Synapse Audio Software has updated The Legend HZ, their software synth created in collaboration with Hans Zimmer & Kevin Schroeder, to version 2.1.
New in The Legend HZ v2.1:
The main addition is a paragraphic equalizer on the back panel, giving more tonal shaping options directly within the instrument.
The compressor section also receives an upgrade with a new saturation feature, adding warmth and character to the final output.
For users working with alternative tuning systems, the updated version introduces microtuning support via MTS-ESP, opening up The Legend HZ to a wider range of musical styles and experimental workflows.
Rounding out the update are 50 new factory presets, crafted by sound designer Kevin Schroeder.
At SynthFest France, held April 17-19, 2026, Pylobolus is introducing the Alkove 12-Voice Binaural Hybrid Synthesizer.
The Alkove is a stereo multitimbral hybrid synthesizer, that combines analog VCA dynamics, formant and subtractive synthesis with real-time DSP.
What makes Alkove unique is that it lets you go beyond designing patches and lets you design your synth’s architecture. The instrument lets you build the synth architecture from the ground up on your computer, defining oscillators, selecting and combining filters, organizing signal paths, shaping stereo space, phase relationships, and depth.
As you make your architecture changes, each modification is instantly reflected on Alkove. What is created is not just a preset, but a purpose-built instrument — with its own structure, its own behavior, and a carefully defined set of parameters available for live interaction.
Alkove provides a set of building blocks for creating your synth designs:
Sound sources combine traditional subtractive synthesis with classic and formant-based oscillators (VOSIM), letting you create both familiar and unconventional timbres. 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.
UVI has introduced Vintage Casio Legacy, a collection of virtual versions of 6 classic Casio electronic instruments.
The collection includes six standalone instruments, CZ, FZ, VZ, HZ, CTK, and RZ, each with its own character and history, plus a Multi instrument that transforms the suite into a unified performance workstation.
A video demo of the Vintage Casio Legacy collection:
Vintage Casio Legacy combines hardware sampling with modern sound shaping and performance controls, and features 1,400+ presets and 110,000+ samples.
UVI Vintage Casio Legacy is available now for $199 USD.
