Pylobolus Debuts Unique Alkove 12-Voice Binaural Hybrid Synthesizer
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.
Audio demos are available at the Pylobolus site.
Details on pricing and availability are to be announced.
