his development efforts" to include difficult things like "git clone" and other Arcane and extremely difficult stuff. sigh... I'd strongly advise anyone using it not to actually pay him for it, but that is just my opinion.]

What isn't clear is whether the UI is just the player above or includes the full editors by The Usual Suspects. I'm hearing it's just the player, which in effect might be an upsell for the full editors by The Usual Suspects.

That said:

"Retromulator brings legendary hardware cores back to life through authentic low-level emulation. The virtual analog synths are powered by a faithful recreation of the Motorola DSP 56300 processor, the Yamaha DX7 runs a full emulation of its original chip set, and the Akai S1000 sampler plays your SF2, SFZ, and Bliss sample banks with studio-quality interpolation. Each core runs its actual firmware or sample data — delivering the unmistakable character of hardware that defined electronic music from the early 80s through the 2000s.

Unlike traditional software emulations that recreate synthesizer behavior by approximation, Retromulator emulates the original integrated circuits at the hardware level. The virtual analog synths run on a cycle-accurate Motorola DSP 56300, the Yamaha DX7 runs a full emulation of its Hitachi HD6303R sub-CPU and Yamaha YM21280/YM21290 EGS/OPS chip set, and the Akai S1000 sampler runs on the SFZero v3.0.0 engine with 8-point sinc interpolation supporting SF2, SFZ, ZBP, and ZBB sample banks. Each core executes its authentic firmware or sample data exactly as intended.

Load the ROM firmware from your own hardware or sample banks from your library, place them in the designated folder, and Retromulator takes care of the rest. The result is not an approximation — it is the real hardware running inside your DAW.

Retromulator is built on Gearmulator, an open-source synthesizer emulation project by the dsp56300 team. We are grateful for their extraordinary work in bringing these classic instruments back to life."

You can find demos of the dsp56300 engines in previous posts here.

Featured synths:

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Additional Details on UDO's DMNO Keyboard Synthesizer Including Black Model

video upload by UDO Audio

Follow-up to this post. Details follow:

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New Moog One 16 and 8 Voice Polyphonic Analog Synthesizers

This one in via Soviet Space Child. Moog currently has a history of their analogy synths up on their site, but nothing on the Moog One yet.

Update: additional hi-res pics added to the bottom of this post. Click on them for the full size shots.


16 voice priced at $7999
8 voice priced at $5999

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Kurzweil PCEK8, PCLE Series, and SP4-7 Stage Piano

"PC3K8 Overview [via]
The PC3 introduced the world to a new generation of ground-breaking Kurzweil technology, having a synthesis architecture that remains unparalleled in depth and flexibility, combined with a staggering amount of effects processing power. The PC3 sound set, which encompasses everything from the traditional to the cutting edge, has been widely acknowledged as second to none.

And now the PC3's successor has arrived. The Kurzweil PC3K is the pinnacle of our PC3 line, bridging the gap between Kurzweil's past successes and present innovations.
An Old Friend

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#NAMM 2026: The new UDO Audio DMNO,

video upload by CatSynth TV

"UDO Audio founder George Hearn demonstrates the new DMNO, an eight-voice hybrid-architecture polyphonic synthesizer. In the first section, he plays it for us showing its features musical context, followed by a deep dive into the architecture and features in more detail.

To find out more, please visit https://www.udo-audio.com/dmno

'DMNO is an 8-voice, 2-part multitimbral powerhouse with a highly flexible and dynamic signal architecture. It features two independent 4-voice analog-hybrid synthesizers, each equipped with our new Dynamic Multi-Core Stereo VCF. With its eight creative Play Modes, DMNO unlocks dynamic interactions between the two timbres at the touch of a single control, while its flexible analog and digital audio connectivity makes it a truly expansive and immediate sound design sandbox.'"

Introducing the Dave Smith Instruments Pro 2

Published on Jun 19, 2014 Dave Smith Instruments·26 videos

Update: DSI eurorack filter module at 5:00. Also note the multiple 1/8" CV Ins & Outs on the back of the Pro 2.  Some conversation on The MATRIXSYNTH Lounge.

"Special thanks to Peter Dyer (http://peterdyer.net).

One Voice to Rule Them All
Dave Smith calls the Pro 2 his "most powerful mono synth ever." It shares the same exceptional ergonomics and playability as its 12-voice sibling, the Prophet 12, but carves out distinctly different sonic territory with an all-new dual analog filter architecture, a monster step sequencer, superwaves, digital bucket-brigade delay, and a lot more. Nothing else sounds like it and nothing else performs like it. The Pro 2 raises the bar for mono synths and redefines the word "fat."

