Full Bucket Music has introduced a new software instrument brings the sounds of the classic 1970s Omni-2 polyphonic synthesizer from ARP, an analog synth with preset Orchestral String sounds.

Oxid delivers a close simulation of the original hardware. It features 64-voice polyphony, string and synthesizer sections, paraphonic madness, and additional phaser and delay effects.

Developing Oxid as a simulation of the ARP Omni-2 was fun. Of course the instruments lacks many features like “real” polyphony, velocity, after touch, or even VCF keyboard tracking which nowadays are considered to be standard. But hey: The original Omni was developed in 1975 (the Omni-2 followed in 1977) and things had to evolve. All the quirks caused by the design and especially its restrictions can have an inspirational effect on the music you make – or the opposite.

I will not argue whether Oxid sounds exactly the same as the Omni. I did the best I could given that I am not in possession of the original hardware itself. But as always, I am open for your comments on Oxid, though.

Oxid is free to download for Windows and Mac in VST/VST3, AU and CLAP plugin formats.

More information: Full Bucket Music