The Soma Terra Organic Dark is a revolutionary device that embodies a profound conceptual vision.
At its core, it champions the harmonious fusion of nature and technology, meticulously striking a delicate equilibrium between simplicity and versatility.
Despite its deceptively straightforward interface, the Terra conceals a multifaceted, polyphonic, microtonal synthesizer with an expansive and adaptable sonic spectrum. This spectrum ranges from the ethereal elegance of classical tones to the intricacies of complex atonal noise, all while seamlessly traversing between these auditory extremes.
The Soma Terra's innovative keyboard design beckons musicians to explore novel playing techniques, covering the full range of a grand piano while offering precision tuning at a remarkable 125 steps per semitone. This remarkable range is achieved through a unique pitch-shifting system employing four additional sensors. Various combinations of these sensors unlock 16 distinct keyboard transpositions, including adjustments of up to three octaves up or down, fifths, fourths, thirds, tones, and more. Notably, Terra delivers the grand piano's full range within a compact design and ushers in an entirely fresh approach to crafting melodies and chords.
The keyboard comprises 12-note sensors endowed with velocity and pressure sensitivity, enabling the manual creation of slow attack and vibrato effects. Additionally, four dynamic sensors facilitate timbre modification and control, while four pitch-shifting sensors and two hold sensors preserve timbre and note states.
Within the Terra lies a three-axis motion sensor, empowering musicians to craft an array of modulations through intuitive hand and body movements.
Terra operates in the digital realm and houses 32 intricate synthesis algorithms, each meticulously crafted to serve as a complete and adaptable musical instrument, ready for exploration and performance in its unique way. The intention is to liberate musicians from the tedium of extensive programming and the adjustment of countless parameters required to shape a single timbre. Instead, Terra focuses squarely on music and performance, encouraging artists to follow their creative instincts and imaginations.
Terra artfully combines acoustic instruments' tactile immediacy with synthesisers' boundless flexibility. Drawing from the design principles of the acclaimed LYRA-8 and incorporating forward-thinking concepts introduced with ReFLEX, Terra boldly explores the future of synthesis.
Its interface is elegantly minimalist, providing instant access to all functions with just a few touches, including storing and retrieving the 96 presets directly on the playing sensors. Terra eschews traditional displays, conveying and manipulating essential data through a central triangle of six LED sensors.
Terra boasts an integrated FX processor, rendering its stereo output performance-ready, making it an ideal standalone instrument for live and studio settings. While its sound generation is digital, Terra features a bespoke, high-quality analogue component that imparts a rich, natural, clear, and powerful sonic character.
The Terra's housing is hewn from a single piece of wood, endowing each instrument with a unique and subtly distinctive character. The Terra logo, crafted from brass, is meticulously embedded into the wooden casing. As seen in the prototype showcased in the accompanying photo and announcement video, Terra exemplifies innovation, pushing the boundaries of synthesizer design.