Full info and specs: http://www.davesmithinstruments.com/p..."

"One Voice to Rule Them All
Dave Smith calls the Pro 2 his 'most powerful mono synth ever.' It shares the same exceptional ergonomics and playability as its 12-voice sibling, the Prophet 12, but carves out distinctly different sonic territory with an all-new dual analog filter architecture, a monster step sequencer, superwaves, digital bucket-brigade delay, and a lot more. Nothing else sounds like it and nothing else performs like it. The Pro 2 raises the bar for mono synths and redefines the word 'fat.'

A New Classic for a New Generation
The Pro 2 is a fusion of classic analog synthesizer design and cutting-edge digital technology. It boasts four high-resolution digital oscillators, plus a sub oscillator. The oscillators produce both classic and complex wave shapes and can frequency and amplitude modulate each other in any operator and modulator configurations you choose for harmonically-rich FM and AM sounds. A set of Character controls adds high and low frequency boost, bit and sample rate reduction, and tape saturation emulation to the Pro 2's sonic palette.

Two New Filters Based On Vintage Designs
At the heart of the Pro 2's gutsy sound is its all-new dual filter design. Filter 1 is a 4-pole low-pass design inspired by the original Prophet-5 filter. Filter 2 is a state-variable design inspired by the Oberheim SEM and can be continuously varied between low-pass, notch, and high-pass operation, with an optional band-pass mode. The two filters function in either serial or parallel, or anywhere in between. Two of the four oscillators can be routed through Filter 1 with the other two routed through Filter 2 for a broad range of tonal possibilities.

Advanced Sequencing
One of the most exciting features of the Pro 2 is its sequencer—possibly the most powerful step sequencer ever designed for a synth. With up to 32 steps and 16 tracks, it provides real-time input, rests, and variable-length sequences. It also syncs to MIDI clock and external audio input. Sequence tracks can control any parameter in the Pro 2's extensive modulation matrix.

Plays Well With Modulars
The Pro 2's flexible architecture opens the door to not only processing external audio, but also to interfacing with modular synths through its 4 rear-panel control voltage inputs and outputs and a dedicated gate output. Control voltages can be assigned and routed from within the modulation matrix and can run at audio rates for extreme modulation effects. Some of the many parameters that can be sent to the CV outputs include oscillators, LFOs, envelopes, and sequencer tracks, making the Pro 2 a natural choice for the center of your studio or live setup.

Delays, Envelopes, LFOs, Arpeggiator, and a Multitude of Modulation
The Pro 2's delay section provides three digital delays with pan, and high-pass and low-pass filtering controls. A fourth delay is a digital bucket-brigade delay (BBD) for analog-style effects. There are four loopable five-stage envelope generators, four syncable LFOs with slew and phase offset, a full-featured arpeggiator, and a sixteen slot modulation matrix with dozens of modulation sources and destinations.

Monophonic by Design, Paraphonic by Choice
The Pro 2 was designed primarily as a super-powerful monosynth, but it’s also a true, four-voice paraphonic synth that allows you to control each of its four oscillators individually with their own envelope. This makes playing four-note chords not only possible, but very expressive.

Package all of this power in a three-and-a-half octave, semi-weighted keyboard with velocity and channel aftertouch, add two backlit pitch and mod wheels and two location and pressure sensitive touch sliders, and you've got one of the most feature-rich, awe-inspiring synthesizers ever created."

Specs:

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sonicPlanet - First Experiment with StarWaves

video uploads by sonicPlanet


video upload by Richard Devine

"StarWaves is an audiovisual sound architect, the embodiment of sound, space and visual design rolled into one. Presented by sonicPlanet www.sonicplanet.com, it is a move towards the next generation of sound design apps.

Available for OSX and iPad (Windows version later), minimum hardware requirements : for iOS an 2019 iPAD (8th gen or pro) or newer, for OSX a recent Mac (2019 i7 or M1)"

via the user manual on SonicPlanet:
StarWaves is an audiovisual scene architect, the embodiment of sound, space and visual design rolled into one.

StarWaves gives the sound designer the architect’s role by creating possibilities of dialogue between these multiple elements.

IN THE MAKING OF SONIC ARCHITECTURES
StarWaves can import the sonic material in its concrete form as recorded files. Then this digital data is being represented as 3D rigid physical forms in space. We name them “the platform blocks” distributed spatially, a structure which stems from the sonic material being imported. There can be 100s of them, reaching the granular levels of sonic material. The layout of the platforms can be designed with 3D tools like positioning, rotation; they can be stretched, bent, scattered along their physical dimensions in continuous transformations.

