Tetrad is a soft synth “like no other”, apparentlyPhysical Audio has just unleashed a soft synth “like no other”. Developed alongside composer and transmedia artist Gadi Sassoon, the Tetrad combines physical modelling and granular synthesis into one release for Mac and Windows.
The soft synth is inspired by Gadi’s sculpture-based synth installation and accompanying soundtrack. The Modes of Vibration album utilises the Tetrad to compliment the “slashed plates and sound generators of the experimental setup”, but has since channelled the full experimental force of the installation into one central piece of software.

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“It started as an experiment in tangible synthesis and embodied algorithms with the team of Nemus Project, a quadraphonic ‘sculpture-based synth’ installation and performance based on four slashed plates with transducers,” Sassoon explains.
“In the real world each performance, installation and studio production provides a spatial experience that you just don’t get in a DAW, so we tried to imagine how that experience could inspire new tricks in the box.”

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The ‘Tetra’ name reflects its quadrophonic nature, with four oscillators and a quad bus signal path feeding 4 metal plates. The intention is a “pseudo-sequencer” effect, with the Quad Granulator splitting the signal into grains that can be replayed in a slew of different ways; users can adjust the grains’ waveshape, size, pitch and adjust the granulator’s feedback. There’s also phase displacement abilities per voice.
While four is the Tetra’s magic number, the four oscillator modes boast five different modes. Users can generate voices through basic, chords and modal chords, free and flex modes. There’s also ADSR envelope, FM Frequency and FM Depth for all oscillator types.
Voices can also be tuned in a variety of ways, ranging from basic intervals to diatonic inversions. There is also a Sidechain option, allowing you to bypass the oscillator. The voices can be controlled together to create new textures, or can be tweaked individually.

There’s also eight LFOs and three envelope-following sources, plus MIDI and MPE parameter sources. Three filters allow you to to curtail and sculpt effects from audio-rate modulation distortion and extreme granulation artefacts.
A highly customisable virtual sound stage also allows you the freedom to place plate resonators anywhere you please, allowing you to feed plates through a preamp with overdrive. You can customise the level of drive and decay per plate.
The Tetra comes with over 100 presets to get started immediately. Then, you can jump into the Comprehensive Modulation Matrix to truly let loose. “To bring it all to life, we programmed a powerful modulation matrix,” Sassoon says. “The result is a uniquely versatile computer music tool that can be used both as a generator and processor. There is much more to it, and I look forward to sharing details on each component in the coming weeks. It was real labour of love..”
Tetrad is available now at an introductory price of $59, which will soon jump up to $99.

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