Voga
by Puremagnetik · Synth · Generative Karplus-Strong strum synth
Not rated yet
Voga is a Karplus-Strong synthesizer that generates strumming patterns from a few settings, with the root key triggered from a MIDI keyboard.
Two modulation moons, moved by hand or left to run on their own, change timbre and filter, with adjustable scale, strum speed and effects, for $20.
Best for: Keys & Synths, Sound Design. Genres: Ambient & Cinematic, Electronic & EDM.
Keywords: chord generator, musical, plucks, arpeggiator, subscription, evolving, sound design, open source, simple, textures, cinematic, harp, warm.
What it does
Voga is a Karplus-Strong reso-pluck synth that plays itself: it uses chance-based movement to "generate variable yet musical strumming patterns based on just a few settings". The results range from plucked melodic phrases to ambient guitar-like arpeggios.
- Strum engine: Karplus-Strong plucked-string synthesis that generates its own strum phrases rather than playing back fixed patterns.
- MIDI control: you play a root key on a MIDI keyboard to trigger the phrase and transpose it.
- Two moons: two modulation controls that shape timbre, filters and the dynamics and speed of the strumming.
- Moon mode: set the moons to move on their own for slowly evolving parts, or move them by hand.
- Control window: sets the scale, strum speed and effects.
- Open source: the code is on GitHub under a CC BY-NC 4.0 licence; sound design and programming are by Micah Frank.
It first came out through the developer's monthly plugin subscription before going on sale on its own. The product page does not mention a demo.
Source: Puremagnetik product page
When to use it
Voga is a generative strum machine rather than a guitar instrument, and its strength is producing musical phrases from a single held note. Compared with Arturia Pigments 7, which would need an arpeggiator and careful patching to get similar plucked movement, it is far quicker and cheaper but has a tiny fraction of the sound range. It also differs from sampled guitars such as Heavier7Strings: it makes no attempt at realism, and you steer the phrase only loosely through scale, speed and the moons. It suits beds and textures more than parts you need to control note by note.
- Best for: plucked arpeggios, evolving strummed beds and harp- or guitar-like textures without writing MIDI.
- Genres: ambient, cinematic and downtempo electronic music.
- Look elsewhere if: you want a realistic sampled guitar or exact control over every note; Heavier7Strings or a full synth with an arpeggiator such as Pigments 7 fit better.
What producers say
Coverage is light, but the one hands-on write-up we read was warm about its simplicity and musical results.
- Gearnews called it "blissfully simple" and "better at generating musical phrases than you are", and said the results are "musical and lovely".
- Gearnews also noted it first launched as the monthly plugin for Puremagnetik's Patreon tier.
Where to buy
- Puremagnetik: $20
Tutorials and reviews
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