Terra by Soma Laboratories

video upload by Cinematic Laboratory

"It's always a joy to hook up a new Soma device and get lost in streams of sound. In my humble opinion, Terra is one of the most beautiful synths on the planet."

Sonic LAB: Soma Terra Desktop - Conceptual Touch Synthesizer

video upload by sonicstate

"Another conceptual instrument from the folks at SOMA - the Terra is an interesting device with a DSP heart and an organic touch based interface. With 12 velocity and touch sensitive (note triggers) and four modifier controls which can radically alter the tone.
There are 32 algorithms which drive the internal sound engine and each of these can have additional variations - which are selected by the triangular set of touch buttons.
Also with a delay or reverb (one or the other)

The tuning of the note sensors can be done in semitones and microtuning making the scales and notes playable extremely unusual, or usual - the tunings are saved per patch.
In addition there are envelope settings for each bank of buttons, the decay/release or fade out of both the actual notes played and the modifier.

Additional tuning is handled by the pitch shifters - generally + 1 or 2 octaves and down -1 -2, with a fifth by pressing two together.

The results are pretty unusual, although you can easily tune Terra to be in key if you want to play with others.
Priced at €1300(+tax) $1599
http://somasynth.com

00:00 - Start
00:30 - overview
04:06 - Sounds 1
10:44 - Loading patches
12:46 - Modifying patches
14:06 - Transpose Buttons
19:26 - Drum patch
20:35 - Algorithms
25:13 - Arpeggiator
26:48 - Playing Terra
30:27 - Midi Control
33:40 - Conclusion"

Soma TERRA

video upload by Robin Rimbaud-Scanner

"The instruments that SOMA Synths build are some of the most innovative, original and inspiring musical tools around today. I just took delivery of TERRA, which continues their ambitious release of beautifully bizarre and unique creative instruments.

According to their press release - “The core idea is unity of nature and technology, and a perfect balance between simplicity and versatility. Behind the extremely simple interface hides a complex polyphonic, microtonal synthesiser with a broad and flexible sound palette that ranges from classical beautiful tones to complex atonal noise, and offers smooth and fast transitions between these extremes.”

You play by touching the sensors and can even use motion sensor to modulate and alter the sound by intuitive movements of your hands and body.

What I love is how it combines the world of the acoustic instrument, the bodily relationship to the device, as well as the flexibility and free range possibilities of synthesis. The housing of TERRA comes from a solid piece of wood, making each instrument unique and, so mine is utterly mine and mine alone. Here's what I made in the first couple of hours of playing with it today."

SOMA Terra jam - sounds from #superbooth #short

video upload by Perfect Circuit

"Perfect Circuit is an independent electronic instrument shop with an online store at https://www.perfectcircuit.com/ and a Burbank, California showroom at 2405 Empire Ave. We're open seven days a week, 12-8 PM, and our entire inventory is available to try out in person. Get your hands on the most excellent analog and digital synthesizers, effect pedals, Eurorack modular synths, drum machines, recording gear, and more!"

SOMA TERRA: Apply pressure to unleash chaos // Review and tutorial

video upload by loopop

TIMELINE:
0:00 Intro
2:20 Note sensors
3:30 Timbre sensors
4:10 Pitch shifters
5:30 Gyro
6:15 Holds
6:40 The Triangle
7:30 Envelopes
8:00 Effects
8:35 Sea & sun
9:10 Engine controls
10:50 LFO & Arp
12:00 Presets
12:50 Connectivity
13:30 Synth params
14:00 POLYPHONIC
17:00 Evil synthesis
18:35 Church organ?
20:15 Dist. ecstasy
20:40 EXPERIMENTAL
20:50 Gyro feedback
21:00 Drum synth
21:20 FM
21:55 Rate @ 50%
22:20 BASS
22:35 Smart glides
23:10 Expressive 303
23:30 SOLO
24:25 Formants
24:45 MIDI out
26:55 Pros & cons
29:30 Outro

NAMM 2023 - SOMA Laboratory - Terra

video upload by sonicstate

"Cari Flynn gave us a demonstration of the SOMA Terra, the highly expressive and lovely instrument that aims to cross the boundary between nature and technology. Behind the extremely simple interface is a complex polyphonic, microtonal synthesizer with a broad and flexible sound palette capable of beautiful tones, complex atonal noise, and everything in between.

Cari took us through some of the different banks and presets available, starting with the gentle and expressive preset in bank one sound one, and finishing by demonstrating the arpeggiator sounds in bank 4.

Available soon. Price: TBC"

Soma's Terra is a Wild Micro-Tonal Synthesizer | NAMM 2023

video upload by Reverb

"We had a chance to stop by the Soma Labs NAMM booth to see the new, yet-unreleased Soma Terra—a wildly innovative instrument hiding is a complex polyphonic, microtonal synth engine hidden under its simple, natural-feeling interface."

First Look - Soma Pulsar Utilities - Modular Add On

video upload by sonicstate

"During our visit to Soma Sound Machines in Warsaw, as well as the factory tour and look at the Terra production unit, we also had the chance to see the new Pulsar-23 Utilities - a stand alone device with triggers, attenuators and a variety of amplifiers designed to just add gain or to add character by using some unique and antiquated amplifier technologies.

It is designed as a companion to the Pulsar-23 Drum Machine - which is possibly one of the most unusual drum machines you'll come across, but could be equally useful as a general box of utilities in modular world, though it still uses the crocodile clips and post system of the Pulsar-23. Available in a few months we're told."

SOMA Synths Terra - First Look at the Production Unit & Factory Tour

video upload by sonicstate

"We were invited to visit Soma Sound Machines at their Warsaw factory and while we were there were shown the pre production model of the Terra - the unique and very sensitive instrument . Terra features twelve extremely sensitive nodes (cant think of what else to call them!) for playing pitches, plus five for modifying the timbre, there are also 7 modifier knobs which globally effect the sound with two being dependent on the algorithm used.

Despite the wooden case, Terra is a digital sound source and has multiple models which are played rather like instruments, each model has 64 variations. As usual, its a rather off the wall concept, but thats what makes Soma the way it is. In practice, its incredibly sensitive and flexible - reminds us of the Eagan Matrix instruments found in the Haken Continuum or the Osmose.

The Terra will be in production very soon and making its way into the stores."

You can find additional Terra posts here.

VISIT: SOMA Sound Machines Factory in Warsaw

video upload by sonicstate

"A couple of weeks back we were invited to visit the Soma Sound Machines factory in Warsaw, Poland. As well as a look at the first production models of the expressive Terra instrument, we got a look around their place.
PCBs and components are delivered here, the Through Hole hand soldered components are put onto the boards, any SMD (surface mount design) parts are sent off to the machine, units are tested put into the cases and shipped to distributors and customers. Lyra 8 , Kosmos, Pulsar-23 and Ether are made here and pretty soon the new Terra will be too.

Its actually a pretty cottage style industry, surprisingly small but also very efficient."

TERRA (SOMA lab) demo video

video upload by Vlad Kreimer

"All sound is just TERRA without external FXs or post processing."

You can find additional demos and details on SOMA Lab's TERRA in previous posts here.

Soma Labs "Enner" NAMM 2022 live audio demo

video upload by SynthAddict

0:48 basic mods
1:40 noisy bits
3:35 drone bits
4:15 stereo drone FX
6:37 video/audio demo


"Enner is currently unreleased but coming out soon.
Projected price: about $700 :-)

Soma Labs 'Terra' will come out later"

SUPERBOOTH Berlin Presentations & Recap - SUPERBOOTH23/SOOPERgrail Set for May, 2023

video uploads by Superbooth Berlin

Playlist:
Oberheim OB-X8 - Gesprächskonzert @SUPERBOOTH22
Erica Synths Syntrx II & Perkons - Gesprächskonzert @SUPERBOOTH22
SOMA Terra - Gesprächskonzert @SUPERBOOTH22
UDO Super 6 - Gesprächskonzert @ SUPERBOOTH22
Verbos Electronics Polyphonic Envelope - Gesprächskonzert @SUPERBOOTH22
ALM/BusyCircuits presenting the ASQ-1 - Gesprächskonzert @SUPERBOOTH22
Quanalog - Gesprächskonzert @SUPERBOOTH22

And the recap press release from SUPERBOOTH:

"SUPERBOOTH SUMMER SUN & SYNTHESIZER

SUPERBOOTH22 and SOOPERgrail welcomed around 6000 trade visitors, day guests and over 170 international exhibitors at FEZ-Berlin. In the year of the 20th anniversary of the Superbooth, for the first time innovative guitar builders were represented in larger num- bers and with their own exhibition space under the name SOOPERgrail.

The expanded concept of the largest trade event for electronic musical instruments in Europe has proven successful, and Superbooth Berlin GmbH has overcome the worst obstacles resulting from the Corona crisis. This clears the way for next year‘s planning - the date is set:
SUPERBOOTH23 and SOOPERgrail #2 at FEZ-Berlin: May 11-13, 2023. with even more innovative instruments and music, concerts, workshops, presentations, indoors and outdoors

Andreas Schneider: "For the anniversary version of Superbooth, as it turned out after all obstacles and difficulties, we can really only be grateful to everyone and congratulate everyone who was able to be there. The delicate little flower called #SOOPERgrail also made a successful start and the international events - above all the presentation with Hainbach for the Goethe Institute Tokyo and the partici- pation of Tom Oberheim and Dave Smith with their new instrument - were im- portant factors of culture and economy alike. We are already excited to see what will develop from this next year!"

The various areas of the anniversary edition each convinced with their very own at- mosphere, which always meandered between music festival, nerd get-together and a group trip with friends. The basis for relaxed encounters, lively exchange and a good mood was provided by the extended event area in the park, the large number of exhibi- tors and the summery weather.

Live:
The stage program represents an enormous variety of musical variation. Early electronic instruments such as the Trautonium were on display. Hainbach presented how electro- nic music was made by artists like Stockhausen in the 1960s, and many concerts fea- tured modular synthesizers, which can be seen as modern successors to the featured instruments. From the stages you could hear great live electronic music from ambient to techno, a lot of experimental and innovative works. Surprisingly for many guests, there was a performance by Richie Hawtin on the last day of the event.

The Modular Synthesizer Ensemble gave the mostly young participants their first stage experience with a composition they had previously developed together in a work- shop lasting several hours.
Within the framework of SOOPERgrail, there were many outstanding concerts and workshops, with individual instruments presented. In addition to traditional crafts, the artists and exhibitors also showed possibilities that enable expanded artistic expression. With the presented technologies, external devices can be controlled and microtonal music can be played.

The main stage for diverse guitar music was located in the circus tent. There was, among others, a blues concert by DobBroMan with spontaneous support from Thorsten Quaeschning of Tangerine Dream, the performance of Nagen & Kotzmann, who blurred the line between drone, ambient and free jazz, and Linalab, who brought along a drummer for her electronic post-rock, processed the sound of her electric guitar with a synthesizer, thereby ideally united the concepts of SOOPERgrail and SUPERBOOTH22.

Dokumentation:
The lecture-concerts (Gesprächskonzerte) recorded during the event are now available on Superbooth Berlin‘s YouTube and Vimeo channels, and the recordings of the other concerts will be released in the coming weeks.

Lecture-concerts are a combination of concert and presentation, where new inst- ruments are introduced in a concrete musical context. This year, legendary synthesizer manufacturer Oberheim made a comeback and presented a new instrument in this for- mat that, like its predecessors, seems to have the potential to become a classic.

We would like to expressly thank all exhibitors, artists, media representatives, trade vi- sitors and last but not least the numerous private visitors for their great support and the wonderful three days and are already looking forward to SUPERBOOTH23 and SOOPER- grail next year.

Save the date now: SUPERBOOTH23 and SOOPERgrail from May 11 to 13, 2023 at FEZ-Berlin!"

See the SUPERBOOTH label below for more.

Soma Labs - Terra - Superbooth 2022

video upload by KlangDing

Soma Instruments Terra Sound Demo (no talking) at Superbooth 2022

video upload by Bonedo Synthesizers

Superbooth 22: Soma - Terra

video upload by sonicstate

"Terra is a very organic-looking creation, crafted from wood and metal to fit comfortably to human hands and allow for the subtle expressivity of an accoustic instrument. The core idea is unity of nature and technology.

Under the (wood) hood, lies a 12 voice polyphonic digital synth, but as Vlad tells Gaz, it's a synth that embraces the best side of digital and avoid the worst, with no plasticky sounds here.

Soma Terra availability: the first custom units are becoming available, but production begins at the end of 22

Price: TBA - under 1000 euros for the production model"

Superbooth 2022: Soma Labs Terra

video upload by Future Music Magazine

New SOMA TERRA Synth

TERRA announcement (SOMA labs) video upload by Vlad Kreimer

"All sound in this video is TERRA without additional FX.
Just a slight master limiter was added."

via SOMA LABORATORY

TERRA is a new SOMA Labs synth that is currently in development.
TERRA is a highly conceptual device. The core idea is unity of nature and technology, and a perfect balance between simplicity and versatility. Behind the extremely simple interface hides a complex polyphonic, microtonal synthesizer with a broad and flexible sound palette that ranges from classical beautiful tones to complex atonal noise, and offers smooth and fast transitions between these extremes.

The innovative keyboard design invites new playing techniques and covers the full range of a grand piano with the possibility to tune each note with an accuracy of 125 steps per semitone. To achieve this range with such a simple keyboard we designed a unique system of pitch shifting using four additional sensors. Pressing different combinations of them will result in 16 variations of keyboard transposing, including up to 3 octaves up and down, fifth, fourth, third, tone etc.
Not only do you get the full range of a grand piano in a very compact design, TERRA also offers an entirely new and different approach to playing melodies and chords.

CLICK FOR MORE »