Synclavier releases first new hardware synth since 1980

American company Synclavier Digital has just released a new desktop hardware synth that is modelled after the famous 80's Synclavier II, and blends additive and subtractive synthesis: The Regen.

It's the first new hardware synth to be released by the brand since the Synclavier II first came out in the summer of 1980. The Regen uses a similar approach to creating sound as its predecessor, where complex waveforms are created by stacking sine waves on top of one another.

The 80s Synclavier was hugely popular amongst electronic musicians, producers and composers due to its advanced technology, and was one of the first digital synthesisers available on the market. The opening sequence of Michael Jackson's ‘Beat It’, is a note-for-note replay of a demo track that came with the Synclavier II. The original composition was featured on the compilation 'The Incredible Sounds of Synclavier II' by Denny Jaeger, and was released a year before the ‘Thriller’ album came out.

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Additive synthesis creates sound by adding frequencies together at different amplitudes to build an overall tone, while subtractive synthesis deconstructs sounds and uses filters to break down parts of an audio signal to create the tone.

The regen combines these two methods with button generators for attentive-subtractive multi-sample resynthesis. It also comes jam-packed with a roster of new features. For example, the device offers MPE support - a new specification based on the universally used MIDI protocols - allowing for digital instruments to replicate their acoustic counterparts better, with spontaneous, polyphonic touch controls.

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It also has a multimode filter akin to the tone shaping parts of earlier analogue modular systems; a built-in arpeggiator with controls for pattern, stereo spread, speed and chance; and a partial crossfader with input options for velocity, pressure, mod wheel and keyboard.

The device also comes pre-packed with 500 timbre (or tonal) presets, more than 2000 royalty-free samples, example mixes, beat-loops and stacks, and hundreds of sound-bags from the likes of Anthony Marinelli and Jamie Lidell.

It's priced at £1,999 and can be purchased here.

Tiffany Ibe is Mixmag's Digital Intern, follow her on Instagram