by Lasse Eilers | 3,7 / 5,0 | Approximate reading time: 2 Minutes
Artium Instruments The Swarm

Artium Instruments The Swarm  ·  Source: Artium Instruments

Artium Instruments The Swarm

The Swarm  ·  Source: Artium Instruments

ADVERTISEMENT

Artium Instruments The Swarm is a colorful desktop synth with a supersaw oscillator, up to eight voices, built-in effects, and an arpeggiator. Now on Kickstarter!

ADVERTISEMENT

Artium Instruments The Swarm

It’s in the name: At the core of Artium Instruments’ new desktop synth The Swarm is a supersaw oscillator that pumps out up to eight detunable saw waves. But fat detune sounds aren’t the synth’s only specialty. Controlled via MIDI, you can play chords with up to eight notes. At this time, it isn’t entirely clear to me whether the synth offers true polyphony (eight complete voices with oscillator, filter, and envelope) or if paraphonic would be the more precise term here, although I suspect the latter. I assume that the synth interprets polyphonic MIDI input by detuning the individual saw waves to the appropriate pitches, while routing everything through the same filter. But the manufacturer hasn’t made a clear statement about this.

You are currently viewing a placeholder content from YouTube. To access the actual content, click the button below. Please note that doing so will share data with third-party providers.

More Information

Speaking of the filter: There’s a bare-bones lowpass filter without resonance, as well as a simple attack-release envelope. Much of the synth’s sonic versatility comes from the four built-in effects. In addition to a sync-able delay and a stereo reverb, The Swarm offers chorus and freeze effects. The latter samples a one-second snippet of the audio output and turns it into a static drone. What’s great is that you can also use the synth as an effects unit for external gear, thanks to a stereo audio input.

Artium Instruments The Swarm
Stereo audio input for use as an FX box · Source: Artium Instruments
ADVERTISEMENT

Furthermore, The Swarm offers a monophonic arpeggiator that plays back incoming MIDI notes in a variety of patterns.

Besides the audio inputs and outputs, The Swarm has two USB-C connectors: one for power, the other for MIDI.

Artium Instruments The Swarm
The Swarm · Source: Artium Instruments

Price and availability

The manufacturer has just launched a Kickstarter campaign to finance The Swarm. If you’re quick, you can still grab one of the early bird specials for $359. From the second batch, the price will be $379. Artium Instruments expects to begin shipping in June 2024.

More information about Artium Instruments The Swarm

Artium Instruments The Swarm

How do you like this post?

Rating: Yours: | ø:
ADVERTISEMENT

One response to “Artium Instruments The Swarm: Supersaw Synth with up to Eight Voices”

    Sean says:
    0

    Why does every demo these days find a way to incorporate a kalimba?

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *