ANALOGyXS Mini Poly Synth (AUv3 for macOS and iOS)

ANALOGyXS Mini Poly Synth (AUv3)

ANALOGyXS is a virtual instrument plugin for macOS and iOS that can run standalone, or in any AU compatible host such as Logic Pro or GarageBand.

ANALOGyXS on the Apple App Store:

https://apps.apple.com/us/app/analogy...

Demo track "Our Car's Electric!" on Bandcamp:

https://friendsinthenorth.bandcamp.co...

Overview

ANALOGyXS (analog-ee ex ess) is a compact virtual analog 8-voice polyphonic synthesiser with a retro vibe. The synth might be "extra small" in terms of features, but it's capable of producing some fairly complex sounds normally associated with plugins with dozens of parameters. That's because there's actually quite a lot going on "under the hood" of ANALOGyXS.

So why make something so simple?

I wanted to create something that would allow me to quickly dial-in some of my all-time favourite synth sounds. I also wanted to create something for music-makers who might feel intimidated or overwhelmed with synth plugins with dozens of parameters and 100's of presets. Alternatively, more experienced musicians might like to drop ANALOGyXS into a track just to get something going with a view to replacing it with something more fancy further down the line. I hope that wherever you are in your musical journey, you find ANALOGyXS useful and inspiring!

Additional information for "synth nerds"

ANALOGyXS started off as a challenge to create a simple plugin inspired by the legendary Polymoog 280a (*) released in 1978, and its "Vox Humana" preset. This sound has since become famous for its extensive use on Gary Numan's excellent and hugely influential album, "The Pleasure Principle" released in 1979. That wonderful searing synth line in the track "Cars"? That's the 280a Vox Humana preset, plus an MXR phaser pedal added to the harmony part. It still gives me goosebumps after all these years!

Please note however that ANALOGyXS is not intended to be an accurate emulation or digital model of that sound, nor does it use any samples. Think of ANALOGyXS as more of a "tribute to" or "inspired by" the 280a. If you're looking for something closer to the real deal, please check out Alex Ball's sample-based collaboration with UJAM and help support the Bob Moog Foundation! That said, my starting point for the synth design owes a considerable debt to an excellent YouTube tutorial by Starsky Carr entitled "Make That Gary Numan Synth Sound", and I urge you to check that one out, as well as his other excellent videos. Same goes for Alex Ball!

Please also note that I have no affiliation with Moog, Alex Ball, UJAM or Starsky Carr - I just love what they all do. And of course, the music of Gary Numan and his pioneering use of synthesisers, ultimately inspired me to create virtual ones like ANALOGyXS - I wonder what he would make of it...

Starsky Carr's video:

   • Make That Gary Numan Vox Humana Synth Sound  

Alex Ball's Bob Moog Foundation / UJAM collaboration:

   • Vox Humana – A Legendary Synth Sound for a...  

As per the method used in the Starsky Carr tutorial, each of the 8 voices in ANALOGyXS contain a saw and pulse wave oscillator. There are 3 dedicated LFOs per voice, modulating pitch for each oscillator, and pulse width for the pulse wave oscillator. All of the LFOs "drift" slightly to create a more "analog-ee" vibe! Voices also have their own dedicated "Moog ladder" style LPF with analog-like resonance and saturation. And as you've probably gathered by now, the parameter sliders on the super simple ANALOGyXS UI actually change many "hidden" parameters "under the hood" so they function like "macro" controls.

While the original goal was to have no more than 10 synth parameters, I couldn't resist adding a couple of "desert island" effects to make ANALOGyXS more self-contained. And of course, having a phaser effect is an essential ingredient to help capture the vibe of that iconic synth sound as heard in... (sing along now) CARS!

For more info and support please visit:

https://www.waverley-instruments.com/...

(*) "Polymoog 280a" is a registered trademark of Moog Corp.