Arturia Solina V String Synthesizer Software Instrument

Definitive Virtual String Machine

At Sweetwater, we synth geeks get all warm and fuzzy at the mere mention of the Solina String Ensemble - the (in)famous string machine that dominated radio airwaves in the late 1970s and early '80s. Now you can add the inimitable Solina sound to your projects without fuss (and with a measure of control unknown back in the day), courtesy of Arturia's Solina V. This virtual string machine gives you all the meticulously modeled violin, viola, cello, horn, and trumpet sounds of the original instrument, along with bonus patches and modern conveniences that can can only be achieved in the software realm. Trust us: the Arturia Solina V belongs in your creative palette.

Related Videos: Solina V String Synthesizer Software Instrument

• Solina String Ensemble: the backstory
• Not just for strings
• The extras: Vox Humana, Polymoog Resonators, and stereo
• Open Mode juices your sound-design capabilities
• Paint with phasers, delays, and reverbs

Although the Solina achieved fame as an Arp product in the mid-to-late 1970s, the string machine actually originated from the Dutch company Eminent Organ. It began life as part of the Eminent 301 organ, but due to popular demand, Eminent in 1974 decided to package the string machine component separately and manufacture a standalone unit: the Solina. Meanwhile, across the pond, Arp had been looking to make a string machine but instead cut a licensing deal to sell the Solina under their own brand. Arp and Eminent Solinas were identical, except for the silkscreened company logos. By the late '70s, the Solina had found a home in rock, pop - and perhaps most famously in the burgeoning Disco genre, as the go-to for string overdubs.

While it might seem counterintuitive to assume a String machine would produce anything other than, well, string sounds, the Arturia Solina V actually delivers far more than just the best vintage string machine sounds around. You see, in typical Arturia value-added fashion, the company has added a cornucopia of extra sounds, ranging from delightful ambient pads, searing mono leads, fat basses, bold brass, tasty arpeggios and more. Whatever genre of music you're cooking up, you'll find the perfect sounds in Solina V.

In addition to the original sounds and features of the Solina, Arturia has raised the bar by expanding the sonic palette well beyond anything Eminent's designers could have imagined. One of the most ear-opening top-octave synth sounds is the famed "Vox Humana" from the late-'70s Polymoog. It's in there. The Polymoog Resonators, too. In addition to the original's paraphonic mode, the Solina V rocks a new polyphonic mode, as well as a 24dB/octave filter on the bass section, an LFO, Arpeggiator, and more. At one point, Eminent changed their renowned ensemble effect from mono to stereo, so Solina V sports both Mk1 (mono) and Mk2 (stereo) Ensemble modes to cover all the bases. You won't find this in sampled versions of the Solina. It all adds up to the biggest and baddest string machine ever.

For the Solina V, Arturia painstakingly modeled the classic Solina String Ensemble using their amazing-sounding True Analog Emulation technology (TAE) to faithfully re-create those fabulous, inimitable string sounds that graced so many hit records. An important component of the original sound was a unique filter bank that had three triple-mode filters in parallel. Arturia, naturally, added this control in Solina V's Open mode, which exposes many exciting new features. Also in Open mode are the controls for the bass section. Arturia added an arpeggiator and a ladder-style filter to open up your sound-design capabilities.

Jean Michel Jarre's signature Solina sound characteristically sported a slow phase shift. For the Solina V, Arturia added a tasty Dual Phaser effect which nails that classic sound - and many more. They also added a stereo chorus, in addition to digital and analog delay. Now, no vintage string machine patch is complete without classic spring and digital reverbs. They're in there, too, so you can add the perfect finishing touches to your fabulous string sounds.

• All the original parameters of the Arp/Eminent Solina string ensemble
• Redesigned preset browser
• Resizeable user interface for HD displays
• Classic Paraphonic operation as well as separate Polyphonic mode
• Vox Humana sound modeled after the original Polymoog synthesizer
• Polymoog resonator section on Upper Section
• 24dB/octave resonant filter on Bass Section
• Arpeggiator on Bass Section
• LFO for vibrato, tremolo, and filter modulations
• Aftertouch and velocity modulations
• Solina MK1 (mono) and MK2 (stereo) ensemble modes
• 3 mode Stereo chorus
• Stereo dual phaser
• Analog delay
• Digital sync delay
• Convolution reverb with 24 modeled reverbs
• 150 presets for instant recall
• MIDI learn function
• Full automation