Korg Berlin shows off a prototype ‘acoustic synthesizer’

The thought of an acoustic synthesizer would possibly sound like an oxymoron, but it surely’s precisely the type of sudden ideas that Korg Berlin was created to pursue. This unbiased, R&D-focused division was cofounded in 2020 by Maximilian Relaxation and Tatsuya Takahashi, the person behind the Volcas, Minilogue and numerous different trendy classics. However it has remained fairly quiet since its inception. That modified this week at Superbooth the place the staff confirmed off its first prototype the Acoustic Synthesis_phase5. 

In contrast to a standard synth that makes use of oscillators, the phase5 makes use of tuned steel forks. These forks are specifically designed to supply particular elementary notes and overtones. And for the reason that core sound era right here is an acoustic resonator, it has sure qualities a standard synth doesn’t. As an illustration it is going to suggestions like a guitar when held close to an amp and ring when struck on its aspect. Takahashi instructed Fess Grandiose of Reverb, “we’re attempting to type of seize this rawness of devices, whereas being on the identical time, controllable like a synthesizer.”

So that is the “acoustic” half: steel tines that ring, resonate and decay, nearly like a Fender Rhodes. The synth half comes from the magnets contained in the phase5 that permit it to maintain simply the elemental observe, or the elemental and the overtones, or simply the overtones. The overtones can be modulated with an LFO making a sound that may solely be described as a sea sick bell. 

Typically the sound it generates within the brief demo video above is kind of distinctive. It does have a ringing, vaguely Rhodes-like high quality to it. However it additionally type of seems like what you would possibly count on of a singing bowl patch on a ’90s sample-based synth. It is a contact otherworldly. 

Proper now the phase5 is only a prototype and it is prone to keep that method. Proper now Korg Berlin is just gauging curiosity within the know-how. And if it looks as if there is a marketplace for this type of unusual hybrid acoustic synth, then it is going to discover methods to develop it additional right into a completed product.