Modal CARBON 8 8-Voice Advanced Experimental Synth w/37-Keys

CARBON8 introduces radical new ways to create, experiment with and perform next-generation synth sounds. CARBON8’s sound engine, twice as complex as in our acclaimed ARGON8 and COBALT8 series, embeds complex waveform algorithms and wavetables into an 8-voice superior synth engine with outstanding filter technology and exciting LFO capabilities.

To complement the innovative CARBON8 sound generation, we added unparalleled modulation options, an inspiring real-time / step sequencer, the energising arpeggiator, the Premium FATAR 37-note keyboard, MPE, studio-quality effects and MODALapp integration. CARBON8 is the ideal synth for everyone who wants to leave everyday synth experiences and endeavor the raw and exciting world of contemporary sound dimensions.

Play next-generation digital synth sounds using CARBON8’s Experimental Digital Synthesis, tailored to develop a new sonic palette for every contemporary music genre

Create your own signature sounds by harnessing the power of CARBON8’s unique waveform architecture with more than 40 complex, sophisticated algorithms and Modal’s incredible Filter section

Bring performance to a new level with MPE support, the integrated 512-note Realtime/Step Sequencer, 32-step programmable Arpeggiator and powerful Animation Lanes

Express yourself with the class-leading 37-note key bed with aftertouch, built into a road-ready aluminium enclosure

Integrate CARBON8 into your production and live performances with the full-size MIDI connections and the 3.5mm Sync Ins and Outs

Access all synthesiser functions and update COBALT8 via the free MODALapp, available on macOS, Windows, iOS, iPadOS, Android and AU/VST3

Raw and Bold Sound Sources

CARBON8 provides two Oscillators with 56 Cores each. They generate 18 unique high-resolution algorithms or 38 wavetables for exceptional sounds that range from aggressive and bold to ear-pleasing soft and lush tones. Each patch can contain a combination of any two algorithms or wavetables. Only one parameter is required to contour sonic sweet spots for further sound explorations and shaping.

[Accordeon List of Digital Core Waveforma]

"Hard Sync Saw"
"Hard Sync Sqr"
"Hard Sync Tri"
"Hard Sync Rand"
"Fold Tri"
"Fold Tri Lofi"
"Fold Saw Lofi"
"Fold TriSaw Lofi"
"PWM Basic"
"Win Sync Sine"
"Win Sync WT1"
"Win Sync WT2"
"Win Sync WT3"
"Pinch WT 1"
"Pinch WT 2"
"Pinch WT 3"
"Pinch WT 4"
"Squash Sine"
"Squash WT 1"
"Squash WT 2"
"Squash WT 3"
"Scrunch WT 1"
"Scrunch WT 2"
"Scrunch WT 3"
"Scrunch WT 4"
"Alt Sync WT 1"
"Alt Sync WT 2"
"Alt Sync WT 3"
"Alt Sync WT 4"
"Derez WT 1"
"Derez WT 2"
"Derez WT 3"
"Derez WT 4"
"PM WT 1"
"PM WT 2"
"PM WT 3"
"PM WT 4"
"Rev WT 1"
"Rev WT 2"
"Rev WT 3"
"Rev WT 4"
"Shaper WT 1"
"Shaper WT 2"
"Shaper WT 3"
"Shaper WT 4"
"Lofi Fld WT 1"
"Lofi Fld WT 2"
"Clocked Noise"
"Reso Noise"
"Reso Sine"
"Reso Saw"
"Reso Sqr"
"Dual Inv Saw"
"Dual Inv Tri"
"Dual Inv WT 1"
"Dual Inv WT 2" (edited)

Mangle and Tweak

The XCore provides a wide range of exciting and sophisticated Oscillator Modifiers, such as Phase Distortion, Wavefolding, and Wave-Shaping, allowing sculpting characterful sound variations for new, innovative synth sounds to be dialed in to taste.

