Subdecay M3 Monophonic Guitar Synthesizer

They say:

• 70s style 3 oscillator monophonic synthesizer for guitar.
• Eleven oscillator presets.
• Eleven algorithm resets control the filter, amp, LFOs and more.
• Fully analog filter with resonance control.

Monophonic Guitar Synthesizer

Based on the Korg MS-20, the M3 brings the sounds of 70s monophonic synthesizers without the modular complications.

Instead of dual oscillators, the M3 employs 3 digitally controlled oscillators for super fat synth sounds that never go out of tune.

Eleven oscillator combinations cover string sounds, analog bass, bell tones, fifths and more. The algorithm knob’s eleven settings further shapes the sound controlling everything from the filter, two envelope generators, LFOs, portamento and more.

70s inspired

The 1970s saw a massive expansion of electronic music instruments. Much like early electric guitars some didn’t know what to make of these electronic synthesizers. Some of these electronic noise makers were almost affordable.  (insert if you can afford a truck, you can afford a synthesizer meme)

Ease of use and portability improved as well, but MIDI wasn’t coming until 1983. Saving patches usually meant writing them down in a notebook. This was still a vast improvement from earlier interconnected cabinets in studios that needed constant tuning and maintenance and were near impossible to use live.

This era created some of the most iconic synthesizers of all time. We’ve packed the essence of 70s analog monosynth into the M3. Don’t let the simplified controls deceive you. The M3 incorporates the following:  (Synth Speak warning)

Control and structure

Three oscillators.
Three LFOs (PWM & pitch for each oscillator, and the filter)
Two envelope generators. (filter & AMP)
Voltage-controlled analog resonant filter.
Voltage controlled amplifier

Synths of this era rarely had more than two oscillators per voice. A single LFO was common. Many synthesizers use a single envelope generator to control the filter and the amplifier. So how did we fit all this 70s goodness in a stompbox? We borrowed some tricks from the 80s. As MIDI became a synthesizer standard many of those “analog” synthesizers used digital control. Analog envelope followers and LFOs were replaced with digital technology. The synth world that was still analog moved on from voltage-controlled oscillators to digitally controlled oscillators. Often the same processors found in computers were found in synthesizers controlling everything.

User-friendly for guitarists

Essentially the M3 has 121 tweakable patches. The oscillator knob selects between eleven oscillator combinations. The algorithm knob selects filter, amp and LFO settings. The parameter knob allows you to alter each algorithm in different ways.

Oscillators

Each of the M3’s oscillators are capable of sawtooth waves or pulse waves with variable pulse width modulation. One of the LFOs controls the PWM. Another controls the pitch and is used to detune the oscillators for a chorus effect.