WORLD OF MUSIC ; PORTABLE KEYBOARD - Latest Portable Music Keyboards, Synthesizers and Music News

 

 

Soma Laboratory has introduced their new synth Terra, that they describe as a “highly conceptual device”.

 

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 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.

 

The keyboard consists of 12-note sensors, with velocity and pressure sensitivity allowing for the manual creation of slow attack and vibrato, 4 dynamic sensors for timbre modification and control, 4 pitch-shifting sensors and 2 hold sensors for holding the state of the timbre and note sensors.

 

“Terra is our dream about a bright future where we will be both technologically advanced and more connected to nature,” they note, “where machines and technology are not a prison for our feelings and spirit but their extension.”

 

 

Inside Terra there is a three-axis motion sensor for creating a variety of different modulations by simple intuitive movements of your hands and body.

 

Terra is digital and contains 32 complex synthesis algorithms. Each algorithm has been carefully designed to be a complete and flexible musical instrument on its own, ready for learning and playing in its own unique way. The goal is to free the musician from long exhausting programming, setting hundreds of parameters for creating one timbre, and instead putting the focus directly on music and performance and following your imagination and inspiration.

 

Additionally, Terra has a simple interface that gives you instant access to all its functions in several touches, including saving and loading the 96 presets that are stored directly on the playing sensors. Terra has no display. Instead, it shows and lets you dial all necessary data on the 6 LED-sensor triangle in the center.

 

The housing of Terra comes from a solid piece of wood, making each instrument unique and slightly different. In the photo above and in the announcement demo video you can see the prototype of the synth.

 

Pricing and availability is to be announced.

 

 

 

 

 

 

The Legendary analog polysynth returns.

 

Ahead of Superbooth 2022, photos and specifications have leaked for the Oberheim OB-X8 synthesizer.

 

Looks like the rumours were true: Tom Oberheim really is about to launch a new and expanded version of the OB-X, one of the most beloved synths in history. Known as the OB-X8, this appears to be an 8-voice analogue polysynth that is inspired by the classic OB series but also goes way beyond it.

 

As with presets. it offers 400-plus factory programs (along with 600 user-programmable preset locations) including the full set of factory sounds for the OB-X, OB-SX, OB-Xa, and OB-8.

 

The leak indicates that the OB-X8 will have a 61-note Fatar keyboard that’s velocity- and touch-sensitive for maximum expression, and bi-timbrality will enable you to use two presets for splitting or doubling. It is an 8-voice analog design with two discrete EM/OB-X-lineage VCOs per voice (sine, saw, square, triangle and noise) for that classic Oberheim tone, along with genuine Curtis filters.

 

Further enhancements include additional SEM filter modes that add high-pass, band-pass and notch functions to the classic OB-X filter, while a vintage knob is reported to enable you to dial in adjustable amounts of voice-to-voice variability, emulating the behaviour of vintage instruments. Enhanced unison option enables up to eight voices of variable voice stacking, variable triangle wave cross-modulation, programmable per-voice panning and variable oscillator and noise levels. Channel aftertouch is on the cards, as well.

 

 

 

 

Oberheim OB-X8 Specifications (Unofficial):

 

• 8-voice, pure-analog polyphony with sine, saw, square, triangle, and noise
• Two discrete SEM/OB-X-lineage VCOs per voice deliver classic punchy Oberheim tone
• Discrete SEM-lineage VCFs deliver authentic OB-X-style tone and presence
• Genuine Curtis filters add bold OB-Xa/OB-8 character
• Meticulously modeled envelope responses match each OB model: OB-X, OB-Xa, and OB-8
• The 61-key FATAR velocity- and touch-sensitive keyboard allows unparalleled expression and responsiveness
• Bi-timbral capability allows two presets simultaneously for splits and doubles
• 400-plus factory programs, including the full set of factory sounds for the OB-X, OB-SX, OB-Xa, and OB-8
• Integral, fanless, heatsink-free power supply
• Real walnut end cheeks
• High-resolution OLED display enables patch management and easy access to advanced features
• Classic Oberheim Pitch and Mod levers allow expressive note bending, vibrato, and access to arpeggiator functions

 

Enhancements:

 

• Additional SEM Filter modes add high-pass, band-pass, and notch functions to the classic OB-X filter
• Vintage knob allows variable amounts of voice-to-voice variability to emulate the behavior of vintage instruments
• Velocity sensitivity adds expressiveness to volume and filter
• Channel Aftertouch adds real-time performance-based modulation
• Enhanced unison allows variable voice stacking from 1-8 voices
• Variable triangle wave cross-modulation
• Over 600 user-programmable preset locations
• Programmable per-voice pan allows wider stereo presence
• Variable oscillator and noise levels

 

Ins and Outs:

 

• Stereo and Mono outputs
• Volume, Sustain, and Filter inputs
• Arpeggiator clock input
• MIDI In, Out, Thru
• USB

 

 

Official details are still to be announced, but the Oberheim OB-X8 is expected to be priced around $5,000 and have a June 2022 release date.

 

Keep an eye on the Oberheim website for more.

 

Could the Oberheim OB-X8 the greatest synthesizer Tom Oberheim has ever designed? Check out the details

via  sequencer.de, modwiggler