Percussa has released Synthor – a modular synthesizer application for the AudioCubes tangible music controller platform.

Synthor lets you use AudioCubes to wirelessly create patches and control synthesis parameters. Percussa describes Synthor as ‘the first software digital modular synthesizer in the world with a dedicated hardware interface’. 

Synthor lets you create different configurations of synth modules, which can be saved, recalled and shared.

In Synthor, each AudioCube can be assigned to a synthesizer module (such as oscillator, sampler, LFO, step sequencer, etc). When AudioCubes are placed next to each other, connections between modules are automatically made.

For example, by placing 4 AudioCubes around a 5th AudioCube, 4 connections can be instantly made. The more cubes are placed next to each other the more connections are made, all without needing real hardware patch cords.

Distance between the cubes is automatically linked to amplitude of modulation signals. By moving cubes closer to each other or further away from each other or by slightly rotating them relative to each other, the amplitude of the modulation signals can be changed. Additionally, it’s possible to sense distance from the cubes to your hands and use that distance information to change sound synthesis parameters in the modules.

Users also automatically receive visual feedback from the cubes when assigning modules to the cubes. For example, an oscillator cube can be yellow while a noise generator can be cyan. The signal outputs of all the modules can also be linked to the brightness of the light of each cube for additional feedback, and it’s possible to mix your own colors and override the default colors.

Here are a pair of videos that demonstrate Syntor in action:

The Synthor beta is available now, as a free download for Mac & Windows, in the download section of the Percussa website. It works with the recently released Percussa Wireless AudioCubes Pro, as well with the older Percussa Wireless AudioCubes. Percussa is aiming for a Q1 2016 release date.