Ploytec has announced a new firmware for the πλ² Pi L Squared synthesizer.
The new “PL02.56 firmware”, comes with a “Vocal Tract” model filter offering formant sounds and speech. It’s a tribute to the General Instruments SP0256-AL2 chip from the early 80s, combined with the ability to play it as an instrument.
There are different performance modes available, allowing both: Playing the “allophones” (speech elements) on the keyboard while controlling the notes via the modulation wheel, or the other way around, selecting the allophones via the modulation wheel and playing notes on the keyboard. The PL02.56 firmware lets you choose between alphabetical and original order, plus supports using e.g. an Ableton Launchpad mini to access all 64 allophones.
The new firmware is to be released on Summer NAMM, 2014.
More information: Ploytec
