Sonic LAB: Soma Terra - Conceptual Touch Instrument Review

Another conceptual instrument from the folks at SOMA - the Terra is an interesting device with a DSP heart and an organic touch based interface.
With 12 velocity and touch sensitive (note triggers) and four modifier controls which can radically alter the tone. There are 32 algorithms which drive the internal sound engine and each of these can have additional variations - which are selected by the triangular set of touch buttons.
You get what you are given with these, there are no ways to edit the deep parameters except by the macros which are part of the A-D sensors and the knobs which control envelope length , Water (modulation - generally) and Sun (tone or distortion - generally)

FX are on board, though only either  a delay or reverb (one or the other), some algorithms have distortion built in.
The tuning of the note sensors can be done in semitones and microtuning making the scales and notes playable extremely unusual, or usual - the tunings are saved per patch. In addition there are envelope settings for each bank of buttons, the decay/release or fade out of both the actual notes played and the modifier. Additional tuning is handled by the pitch shifters - generally + 1 or 2 octaves and down -1 -2, with a fifth by pressing two together.
The results are pretty unusual, although you can easily tune Terra to be in key if you want to play with others, its still likely to challenge your preconceived ideas and techniques - which is sort of the point of Soma instruments. .
Priced at €1300(+tax) $1599
http://somasynth.com

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