At Superbooth 2024, Synth-Werk is debuting two new devices, the Bode Barberpole Phaser and the SW 995-Contact Keyboard.

Synth-Werk is working with the ZKM, Center for Art and Media Karlsruhe, to reconstruct various inventions by Harald Bode. SYNTH-WERK, as the ZKM‘s technical partner for the Harald Bode archive, is bringing the work of the physicist and musician Harald Bode back to life. The reconstructions of Harald Bode‘s devices, most of which are currently inaccessible or unpublished, will become part of the ZKM archive and the SYNTH-WERK product portfolio.

The first product of this exciting project is the Bode Barberpole Phaser, the last commercially available product by Harald Bode. Only one is known to exist, which is owned by Peer Bode, Harald’s son.

The Bode Barberpole Phaser offers 9 phase stages and various sound manipulation features. The option to insert an additional effect into the feedback loop or one of the two audio paths is one of them.

The main feature of the BPP/product is infinity phasing. Infinity phasing is a psychoacoustic effect based on the Shepard scale, which was introduced in 1964 by the psychologist Roger N. Shepard. It creates the illusion of an infinitely ascending or descending scale that never exceeds the limit of one‘s hearing.

The combination of the various features like left-right panning or the transfer of a monophonic input signal into a stereo output signal and modulation of the phaser creates a sonic soundstage in the tradition of Harald Bodes ”Klangumformer” principal. Synth-Werk says that, “if you think you know the sound of a Phaser, you need to listen to the Barberpole Phaser to understand the possibilities of a ‘Klangumformer’.”

Price 3200 Euro plus TAX.

The SW 995-contact Keyboard

Synth-Werk is also introducing the SW 995-Contact Keyboard.

Here’s what they have to say about it:

“In tradition of SYNTH-WERK, we first designed a purely analog keyboard based on the MOOG 952 Keyboard; however, we decided very quickly to do something based on the newest technology and possibilities.

As this is purely a control instrument and not primarily involved in the sound stage of a synthesizer, we created the first instrument of our R.A.3.0 series: the SW 955-CONTACT keyboard.”

Features:

• 8 channel programmable CV-source, including audio measurements.
• With the calibration feature of the SW 955-CONTACT keyboard it is easy to calibrate the 901 single oscillator or oscillator bank within seconds.
• ENVELOPE SECTION You can assign 4 CV outputs to become 911 envelope outputs which include the standard parameters of a 911 envelope generator but also extended ranges and additional features.
• MODULATION SECTION There are 3 onboard LFO’s offering triangle, rectangle, saw up, saw down and S&H waveforms using independent frequency ranges between 0,01 Hz and 100 Hz. All LFO’s can be assigned to the various features of the keyboard (e.g. aftertouch, ribbon controller, mod wheel…).
• KEY ZONES You can define 3 different key zones on your 6 octave range. › Every key zone can be defined by its lower and upper note.
  • Key assignments: Polyphone, Low, High or Last key
  • Trigger Mode: Multi or Single
• MIDI IN: Local or channel 1…16
• MIDI OUT: Channel 1…16 or OFF
• RIBBON CONTROLLER

Details on pricing and availability will be announced at Superbooth 2024.