Category: Polysynth

Convolver production, Big GR-1 update, Cool Corona

March 17, 2020 Comments Off on Convolver production, Big GR-1 update, Cool Corona ECR-1, GR-1, Granular, Multitimbral, New products, Polysynth, Production

Much has happened in the recent weeks. Almost too much to summarize in such a news post. Here it goes..

Corona & scams

First, the bad news. The ongoing Corona pandemic has now had its effects on almost everyone and everything. We went through significant delays with respect to purchasing parts, but they seem over (!). Yes! For now.. For our own work force, here in The Netherlands, we’ve decided to send everybody home who’s even feeling mild symptoms, and to work extra hygienically. All design and administrative work is to be done from home, preferably. We expect to keep shipping at a moderate rate for the coming month at least. We’re reducing the estimated lead time on GR-1 units from 4 weeks to a conservative 2 weeks.

Scammers had advertized the GR-1 for a whopping 28 USD, lol. Thanks to our efforts, and that of our users, these guys have now given up. Once again, you can only buy the GR-1 from us, PCA, KMR and Schneiders. No one else!

GR-1 Granular synthesizer

The GR-1 Granular synthesizer. Order now and ships in about a week.

€849.00
Shop now

ECR-1 Convolver

The first ECR-1 production model.

Ok, only positive stuff from here on!

The ECR-1 Convolver module is in production now. Our beta testers have reported back. We’ve fixed the problems they encountered and made the controls even more responsive than they were, adjusted audio input levels and added a few more “Shift” functions like previewing the processed sample including envelope and pitch bend, and fast forwarding when turning the encoder. Expect to see it in the webshop early April, priced 499 EUR including VAT.

GR-1 Firmware 2.2, new video, and sound packs

The GR-1 has just received a major update last week. Firmware 2.2 adds new tape mode that allows you to do vinyl scratching. It has new modes of cloud generation (more “punch” when triggering notes), and it has proper multi-timbral MIDI support, and much much more.

It’s the biggest update in over a year, and this version has been tested to destruction and back for the best possible user experience. Check the release notes, it’s quite the list: RELEASE_FW_2.2.0.txt. We’ve also done a bit of work on the GR-1 manual and added mini tutorials on how to easily modify and save performances and patches: User-manual-GR-1-v2.2.0.pdf.

We believe this firmware turns the GR-1 into more than the machine we always wanted it to be. We thank everyone for their patience and suggestions, and of course the beta testers!

The new famous Youtube synth reviewer Loopop has also done a new video on the GR-1 as well. This shows some of the 2.2 features too.

Loopop’s official review of the GR-1

Loopop gives a solid hands-on overview of the GR-1 basics, but for GR-1 users that want to know know how to get the most of our machine’s functions, check out the latest sound packs here (firmware v2.2 required):

SpringPack2020.zip : Spring 2020 sound pack, from our in-house sound designer, including creative sample work, granular glide, and slightly detuned LFO modulations

OneCell-2.zip : Sound pack from user Sef Spee, including creative use of scan mode and LFO quantization

In the last months there have been a couple more sound pack uploads too. You can always have a upload to and download from our patch sharing page: gr-1-downloads/ , near the end of the page.

New year – new multi-timbral GR-1

January 6, 2019 Comments Off on New year – new multi-timbral GR-1 ECR-1, GR-1, MIDI, Multitimbral, Polysynth

Hi guys,

It’s been a while since we wrote a news update. First of all: Happy new year!

GR-1 production:

Due to a miscalculation on our side, we’re a good week behind, and we took a week off during the holidays. But the good news is the production is still running full steam. We’ll update the time table @ tastychips.nl/gr1schedule accordingly. We expect to build up the first stock late March..

ECR-1:

Our Eurorack Convolution Reverb (code name: ECR-1) is still in the pipes. You may have recognized it from our previous update. So far the software is largely finished, but we may want to add various bits and bobs, where you can cross-fade from one impulse response to the next. The mechanical stuff like the front plate, the right knobs, and getting the whole assembly line in order will probably take a few months more. We’re still thinking 400 EUR retail price.

Multi-timbral GR-1:

The GR-1 is being prepared for version 2.0. This will effectively make it multi-timbral! A lot of users and people interested in the GR-1 expressed their interest in this feature, so we decided just to go for it. For those of you who want to know: yes, this allows you to stack several patches (timbres) on top of each other. It will also allow you to record a sample into one patch and play the others simultaneously!

Below you can see the first impression of the main screen. It displays 8 parts, while the engine is running all of them in real-time. LFO’s, scanning and effects are now separate per part.

Multi-timbral GR-1

Now there’s something special to mention here. While the GR-1 itself allows you to use the new engine, the controls are quite limited. And we didn’t want to have any deeper or longer menus. So, to make the best of it we are designing a new USB-MIDI controller especially for this purpose. It can also do a lot more than just unlock the multi-timbral potential. Stay tuned.

Lastly, we’re considering a “drop-in” replacement of the GR-1’s Raspberry Pi computer. Since multi-timbrality requires it do some heavy lifting, more processing power is very welcome. We’ll probably announce this in a news update or two. See you then! 🙂

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