Frap Tools Magnolia: From Eurorack to a Polyphonic Analog Synth

video upload by Music Journey with Paul

"At Superbooth 2026 I talked with Gattobus, who was involved in the development of Magnolia, about the idea behind this unusual instrument and what makes it different from a traditional analog polysynth.

Magnolia combines elements of classic analog synthesizers with ideas coming from the modular and West Coast synthesis worlds - including complex oscillators, wavefolding and through-zero FM.

We also talk about its fully analog VCOs, discrete circuits designed by Frap Tools, polyphonic aftertouch keyboard, its distinctly Italian design and why, despite its experimental architecture, Gattobus considers it an extremely playable and musical instrument."

Chapters
00:00 What is Frap Tools Magnolia?
00:35 Demo #1
01:08 Inside Magnolia: discrete analog circuits
02:02 Polyphonic aftertouch and the Fatar keyboard
02:23 Italian design - like a Lamborghini?
02:39 West Coast synthesis, wavefolding and through-zero FM
03:25 Demo #2
04:39 Gattobus' role in developing Magnolia 05:10 The story behind Frap Tools
05:45 Demo #3

"A song for the sad ones" by gattobus (Frap Tools Magnolia)

video upload by gattobus

"The song can be downloaded here:



This song was born a few months ago while I was programming some patches for Magnolia. I'm not having a great time right now, but luckily, as sometimes happens, music has come to help me. This song carries hope and all my wishes for peace and serenity.

All synth sounds are from Frap Tools Magnolia.
Drums: Roland TR-8S with LinnDrum LM-1 samples
Mixed and mastered on Ableton Live 12."

Fraptools MAGNOLIA - (sounds only DEMO by gattobus)

video upload by gattobus and Frap Tools

"What is Magnolia? I’ve selected some patches I’ve created (except the second one, which is Giovanni’s from Fraptools) to give you an idea about it. Most of the sounds you hear are factory presets. I’m honoured and so proud to have been part of Magnolia’s creation. I tested the prototype for months and created some crazy programs with it.

Most of the FX you hear in the video are internal. No external FX were added except for a couple of patches; check the upper right corner of the screen for details."

"Chances" Live Modular Performance by gattobus

video upload by gattobus

"Some days ago I programmed this patch with my modular and started jamming on it.
Everything is turning around a semi-random sequence programmed on Frap Tool USTA.

If you want to replicate this patch I shared all the info with the guys at @Frap Tools, you can find their patch notes here: https://frap.tools/stage-shift-probab...

At the end of the video you will find a complete list of all the modules I used in this patch."

How to Reverse Engineer Any Magnolia Preset (No Screen Needed)

video upload by Frap Tools

"Factory presets are often treated as black boxes — especially on instruments without a visual interface.

Magnolia, despite its minimal display, provides all the information needed to fully understand and reconstruct a patch — if you know where to look.

In this video, we go through a structured method to reverse engineer any preset, starting from its architecture (single, dual, split), through performance settings like polyphony and arpeggiator, and finally into the details of sound design.

We’ll focus on how to identify modulation routings, distinguish default parameter values from modulation offsets, and interpret the instrument’s LED feedback to extract meaningful information.

The goal is not just to recreate presets, but to understand how they are built — turning Magnolia’s interface into a powerful analytical tool rather than a limitation.

Factory preset no. 001 by ‪@gattobus‬"

00:00 Introduction
00:54 Part and polyphony settings
02:32 Arpeggiator
02:43 Modulations
06:09 Sound design parameters
08:54 Modulation amounts
11:11 Remove the modulations to listen to the bare sound
12:18 Repeat everything for part B
16:42 Conclusion