Future Sound Systems has today released Portland, a new patchable percussion Synthesizer. It features several different analog sound generation & shaping elements as well as a big patch bay with different I/O options. Cool: Since the device works with batteries it is super portable and can be used everywhere with other portable instruments.
Overview
The Portland percussion synthesizer has been designed as a drum complement to the Brunswick synthesizer. Like the Brunswick, Portland has been designed with affordability and flexibility in mind, allowing for the ultimate performance from relatively basic electronics.
Portland is also presented as a “sandbox” for percussion and drum synthesis, giving several different analogue sound generation and shaping elements in a patchable unit. The elements are normalled together on the patch bay, allowing for minimal patching to arrive at a kit of drum sounds, but this normalling can be overridden for more complex drum sound synthesis. Portland features the following synthesis components:
- Bass Drum semi-linear resonator
- 2x Twin-T resonators
- “Ring” generator, formed from 6 XOR’d oscillators
- Noise generator
- Dynamic hi-hat shaping circuit
- 2x decay envelope generators
- 2x discrete audio VCAs
- Four channel audio mixer with Baxandall tone circuit
Whilst Portland can be powered from two PP3 9V batteries, the forthcoming FSS Battery Simulator will allow Portland to be powered from DC or Eurorack power supplies. Portland is also fully compatible with modular synthesizers and standalone sequencers. A Eurorack panel for Portland will be available soon.
Portland is available now for £330 inc. VAT in limited quantities directly from FSS. Full kits of the Portland percussion synthesizer will be available from Thonk, May 2019.
More information here: Future Sound Systems
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