The Erica Synths Steampipe Physical Modelling Synthesizer is now Available!
4,5 / 5,0 | 
[04 December 2024] The Erica Synths Steampipe synthesizer announced back at Superbooth 23 is now finally available! Developed in collaboration with 112dB, Steampipe is a gorgeous-looking desktop synth that specializes in physically modeled wind instruments.
Steampipe was one of the biggest surprises of Superbooth 23. Hardly anyone was expecting a physical modeling synth for wind instruments from the Techno experts at Erica Synths. But as the demo video proves, the synth can also deliver a wide range of other unusual timbres – perfect for experimental electronic music and film scoring, for example!
You can now order the Erica Synths Steampipe from Thomann* for $1043 / £990 / €1179.
Superbooth 23: Erica Synths Steampipe Physical Modelling Synthesizer
[11 May 2023 / Robin Vincent] Steampipe is a gorgeous-looking desktop machine that generates, reverberates and saturates up to 8 voices of physically modelled sounds.
I’m immediately reminded of the ancient Steampipe synth in Native Instruments Reaktor, which follows very similar lines of physical modelling. Erica Synths designed this with Dutch company 112dB. It’s all about emulating the way sound is formed from wind instruments. We’re talking about the vibration produced by air moving across an embouchure or pipe edge. I have a feeling this is going to be astonishingly good!
Steampipe has three major sections, Steam, Pipe and Reverberator. In the Steam section, the focus is on the airflow. It’s a noise generator of sorts with an envelope to control the force of the air. You can replace this part with an external input. The Pipe section forms the pitch by pushing waves into feedback with control over shape and tuning. Finally, the Reverberator adds space and ambience to the sound.
Apparently, the synth has been optimized for wind MIDI controllers but should work great with any MIDI keyboard. Also on board is a shapable LFO for modulation, a multi-mode Filter and Saturation. It will come with lots of interesting presets
While the look and surface is very much Erica Synths, it feels like a different kind of product to what we usually expect from them. What’s missing at the time of writing is any video evidence of it in action. So, currently, I have no idea what it sounds like.
- Erica Synths website.
- More from Erica Synths.
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One response to “The Erica Synths Steampipe Physical Modelling Synthesizer is now Available!”
Devs who make only items on a temporary ( “only 28 will be made”, etc) basis are utterly useless. Always pricing their stuff higher than their much more well- known competition does provide a laugh, however.