I imagine these will be in production on their website after the initial run. I flat love it. My biggest question is... they say "want more then 4 voice? buy two." can I poly link them?
https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/sk ... ynthesiser
Modal Skulpt
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GrooveSculptor GrooveSculptor https://www.kvraudio.com/forum/memberlist.php?mode=viewprofile&u=363402
- KVRer
- 4 posts since 23 Jul, 2015
Just got an update from them and their working-out how polychaining will work, so yes.
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- KVRAF
- Topic Starter
- 4751 posts since 22 Nov, 2012
GrooveSculptor wrote:Just got an update from them and their working-out how polychaining will work, so yes.
wow, thanks. they seem to be good with software so I expect it will get done. these are sweet!
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- GRRRRRRR!
- 15939 posts since 14 Jun, 2001 from Somewhere else, on principle
Does anyone have one of these yet? Nobody has them in shops here in Australia, so I can't play with one myself, but it looks cool and sounds pretty good in the videos I've seen. I'm thinking it might complement my Uno rather nicely.
NOVAkILL : Asus RoG Flow Z13, Core i9, 16GB RAM, Win11 | EVO 16 | Studio One | bx_oberhausen, GR-8, JP6K, Union, Hexeract, Olga, TRK-01, SEM, BA-1, Thorn, Prestige, Spire, Legend-HZ, ANA-2, VG Iron 2 | Uno Pro, Rocket.
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- GRRRRRRR!
- 15939 posts since 14 Jun, 2001 from Somewhere else, on principle
Dasheesh, according to their website you can link up to four of them.
NOVAkILL : Asus RoG Flow Z13, Core i9, 16GB RAM, Win11 | EVO 16 | Studio One | bx_oberhausen, GR-8, JP6K, Union, Hexeract, Olga, TRK-01, SEM, BA-1, Thorn, Prestige, Spire, Legend-HZ, ANA-2, VG Iron 2 | Uno Pro, Rocket.
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- GRRRRRRR!
- 15939 posts since 14 Jun, 2001 from Somewhere else, on principle
They finally have a couple at my local music shop so I'll be off to have play tomorrow night. Woo-hoo!
NOVAkILL : Asus RoG Flow Z13, Core i9, 16GB RAM, Win11 | EVO 16 | Studio One | bx_oberhausen, GR-8, JP6K, Union, Hexeract, Olga, TRK-01, SEM, BA-1, Thorn, Prestige, Spire, Legend-HZ, ANA-2, VG Iron 2 | Uno Pro, Rocket.
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- GRRRRRRR!
- 15939 posts since 14 Jun, 2001 from Somewhere else, on principle
Went to the shop tonight. They didn't have one set up to play with so I bought one, knowing I have 30 days to return it if I'm not happy with it. Bugger that, it's mine! So here are my first impressions, after a few hours of demoing the presets and playing around with the controls.
The hardware itself is really nice. It weighs almost nothing but looks and feels well put together. It's the same width as Uno but only has around half the number of keys (16 v 27). The keys perform lots of functions, including bank/patch selection. The key widths aren't consistent so it is not easy to play, although the glossy surface is good to the touch (but it picks up fingerprints like you wouldn't believe). It's also a bit of a bummer than you can't simply scroll through presets, you have to select them one at a time. There is also a bit of an issue with the keys being a bit sensitive - a couple of times I just picked it up and the pressure from the way I was holding it was enough to trigger notes. It's not a big deal unless you plan on playing it while walking around your room (or a stage).
Soundwise it is pretty amazing. Compared to MicroMonsta it sounds a lot cleaner, more polished and somehow more musical. I've mostly just been comparing presets but what I've heard gives me plenty of confidence that I will be able to get some really good timbres from it. The bottom end, in particular, is huge, it goes way deeper than MicroMonsta. I can't A-B it with Uno because I only have one jack to mini-jack lead that works so I can only use one at a time (a ridiculous situation but true). Obviously, though, with it's 32 oscillators and cross-modulation, it is more capable than Uno but a sound comparison will have to wait.
Programming is taking a bit of getting used to. The basics are easy but each of the 14 knobs and 13 buttons have dual functionality and the cross-hatch layout and tiny labels don't really help much. I know I'll get used to it but it's a bit annoying right now. The morphing oscillators and filter both have a lot of sound design potential, I just have to work out how to tap into it. Assigning envelopes and LFO can be done from the front panel, I just need to RTFM. I'm not fond of the wavefolding distortion effect, it's a bit unsubtle, although it sounds OK. There are some nice metallic and bell presets, so I assume the FM capabilities are pretty good.
Overall I am pretty impressed. It's a bit clunky to program but it sounds great and once I get used to it a bit more I think the experience will improve. It's not stupidly cheap, about halfway between a Monologue and a Minilogue, but it is more capable than either of those synths and sounds better, too (I don't care that it's not analogue, good sound is good sound). I imagine if it had a proper keyboard, even a mini one, it might be taken more seriously but I think you'd be stupid to underestimate it, it's a great little unit.
The hardware itself is really nice. It weighs almost nothing but looks and feels well put together. It's the same width as Uno but only has around half the number of keys (16 v 27). The keys perform lots of functions, including bank/patch selection. The key widths aren't consistent so it is not easy to play, although the glossy surface is good to the touch (but it picks up fingerprints like you wouldn't believe). It's also a bit of a bummer than you can't simply scroll through presets, you have to select them one at a time. There is also a bit of an issue with the keys being a bit sensitive - a couple of times I just picked it up and the pressure from the way I was holding it was enough to trigger notes. It's not a big deal unless you plan on playing it while walking around your room (or a stage).
