Vortex Sound Research
Ambika - Printable Version

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Ambika - SynthWizard - 02-16-2021

Ambika

<div><span>Ambika</span>

<div class="field field--name-field-specifications field--type-double-field-extended field--label-above">
<div class="field--label">Specifications</div>
<div class="field__items">
<div class="field--item"><div class="double-field-extended form-group"><span class="specification-term" title="Polyphony" data-content="The number of voices (notes) a device can produce simultaneously. Typically, a monophonic device can only play one note at a time. A Duophonic device can play two notes at a time. A polyphonic device can play two or more notes at a time." data-placement="top" data-trigger="hover" data-toggle="popover">Polyphony - </span>
<span class="specification-value">6 Voices</span>
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<div class="field--item"><div class="double-field-extended form-group"><span class="specification-term" title="Multitimbral" data-content="A synthesizing instrument that can play two or more timbres (also called sounds or patches) at the same time. A typical multitimbral tone generator can play, for example, the brass, piano, and violin parts all at once." data-placement="top" data-trigger="hover" data-toggle="popover">Multitimbral - </span>
<span class="specification-value">6 Parts</span>
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</div>
<div class="field--item"><div class="double-field-extended form-group"><span class="specification-term" title="Oscillators" data-content="An electronic device which generates a periodic signal of a particular frequency, usually a sine wave, but sometimes a square wave or other waveform. In an analog synthesizer, oscillators typically produce regularly repeating fluctuations in voltage - that is, they oscillate. In digital synthesis, an oscillator more typically plays back a complex waveform by reading the numbers in a wavetable." data-placement="top" data-trigger="hover" data-toggle="popover">Oscillators - </span>
<span class="specification-value">2 VCOs</span>
</div>
</div>
<div class="field--item"><div class="double-field-extended form-group"><span class="specification-term" title="Waveforms" data-content="A signal, either sampled (digitally recorded) or periodic, being generated by an oscillator. Also, the graphical display of a sound pressure wave over time." data-placement="top" data-trigger="hover" data-toggle="popover">Waveforms - </span>
<span class="specification-value">Pulse, Pulse Variable, Saw Down, Saw Up, Sine, Square, Sub Oscillator, Super Saw, Triangle, Wave Table, White Noise,</span>
</div>
</div>
<div class="field--item"><div class="double-field-extended form-group"><span class="specification-term" title="Filter Slopes" data-content="A type of equalizing device for subtractively eliminating selected frequencies from the sound spectrum of a signal and perhaps, in the case of a resonant filter, increasing the level of other frequencies." data-placement="top" data-trigger="hover" data-toggle="popover">Filter Slopes - </span>
<span class="specification-value">24dB Slope (4-pole), Band Pass, High Pass, Low Pass, Resonance</span>
</div>
</div>
<div class="field--item"><div class="double-field-extended form-group"><span class="specification-term" title="LFO" data-content="Low Frequency Oscillator. An oscillator especially devoted to applications below the audible frequency range, and typically used as a control source for modulating a sound to create vibrato, tremolo, trills, and so on." data-placement="top" data-trigger="hover" data-toggle="popover">LFO - </span>
<span class="specification-value">4 LFO with Sample &amp; Hold, Saw Up, Saw Down, Sine, Square, Triangle,</span>
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</div>
<div class="field--item"><div class="double-field-extended form-group"><span class="specification-term" title="VCA/Envelopes" data-content="A shape that changes as a function of time. The shape of a synthesizer's envelope is often controlled by Attack, Decay, Sustain and Release parameters (ADSR). Envelopes can be applied to various aspects of a synth sound, such as pitch, filter cutoff frequency, and overall amplitude." data-placement="top" data-trigger="hover" data-toggle="popover">VCA/Envelopes - </span>
<span class="specification-value">3 VCA with ADSR envelope</span>
</div>
</div>
<div class="field--item"><div class="double-field-extended form-group"><span class="specification-term" title="Controls" data-content="On-board rotary knobs, linear sliders, and push-buttons or switches that may be used to edit various parameters." data-placement="top" data-trigger="hover" data-toggle="popover">Controls - </span>
<span class="specification-value">MIDI In/Out</span>
</div>
</div>
<div class="field--item"><div class="double-field-extended form-group"><span class="specification-term" title="Sequencer" data-content="A hardware device, software application or module used to arrange/sequence timed events into musical patterns and songs. An analog sequencer uses control voltages and gate triggers to control vintage analog devices. A digital sequencer usually uses MIDI and has more advanced capabilities than an analog sequencer." data-placement="top" data-trigger="hover" data-toggle="popover">Sequencer - </span>
<span class="specification-value">32 step sequencer</span>
</div>
</div>
<div class="field--item"><div class="double-field-extended form-group"><span class="specification-term" title="Arpeggiator" data-content="A device that steps from note to note for whichever keys are pressed (or latched) in a preset or random pattern." data-placement="top" data-trigger="hover" data-toggle="popover">Arpeggiator - </span>
<span class="specification-value">Up, Down, Random, Combinations</span>
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</div>
</div>
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<span><a title="View user profile." href="http://www.vintagesynth.com/user/406" lang="" about="http://www.vintagesynth.com/user/406" typeof="schemaTongueerson" property="schema:name" datatype="" xml:lang="">Naomi Bolton</a></span>
<span>Fri, 01/08/2021 - 11:20</span>

