The Töörö Is a Hybrid Polyphonic Supersynth

Frédéric Meslin has announced that a Kickstarter campaign is now underway for the Töörö, a new portable hybrid polysynth. This simple synth enables users to learn to navigate and tweak sounds, create modulations, and save and load their creations. It can also generate fat, analog-style tones with saw, square, and sine waveforms, and it uses a unique resonant filter. Of course, it’s capable of producing crisp digital soundscapes, pads, and tones as well.

Töörö features a six-voice hybrid synth engine and four-part multi-timbral. Each voice contains two complex 12-bit digital wavetable oscillators with a variety of shaping functions. The user can activate a noise source and ring modulate the wavetables. Overall, there is a lot here to shape the wavetables and create new sound directions. Oscillators flow into the optocoupler based FL A847 12dB/octave resonant low-pass filter containing auto-oscillation and saturation features. It produces wild and classic tones via the MS-10 inspired filter design.

The four-part multi-timbral engine lets users make up to four layers to produce complex patches or play up to six-note chords, panning each note in the stereo field for lush sounds. What’s special about Töörö is that it has a matrix interface where users can edit sound parameters with four knobs and 14 tactile switches. There is also a built-in preset memory that can store 100 presets and 10 user multi-patches.

Beyond that, Töörö has an impressive MIDI implementation. It supports all standard messages, including polyphonic aftertouch, providing great expressiveness. In total, there are 88 MIDI CC’s, allowing users to control most sound-shaping parameters using MIDI controllers or software. This extends possibilities for creative modulation and external control.

The engine is built into an aluminum enclosure outfitted with the connections a modern keyboard player requires. It’s designed to withstand many years of studio use along with the rigors of touring. There are two line-level unbalanced jacks, two instrument-level jacks, and a DIN5 MIMI IN/OUT+ THRU configuration. Additionally, it contains a USB connection, which can be used to power Töörö.