LA Priest Polygene is a new all-transistor-based multi-timbral polyphonic analog Synthesizer with a unique circuit-touching concept.
There have already been some exciting experimental synthesizers with unique concepts or sounds this year. Of course, there will be a list of the best again this year.
The new Polygene Synthesizer from artist and developer LA Priest will definitely be on it.
LA Priest Polygene
Polygene is a new, fascinating, all-analog, polyphonic Synthesizer with an exotic design. According to LA Priest, it’s inspired by the earliest polysynths of the 1970s. It consists of discrete analog, all-transistor circuitry handmade using through-hole components.
Look at the interface. Nothing high-gloss, no aluminum… LA Priest uses the raw PCB of the Polyene’s golden-plated circuit as an interface mounted on a custom wood case with knobs and touch plates.
The synth has 24 oscillators (12 tuneable and 12 sub-oscillators), 24 voltage-controlled envelope generators, and 24 voltage-controlled amplifiers (VCA).
Then, the bottom three oscillators can go into the sub-bass range. You can use the unique oscillator sync method of bridging the transistors by hand, which allows you to play the bass oscillators in a wide note range.
You can play each note independently with custom scaling or tuning, giving you a 24-voice multi-timbral synth. Twelve tuning controls allow you to tune the 12 pairs of oscillators to any scale, from standard equal tuning to any microtonal, non-western, or even unison tuning.
Alternatively, you can play all 24 notes simultaneously for an analog polyphonic synth experience.
Exotic Touch Operation
LA Priest Polygene’s operation is exotic but also fascinating because it’s not traditionally playable with keys or MIDI but on the circuit board. You can touch any part of the Synthesizer to bridge connections in the circuitry, shaping and creating new sounds.
By touching it, for example, you can use a unique diode filter with an attack envelope, LFO, and cross-modulation.
Alongside this, it hosts a 24-note golden touch keyboard to trigger/plate notes more in a classic way and 24 more pressure-sensitive polyphonic pads to trigger more functionality-
The developers promise that Polygene will have a raw, untamed sound famous from the EMS Synthi, Minimoog, and other vintage synths
First Impression
Polygene is an analog polysynth that stands out both visually and conceptually. It is fascinating to see what ideas and concepts developers come up with. This will certainly not be a best-seller but it looks like a truly unique polysynth. I’m looking forward to more demos of what is possible with it.
The LA Priest Polygene pre-order phase is over, and the price was 1477,17€, including tax. It is unknown whether the synth will be released as a regular product on the market.
More information here: LA Priest
Beautiful plate, looks like a synth for wealthy synth collectors.
Worth noting that LA Priest is an artist and not a company per se. He released some really cool tracks and was behind the amazing band ‘Late of The Pier’, whose album ‘Fantasy Black Channel’ is still a masterpiece in my humble opinion 🙂