Developer Gavin Day let us know that he’s been developing a proximity-based MIDI controller, the Skapa Sound Air, that’s designed to provide infra-red gestural control in a beautiful hand-crafted, natural wood housing.
The Air lets you control instruments via both MIDI and CV simultaneously, with clear LED feedback.
Features:
Infra-red proximity detection, enabling you to control the parameters of your synths with a wave of your hand.
LED meter showing your parameter level. Designed to be easy to see, whether in the studio or in a live setting.
Lockable parameter level with a simple hand gesture.
Output to both MIDI and CV simultaneously – both using 3.5mm mini-jack sockets (MIDI requires mini-jack to 5 pin DIN adapter).
MIDI channel programmable (channels 1 to 16).
MIDI Control Change (CC) setting programmable between 16 values.
CV output range 0V to +5V.
USB powered (USB-C)
The Air is currently in development. Details on pricing and availability are to be announced. Visit the Skapa Sound site for details.
LOOK MUM NO COMPUTER -in his latest video, host Sam Battle discusses his experience building The Cloney Project, an unofficial DIY replica of the classic EMS VCS 3 synthesizer.
Battle shows the process of building his Cloney, shares some audio demos and discusses some of the problems that he still has to fix on his build.
The Cloney is a full-size clone of the original VCS 3 design, which was originally introduced in 1969. The developer is discussing another round of kits on the project Facebook page, with the cost expected to be around $2,500.
The original VCS 3 is technically still available from Electronic Music Studios (EMS), which says it’s “the world’s longest established synthesizer manufacturer.” The official VCS 3 is priced at £5950. EMS is a very small manufacturer, though, and has a backlog of years. One buyer has related waiting a full decade to get their VCS 3.
Other alternatives include the Erica Synths Syntrx, which is a modern design, inspired by the VCS 3. It’s a more capable synth than the original, with improved synthesis capabilities and patch memory. Jean-Michel Jarre – a long-time user of the original VCS 3 – has called the Syntrx II “an instant classic.”
And Behringer is working on an unofficial copy of the VCS 3. There’s no telling when it will actually be available, though. Behringer originally announced plans for their VCS 3 copy eight years ago.
Watch the video, and share your thoughts on the The Cloney Project in the comments!
Developer Christian Halten shared this interview with Simone Fabbri of Frap Tools about the creation of their new keyboard synthesizer, Magnolia, described as a ‘West Coast Polysynth’.
The Magnolia is one of the most interesting new synths introduced at Superbooth 2025. Frap Tools showcased two pre-production Magnolia synthesizer keyboards at the event.
Magnolia is an 8-voice analog through-zero FM synthesizer. Options include waveshapers, wavefolders, and analog linear through-zero FM – features associated with the “West Coast” synthesis world – in addition to analog oscillators and filters.
Frap Tools expects to release the Magnolia synthesizer at the end of summer 2025.
They note that the release version “may have a more refined interface, it will feature digital effects, and some of the features currently under evaluation may disappear.”
