Frap Tools has announced that the Magnolia – an eight-voice polyphonic analog synthesizer with through-zero linear FM – is now available.
The Magnolia goes beyond classic analog sounds, with a “West Coast” influenced synthesis engine. It also offers an expressive Fatar keyboard, with polyphonic aftertouch, and lots of front panel hands-on control.
Here’s what they have to say about it:
“We made Magnolia because we wanted to offer our iconic modular analog sound in a more straightforward instrument that could play chords and other 12-note music right away. Inside, we put all of our signature sound tools: analog triangle-core oscillators, thru-zero FM, wavefolders, analog distortion, and wild, resonant filter.
It is a powerful instrument, capable of a wide gamut of sounds that range from soft, glass-like pads to earth-shattering distorted leads.
A hands-on modulation matrix allows you to connect 16 modulation sources to 32 modulation destinations by just pushing a button and twisting a knob.”
Features:
- 8-voice polyphony.
- All-analog signal path.
- Analog thru-zero frequency modulation.
- 5-octave, velocity-sensitive keyboard with polyphonic aftertouch and adjustable curves.
- Bi-timbral programs with Morph, Dual, and Split capabilities.
- Two oscillators per voice: an “east coast” one with PWM and a “west coast” one with linear TZFM, wavefolder, and flip sync.
- Continuously variable wave form selector.
- 18 dB/oct high-pass and 24 dB/oct low-pass resonant filters with linear FM.
- Analog pre-filter saturation.
- Three loopable DAHDSR digital envelopes.
- Three digital LFOs with continuously variable wave forms.
- Per-part arpeggiator.
- Per-part 16-step sequencer.
- 200 memory slots for presets.
- Analog global distortion.
- Two global digital effect slots with choruses and delays.
- Hands-on modulation matrix with explicit visual cue.
- Velocity-off modulation source.
- “Polymove,” an expanded polyphonic randomization source.
- A Macro knob assignable to every parameter.
- 16 modulation sources.
- 38 modulation destinations.
- 64 modulation slots per part.
- Independent midi channels.
Frap Tools Magnolia Audio Demos:
Pricing and Availability:
The Frap Tools Magnolia is available now, with a street price of about $4,830 USD.
I love this synth but why there is an ugly gap in the chasis on the left side of the keyboard? I hope it’s just a preproduction issue.
Also, I get it, it’s their first polysynth but they could have at least looked at UDO Audio and copied over a few performance controls instead of a basic pitch and mod wheel…
It sounds fantastic. I hope there is a desktop version too. 🙂
Where are you seeing the gap? I missed it.
You can see it right a the beginning 0:00. Check at the left end of the keyboard There is a black square hole for some reason.
They have fixed it
There will be a gap because its made of single sheet of flat material bent to shape. Unless they opt for two part construction
It’s to put your coffee cup / beer bottle on.
I love Analog EPs. And these sound really special. I wonder whether the oscillators are digital controlled or have small drift. I wonder whether you need them to be digitally controlled to get enough accuracy in the ratios for DX-like FM sounds. I couldn’t find this info yet.
Triangle-core, so VCO’s
Sounds great, but oh man, it’s big!
This sounds very “daft Punk”-ish love it!!!
That thing is beautiful
Just apply a little caulk and you’re fine. You already spent $5000 you can spend another 5
Looks like an Alesis – Ion *_*
It’s a cool synth. But hey, it’s 2026, we expect more than 8 voices now don’t we?
Overall I like it. It looks like a mix of an ARP synth with those sliders and a Hartmann Neuron. I wish they had included simple octave switches, maybe over the pitch and mod wheels. An instrument like this has enormous live performance potential and may also need to be able to control external gear so having those octave switches starts to become more important.
The layout seems very inefficient. Frap Tools went from making some of the most cramped and inscrutable Eurorack modules around to using way too much whitespace. Every time they submit a chassis order or pack a synth into a shipping box they will wonder why they didn’t slice off that area on the left side above the mod wheels. $5K seems like a lot to ask for a product that was clearly in need of further design refinement, especially in the midst of an industry-wide economic slump across the music tech world.
The design is very aesthetic and usable – like the best of classic synths.
The space above the mod wheels makes sense, because it allows generous spacing for the panel controls, and ensures that ‘left-hand’ and ‘right-hand’ controls are placed in a usable way.
This is ideal for tweaking while you play, vs trying to pack controls into the smallest space possible.
This sounds amazing. Maybe I’m wrong, but there’s not a lot of analog polysynths that produce beautiful, interesting, expressive EP sounds like these.