A genuinely new synthesis engine. Two DSP primitives nobody else has built: a per-partial modulation matrix and phase-motion synthesis that swings crest factor while keeping RMS constant. Sounds that simply don't exist elsewhere.
Standard harmonic content — stable waveform
Most synthesizers are subtractive: start with a waveform, filter it down. A few are additive: build up harmonics. STRATA is neither. It manipulates the phase relationships between partials in real time, creating textures that morph and breathe without changing spectral content.
The result: sounds with constant energy that constantly move. Bass that ripples. Pads that shimmer. Textures that evolve without ever getting louder or quieter. It's a genuinely new sound — and you can't get it from any other instrument.
Independent modulation of every harmonic partial — not just overall amplitude, but per-partial phase, amplitude, and frequency offsets. The matrix routes 8 macros and 4 LFOs to individual harmonics. Unprecedented control over timbre evolution.
Dynamically rotates the phase relationships between partials while keeping RMS energy invariant. The waveform's crest factor swings up to ~46% — the sound breathes and moves without changing loudness. No other synth does this.
An additive wavetable engine combines the best of both worlds: spectral precision of additive synthesis with the playability and morphing of wavetables.
A harmonic mask filter that selects, emphasizes, or suppresses specific harmonics — think of it as a spectral EQ that can be modulated per-partial.
16-voice polyphony with full MPE (MIDI Polyphonic Expression) support for expressive per-note control. Unison mode with detune and spread for massive supersaw-style sounds.
A complete effects chain — Drive → EQ → Ensemble → Delay → Reverb → Limiter — with per-op spectral cutoff and resonance, FX modulation routing, and 22 modulation destinations. Oversampled processing throughout.
| Synthesis | Phase-motion — dynamic per-partial phase rotation with RMS-invariant crest factor modulation (novel) |
|---|---|
| Mod Matrix | Per-partial modulation matrix — 8 macros + 4 LFOs routable to individual harmonic phase/amplitude/frequency (novel) |
| Wavetable | Additive wavetable with spectral interpolation |
| Filter | Harmonic mask filter — per-harmonic spectral selection |
| Effects | Drive → EQ → Ensemble → Delay → Reverb → Limiter (6-stage chain, oversampled) |
| Polyphony | 16 voices with unison mode |
| MPE | Full MIDI Polyphonic Expression support — per-note pitch, timbre, pressure |
| Presets | 63 factory presets (.strata format) — curated across pads, basses, leads, keys, bells, strings, FX, and organs |
| Formats | VST3, CLAP, Standalone |
| Requirements | Windows 10+ (64-bit, x64) — macOS and Linux builds planned, not yet shipping |
| Build | JUCE 8 · 4,245 lines of C++ · zero TODO/stub markers · 2 novel DSP primitives validated |
Own a genuinely new synthesis engine. No subscription, no BS.
Phase-motion synthesis is here. Grab STRATA and start making sounds nobody else can.
Get STRATA — $89