virtual analog

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  • Modal Electronics SkulptSynth SE

    SkulptSynth SE review: Cheap and confusing, but incredibly powerful

    by 
    Terrence O'Brien
    Terrence O'Brien
    08.02.2021

    Modal proves once again that it can make impressive sounding synths for dirt cheap.

  • Roland

    Roland's Zen-Core engine lets instruments share synth sounds

    by 
    Terrence O'Brien
    Terrence O'Brien
    01.15.2020

    Roland basically abandoned pure analog synths. Instead it's been focused on improving its digital instruments and software that pay homage to the past, while embracing the future. But here's the thing, thanks to powerful audio processors there's very little these days keeping one synth engine tied to any particular device; The Microfreak borrows heavily from Mutuable Instruments Plaits and the Organelle runs patches built in the cross-platform, for instance. Roland has apparently decided this is a harbinger of the future of synthesis and so it's launching Zen-Core, a synth engine that will work across a wide swath of its instruments.