Extensive modulation capabilities
With its 32-slot modulation matrix, the Hydrasynth Desktop empowers you to create incredibly nuanced and expressive sounds. Synthesists at Sweetwater are particularly impressed with its envelope generators (five per voice), which offer delay and hold in addition to ADSR stages. Each stage of the envelope can sweep through exponential and logarithmic curves, which offers big creative potential for long, evolving modulations.
Like most of the functions on Hydrasynth Desktop, envelopes can be locked to BPM for tempo-synced modulations. Combined with the looping function, you can use the envelopes as LFOs with interesting waveshapes. And speaking of LFOs, Hydrasynth Desktop offers five LFOs per voice with 11 total waveshapes. That includes the 8-step LFO, which allows you to create your own custom waveform. Advanced real-time control via eight macro controls
One of the most popular aspects of software synthesizers is the ability to control multiple parameters simultaneously via macro controls, and the ASM Hydrasynth Desktop gives you that creative power in hardware form. You can customize its eight macro controls to tweak up to eight destinations simultaneously. And with a total of 170 modulation destinations to explore, you can easily use the macro controls to warp between completely distinct sound variations on the fly. Deep synthesis with an intuitive interface
While the Hydrasynth Desktop engine is remarkably powerful, it’s relatively simple to find and tweak the parameters you’re looking for. On the front panel, you’ll find a graphic representation of the audio path, with buttons to select each individual section (individual oscillators, mixer, effects, and so on). Selecting a section brings its associated parameters to the display, with eight encoders ready to tweak. In other words, every section of this synth can be accessed with a button press, no menu diving required.