Polymer Lets You Turn Your Monosynths Into A ‘Giant Mutant Polysynth’

polymer-synthesizerParacosm has released Polymer – a ‘Polyphonic Voice Distributor’ for OS X that lets you use a group of monosynths as a polyphonic synthesizer.

Polymer lets you play your monophonic synths together polyphonically, as if they’re one giant mutant polysynth. You can also alternate notes between different synths in monophonic sequences, layer pads and leads to create songs without leaving the keyboard, or experiment with the outer limits of modular paraphony.

Because it works via MIDI, Polymer is compatible with almost any modern electronic instrument — modulars, samplers, polysynths, even virtual instruments through the OS X IAC Bus.

Features:

  • Intuitive, animated UI clearly shows which voices are active as you play.
  • Works with MIDI-compatible keyboards and sound modules via USB-MIDI interface.
  • Compatible with soft synths that can be addressed through the OS X IAC bus.
  • No menu diving! All options are present on the screen at all times.

Specifications:

  • Control up to 32 MIDI channels simultaneously, for 32-voice polyphony.
  • MIDI Merge between unlimited MIDI input channels.
  • Velocity, Pitch Bend, and Mod Wheel data are transmitted automatically.
  • Forward, Backward, and Random Direction options for choosing the next voice.
  • Supports Voice Stealing, allowing for continuous play regardless of available voices.
  • Two Algorithms for voice allocation: Static starts at the same voice each time, while Cycle alternates in round-robin fashion.
  • Currently limited to one voice per MIDI channel, even for polyphonic synths.

Requirements:

  • A USB-MIDI Interface & MIDI Cables.
  • Several MIDI-compatible hardware sound modules or keyboards.
  • A Master MIDI keyboard or sequencer. Can be hardware connected to your computer, or software-based through the IAC bus.

Polymer is available now for US $19.99 in the Mac App Store.

15 thoughts on “Polymer Lets You Turn Your Monosynths Into A ‘Giant Mutant Polysynth’

    1. I believe only the latest Logic 9 can do MIDI AU effects. Ableton doesn’t support them.

      I would think a Max for Live patch could do this, wouldn’t be surprised if there are already a few implementations around.

        1. Indeed. And I’m wondering what this does that Live doesn’t already do. Certainly Live isn’t the only DAW that can route the same signal to multiple MIDI channels?

  1. Agree with the notion that you can already do some of this pretty easily in Ableton

    also would like to see this for the iPad, but in the mean time there are aspects of this already available in iSEM for the iPad:

    Check out what happens on the 8 VOICE PROGRAMMER when POLY Mode is selected and you hit a chord, then play around with the destinations and amount of change for each of the mod options, this is very cool!

    Enjoy 🙂

  2. If any of you really knows how to get any of this in Ableton, please explain yourself. I’m far from being an expert, but I’ve played a bit with the MIDI effects and I can’t see how. We are not talking of sending the same MIDI to several destinations, not of a simple keyboard split, but of sending simultaneous/consecutive (single) notes played to several MIDI destinations while following some logical order like “first played/lower note to channel 1, second played note to channel 2, and so…”.

      1. Hmm, yeah I wasn’t thinking this either. The individual channels would have to go too, the only way I know how to get close is doing everything on one channel and using midi and or audio effect racks.

        I guess you could ‘possibly’ modulate the range on your velocity midi effect, but it’s a bit of a stretch and probably wouldn’t work for simultaneous notes!

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