Roemhold Modular Beehive/uPlaits (Black Panel)

Macro-oscillator Plaits

Beehives has four good-sized pots on a slim 8th and the full functionality of Plaits. It offers 24 synthesis forms, each of which can be edited in three parameters. CV inputs allow a wide range of modulations. True to its predecessor (Braids), it is even possible to jump back and forth between synthesis forms. On top of this, a low-pass gate and a mod envelope have been implemented.
The synthesis forms are divided into three banks of eight algorithms each:

Bank 1: tonally playable sounds
Bank 2: noisy sounds and drums
Bank 3: DX7-compatible 6-operator FM synthesis and 7 more synthesis modes

A coarse potentiometer is available for tuning the Beehive, the control range of which can be varied. More precisely, ranges from 14 semitones to eight octaves are possible.

Each synthesis algorithm can be edited using timbre, morph and harmonics potentiometers. The function of the parameters varies depending on the selected programme. In simple terms, the whole thing can be described as follows:

Timbre: Influences the spectral content of sounds. - Do you want a sound to be dark and thin or bright and massive?
Morph: Used for sound colour variations.
Harmonics: Controls frequency spreads or the ratio of different components of a sound programme.
In addition to the 1V/octave input, with which Beehive can be played over a range of eight octaves, there is also a trigger socket. Incoming signals trigger the integrated decay envelope, stimulate physical and percussive sound programmes and activate the low-pass gate. Alternatively, the LPG can be controlled via the level CV input. Reaction behaviour and decay can be edited.

Frequency, timbre and morph can be influenced by CV paths with bipolar attenuators. If no external modulator is connected, the internal decay envelope is used. Harmonics parameters and synthesis algorithm selection can also be voltage controlled, but there are no attenuators and no normalisation to the mod envelope. If the trigger input is used, Beehive only switches between sound models once per keystroke.

In addition to the main output, there is also an aux audio output. Depending on the selected sound programme, this outputs either a by-product, an additional sound such as a sub-oscillator signal or a variation of the selected sound.

The Beehive's synthesis forms at a glance:

• Classic waveforms: Two analogue-style VA waves that can be detuned against each other.
• Waveshaping oscillator: An asymmetrical triangle is processed by the wave shaper and wave folder.
• Two-operator FM: Two sine oscillators, connected as modulator and carrier plus feedback.
• Granular formant oscillator: Simulation of formants and filtered waveforms by multiplication, addition and -synchronisation of sine wave segments.
• Harmonic oscillator: Additive programme that uses harmonically related sine waves.
• Wavetable oscillator: Four banks of eight by eight waveforms accessed via rows and columns, with or without interpolation.
• Chords: Generates chords with four notes played by the VA or wavetable algorithm.
• Speech synthesis: A set of vowel and speech algorithms.
• Granular cloud: A sawtooth swarm consisting of eight oscillators equipped with envelopes.
• Filtered noise: White noise with variable clocking, processed by a resonant multimode filter.
• Particle noise: Digital noise processed by an all-pass or band-pass network.
• Inharmonic string modelling
• Modal resonator bank: A resonator that is excited by trigger input or particle noise. - A kind of mini-ring.
• Analogue bass drum model
• Analogue snare drum model
• Analogue hi-hat model
• Classic waveforms with filter
• Phase distortion and modulation
• 2-voice, 6-operator FM synthesiser with 32 presets
• Wave Terrain Synthesis
• String machine
• Four variable square voices for chords or arpeggios

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