Modulus recently launched the Modulus.002, the world’s first analogue/digital music synthesiser de- signed for the Internet age. Designed and built in the UK by a team of passionate synthesiser experts, it creates the rich analogue sounds that have been at the heart of creative music since the 1960’s by using a mix of classic analogue techniques and the latest digital technology to give reliability and inno- vation.
“Analogue synthesisers from the last century are collectors’ items and highly sought after because of the amazing sounds but the electronics are now getting old and increasingly frail,” explained Philip Taysom, Modulus co-founder. “It’s tough to use them for live performances or recording sessions as they are difficult to keep working. Most modern designs of polyphonic synthesisers are pure digital and just don’t have the same iconic sound qualities, in our opinion."
"What we have created in the Modulus.002 is a fusion of these iconic analogue and hybrid sounds of the 70s and 80s synthesisers with the reliability of the latest electronics plus Internet connectivity to share sounds, settings and work collaboratively on music without relying on painfully slow serial/MIDI connections to do so. This is the first synthe- siser designed for the interconnected 21st Century. The UK pioneered the synthesiser industry back in the 60s and 70s and that has grown to a three-quarters of a billion pound a year global business, but now with little UK input. We are putting the UK back on the map with the first polyphonic synthe- siser to have been completely designed and built in the UK for several decades.”
Using high quality components, the Modulus.002 is a premium product designed to be the flagship in the Modulus range. The keyboard layout includes a semi-weighted, five octave key mechanism and has been ergonomically designed by musicians so that the hands fall naturally and intuitively to the controls.
It provides twelve discrete voices of polyphony with full multi-timbrility if required. Adding to the ease of use is a large integral display screen that is context sensitive, i.e. it displays the control parameters of any control knobs immediately when touched by the user. Quick recall banks enable preset sequences and settings to be stored for instant use such as during a live performance. NCOs (Numerically Controlled Oscillators) are used for stability and accuracy while an analogue transistor ladder filter provides classic ‘warm’ sounds.
