Sdkc Instruments Helical is a new 16-voice polyphonic wavetable synth voice for Eurorack powered by a novel autoregressive algorithm.
Oscillators are one of the core elements of any modular system. You can’t get any sound out of your rack without them. Not analog oscillators, but wavetables have been a hot topic for some time.
The number of available modules has increased nicely in the last two years. There is something for every budget. A new wavetable synth voice is now coming from Japan with a novel approach.
Sdkc Instruments Helical
Helical is a new 16-voice polyphonic wavetable synth voice for Eurorack. Unlike in other wavetable voices, you can find here a novel approach to sound generation. Each voice consists of a wavetable oscillator supported by a sequencer, an envelope generator, and VCA.
With the free Synthesis Technology Wave Edit software you can generate new wavetables for the oscillator, which you can easily import via SD. Special is, however, the core of the Helical module.
It features a newly-developed autoregressive algorithmic synthesis engine that is capable to create endless new phrases and sounds. According to the developer, it is an original method that refers to past states to determine the next parameter.
More precisely
In Helical, the past pitch of each oscillator determines the duration (note values) of the next note, and the past note value influences again the next note pitch. By being helically influenced from the past, it produces a natural sound that is different from completely random.
Further, the autoregressive progression produces the envelope and pitch. At the end of the envelope, it calculates a new pitch and duration. There is also an option to change the scales via the SD card.
A very special and unique approach that the Japanese developers of Sdkc Instruments are pursuing. What you hear in the first demo sounds very interesting. Very organic and rhythmic.
A tempting module, although I still don’t fully understand how the whole process works. Hope there will be more demos in the future
Sdkc Instruments Helical price (international) is TBA.
More information here: Sdkc Instruments
Available at my partner
modular has devolved from working with fine grain functions to make unique sounds *with* modules, to just *buying* little synthesizer modules to do all the work. how uninteresting.
others say “how interesting”
Unless all of those modules that represent “fine grain functions to make unique sounds” are no longer available I’m not sure how you can say that modular has “devolved.”
YOu can buy your Doepfer rack and live your fine grain fantasies while the rest of us enjoy the evolutions in functionality that have been brought to the modular platform since its inception.
I feel similarly about this module. Based on the description, it seems like it takes the fun out of building up generative patches – and given that they already have questionable musicality (for people who regard human input into melody as crucial for musicality), if you take away any challenge or innovation or experimentation, what’s left?
The good news, though, is that you can just choose not to buy modules like this. There are still plenty of standalone oscillators, sequencers, filters, quantisers etc. being made and sold.
I wouldn’t say it’s uninteresting, but I definitely hear where you are coming from. Market forces.
yup. good eye.