Synesthesia Announces Mandala 2.0 Drum Synthesizer
Synesthesia has updated Mandala to version 2.0, their drum trigger pad and synthesizer. Developed with drummer Danny Carey of Tool, Synesthesia claims the Mandala is the “only electronic drum that truly emulates an acoustic drum.” (Hmmm…I think our TestDrive is the only way to answer that question. —Ed.) It offers percussionists a unique drum pad that knows exactly where it’s hit and how hard.
Many electronic drum triggers or pads only have one zone in the middle that detects the strike, Mandala’s creators invented and patented a technology that enables the drum pad to detect the exact location and strength of every point of contact across the entire pad. With 128 concentric rings from the center to the edge – each offering its own sound variation – the Mandala offers a wide range of possibilities.
Features:
» The accompanying software lets players synthesize a host of new sounds and expand their drum kits and sample libraries at will. The software automatically accommodates up to five separate drum pads. It’s also designed to inspire and facilitate composition – along with the included instruments, players can add their own samples to the library, and use the effects to mold and create their own sounds.
» The Mandala 2.0 works seamlessly with most major music software, including Apple GarageBand, Ableton Live, and Native Instruments Battery and Reaktor.
» Mandala’s easy-to-use software comes with more than 100 presets for out-of-the-box functionality. Players also can create their own configurations as they explore and discover its astonishing audio range.
» One pad can accommodate from one to seven different zones of sound – each of which can be configured as a separate instrument, with an array of specialized settings. Players can have a snare, a bass and a cymbal (or a harp, marimba or organ, or any other instrument) – all in the same drum head, all at the same time. One Mandala can act as one drum, as an entire drum kit, or as an eclectic combo.
The Mandala 2.0 update offers an accurate model of a physical snare drum — via 3,000 proprietary samples of the Black Beauty Snare Drum — along with a library of sounds derived from more than 100 other instruments. In all, the Mandala 2.0 features four gigabytes of sound samples. It’s a synthesizer with drumsticks, with a drum pad so sensitive it responds even to a fingertip touch.
Synesthesia’s Mandala 2.0 costs $349, and will be available November 1st via their website. More information on Synesthesia’s Mandala 2.0.
