Beetlecrab has released a major firmware update for Tempera, its 16-voice polyphonic granular synthesizer.
The update introduces new synthesis capabilities, an updated reverb, workflow improvements and more.
New in Tempera firmware v2.0:
Per-emitter FX send level: Adjust the amount of effects applied to each emitter for eg. better separation of percussive and tonal sounds. Layering complex sounds has become much easier.
Double the amount of modulators: From 5 per voice to 10 per voice.
Relative X and Y scrubbing: Easily grain-scrub in two dimensions across the touch grid surface. Perfect pairing for the Tempera concept.
Adjustable LED and emitter colors: Personalize the look of your Tempera, including having better color separation for those of us with a different color perception.
Improved onboard keyboard: The new chromatic piano-like keyboard layout has better usability and clear visual feedback for standalone operation.
Quantized random grain detune: Grains’ random detune can now be quantized to fifths, octaves, or both, providing a natural shimmer or extra harmony.
Reverb upgrade: The new reverb algorithm provides richer and smoother reflections, and faster diffuse properties. Perfect for lush and wide soundscapes.
Modulator visualization: Modulators now provide improved visual feedback so it’s easier to get a clear picture of their behavior.
Stable and reliable MIDI clock sync: Improved clock BPM detection, MIDI clock sync is now durable and reliable.
Canvas quicksave: Save your project (“canvas” in Tempera lore) immediately with a quick and handy shortcut.
New shortcut for emitter editing: Newly added shortcut makes it easier to edit, cycle and organize emitter configurations.
New global MIDI channel parameter: Integrate Tempera easily into a bigger setup, while allowing for per-emitter MIDI channels.
Delay upgrade: A dot mode is added, along with smoother filter coloring
Bug fixes & polishing: The amount of bugs fixed, streamlining and polishing is too long to list. ????
Tempera is available now for $720. The firmware update is a free download for existing owners.
GliGli shared this sneak preview of the upcoming Overcycler hybrid polyphonic synthesizer. The Overcycler is intended to be an affordable DIY polysynth.
What they have to say about it:
“Now that there are cheap SMT clones of the SSM2044, I thought I could finally make this synth an affordable and easy to build DIY. My idea is to offer this synth as a fully soldered (almost) entirely SMT PCB, and let the users wire the panel (10 potentiometers, a 40*4 character display and a 16 keys keyboard) and build the enclosure.
For now, it’s hard to give a cost estimation, but let’s say it would (probably) be around 200€ for a fully assembled board (add less than 100€ for the rest).”
Features:
6 voice polyphony using hybrid synthesis (Digital “single cycle” oscillators / per-voice analog VCF and VCA).
2 synchronizable oscillators per voice, duty cycle modulation on any waveform, dual waveform mix modulation, “girth” modulation (from a subtle veil to “ring modulation”-like sounds), 80KHz sample rate for a clean sound by default.
3 complete envelopes with lin/exp choice and looping (oscillators/filter/amplifier).
2 complete LFOs with 6 modulation destinations.
1 noise generator.
Voice panning on the stereo output.
Sequencer / Arpeggiator.
Patches and single cycles (AKWF, ProphetVS, …) stored on an internal flash chip, accessible through USB mass storage.
USB powered with USB MIDI and regular MIDI.
The Overcycler is expected to be available in the next few months as a DIY kit with a pre-populated PCB for around 250€ or fully assembled for around €300.
The video demonstrates using the Spectravox to vocode, as a filterbank, as a synth voice, as an effects processor and more.
The Moog Spectravox is an analog spectral processor based around a 10-band filter bank. Spectravox can create lively drones and colorful tonal sweeps on its own, or add resonant depth and “psychedelic spectral movement” to any external sound. Connect a microphone, and Spectravox becomes a 10-band analog vocoder, with innovative integrated modulation of all of its filters.
The Spectravox was originally introduced as the Engineering Workshop project at Moogfest 2019. A key difference in the updated design is that the sliders of the original have been swapped for a row of pots, making room for additional patch points.
Here’s an index of the examples in the video:
00:00 Sneak preview of examples
00:45 Explaining How Spectravox Works
02:04 Spectravox as a Filterbank
04:14 Vocoding a DFAM
05:11 Spectravox as a Synth Voice
07:17 LFO to Spectrally Shift my Voice
07:41 Turning Drum Sounds into Hellscapes
09:35 Completely Remapping My Voice
11:09 Turning my voice into a bassline & snare
12:59 Integrating Eurorack
Watch the video and share your thoughts on the Spectravox in the comments!
