Trigon Days

Sequential has announced the Trigon-6, a new 6-voice analogue synth that features the company’s unique take on classic 3-VCO-plus-ladder-filter tone in a modern polyphonic instrument. The Trigon-6 was designed by the Sequential team and was the last design that Dave Smith contributed to. “Dave Smith was very excited about the Trigon-6 and we believe it continues his legacy as a synth creator,” said Sequential CEO David Gibbons.

The Trigon-6 features three newly-designed, discrete voltage-controlled oscillators per voice, with simultaneously selectable waveshapes (triangle, sawtooth, reverse sawtooth, and variable-width pulse). The 2- and 4-pole ladder filter design with feedback and drive puts Sequential’s own stamp on the classic transistor ladder filter sound that has proven its appeal since the dawn of the synth era. Analogue voltage-controlled amplifiers complete the analogue signal path.

“Our new VCOs and filters give the Trigon-6 a tremendous amount of warmth and presence,” said CEO David Gibbons. “The classic, big, punchy analogue ladder filter tone is all here — but with some unique enhancements of our own. The addition of drive and feedback allow for a wider palette of sounds than is typical, while still retaining the ability to dial back the aggression to achieve sweet, creamy tones just as easily.”

The Trigon-6 takes inspiration from its acclaimed stablemates, the Prophet-6 and OB-6, borrowing their form factor and easy-to-navigate knob-per-fuction panel design. Also present is the much-loved Poly Mod section, also with enhancements. Modulation sources are filter envelope and oscillator 3 (both with bi-polar control). Destinations include oscillator 1, 2, and 3 frequency, oscillator 1, 2, and 3 pulse width, low-pass filter cutoff, and feedback. Another welcome reprise is Unison mode, which features configurable voice count (1-6 voices) and key modes.

The knob-per-function front panel is free of menu-diving, offering immediate access to virtually all parameters. Toggling off the Preset switch enables Live Panel Mode, in which the sound of the instrument switches to the current settings of its knobs and switches. “We wanted to make the Trigon-6 as fast and easy to navigate as possible,” said Senior Product Designer Andrew McGowan. “Switch off Preset and what you see is what you hear.”

A dual effects section provides studio-quality reverbs, delays (including modelled digital and analogue types), chorus, flanger, phase shifter, and ring modulation. While the effects themselves are digital, with 24-bit, 48kHz resolution, a true bypass maintains a full analogue signal path. An independent stereo distortion is also provided and is 100% analogue.

Additionally, the Trigon-6 features a multimode arpeggiator and a polyphonic step sequencer with up to 64 steps (and up to 6 notes per step) plus rests. It allows polyphonic keyboard input and can sync to external MIDI clock.

The premium, full-size, four-octave, semi-weighted Fatar keyboard is velocity and aftertouch sensitive. “We made size a primary concern on the Trigon-6. We think it’s an ideal mix of portability and power,” said CEO David Gibbons. “Best of all, it sounds amazing. Musicians will love it.”