As Goethe wisely stated : the architecture itself is 'frozen music'. How do we interact with this architecture to create the sonic textures ?

We know that sound travels as waves in an environment. It originates from a source and travels towards a distance, then interacts with the surface material of the environmental objects, gets

SONICPLANETTM
reflected, refracted, and absorbed within all the physical reality of its nature, granting a flexible relation to spatiality.

Sound remains as a hidden existence until it reaches our body. StarWaves uses on its scene the transmitters which send particles and beams of light to the space ( reminiscent to particle behavior of light or sound ) They hit the platform blocks ( representing the sonic material ) get reflected and collide with further objects, travel in distance until they die.

The time they collide with these rigid bodies they trigger sonic events and start a flow of synthesis processes. It is this continuous kinematic interaction, this physical realm which composes the sonic being and applies continuous transformations on its texture.

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Xhun Audio LittleOne - review and demo

Published on Feb 21, 2019 SynthMania

"Review and demo of the LittleOne synthesizer software. You can get this plugin here: https://www.xhun-audio.com"

"LittleOne is a faithful software emulation of one of the most legendary and appreciated hardware analog synthesizers, compact in design but also extremely powerful and expressive.

In addition to an accurate re-creation of the original signal path, every single component inside LittleOne (oscillators, filter, envelopes, etc.) prove the same original architecture, frequency response and operative range of its analogue hardware counterpart, producing a deep, rich and warm sound.

Add to the equation a full rack with a 16-step analogue sequencer, a 16-step trancegate effect, two insert/master effects slots and the result is a complete, true-analogue-sounding setup within the comfort of a modern digital studio.

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Pylobolus Alkove 12 Voice Binaural Hybrid Synthesizer Incoming

via Pylobolus where you'll find some audio demos.

From Sound Design to Instrument Design

ALKOVE is not just about shaping sound — it is about designing the instrument that will produce it.

On a computer, the musician builds the sound architecture from the ground up: defining oscillators, selecting and combining filters, organizing signal paths, shaping stereo space, phase relationships, and depth. Parts can be layered or split, voices distributed, and digital effects integrated as part of the instrument itself. The process is fluid and iterative — adding, removing, comparing, refining — until the desired structure emerges.

Every modification is instantly reflected on ALKOVE. There is no transfer, no separation between design and performance: the instrument evolves in real time, mirroring the creative process as it unfolds.

What is created is not just a preset, but a complete and purpose-built instrument — with its own structure, its own behavior, and a carefully defined set of parameters available for live interaction.

Build your instrument

ALKOVE provides a set of building blocks designed to shape sound at its core.

Sound sources combine traditional subtractive synthesis with classic and formant-based oscillators (VOSIM), allowing both familiar and unconventional timbres to emerge. From the earliest stages of sound creation, the instrument is built around an integral stereo architecture, where space, phase, and depth are part of the synthesis process itself.

Filters are not fixed structures, but polymorphic elements (Ladder, SEM, SVF, Comb) that can be combined and interconnected to create evolving signal paths.

Dynamics are shaped by three DADSR envelopes per voice. Attack and release stages respond to velocity, allowing articulation to adapt naturally to performance. One envelope is directly tied to the stereo analog VCA of each voice, reinforcing dynamic response and control at the core of the sound.

Modulation extends beyond simple movement. A flexible routing system allows parameters to interact freely, while both global and per-voice LFOs can be phase-shifted and distributed across the stereo field, shaping motion and spatial perception.

MPE support enables per-note control, extending the instrument’s expressive capabilities.

The instrument can be structured into up to three independent parts — layered or split — each with its own voice allocation and role within the mix.

Two synchronized arpeggiators introduce rhythmic and harmonic complexity, interacting with the sound architecture in real time.

A dedicated mixing stage and a modern effects engine complete the system, integrating processing directly into the instrument itself.

From Design to Performance

ALKOVE is designed to move seamlessly from sound creation to live performance.

Programs and banks can be browsed instantly using a large, tactile encoder or directly from the touchscreen, allowing quick navigation without interrupting the flow.

Each program exposes a set of immediately accessible parameters — eight customizable controls per part — giving direct, hands-on access to the most relevant aspects of the sound. Up to three parts can be used simultaneously, clearly identified across the entire interface through a consistent color system (blue, orange, green), making structure and role instantly readable.

The distribution of voices and the active part configuration remain visible at all times, both on the screen and through the color-coded interface. Modulations are not hidden layers: they are displayed in real time and can be adjusted directly from the touchscreen, maintaining a continuous link between gesture and result.