<div class="field field--name-body field--type-text-with-summary field--label-hidden field--item"><p>Ambika is a 2012 synth from Mutable Instruments although the French manufacturer has since dropped their support for it and distanced themselves from the instrument. It is a multi-voiced hybrid synthesizer with six voices that can be played as a six-voice polysynth, an ensemble of six monosynths, or just about anything in between. It dates back to the DIY days of Mutable Instruments and since it has a Creative Commons license it can be built by anyone who has the design.</p>

<p>Due to the DIY nature of the Ambika, the build quality is very much dependent on the materials and craftsmanship employed by whoever made it. Since it features hybrid sound generation you get the warmth and sonic character of a true 4-pole analog filter along with all the waveforms available through digital wavetables. Thanks to the digital control of the analog filter and VCA there is no shortage of modulation options.</p>

<p>The Ambika was quite a feature-rich synth for its time and had six voices with individual outputs along with two digital oscillators per voice and 36 oscillator algorithms/wavetables. The sub-oscillator could also be configured as a transient generator and it had a pre-filter overdrive as well as bit-crushing effect. Depending on the type of voicecard used it had an analog 4-pole filter or 2-pole multimode filter, and VCA. You also got 3 ADSR envelopes, 3 patch level LFOs, and a voice-level LFO. Furthermore, it had a modulation matrix with 14 slots and four modulation modifiers. Finally, it offered an arpeggiator, note sequencer, and two-step sequencers per part. Of course, thanks to SD-card storage, everything patches, programs and multis to your undo/redo history could be saved with ease.</p>

<p>The rear panel of the Amika is one to the SD-card slot, the MIDI In and Out connector, the mix line output, six individual outputs, and the AC power jack. The front panel featured a 2x40 character LCD with a clickable encoder next to it that is used to scroll between parameters and pages or fine-tune values. It has eight potentiometers, organized as two rows of four above and below the LCD. Below the bottom row of potentiometers, there are 8 LEDs, which are used to indicate which page is active. Just below the LEDs are eight switches, which are used to display synthesis pages. To the left of the switches are six LEDs to indicate which parts are active and which voicecards are currently playing while the status LED above them visualizes the rate of an LFO or the beats in a sequence. The layout is clean and practical and all the parameters are organized in pages with each displaying up to eight related synthesis parameters.</p>

<p>Overall, the Ambika was a great instrument for its time and still holds up really well if you can find one or have the skills (as well as parts) to assemble your own. Its flexibility is still very useful, but finding one in the wild can be quite costly.</p>
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<div class="field field--name-field-make-er field--type-entity-reference field--label-above">
<div class="field--label">Make</div>
<div class="field--item"><a href="http://www.vintagesynth.com/taxonomy/term/1176" hreflang="en">Mutable Instruments</a></div>
</div>

<div class="field field--name-field-year field--type-integer field--label-above">
<div class="field--label">Year</div>
<div class="field--item">2012</div>
</div>

<div class="field field--name-field-musical-genre-er field--type-entity-reference field--label-above">
<div class="field--label">Musical genre</div>
<div class="field__items">
<div class="field--item"><a href="http://www.vintagesynth.com/taxonomy/term/775" hreflang="en">Electronic music</a></div>
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</div>

<div class="field field--name-field-synth-type-er field--type-entity-reference field--label-above">
<div class="field--label">Synth type</div>
<div class="field__items">
<div class="field--item"><a href="http://www.vintagesynth.com/taxonomy/term/779" hreflang="en">Digital</a></div>
</div>
</div>

<div class="field field--name-field-interface-features-er field--type-entity-reference field--label-above">
<div class="field--label">Interface features</div>
<div class="field__items">
<div class="field--item"><a href="http://www.vintagesynth.com/taxonomy/term/784" hreflang="en">Modern</a></div>
</div>
</div>