For Filter Gourmets

The massive filter section of CARBON8 contains a wide selection of 34 different filter types. The available collection includes reminiscences of vintage filter models and modern Modal filter adaptations to carve or boost the crucial frequencies in your patch. Some models also offer drive and morph parameters to rough up the spectral spectrum or mangle sound in the most peculiar and spectacular ways.

[Filter Description Accordeon]

Morphable Types:

● State Variable LP/BP/HP - Morphs 2-pole lowpass, through bandpass, to high pass

● State Variable LP/Notch/HP - Morphs 2-pole lowpass, through notch, to high pass

● Dual Lowpass

● Dual Bandpass

● Dual Highpass

● Dual Lowpass Alt

● Dual Highpass Alt

● Dual Peaking - Highpass and lowpass filters create a notch with resonance peaks either side of it

● Ladder Adjustable Phaser

Static Types:

● Ladder 24dB Lowpass

● Ladder 18dB Lowpass

● Ladder 12dB Lowpass

● Ladder 6dB Lowpass

● Ladder 24dB Highpass

● Ladder 18dB Highpass

● Ladder 12dB Highpass

● Ladder 6dB Highpass

● Ladder 12dB/12dB Bandpass

● Ladder 6dB/6dB Bandpass

● Ladder 6dB/12dB Bandpass

● Ladder 12dB/6dB Bandpass

● Ladder 6dB/18dB Bandpass

● Ladder 18dB/6dB Bandpass

● Ladder Notch

● Ladder Notch Alt

● Ladder Lowpass + Notch

● Ladder Lowpass + Notch Alt

● Ladder Lowpass + Notch + Resonance

● Ladder Bandpass + Notch

● Ladder Bandpass + Notch + Resonance

● Ladder Phaser

● Ladder Highpass + Notch

● Ladder Highpass + Notch + Resonance

● Ladder Peaking

Reshape and Modulate

Three LFOs with variable pulses width LFOs, variable slope triangles, dual rate ramps and more highlight CARBON8s’ modulation section. Three Envelope Generators allow detailed editing to modulate pitch, filter and amp. Twelve modulation routes offer various ways to mangle the audio shapes and outputs.

Bring in some movement

The integrated 512-note Realtime / Step Sequencer with four powerful Animation Lanes invites you to compose massive and complex melodic patterns. The polyphonic step sequencer mode enables easy step input for note and animation values. Multiple sequencer trigger modes, coupled with the powerful onboard arpeggiator (programmable up to 32 steps) and features such as Chord Hold, Inversions, Transpose, and Sustain Latch, unleash powerful moving patterns for live and studio performances.

Feel the Sound

Such an impressive synth demands a high-performance, premium hardware package. Professional keyboard players will love CARBON8’s rugged steel and aluminium chassis and the premium FATAR TP9/S 37-note full-size key bed. The keys support channel aftertouch and deliver smooth action. For direct parameter access during sound design and music performance, 29 endless knobs, 24 buttons, and an X/Y joystick for pitch or modulation offer a vast range of performance control options. MPE support delivers new creative expression methods for sophisticated performers with MPE-compatible equipment.

Studio-grade FX included

Polish your sounds with the onboard stereo effects engine. CARBON8 comes with a 3-slot FX engine with in-depth FX programming. To round up your synth tone, 26 studio-grade FX algorithms add character and depth, including rich Reverbs, warm Chorus effects, swirling Phasers and Flangers, Tremolo, LoFi, Rotary, wide Delays, Equaliser, Compressor and more.

Looking to connect

CARBON8 has all the physical connections required to embed the instrument in any studio, production or live performance environment. Control the synth using USB, monitor with headphones or dedicated line outputs, sync with external gear using the full-size MIDI in and out or the 3.5 mm Sync in or outputs and take control of your sound using the built-in Sustain and Expression inputs. By poly-chaining any two CARBON8 devices, the number of voices is easily doubled to 16.

Access all Areas

There is plenty of room to store patches, effects and sequence creations. Out of the box, 300 of the total 500 patches are filled with factory patch banks, carefully programmed by some of the most accomplished sound designers in the world. One hundred customised effects configurations and sequences can be stored as well to be applied to any sound while performing.