Beyond these primary controls, all parameters remain within reach through dedicated shortcuts and encoder-based navigation, allowing deeper intervention without breaking the performance flow. Global elements — LFOs, arpeggiators, effects, and performance settings — are permanently available and do not depend on the currently selected part.

A final mixing stage provides a clear and immediate overview of all active parts, with intuitive control over balance and spatial placement, completing the transition from instrument design to expressive performance.

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UVI Introduces PX SunBox - Galactic Analog/Digital Jomox Sunsyn Based Hybrid Synth

Inspired by the Jomox Sunsyn.

Playlist:
UVI PX SunBox | Preset Showcase
UVI PX SunBox | Trailer
UVI PX SunBox | Overview

https://www.uvi.net/px-sunbox

UVI · PX SunBox - Showcase by Theo G

via UVI

The Best of Both Worlds

A feat of instrument design, the SunSyn is a fantastically complex-in-all-the-right-places labor of love from German synthmaker JoMoX. Released in 1999, it can be considered in simple terms as an 8-voice polyphonic analog/digital hybrid, or in a more adventurous way as 8 discrete modular mono synths. Each voice is outfitted with 2 true analog oscillators capable of saw, square, or pulse with PWM, and 2 guided digital oscillators with hundreds of waveforms and custom sample support.

Shape-Shifter

The filter section is equally impressive, with a morphable 4-pole true analog filter with discrete control over each pole's cutoff frequency. But maybe the most groundbreaking aspect is the modulation matrix. In spirit it's much closer to that of larger modular analog systems, allowing 4096 possible routings per element, 4 elements per voice, all done in the analog domain. But unlike fully analog systems the modulation routings here can be quickly made through an interactive matrix and saved in patch memory for instant recall.

Resurrecting a Sun

Working with such a complicated instrument has its challenges, especially given its age and limited production. Many parts for the SunSyn are extremely rare and almost impossible to source. In our case, to complete the servicing and refurbishment our tech had to purge parts from a second unit. An expensive and somewhat painful process but worth it in the end, as our sound designers headed off to work on a fully-restored and perfectly calibrated instrument with factory-spec parts.

Deep Sound Design

Sound design possibilities on the SunSyn are nearly endless, and the results of our process with it are evident. From massive, rich, and evolving polysynth sounds created in multi-mode, to devastating and aggressive monosynth sounds utilizing modulations of both analog oscillators, the digital RCOs, and filter morphing. We designed and recorded hundreds of multisampled soundsets, ending with a curated selection of 420 layers, delivering what we think represent the most unique, charactered, and sometimes epic, sounds possible on this machine.

Professional Presets

Bass, Bells, Brass, FX, Keys, Leads, Native Sequences, Organ, Pads, Percussive, Plucks, Polysynth, Strings, Sweeps, Voices, Waveform Analog, Waveform Digital, over 450 all-new + custom designed presets are available, built from a library of 30,660 authentic hardware samples. All presets are fully-editable, meaning you can deeply customize them or even create your own. And the dual-layer architecture of PX SunBox allows you to easily create incredible layered tones from any combination of the included sounds.

Fully-Editable Architecture

PX SunBox gives you a deep and capable toolset for creating and editing patches. From the dual-layer architecture with ADSR amp envelopes, multimode filters with envelope, poly or mono modes with glide, pitch shifting and advanced stereo modes, and handy modwheel mappings, to LFO and step modulators, two feature-rich arpeggiators, and a generous selection of high-quality effects including 3-band EQ with sweepable crossover, drive, Thorus, ensemble, Phasor, digital delay, and Sparkverb.

https://www.uvi.net/px-sunbox

Electro Lobotomy SAL+ processing bass guitar 1

Published on Nov 16, 2015 electro lobotomy

Update: two new videos added below.

"Bass guitar into the frequency divider on the Sonic Architecture Lab +
The SAL+ will soon be listed in my etsy shop...
https://www.etsy.com/shop/ElectroLobo..."

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SYNTHR10 is back !!! SynthR10 "March" demo n°1/4.

video upload by KurtzMindfields

"1st test of the new version of the SynthR10 : A performance combining left-hand arpeggiator (mode created) and right-hand polysynths, with aftertouch (monophonic with this keyboard). The effects are internal, made by Yves Usson.

Live performance.
See you at the Synthfest 2025 !

