Developed with the Hartmann Design team, the Element One puts expressive performance controls front and centre without burying the sound engine underneath them.
Modal Electronics has announced the Element One, an 8-voice virtual-analogue synthesiser designed to close the gap between powerful synthesis and an instrument you can just pick up and play. Developed in collaboration with the Hartmann Design team, it’s built for musicians who want to shape sound in real time rather than spend the session buried in menus.
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The performance-focused design shows up in the details. The Element One features 37 full-size, velocity-sensitive keys with aftertouch, a tactile 4-axis joystick and 17 direct-access control knobs – all working together to make the synth respond to how you’re playing rather than waiting for you to find the right parameter. The result is an instrument that moves with the performer.
Under the hood, the sound engine has plenty to work with. Eight-voice polyphony runs through 64 high-resolution oscillators – up to eight per voice – covering everything from vintage warmth to harder-edged modern tones. Over 30 resonant filter types handle the sculpting side, with both morphable and static options depending on what the sound calls for. Three independent stereo effects engines cover reverb, delay, chorus and more, and can be arranged in any order. Three hundred factory presets are categorised by character for fast browsing, and the Element One also supports thousands of existing COBALT8 patches, which is a significant library to have access to straight away.
Connectivity covers the practical bases: USB-C MIDI, MIDI in and out, sync I/O and a stereo audio input that routes external sources through the internal effects engines. The free MODALapp provides deeper editing across macOS, Windows, iOS and Android for anyone who wants to go further than the hardware controls allow.
At 4.5kg, it’s light enough to take to a gig without a second thought. As Modal put it: “It doesn’t ask you to learn the rules; it dares you to play.”
The Element One is available now through authorised retailers. Full details at modalelectronics.com, and local enquiries here.
