At the 2017 Summer NAMM Show, Pigtronix introduced the Mothership 2 analog synthesizer, a velocity-sensitive, pitch-tracking, three-voice analog synthesizer with oscillator hard sync and pitch modulation via portamento and CV / Expression control.

Features:

• Three analog oscillators: Triangle, Square, Sub-octave (sine)
• Fast pitch-tracking circuit
• Velocity-sensitive dynamics control
• Glide control for pitch-following portamento
• Hard Sync function w/ glide modulation
• TRS Expression / TS CV input (0-5V range)
• SUB output removes sub-octave from main output
• 18VDC operation (300mA power supply included)
• True bypass

Housed in a compact aluminum chassis, the Mothership 2 goes lightyears beyond the original Mothership, delivering a guitar synth with real-time pitch and amplitude tracking, switchable preset tunings and a Sync effect that delivers new modulation effects.

The Mothership 2 contains five, custom-made dual-concentric potentiometers and a pair of toggle switches. The top row of controls provides individual level knobs for VCO (triangle wave) and Square wave voices as well as the original Clean guitar sound and a gut-busting Sub-octave Sine wave voice that can be removed from the main mix bus and sent to its own dedicated bass amplifier when the SUB output jack is used.

The middle row of controls provides Master Volume, Glide, Fine Tune and an adjustable Dynamics function that allows the player to adjust the “feel” of the synth’s amplitude tracking.

The bottom row of controls contains the three-way tuning switch with Unison, Octave Up, and Interval (Maj 3rd, 4th, 5th) presets as well as a new Sync function that slaves the VCO’s triangle and square wave oscillators to the input signal, creating a pitch-locked, unison sound with complex harmonics and overtones that can be modulated.

The Sync effect found in the Mothership 2 can be dialed in to create an array of unique sounds, using the Sweep and Timbre controls as well the on-board Glide function to achieve modulation and pitch effects that sweep from one note to another with adjustable timing.

An optional expression pedal / CV input can also be used to modulate the VCO in parallel with the on-board knobs and Glide function, creating “Sync Sweep” effects.

Pricing and Availability

The Pigtronix Mothership 2 analog synth pedal is expected to be available soon, with a street price of about US $250.

Video demo by Teddy Kumpel.