At Superbooth 2023, Korg Berlin was sharing a preview of the Acoustic Synthesis_phase5, a prototype acoustic synthesis instrument.
In this video, synth designer and Korg Berlin CEO Tatsuya ‘Tats’ Takahashi shares a preview of the unusual synth with Reverb’s Fess Grandiose.
While most electronic musicians think about synthesizers as instruments that generate sound completely electronically, in the 1850s, the German scientist Hermann von Helmholtz created devices that could synthesize sound electroacoustically, using an early type of additive synthesis. The Helmholtz Synthesizer was designed for scientific research, though, not musical performance.
The Acoustic Synthesis_phase5 builds on similar ideas, but seems closer to the work of Paul Vo, who created the Moog Guitar and the Vo-96 Guitar, instruments that implement forms of acoustic synthesis with guitar strings.
Like the Helmholtz Synthesizer, the Acoustic Synthesis_phase5 is based on electromechanical control of tuning fork, and lets you mix overtones to shape sounds. But Korg’s device is designed to be a musical instrument, so it can be played chromatically. Because it’s built around resonating tines, the instrument can have initial attack qualities similar to a Fender Rhodes. But it can also sustain notes indefinitely and it can feedback like an electric guitar.
While both the Vo-96 Guitar and Acoustic Synthesis_phase5 give you granular control over the harmonics of the sounds they generate, the range of sounds that the instruments can create is constrained by the physical qualities of the instrument. So the VO-96 can create a wide range of sounds, but they all sound guitar-like, and the Acoustic Synthesis_phase5 creates sounds that have a bell-like quality that’s similar to a Rhodes piano.
The phase5 is a prototype, so no details on specifications, pricing or availability have been announced at this time.
At Superbooth 2023, Erica Synths has introduced two new modules, Black DADSR EG & Black EG2.
The Black DADSR EG and the Black EG 2 are new analog envelope generators, each with distinct features that significantly expand modulation palette of the modular synth.
The Erica Synths Black DADSR (Delay-Attack-Decay-Sustain-Release) is a fully analog envelope generator that gives you extended control over events in your modular synth.
It’s a looping exponential envelope generator that has voltage control over each stage of the envelope. An independent Gate Delay section adds extra functionality to design advanced soundscapes, like delayed modulation effects, wave morphing, etc.
Available now Price € 160.00.
The Erica Synths Envelope Generator 2 is a re-triggerable, looping envelope generator with some unconventional features that are very useful for experimental setups.
What sets the Black EG2 apart from other envelope generators is its optional GATE LENGTH setting, which allows for generating full ADSR envelopes even if a short trigger is used at the input. Likewise, in LOOP mode, the module outputs a full ADSR envelope instead of a classical AD envelope. The gate length is both manual and CV controlled, which allows for using this envelope generator in compact modular setups controlled by trigger sequencers only.
Features:
Full exponential ADSR envelope
Retriggering option
Internal gate generator with adjustable gate length
At Superbooth 2023, Gert Jalass of Moon Modular is introducing their new Moon Sequencer Series, a major update to their Moog format mega-sequencer.
The company is also celebrating 15 years of “The Lunar Experience”, since their founding in 2008.
The Moon Sequencer system has long been a core part of the company’s lineup. It builds on the legacy of the iconic Moog 960 Sequential Controller, offering similar large-format usability, but with dramatically enhanced capabilities.
Now they’ve introduced a major update to the heart of their sequencer line, the 569 Quad Sequential Voltage Store V2.0:
Jalass says that the main differences with the 569 Quad Sequential Voltage Store V2.0 are hidden “under the hood”. This will allow owners of an existing 569 to upgrade to v2 by exchanging its “brain”.
What’s new with the 569 Quad Sequential Voltage Store V2.0:
It can “speak” to the new 569 E Quad Voltage Store Expander.
It can be expanded by the 569 C Row Mode Controller. This module lets you assign up to three special functions to defined steps of a sequence:
Control voltage
Gate-on time
Clock division
Clock multiplication (aka “ratchet”)
The transpose input of the 569 can be switched on and off per row.
It can now be expanded by up to two 565 D quantizer
Bonus (w/o any of the new expanders connected) is a controllable gate length.
The following supporting modules can be connected in any combination:
1 569C Quad Row Controller
1 or more 569E Quad Voltage Store Expander
1 or 2 565D Quantizer Controller
The company’s existing expander modules (569EG, 569EGB, 569ES, 569EGB and 569LE) are still supported.
The new modules are expected to be available in Q3 2023, with pricing TBA. Find out more info on the Moon Modular website.
