Modular Synthesis In VR
Unattainable for many, at least on any large scale, Synthspace is a VR environment for building. patching, programming and playing modular.
26 October 2020
Modular synthesizers come in pieces, and modules are combined to create and shape electronic signals into the most amazing sounds, a haven for producers, musicians and sound designers since the days of the Moog Modular. The first release of Synthspace comes with an arsenal of 25+ modules that give you a wide range of tools for creating your own unique songs and soundscapes.
You snap modules into racks, plug patch cables into sockets, grab and turn knobs, push buttons – it’s a physical experience and as close as you can get to having a real modular synth. It feels instantly familiar, but – being a virtual instrument – it’s infinitely more flexible.
You can spawn new modules in an instant and can easily save/load individual racks or your entire setup.
Point at a plug and you see a live-waveform of what’s going through that cable.
Turn a knob and a holographic dial shows you exactly where you’re at. Pull the knob towards you to decrease its sensitivity and hone in on the perfect spot with ultimate precision.
Interactive tutorials and a clever contextual help system get you started even without any prior experience.
Developer Markus Hofer says: “Modular synthesis is such a great way to get into sound design, but rarely ever was a beginner able to afford a full modular setup. Synthspace changes that. One of our big goals is to open up this wonderful creative experience to more people than ever!”
Synthspace has much to offer for beginners and seasoned modular users alike. It is driven by a custom node-graph-based audio-engine and Hofer says that they currently only expose a small subset of what the underlying platform is capable of. The initial release focuses on a polished core experience and a good set of modules, but beyond that the sky’s the limit.
“Creative expression is most fundamental and essential to the human experience. We’re building Synthspace because we want to explore and define what the future of making music is going to be like!”
RESPONSES