Interviewed:

Peter Gorges, Founder and Mastermind of UJAM.

Beat / Can you briefly explain the concept of the Usynth series?

Peter / All of us know that only a fraction of people who use synthesizers actually know how to use them. So what happens - most musicians need synth sounds, so they buy professional synths, but actually just tap through presets. We wanted to develop a synthesizer that appeals to this exact clientele, but also has the appeal of speed and simplicity for demanding users. The whole series is based on a very comprehensive synth engine that is comparable to the most complex synthesizers on the market. However, it is made manageable here through a novel UI concept. Each product in the series is a stand-alone synthesizer optimized for a specific theme and offers the corresponding selection of sounds. Usynth is still in its infancy at the moment - we still have a lot of plans for it, especially in the areas of browsing and sound design, which will gradually flow into the engine and then be automatically available to all products. We‘re planning on around 10 Usynth instruments a year - this should become a platform where you eventually have all the sounds and sequences you‘ll ever need.

Beat / So far, there are five Usynth instruments. Can you briefly introduce them to us?

Peter / Part of the concept of Usynth is that users get beautifully themed individual instruments from us. Each one is based on the same engine, but has its own sounds, sequences, mostly samples, sometimes even synthesis forms that are matched to the theme. We started with Caramel - a pad synthesizer, Euphoria - dance riffs, and 2080 - the whole range of Synthwave sounds. Two months later we followed it up with Core the essentials of synth sounds you always need, so to speak, and with Deluxe, with which we wanted to cover the topic of Electronic Soul.

Beat / What sound generation is used under the hood of the synthesizers?

Peter / Usynth, like all our instruments, is based on our modular instrument construction kit called Gorilla Engine, and we‘ve drawn from the depths here. In terms of synthesis, we have Virtual Analog Synthesis and Multisamples, plus FM and Wavetable. All these synthesis forms go through a subtractive voice architecture with I don‘t know how many filters, effects and two layers. The built-in Finisher and Surprise function also offer new ideas and sound variations very quickly and easily.

Beat / In what ways can the user shape and manipulate the sounds?

Peter / Usynth‘s sound manipulation capabilities focus on 5 buttons, meaning the user can comprehensively change 5 aspects of each preset - these are selected and pre-programmed by the sound designer. This eliminates the desperate (and for most people hopeless) search for „Where do I make this harder, faster, thinner, glassier?“Two of the controls are permanently assigned and are called Dark/Bright and Fast/ Slow - you will always need them. In contrast to simple cutoff or ADSR controls, these knobs have a macro-like effect on the engine - one turn of a knob produces exactly the desired change for each sound. The Fast/Slow control does something completely different with a pad than with a percussive sound; the Dark/Bright control will certainly turn the cutoff with a VA sound, but with FM it will turn the modulator levels. That‘s exactly what Usynth users don‘t have to worry about - it‘s all there. The other three knobs are assigned individually for each synthesizer preset. Our sound designers have been given the maxim: „For each sound, ask yourself: What three aspects did I want to change as a user? - and then offer exactly those“.

Beat / Can you tell us more about the synthesizer‘s Sequencer?

Peter / The Sequencer can function as an Arpeggiator, Step or Chord Sequencer, Phrase Player or as a combination of these. The sound designers created separate MIDI files with control data for the sequences for each Usynth instrument - for the user this simply means that he gets more chord sequences with a pad Usynth and more riffs with a dance instrument.