Creator links :
https://synthr.fr/
https://ozoe.fr/
http://home.yusynth.net/"

SYNTHR10 : Architecture & sons demo n° 2/4 :

video upload by KurtzMindfields

"Une fois n'est pas coutume, un petit speech sur le SynthR10 et son architecture basique sonore. (pour ceux qui ne seront pas au Synthfest)
Le SynthR10 est un polyphonique analogique 10 voies (2 cartes de 5 voies chacune, appelé A et B).
Chaque voie = 2 VCOs + 1 sub, 2 VCFs, 1 VCA, 2 LFOs analogiques et enveloppes commandés en tension.
Mode polyphonique : lecture des patchs avec panneau actif, pas de sauvegarde.(genre preset)
Mode "Load" (user) : on charge les patchs pour enregistrer les modifications
Mode Performance : 2 patchs en split ou layer (5 voies chaque), Arpeggiateur + synthé, Sequence + Synthé.
Il y a aussi un petit sequenceur looper intuitif ....
Mode unisson : mode monophonique jusqu’à 10 VCOs sur une note.
Liens des concepteurs :
https://synthr.fr/
https://ozoe.fr/"

SYNTHR10 : Architecture Sonore basique : demo succincte n° 3/4 :

video upload by KurtzMindfields

"Petite démonstration rapide de la fabrication d'un patch à partir de zéro.
par exemple un "pad" avec les 2 filtres :
Mélange des formes d'ondes
VCO1 et sub sur filtre1
VCO2 sur filtre2 en mode LP (low pass), 24db/octave (moins conseillé en polyphonie, lol)
Travail d'enveloppe
Ajout effets internes (crées par Yves Usson)
Modulation par les 2 LFOs."

SYNTHR10 Goes to Berlin School jam ! Demo 4/4

video upload by KurtzMindfields

"For this final demo, I'm using only the SynthR10 in two live sessions:
1 - Left-hand sequencer / / Right-hand melodies and effects
2 - Xpad polyphonic pad accompagment.
All reverb and delay effects are internal.

https://synthr.fr/
https://ozoe.fr/
https://kurtzmindfields.bandcamp.com/"

Epic Synth for iPad

Epic Synth - JPMartineau

"EpicSynth is a polyphonic synthesizer supporting CoreMIDI and Line6's Midi Mobilizer MIDI interface.

EpicSynth was inspired by legendary analog synthesizers of the 1980s. It's designed from the ground up to be EASY TO USE, POWERFUL, and FUN!

EpicSynth distills the essence of subtractive synthesis into a simple yet powerful app. Epic Synth's sound architecture is simple enough for beginners to learn about synthesis yet powerful enough to satisfy experienced sound modelers. Its straightforward interface is never an obstacle and lets you focus on the essential: the pleasure of creating new sounds!

FEATURE LIST:
Transposable two-octave keyboard (C to C) with pitch bend control.
Multi-mode arpeggiator
- Key hold function
- Stores 48 sound patches in 6 banks of 8 programs
Single patch sharing via email
Full memory backup via email
- Compatible with Midi Mobilizer MIDI interface by Line6
- Compatible with CoreMIDI compliant USB keyboards via Apple's Camera Connection Kit
- Four voices of polyphony

EPIC SYNTH IS EASY TO USE
EpicSynth's layout is very intuitive and efficient: you'll spend your time tweaking sounds instead of searching through endless pages of complicated parameters you never use. After all, synthesizers are tools for exploring sound, not exploring user interface pages!

EPIC SYNTH IS POWERFUL
EpicSynth’s features have been hand-picked to preserve the essence of classic synthesizers. Without being overwhelming, EpicSynth’s sound architecture provides tons of room to create great sounds, from classic leads to juicy acid basses, from 8-bit-like effects to complex evolving sonic textures.

EPIC SYNTH IS FUN
EpicSynth’s straightforward layout, inspired by the classic analog synths of the 1980s, yields instant tweaking gratification, while the arpeggiator assists you in creating awesome rhythmic soundscapes. Lose yourself in a sea of virtually infinite possibilities! Be warned that fooling around with EpicSynth can make you lose track of time!

SOUND ARCHITECTURE:
- Each of the four voices has:
- A simultaneous-multi-mode oscillator comprised of a pulse wave with pulse-width-modulation, a sawtooth wave, a sub-octave square wave and white noise generator.
- A standard envelope generator with attack, decay, sustain and release
- A lowpass (ladder) filter with resonance control and modulation routings
- Dual-mode Amplifier using Envelope Generator or Key Gate
- Shared components include
- LFO with adjustable delay
- High-pass Filter
- Chorus effect

ABOUT EPIC SYNTH
Epic Synth was created in Montréal by an indy synthesizer-addicted iOS software developer. After hunting down, buying and studying dozens of synths, both digital and analog, vintage and modern, monophonic and polyphonic, JP set out to create a great synth for the iPad: EpicSynth!"

Epic Synth - JPMartineau
iPads on eBay