Stir the Winds of Synthesis
In collaboration with Dutch software dynamo 112db.com, Erica Synths has crafted a cutting-edge synth module that captures the distinctive sonic hues and timbres of wind or string instruments, merging it with the MIDI-fueled malleability of synthesizer architecture. Steampipe represents an 8-voice, polyphonic synth module that’s anything but ordinary. In lieu of conventional oscillators, it utilizes a groundbreaking physical modeling engine that masterfully mimics the myriad ways in which wind and string instruments create sound, further fine-tuned for generating a prismatic world of sound unto itself. Sweetwater’s synthesists have certainly taken advantage of the sonic terrain that pours out from Steampipe’s aural armature. Its engine effortlessly conjures luxe, organic overtones and rich, shimmering harmonics that capture a kaleidoscopic constellation of textures, tones, and timbres, from pipe organs and industrial horns to alien-like abstract ambience and physically impossible sound fields. Across its 32 parameters, onboard effects, extensive MIDI connectivity, MPE compatibility, and modulation matrix, Steampipe is the unconditioned ultimate of exploratory synthesis, optimized for use with wind-based MIDI controllers yet effortlessly wielded by your MIDI machine of choice.
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Dyadic delights: dual-stage, oscillator-free architecture
Erica Synths and 112db.com worked in tight collaboration to build Steampipe. The overarching goal? To produce a true physical modeling engine equally capable of emulating real-life wind/string instruments and challenging the limits of these tones and timbres while retaining the sonic attributes of these styles of instruments. Its namesake dyadic architecture comprises two sub-modules: the Steam and the Pipe. The Envelope and Generator sections make up the Steam; a combination of Feedback, Saturation, Patch, Delay Box, Filter, and Voice sections comprise the Pipe. Collectively, these allow you to shape the behaviors of an imagined instrument that models the physical behaviors of real-life, wind-driven instruments, with a combination of harmonic, saturation, velocity, and filtering to sculpt your sonic output. In fact, these emulation capabilities can even extend to “overflowing,” as can be experienced with physical wind instruments.
An aural odyssey: tone crafting and timbral contouring abound
Thanks to Steampipe’s inventive and exploration-encouraging design, the conventional instrument sounds of flutes, organs, bells, xylophones, plucked strings, whistles, and more can be pushed into unruly and imaginative territories across a multi-octave range. Extensive timbral-contouring tools span numerous Saturation, Generator, Envelope, Gain, Keytracking, Resonance, Noise, Velocity, Harmonics, and Drift parameters. Additionally, variable Legato, Glide, Mono, Unison, and Poly playback capabilities enable you to explore the outer wilds of Steampipe’s polyphonic possibilities. Furthermore, a slew of malleable reverb and delay effects feature extensive tonal, EQ, and harmonics controls while the onboard saturator includes both soft and hard modes, as well as a symmetry parameter — the latter of which lets you split and shape harmonics via even and odd values. Feedback and Filter subsections grant even further access to the fundamental sound you’re forging, with dually operable high- and lowpass filters joined by the adjustable push-pull parameter that attenuates the signal-generation behavior of the virtual Steampipe. This all culminates in a multidimensional array of aural exploration that dares you to reimagine what a wind instrument could be amid an imaginary techno-orchestral soundscape.
LFOs, envelope generators, and a whole lot of hot air
Steampipe is built for exploration and experimentation, with Erica Synths and 112db.com sparing no effort to arm you with the tools needed to wield a vortex of virtual voltage. Onboard modulation capabilities exist in multitudes, with the most immediately accessible being the highly malleable envelope-generator tools, as well as the pentacle of LFOs. The dedicated Envelope and Generator subsections abound with potential, offering extensive ADSR, key-tracking, velocity, and resonance adjustments, with variable 1- and 2-pole filtering of the Generator. What’s more, the DC/Noise parameter adjusts the mix of air pressure and noise, which can be replaced entirely by an external input of your choosing, opening the doors to mild and wild enveloping opportunities. Steampipe’s LFOs can be instantly synced to a MIDI clock, with clockwise and counterclockwise options of the Speed parameter serving as clock-dividing and clock-multiplying adjustments, respectively. Five adjustable destinations are on tap to be toggled for the LFO, and its seven waveshapes are fully morphable, taking the unorthodox apparatus to summit daring peaks of modulation.
Modulate wildly: a quadrature of matrix magic
When you’re ready to dive deep into Steampipe’s menagerie of modulation magic, there’s one place for near-limitless sound sculpting: the mod matrix. This tetrad of tone shaping gives you four independent lanes of modulation. Each of the A-, B-, C-, and D-lanes can be mapped to one of 10 possible destinations, spanning Generator, Delay, Filter, Reverb, and LFO parameters, with assignable, bipolar depth tailored available for every lane. Moreover, LFO assignments for modulation exist independently of the rest of the mod matrix, allowing you to indulge innumerable multi-mapping possibilities, with evocative sonic archaeology to be explored via Steampipe’s extensive MIDI integration and control, from MIDI CC to expressive MPE.
MIDI, MPE, and more: wield the winds of possibility
In designing Steampipe, Erica Synths and 112db.com holistically approached the module’s capacity for interoperative use, as well as solo sound design, looking not just at how captivating its output could be, but also the ways in which incoming information and control sources could contribute to its pliable palette of possibilities. A dual-function MIDI out-/throughput supplements its 5-pin DIN MIDI input, while the rear-mounted USB-B port accommodates USB-MIDI control, in addition to streamlined preset management. Steampipe’s expressive potential goes far beyond its onboard capabilities, with built-in MPE (MIDI Polyphonic Expression) compatibility enabling you to engage a multidimensional sound-space of evocative, nuanced playing. What’s more, every parameter can be controlled via MIDI CC, which — combined with both 5-pin and USB-MIDI software and hardware connections — can transform any solo or multi-instrumental arrangement into a full-blown symphony of unreal synthesis.
Erica Synths Steampipe Features:
- Collaborative design between Erica Synths and 112db.com
- 8-voice polyphonic architecture features no oscillators, using a cutting-edge physical-modeling engine to conjure a wealth of wind-, string-, and inharmonic-style instrumental profiles
- 64 diverse presets are accompanied by 192 user-preset slots for streamlined sound design, pain-free patch management, and instant sound recall
- Onboard Reverb and Delay effects support detailed sonic-contouring opportunities and harmonic-shaping richness
- Extensive texturization via multimode filtering, saturation, and feedback tools allows you to build evolving, lifelike tones
- Comprehensive modulation via 5 assignable LFOs, a dual-segment envelope generator, and a mod matrix pave the way for evocative, expressive playing
- Modulation matrix comprises 4 independent lanes, with individually adjustable depth, for multilayered control over 10-plus destinations
- 5-pin DIN MIDI in, MIDI Thru/Out port, and USB-MIDI support near-limitless interoperative integration with hardware and software configurations, including full MIDI CC control