<div class="field field--name-field-format-er field--type-entity-reference field--label-above">
<div class="field--label">Format</div>
<div class="field__items">
<div class="field--item"><a href="http://www.vintagesynth.com/taxonomy/term/788" hreflang="en">Desktop / Tabletop</a></div>
</div>
</div>

<div class="field field--name-field-sound-types-er field--type-entity-reference field--label-above">
<div class="field--label">Sound types</div>
<div class="field__items">
<div class="field--item"><a href="http://www.vintagesynth.com/taxonomy/term/791" hreflang="en">Acoustic / Realistic</a></div>
</div>
</div>

<div class="field field--name-field-price-range-er field--type-entity-reference field--label-above">
<div class="field--label">Price range</div>
<div class="field__items">
<div class="field--item"><a href="http://www.vintagesynth.com/taxonomy/term/797" hreflang="en">Above $1,000</a></div>
</div>
</div>

<div class="field field--name-field-image-er field--type-image field--label-above">
<div class="field--label">Image</div>
<div class="field--item"> <img src="http://www.vintagesynth.com/sites/default/files/2021-01/AmbikaMboard.png" width="1431" height="915" alt="Ambika" typeof="foaf:Image" class="img-responsive"></div>
</div>

<div class="field field--name-field-files field--type-entity-reference-revisions field--label-above">
<div class="field--label">Files</div>
<div class="field__items">
<div class="field--item"> <div class="file-item">
<a href="https://mutable-instruments.net/archive/ambika/manual/" class="file-title">Ambika User Manual</a><span class="file-description">Mutable Instruments Ambika User Manual</span>

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<div class="field field--name-field-youtube field--type-entity-reference-revisions field--label-above">
<div class="field--label">YouTube</div>
<div class="field__items">
<div class="field--item"> <div class="youtube-field" data-pid="17956">
<div class="field-image">
<div class="field field--name-field-youtube-link field--type-youtube field--label-hidden field--item"><img src="http://www.vintagesynth.com/sites/default/files/youtube/4p9JvS1WaFI.jpg" alt="Embedded thumbnail for Ambika &gt; YouTube (previous revision)" typeof="foaf:Image" class="img-responsive"></div>
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<div class="wrapper-fields">
<div class="field-title">
<div class="field field--name-field-youtube-title field--type-string field--label-hidden field--item">Sounds of Ambika - No 1</div>
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<div class="field-author">by
<div class="field field--name-field-youtube-author field--type-string field--label-hidden field--item">SYNTHWAY</div>
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<div class="field--item"> <div class="youtube-field" data-pid="17961">
<div class="field-image">
<div class="field field--name-field-youtube-link field--type-youtube field--label-hidden field--item"><img src="http://www.vintagesynth.com/sites/default/files/youtube/EsrRIxwBt44.jpg" alt="Embedded thumbnail for Ambika &gt; YouTube" typeof="foaf:Image" class="img-responsive"></div>
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<div class="wrapper-fields">
<div class="field-title">
<div class="field field--name-field-youtube-title field--type-string field--label-hidden field--item">ambika chords</div>
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<div class="field-author">by
<div class="field field--name-field-youtube-author field--type-string field--label-hidden field--item">phase57</div>
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<div class="field field--name-field-user-rating field--type-vs-synth-rating field--label-above">
<div class="field--label">User Rating</div>
<div class="field--item"><div class="vs-fivestars" data-uuid="12adb29e-be21-4897-91ae-e5922f012b62">
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<ul><li><a href="http://www.vintagesynth.com/rss.xml#" data-value="1" class="one-star">1</a></li>
<li><a href="http://www.vintagesynth.com/rss.xml#" data-value="2" class="two-stars">2</a></li>
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<div class="field field--name-field-texture field--type-list-string field--label-above">
<div class="field--label">Texture</div>
<div class="field--item">Polyphonic instruments</div>
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<div class="field field--name-field-disqus-comment field--type-disqus-comment field--label-above">
<div class="field--label">Disqus comment</div>
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<div class="field--item"><drupal-render-placeholder callback="Drupal\disqus\Element\Disqus::displayDisqusComments" arguments="0=Ambika&amp;1=http%3A//www.vintagesynth.com/Mutable_Instruments/Ambika&amp;2=node/13811" token="1F82ZL7tN8FmnPlYsRN1XT6cvw65I7mG4E2_hY2UZlE"></drupal-render-placeholder></div>
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http://www.vintagesynth.com/Mutable_Instruments/Ambika