Strymon SuperKar+ Synth Module

The Strymon SuperKar+ is a Eurorack voice module that uses Karplus-Strong synthesis to recreate the sound of plucked or bowed strings, struck or blown pipes or tubes, or a suite of other sounds from percussive textures to legato melodies and chords with smart harmonies. This is Karplus-Strong synthesis at its most intuitive and captivating. Karplus-Strong is a form of delay feedback synthesis, where every tone and texture is constantly in a state of varying tension. SuperKar+ is an engagingly responsive instrument, as tiny changes in attack/decay time and damping create an infinite variety of subtle or dramatic timbral shifts, and variable random per-note detuning can create lifelike realism.

TWO INSTRUMENTS IN ONE

Independent Melodies and Chords SuperKar+ is divided into two halves or voices: a Solo Voice and a Chord Voice, both of which can be played simultaneously and independently of each other if desired. Both voices can be triggered and pitched independently via control voltage, while the Solo Voice can also be controlled polyphonically via MIDI. Independent timbre selections are available for both voices, and each voice has its own independent level control and can be routed through a separate audio output if desired.

32-VOICE POLYPHONY

Set the polyphony on the Solo Voice to maximum and SuperKar+ can play up to 16 unique voices simultaneously. If you connect it to MIDI, the Solo Voice behaves as a 16-voice velocity sensitive polyphonic sound module with stable tuning over eight octaves. Via CV the stable tuning range is six octaves. The Chord Voice can also play up to 16 internally-generated voices simultaneously with a tuning range of five octaves. It creates harmonies based on the root note received at its pitch CV input, and can even create smart harmonies based on the root note plus a scale selection. The Chord Voice can also be used for creating compelling basslines with doubling and octave options.

KARPLUS-STRONG SYNTHESIS

When senior DSP engineer and Strymon co-founder Pete Celi finished tuning the monophonic Karplus-Strong voice in the StarLab Experimental Reverb module a few years ago, he immediately started thinking about how to build a standalone polyphonic instrument. But what exactly is Karplus-Strong synthesis? Simply put, a very short delay line with high feedback is excited by a sharp transient or burst of noise to produce a pitched sound, which is very similar to the principle of plucking a string. Longer excitations can create bowed string sounds, and when the polarity of the feedback structure is reversed a pipe or tube-like timbre can be produced instead. In SuperKar+ this method of synthesis almost seems to be alive, responding dramatically to slight changes in attack and decay times as well as damping (high frequency filtering that can dampen the string or pipe’s vibration almost like a palm mute). Even clay drum textures can be found with certain settings.

STRYMON SUPERKAR+ FEATURES:

• Karplus-Strong based voice module
• Two independent Voice channels – Solo Voice and Chord Voice
• Each Voice is polyphonic up to 16 notes
• Solo Voice plays single notes capable of sustaining simultaneously
• Chord Voice plays chord structures based on the root from the received V/Oct (Volt per Octave) CV
• Chord Voice includes fixed intervals with smart harmonies available
• Selectable Wide & Narrow Stereo, Split Voice, and Mono output options
• MIDI input controls the Solo Voice for a 16 part polyphonic experience with velocity sensitivity (when using MIDI, unplug the solo Voice TRIG and Solo Voice V/Oct CVs)
• Solo Voice is tuning stable to six octaves via CV and eight octaves via MIDI, and the Chord Voice is tuning stable to five octaves
• Stereo inputs and outputs
• Extensive CV control of parameters
• USB jack (located on the rear) for performing firmware updates