Ben Fulton's Red Witch 4-Voice Synthotron III with Sample & Hold Filter and Dual-Voice Chorus is an incredible sounding killer All-Analog Monophonic Synth
This 3rd Edition of the Analog Synthotron Synth is a pretty magnificent achievement - with 7 key Control Blocks featuring a total of 28 controls - covering 4-Voice Synthesis, Sample & Hold / Envelope Filter, and a 2-Voice Analog Chorus.
Ben reports that everything has been updated and improved in this new version - with smarter controls, and greatly improved tracking. Considering the quality and price of this device I would have really wanted better knobs than those basic mini types - at least with knob-topper with proper position markers on them.
There’s no faulting what this does - although there is some slight complexity in the control topology as the different functions and options are not properly listed / labelled. Hopefully my visual helps with some of that.
As far as I understand it the first panel is where you do your original setup - and set Gain sensitivity, the transition of the notes (Staccato / Glissando), and the degree of Dry signal in the mix.
Then you have Yellow, Orange, Bright Red, and Dark Red blocks which represent the 4 Synth Voices or Intervals - with the first on being the Root / Fundamental - which the Orange and Bright Red Blocks are relative to, while the Dark Red’s Intervals correspond to Pitch 2 note values.
The Green section Flux Engine switch switches on the Decay (Sustain) Row - where each Voice Control Block has a further switch to disable or enable that, and a corresponding Decay knob to set degree of sustain / note hold.
You then combine all 7 control Blocks however you wish - using all or some of the 4 Voice Channels - just dial down the Level as appropriate - and then add Filter and / or Chorus to taste.
The Top edge / Rear ports allow you to exercise further control over the pedal - including Expression control. And as noted - this is a Mono Monophonic Synth - which glitches out in interesting ways if you play several notes simultaneously!
Control Blocks
MASTER : Gain (adjust for signal+), Flux (Note transition speed), Flux Engine : Staccato / Glissando, Dry (%Dry).
CHANNEL ONE : Pitch 1 : Union (Root) / Octave + 1 / Octave + 2, Decay Level, Decay / Sustain switch, Level.
CHANNEL TWO : 8ve↓ : Octave -1 / Octave -2 / Octave -3 (from Pitch 1), Decay Level, Decay / Sustain switch, Level.
CHANNEL THREE : Pitch 2 : Octave -1 / P4|P5 / Maj2|Min6 (from Pitch 1), Decay Level, Decay / Sustain switch, Level.
CHANNEL FOUR : 8ve↓ : Octave -1 / Octave -2 / Octave -3 (From Pitch 2), Decay Level, Decay / Sustain switch, Level.
FILTER : Mode 1 : Sample & Hold / Envelope Filter, Frequency, Mode 2 (Enable Expression control for S&H sweep), Velocity.
CHORUS : Mix (Wet > Dry), Depth, Voice : CE-1 / Bright & Shimmery, Velocity.
FOOTSWITCHES : SYNTH, FILTER, CHORUS.
SIDE PORTS : In, Out.
REAR PORTS : Dry Out, Trigger In, CV In, Filter Expression, S/H Rate.
For the engineering and everything this Synthotron III contains onboard - then the $599 price tag is about right. I'm not sure though why Ben is limiting this production run to just 100 units between now and Christmas. Not sure why this should be artificially limited as such.
It's a magnificent analog synth though - and sounds pretty fat and juicy to me. You need to decide whether you're in the market for an Analog Synth Pedal - and whether you deem $599 to be reasonable for the price of entry.
I really like this pedal in so many ways - but I'm not sure I would use it enough to justify its acquisition. It's undeniably cool though - and really well conceived and put together!
If you want one they're avialable for order now on the Red Witch Webstore - note as before that this is a limited Run - so not sure how quick you need to be to secure one!
Demos