Our Modal Patch library hosts hundreds of sound banks and individual sounds, from classic synth tones from the past to new contemporary textures. All sound banks in our library are free and easily imported through our free MODALapp.

Free MODALapp for immersive sound programming sessions

The free MODALapp brings the comfort of screen-based editing on your computer or mobile device. Available as a standalone app for macOS, Windows, iOS, iPadOS or Android systems and in VST3 and AU plug-in formats, it is the perfect companion for synth enthusiasts looking to deep dive into all sound forming and performance parameters to create their own signature sounds and to backup and manage patches and sequences.

Specifications

Polyphony

True 8 voice polyphonic

Oscillators

Two independent high-resolution digital oscillators

56 complex Digital Core Waveforms per oscillator, incl. 18 Digital Algorithms and 38 sophisticated Wavetables

Advanced XCore Modifiers, incl. Wave Shape, Wave Fold, Phase Distortion, and others

Extended Oscillator Drift

Vintage Parameter

Filter

34 resonant Filter types including morphable and static filters

Cutoff Scaling with two distinctive modes

Modulation

Three dedicated envelope generators for AMP, MOD and FILTER that can be accessed independently or all three simultaneously, including negative (reverse) versions for MOD and FILTER ENVs

Three audio-rate LFOs with tempo sync (two poly, one global) with over 15 different shapes

Eight assignable modulation slots and four additional fixed modulation routings for common assignments with 12 modulation sources and 55 modulation destinations

Sequencer and Arpeggiator

Polyphonic Real-time sequencer with 512 notes and four recordable/editable parameter animations (Delay FX, LFOs, sequencer and arpeggiator can be either clocked internally or externally)

Polyphonic Step Sequencer with 64 steps, 8 notes per step, 4 lanes of Parameter-Lock style animation, Step Input mode, multiple playback modes including gate modes and rest functionality

Built-In sophisticated programmable arpeggiator of 32 steps with rest capability with up to 2048 steps before repeating

FX

Three independent and user-configurable stereo FX engines for 26 Effects algorithms, incl. Drive, Chorus, Phaser, Flanger, Tremolo, LoFi, Rotary, Stereo Delay, Ping-Pong Delay, X-Over Delay and Reverb.

User Memory

500 patch memories, all fully editable and ships with 300 factory programs

100 sequencer presets that can be linked to any patch for quickly loading arrangements

100 FX presets

8 Quick Recall slots accessible from the panel for quickly loading your favourite patches

Controls and Performance

Premium FATAR 37-key Keyboard with velocity and channel aftertouch

29 endless encoders, 24 buttons

4-axis joystick that can be assigned to a huge range of modulation destinations and virtually ‘locked’ when desired

Multiple keyboard modes, Mono, Poly, Unison 2, unison 4, unison 8,
Stack 2 and Stack 4

Glide/Portamento with both legato and staccato modes

Chord Invert control to easily create chord inversions and variations

Supports MPE-compatible MIDI controllers, allowing you to apply polyphonic control and expression to individual notes

Inputs and Outputs

6.35 mm / 1/4″ TS dual-mono line outputs

6.35 mm / 1/4″ TRS headphone output

3.5 mm / 1/8″ TRS stereo audio input

MIDI DIN In and Out

3.5 mm / 1/8″ TS Analogue clock sync In and Out

Class-compliant MIDI over USB connection

6.35 mm / 1/4″ TRS expression pedal input

6.35 mm / 1/4″ TS sustain pedal input

Enclosure and Display

Road-ready steel and aluminium enclosure with economical stained bamboo end cheeks

1.54-inch large OLED display for instant visual feedback at all times of playing/editing

Power

Power: DC-9.0V – 1.5A centre-positive

Editor Software

Free MODALapp software editor available for macOS, Windows, iOS and Android

MODALapp can also be run within your Digital Audio Workstation (DAW), with VST3 and AU versions available

General

Dimensions (L x W x H): 555 x 300 x 100 mm / 21.9″ x 11.8″ x 4″

Weight: 5.60 kg / 12.4 lbs