Synclavier Pocket! is a demo app that re-creates the Synclavier® II Digital Synthesizer of 1980 in shirt-pocket form. The original instrument burst upon the music scene in May, 1980, and ushered in the digital musical instrument revolution of the following decade.
Synclavier Pocket! presents the “panels” from the original Velocity-Pressure Keyboard (VPK) button surface adapted to the highly sensitive gesture recognition system of the iPhone. Under the hood is the powerful CSynclavier DSP Engine, complete with Partial Timbre, Timbre Frame, FM-Synthesis and Additive-Synthesis methodologies.
But there is more! The original Synclavier® hardware offered 8-bit audio resolution - just enough to create rich strings, robust pads and sci-fi effects that were, above all, interesting and attention-getting. In the day we dreamed of 10- and 12-bit audio resolutions; we knew they would offer tremendous sonic potential, but could not be realized on the hardware of the era. You want grunge? Try the 4-bit setting! Silky smoothness is at the 12-bit setting.
The free download includes access to the 64 Timbres that were on the original factory “System Disk”. (“Preset” was an unknown word at the time, so we called each sound a “Timbre”). In-app purchases give you access to the 9-volume FM Timbre Library and the 6-volume Resynth Library. “Resynthesis” was a hybrid form of sampling combined with synthesis and was first developed by New England Digital in the 1980s. External MIDI keyboards, Ableton Link and Audiobus are all supported in the free download version.
The Timbre Design and Save features of Synclavier Pocket! are available by an additional in-app purchase. Go ahead - Turn My Knob!
The Synclavier® knob is as unique today as it was revolutionary at the time of its introduction. The knob is a rate-of-change controller; close your eyes and let your right-brain kick into the sound design process. Forget the numbers; forget the digits; let your ears guide the process. Sound design with a touch-screen and Synclavier® knob is as different from a mouse-driven GUI as, well, Synclavier® was different than the Fairlight CMI!
Release 1.13 features include -
• Embedded “Tour” pages detailing setup and operation
• Library browser for saving and calling up Timbres
• 96-button authentic VPK interface (in-app purchase required)
• 16 “Timbre Diskettes” (8 banks x 8 entries) (in-app purchase required)
• Audio Setup 44.1/48 kHz and sample latency controls
• A meticulous re-creation of the Synclavier FM sound using hardware modeling
• Easily share Timbres via Audiobus or iTunes file sharing
• Direct expression routing for pitch bend, mod wheel, velocity and pressure
• Ableton Link synchronization with Repeat/Arpeggiate
• Audiobus integration
CSynclavier DSP Engine
• 4 Partial Timbres
• Delay-Attack-Decay-Release envelope generators
• 100 Timbre Frames per Partial
• Noise Floor and Bit Depth controls
• Micro-tuning controls
• Dynamic and Keyboard Envelopes
• Vibrato and Tremolo LFOs
• An authentic re-creation of original instrument and sounds
Synclavier Pocket! is compatible with all iPhone and iPod Touch devices that can operate iOS Version 9.0 or later (iPhone 4s and later; iPod Touch 5th generation or later). The latest iOS version that is compatible with your device is recommended.
The Synclavier Knob is an exciting and authentic option, but is not required for Synclavier Pocket!
Join us in the exciting renewal of this historic instrument as we strive towards Release 2.0!
Note to Parents: Synclavier Pocket! is as educational as it is historic and authentic. This app can introduce your teenager to the technical aspects of sound and sound design in a fun and informative environment.
Version 1.15.1 release notes
Version 1.15 resolves problems with Audiobus on certain iPhone models, and introduces a new slider control to change the octave of the on-screen virtual keyboard.
