Aalto is a new synthesizer coming from Madrona Labs this summer. It looks like this:
Aalto can make many different kinds of sounds, including some that have been difficult or impossible to do with softsynths until now.
Here is a bouncing-ball-style patch made with FM:
Aalto FM Bounce by Randy AKA Caro
Here's a clip demonstrating the timbre and waveshape knobs of the complex oscillator.
Aalto Timbre+Shape by Randy AKA Caro
MP3s do not compress single-oscillator sounds very well---to hear the full-quality sound, use the download links on the Soundcloud players.
Aalto came about because I wanted Soundplane owners to have a rich and expressive sound making tool right out of the box. I designed a small synth that would be easy to learn, easy to use, rich in possibilities, and tightly connected to the controller. Though we still have some work to do on the controller, the synth is nearly done. So we are releasing a MIDI-controlled version of Aalto as an AU and VST plugin this summer.
There's a lot more to say about Aalto, so please stay tuned for more info including a demo movie very soon. If you have questions or suggestions, please visit our forums. I'll post some more info there to get things started.
The Soundplane remains the reason we are doing all of this, and we continue to make progress on it. Brian has recently shifted gears from hardware design to firmware programming. Please check back or subscribe via RSS for an update on the Soundplane A soon!
Hello Randy and the rest of the team at Madrona Labs. I have been following this page now for a few weeks and I continue to be inspired and excited about the possibilities presented. I love the fact that there's passion, ethos, superior idea, and a Honest Concept driving the culture of Madrona Labs. I'm very excited about both the hardware and the software element. I look forward to adding your tools to my current setup to bring my ideas out of my head and from paper to fruition. Thank you for being.
Clifton Cameron (Ars. Nova. Strata . . .)
Pendulum Distinction
Aalto appears to be a very special, personal, and beautiful instrument by design and it's opportunities to dive into the core of sound, expression, and tone to say the least.