The Eowave Persephone is a ribbon-controlled analog instrument that recalls the first electric keyboards from the 1950s. Its ribbon virtual keyboard allows the kinds of glissando a Theremin or les Ondes Martenot would allow.

The Persephone sound, created by a 100 % analog oscillator, is also inspired from these instruments and oscillates from human voices sonorities to cello vibrant tones. The oscillator waveform can be set between sine and triangle for a more or less brilliant sound.

The two play modes – velocity sensitive or not – offer different styles of play. The Persephone can also be used as a MIDI controller.

Features:

• Scale – a scaling potentiometer allows to scale the Persephone’s ribbon from 1, 2, 5 to 10 octaves.
• Tune – Finetune
• Brightness – two waveforms Wave : from sinus to triangle
• Ergonomics – The buttons are on the left side of the front panel, directly accessible with your left hand, while you keep playing with your right hand. Connections are located on the rear side of the front panel and protected from dust and other source of deterioration by the Persephone suitcase top when closed. The ribbon zone size can allow all kinds of play.
• Quality – Wenge velocity key, birch table, vinyl cover, real analogue oscillator.
• Custom – The Persephone is a handmade instrument. We decided to release two versions of the instrument : the classic version (black sky, violin polish, velocity wenge exotic wood key) and a punk-rock version, more colored, (with a red/black snake skin sky, a red table for example). This version may vary through time, taste, mood and perception of the day.
• The Persephone voice – With its analogue oscillator, the Persephone can generate notes with a range of 10 octaves, which goes from a deep and resonant cello sound, sometimes it can sound nearly human. And on the highest pitches, it can reach very high frequencies.
• Playing the Persephone – Just like on a theremin, the way the Persephone is played will create the instrument personality. When scaled, the Persephone can be played like a regular keyboard. Guitars and bass players will certainly play it like a chord instrument and get sounds that are very closed to cello or violin, especially with the vibratos. Jazz players will enjoy slapping the Persephone’s ribbon to get wonderful sonorities.
• Use the Persephone as a MIDI controller with an external source – The Persephone can be used as a ribbon MIDI controller.

More information is available at the Eowave site.