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At SynthFest 2019, the French developer KODAMO has announced the EssenceFM, a new multi-timbral digital Synthesizer based on VFM (variable frequency modulation) synthesis with crazy 300 voice of polyphony. It offers a 6-operator FM synthesis engine (VFM) with 128 splits/layers, graphical envelopes, modulation matrix and more. Interesting here is that you are not forced to use the internal waveforms. The user can change these completely on the EssenceFM touch display or import new waves.

Also, the internal FM algorithms are not fixed, these can also be broken up and reconfigured. KODAMO EssenceFM Synthesizer from France, which looks like an oscilloscope, is very interesting in my opinion. Especially, because it offers some very powerful new features to classic FM: custom waveforms, open-algorithms, MPE support…

Overview

We are proud to announce the EssenceFM, our modern high-end synthesizer dedicated to FM synthesis! It features the super powerful VFM engine (Variable Frequency Modulation) we designed, allowing flexibility in sound design and a lot of polyphony.

We are huge FM synthesis fans but were disappointed with ergonomics and limitations we found in all FM synths. That’s how the EssenceFM is born. It follows a very graphical approach to make sound editing fun and easy: operator’s outputs are shown in real time during playback, envelopes are displayed as editable graphical curves, operators can be drag&drop on each other to build the algorithm, waveforms are editable…

The EssenceFM aims for simplicity without sacrificing power.

KODAMO EssenceFM Prototype

Features

Free algorithm design using drag&drop

User-editable waveforms (free drawing & wave import)

300 voice polyphony

Graphical envelopes (6-points graphical, logarithmic, 14 per voice (6x volume, 6x pitch, 1x filter, 1x pan)

6-operator FM Synthesis with a resonant filter

Modulation matrix

Useable as a rack or table-top module

Max. 128 splits/layers per patch

8 modulations per voice, selected from 20 sources and 40 destinations

2 multi-effect processors, parallel or chained (reverb (7 types), delay, chorus, distortion (4 types), rotary, bit-crush)

MIDI, MPE support

Professional sound quality with 32-bit DSPs, 24-bit DAC, >100dB SNR

Ultrafast boot time (< 3 seconds)

Upgradable firmware

KODAMO EssenceFM First Look By Les Sondiers (French Only)

KODAMO EssenceFM will be available in December 2019 and the price will be between 800€ and 1200€.

More information here: KODAMO

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