Soundwise it is pretty amazing. Compared to MicroMonsta it sounds a lot cleaner, more polished and somehow more musical. I've mostly just been comparing presets but what I've heard gives me plenty of confidence that I will be able to get some really good timbres from it. The bottom end, in particular, is huge, it goes way deeper than MicroMonsta. I can't A-B it with Uno because I only have one jack to mini-jack lead that works so I can only use one at a time (a ridiculous situation but true). Obviously, though, with it's 32 oscillators and cross-modulation, it is more capable than Uno but a sound comparison will have to wait.
Programming is taking a bit of getting used to. The basics are easy but each of the 14 knobs and 13 buttons have dual functionality and the cross-hatch layout and tiny labels don't really help much. I know I'll get used to it but it's a bit annoying right now. The morphing oscillators and filter both have a lot of sound design potential, I just have to work out how to tap into it. Assigning envelopes and LFO can be done from the front panel, I just need to RTFM. I'm not fond of the wavefolding distortion effect, it's a bit unsubtle, although it sounds OK. There are some nice metallic and bell presets, so I assume the FM capabilities are pretty good.
Overall I am pretty impressed. It's a bit clunky to program but it sounds great and once I get used to it a bit more I think the experience will improve. It's not stupidly cheap, about halfway between a Monologue and a Minilogue, but it is more capable than either of those synths and sounds better, too (I don't care that it's not analogue, good sound is good sound). I imagine if it had a proper keyboard, even a mini one, it might be taken more seriously but I think you'd be stupid to underestimate it, it's a great little unit.
NOVAkILL : Asus RoG Flow Z13, Core i9, 16GB RAM, Win11 | EVO 16 | Studio One | bx_oberhausen, GR-8, JP6K, Union, Hexeract, Olga, TRK-01, SEM, BA-1, Thorn, Prestige, Spire, Legend-HZ, ANA-2, VG Iron 2 | Uno Pro, Rocket.
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- GRRRRRRR!
- 15939 posts since 14 Jun, 2001 from Somewhere else, on principle
Really? Is no-one interested in one of the best synths to be released in the last year that's priced closer to VSTi than to other hardware? Wow, strange place, this.
NOVAkILL : Asus RoG Flow Z13, Core i9, 16GB RAM, Win11 | EVO 16 | Studio One | bx_oberhausen, GR-8, JP6K, Union, Hexeract, Olga, TRK-01, SEM, BA-1, Thorn, Prestige, Spire, Legend-HZ, ANA-2, VG Iron 2 | Uno Pro, Rocket.
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- KVRist
- 273 posts since 17 Dec, 2016 from Germany
Hi Bones,
I am
Thanks for your summary, especially the comparison to the Micromonsta was both very useful and interesting to me. I don't have a Micromonsta, so I was always considering which of the two would become my go-to digital hardware synth. I won't worry about that after your enthusiastic review anymore
I am currently in the process of re-configuring my whole setup here incl. completely new audio and midi configuration. I plan to give the Skulpt a permanent place in this. My dream outcome would be the Skulpt extended with an old 10" Android tablet that exclusively works as an additional user interface to the Skulpt with their ModalApp. As at the moment, I am also struggling with the Skulpt's knob layout. But that can be learnt I guess.
So again, thanks for your first impressions!
Always looking forward to further input from fellow users.
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- KVRAF
- 11156 posts since 2 Dec, 2004 from North Wales
I had a good look at the Modal Skulpt (even downloaded the editor) but haven't pulled the switch yet. Its definitely good value, but its also digital which is a lot easier to reproduce on an iPad or whatever (unlike say the UNO which I bought as its much harder/more CPU intensive to get a good analog sound from digital gear). I have nothing against digital, in fact I ended up looking at the Modal and then buying an electron Digitone that was twice as much!
I Still haven't ruled it out, but its not a no-brainier price for me (My UNO was 160 after jam points, this is 260 UK) and I AM going to buy the new Berringer Oddesy as soon as that comes out- Berringer have changed the game as far as hardware Vs software synth prices - the Model D and the Neutron are both about the same as the Modal, the Crave quite a bit less...all monoi of course, but all analog and with a lot of modular patch points (something I am in to), so £250 ish buys a LOT of Hardware Synth right now!
X32 Desk, i9 PC, S49MK2, Studio One, BWS, Live 12. PUSH 3 SA, Osmose, Summit, Pro 3, Prophet8, Syntakt, Digitone, Drumlogue, OP1-F, Eurorack, TD27 Drums, Nord Drum3P, Guitars, Basses, Amps and of course lots of pedals!
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- Banned
- 10732 posts since 17 Nov, 2015
why would anyone buy such a limited digital hardware synth? For that money i can get an amazing soft synth and run 20 instances....
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- KVRAF
- 11156 posts since 2 Dec, 2004 from North Wales
Lots of people play live and prefer hardware, I know I do- I find it utterly soul destroying and very 'non-musical to be sat in front of a monitor with a keyboard and mouse….I will happily pay more to get away from a bloody screen for a while, probably why I mainly play guitar!
X32 Desk, i9 PC, S49MK2, Studio One, BWS, Live 12. PUSH 3 SA, Osmose, Summit, Pro 3, Prophet8, Syntakt, Digitone, Drumlogue, OP1-F, Eurorack, TD27 Drums, Nord Drum3P, Guitars, Basses, Amps and of course lots of pedals!
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- KVRAF
- Topic Starter
- 4751 posts since 22 Nov, 2012
thanks bones, been a while since i threw this up and forgot about it. it is amazing to me what you can get for about 400$ usd right now. i personally love the top end sound on these, and modal is one of the premier synth makers right now so i really appreciate them making these. i'll probably pick one up later this year. haven't had hardware around in a minute.
