Soma Labs has announced, Flux, a Theremin-like synthesizer with expressive possibilities, an innovative interface and quality digital-to-analog converters.
Flux claims to provide the musicality and expression of classical instruments, such as violin or vocals, enriched by new timbres. Flux features a unique continual touchless keyboard that offers seamless control over a number of sound parameters without quantization. Clearly, Soma’s new offering is inspired by the Theremin, which offers the unique opportunity of controlling sound by moving your hands in the air without touching any object.
Soma Laboratory Flux
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Unlike the Theremin, which works by the capacitive coupling of hands and antennae, Flux is based on magnetic principles. Two magnetic bows are pressed between your fingers, and the interface is a multipolar magnetic sensor, registering the positions and movements and translating it into pitch and volume. The X coordinate of the user’s right-hand bow controls the note’s pitch, while the Z coordinate controls volume. The left-hand bow’s X, Y and Z coordinates control the various synthesis parameters.
Since a magnet has two poles, Flux not only detects the bow’s spatial coordinates, but also the bow’s angle. This means that flipping the right-hand bow on the Y-axis changes the octave, which allows a range of six continuous octaves without transposing the keyboard. With transposition you can get a range from sub-bass all the way to ultrasonic. The left-right tilting of the right-hand bow on the X-axis controls two independent modulation parameters.
Musicians have access to a total of sixteen sonic controls that can be utilized during a performance without ever touching the surface of the instrument
The left-hand bow controls the timbres. The timbral sensor, placed in the left part, has six poles, and independently registers positive and negative magnetic fields. This allows you change which parameters you control by flipping the bow, allowing you to control up to twelve independent sound parameters. Together with the pitch, volume and two additional tilt parameters on the right-hand bow, you have access to a total of sixteen sonic controls that you can use during performance, without ever touching the surface of the instrument.
Different synthesis algorithms (engines) will be created as complete musical instruments for direct timbral control. All engines will be available in a single firmware and any engine can be launched in a fraction of a second. Presets will allow the user to save and recall the entire state of the synth including engine and all tunings.
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Flux works in monophonic, duophonic and polyphonic modes. Staccato-enabling and quantized modes are also available. The quantization function has an adjustment parameter for vibrato. Unlike the Theremin, the Flux has a stable, even, and clearly marked note scale. Soma claims this makes Flux much easier to learn and to intone cleanly than on the Theremin.
FLUX’s synthesis is DSP-based. It features built-in spatial FX. The digital-to-analog converters and the analog circuit are based on our in-house designs. Soma states that they developed Flux with “the aim to create a modern instrument for academic music, offering powerful sonic tools such as distortion, complex FM and physical modeling of non-existent, surrealistic musical instruments.”
Soma Labs Flux Features and Specs:
- Keyboard: 37 notes
- Musical range: 9 octaves
- Maximum number of synthesis algorithms: 37
- Polyphony: 1-12 (depending on the algorithm)
- Number of presets: 37
- Line output: L, R TS / TRS 1/4 inch jacks
- Maximum line output signal: 18 V Peak-to-peak
- Nominal line output signal: ~5 V (Volume %100)
- Headphones output: TRS 1/4 inch jack
- Headphones resistance: 6-64 Ohm
- Power supply voltage: DC 12 V
- Power consumption: 0.4 A
- DC jack: 2.1 mm, + in center
- Dimensions: 1000 ? 114 ? 30 mm
- Weight: ~1.7 kg
