ST4 Kickstarter trailer Published on Jan 20, 2016 Pieter van der Meer
"Part monster synthesizer, part computer: The ST4 is a unique product, loaded with features, that combines the best of both worlds."
You might remember the prototype ST4 videos posted here, back in October of last year. As you can see, the ST4 has come a long way. Tasty Chips has launched a kickstarter campaign to help fund the project. The following are a few details from their site for the archives:
The ST4 is a unique device that combines a powerful hybrid analog/digital synthesizer with a 16-bit style tracker music machine. It has digital oscillators backed up with sampling for versatility, with analogue VCF’s and VCA’s for character. It’s packed with features, yet these are almost all usable hands-on with dedicated knobs and buttons. It’s usable stand-alone for live gigs but also mountable in a standard 19″ rack, and fully MIDI controllable.
The layout of the controls is fully linear: the entire signal path from oscillator (left) up to VCA mastering (right) is laid out horizontally for each channel.
As mentioned it’s loaded with features like the sampler, built-in mic, and the bit crusher. It has its own stereo mixer. Most of these controls are completely duplicated per channel, allowing instant access, and powerful live experimentation. Think: running your MIDI sequencer and tweaking the channel’s LFO influence and VCO, VCF, and VCA envelopes live. Or even, use the on-board tracker for this!
Features:4 Stereo voices
Analog multi-mode VCF per channel including voltage controlled resonance.
4 Stereo VCA’s
2 LFO’s with saw, square, sine, noise and sample modes
Direct LFO modulation matrix: 4 channels x VCO, VCA, VCF
ADSR envelope for VCO, VCA, VCF per channel
MIDI IN: Monophonic on ch1..4 and polyphonic on ch5
MIDI OUT ch1..4 (via tracker)
Sampler and built-in microphone:
8 sample banks
configurable loop start, end
tuning
wav import/export
Digital oscillators: saw, square, sine, noise, sample
128 instruments (MIDI patches):
VCO, VCA, VCF env’s settings incl looping
VCF mode
oscillator mode
sample mapping
instrument chaining
Direct control of voice pair detuning
Built-in bitcrusher
3.2″ high colour TFT display
On-board multi-channel sequencer “16 bit tracker style”, in conjunction with USB keyboard:
4 channels
16 steps, panning & volume definable per step
1024 positions
powerful editor with many block functions
independent glide per channel
polyrhythm support, tap tempo, bpm display
Versatile casing usable as desktop or 19″ rackmount.
Interfaces:
4x 6.35mm channel outputs
2x 6.35mm master outputs (stereo)
1x 3.5mm line input (for sampler)
DIN-5 MIDI IN, OUT, THRU
USB A (for USB keyboard)
USB B Programming/debugging interface
SD card, for sample and song I/O
3.5mm stereo headphone
2.1mm AC power"
