Sound Design Laboratory - explore, play, perform

The Pittsburgh Modular Voltage Lab 2 is a cutting edge synthesis laboratory that offers a new palette of analog textures and waveforms to sonic researchers. Newly developed wave shaping capabilities paired with powerful synthesis tools, and a deep, performance oriented controller join together to create a complete sound design laboratory.  This instrument has a very physical sound. The tones it creates feel natural and alive, with traditional waveforms becoming the seeds of unique new shapes and sounds that shift between analog physical modeling and more unfamiliar, abstract timbres.

Laboratory Oscillator 1

Voltage Lab 2 includes a pair of Laboratory Oscillators. Each with a unique set of newly invented waveshaping tools designed to expand the sonic potential of analog synthesis. Laboratory Oscillator 1 introduces Center Clipping to analog synthesis. Center clipping unlocks independent control over the top and bottom of the waveform, allowing for detailed manipulation of harmonics and timbre without affecting pitch. It does this by processing waveforms from the center out as opposed to traditional methods which work from the peaks inwards.

Laboratory Oscillator 2

Laboratory Oscillator 2 introduces a host of new sonic possibilities with two new waveshapers. Pulse Symmetry and Reflection. Pulse Symmetry creates a new species of pulse wave that adds a step between the top and bottom of the waveform. The resulting wave looks like a set of stairs where the depth of the center step can be adjusted in addition to the pulse width. Wave Reflection takes the bottom half of the waveform and reflects it onto the top half. Each waveshape responds to this differently. For example, a saw wave morphs into a triangle while triangle and sine waves lose their fundamental harmonic and jump up an octave.

Pittsburgh Dynamics Controllers

The new Dynamics technology imparts Voltage Lab 2 with a uniquely organic depth and presence. By simultaneously managing both amplitude and harmonic content, the Pittsburgh Dynamics Controller expands beyond the one dimensional VCA found in other synthesizers. It does this by utilizing new advancements from traditional low pass gates to add additional definition and dimension to the voices of the Voltage Lab 2. 

When used in low pass gate mode, sounds shed harmonic content and become warmer as they decrease in volume. This mimics how sound waves react to their environment. Because of this connection, the Voltage Lab 2 sounds more natural or complex compared to other instruments.

Touch Controller 2

The Touch Controller 2 enables artists to blend traditional pitched performances with the freedom to openly experiment, creating a flexible playground for music creation. Two independent channels offer a combination of real time, expressive playing and in-depth sequencing. Assignable scales, step conditions, jumps, chance effects, generative sequencing, and a host of other tools, come together allowing musicians to both create and interact with complex systems.=

A Florist and Echos

The Voltage Lab 2 includes a set of analog time based effects, Florist and Echos. The Florist is a flanger/chorus hybrid that focuses on brighter, short time shifts with highly controlled feedback allowing for maximum ringing before self oscillation. Echos is a more traditional, darker analog BBD delay that also utilizes highly controlled feedback to provide a larger number of repeats before falling into self oscillation. Both effects are perfect for traditional workflows and unconventional experimentation.

Complete Set of Modular Tools

The Voltage Lab 2 includes a host of fully modular, analog and digital synthesis tools to support and enhance it’s core functionality. Analog tools include flexible mixers, a pair of complex function generators, noise, sample and hold, and an LFO. Digital tools cover external MIDI, arpeggiator, and a robust chance sequencer. The Voltage Lab 2 toolset is deep enough for all types of sonic experiments.

Voltage Lab 2 features at a glance

• Dual oscillator synthesizer with innovative analog sound design elements.
• Dual channel, complex 16 note touch controller and sequencer.
• Fully modular eurorack format synthesizer with 101 point patch bay. Build complex sonic experiments within the Voltage Lab 2 or patch with external eurorack devices. 
• Controllable via touch controller, sequencer, external MIDI, CV, gate.
• A pair of analog Pittsburgh Modular Laboratory Oscillators utilizing cutting edge waveshaping techniques.
• Laboratory Oscillator 1 utilizes a Pittsburgh developed process called Center Clipping to reinvent how waveforms can be manipulated. With independent control over the top and bottom of the waveform.
• Laboratory Oscillator 1 includes the six stage Pittsburgh Warped Wavefolder allowing it to fold previously unfoldable waveforms such as square and pulse waves.
• Laboratory Oscillator 2 introduces Pulse Symmetry, a new type of pulse wave invented by Pittsburgh that adds a second dimension of modulation to pulse waves.
• Laboratory Oscillator 2 also includes a new Reflection wave folder that folds the bottom of the waveform back onto the top of the waveform.
• Built-in oscillator effects include a highly tuned Ring Modulator, Frequency Modulation (FM), Bit Crushing, and bi-directional Hard Sync.
• A pair of multi-purpose Function Generators work as a voltage controllable envelope with or without sustain, slew, LFO, clock divider, gate delay, and more.
• The Function Generators can be intertwined to create complex modulation options using the trigger conditions and function generator mixer outputs.
• Analog synthesis tools include flexible amplifier, attenuator, mixer/splitter, dual range LFO, and a signal splitter.
• Digital synthesis tools include MIDI to CV converter, arpeggiator, and a robust chance sequencer.
• A pair of Pittsburgh Dynamics Controllers. An expanded alternative to a filter and/or VCA.
• Noise generator and fully patchable Sample & Hold.
• A pair of analog effects. Florist flanger chorus and Echos bucket brigade delay.
• Line level and headphone outputs.
• Dual Channel Touch Controller offers a combination of real time, expressive playing and in-depth sequencing.
• Touch Controller includes 16 dedicated pitch knobs per channel and 16 shared CV channel knobs.
• Each channel offers 8 simultaneous outputs. Quantized pitch, unquantized CV, pressure, trigger, gate, envelope, a second unquantized CV, and MIDI outputs.
• Global Touch Controller inputs include MIDI input, clock input, and clock reset input.
• Per channel inputs include channel active step scan input, channel reset/1-shot input, channel repeat input, and channel chance CV input.
• Assignable Key and scale. Chromatic, major, minor, or microtonal scales with up to 32 steps per octave.
• Touch Controller pitch can be assigned chromatically or per step using the dedicated channel knobs.
• Range of channel knobs can be set to 2, 3, or 4 octaves.
• Per step Sequencer features include pitch, gate length, envelope length, step conditions (1-100% chance, every other one, etc.) chance, step shift, step length, step destination jump, and step roll.
• Global Sequencer features include first step, direction, touchpad mode, step quantizer, swing, humanize, sequence shift, euclidean generator, sequence generator, fill generator, clock division
• Each channel offers a dedicated chance amount that can be assigned to up to 4 destinations, pitch, trigger, note shift, note roll.
• Clock source can be set to internal, external MIDI, or external gate.
• Assignable MIDI channels