Synthesizers, samplers and sound cards with microtonal capabilities N-S
* Instruments currently in production are highlighted and marked with an asterisk "*".
| Manufacturer | Model(s) | Instrument Type | 12 note Octave Scales | Full Keyboard Scales | Scale resolution | Tuning range per note | Scales user interface | Other Features |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Native Instruments | Generator, Reaktor 2, Reaktor 3, Reaktor 4, Reaktor 5*, Transformator | realtime software synthesizer and sampler | 128 per instrtument, unlimited per macro | 128 per instrument, unlimited per macro | floating point precision (infinitesimal) | full MIDI or audio range | Windows or MAC OS | DXi and VSTi compatibility |
| Native Instruments | Pro-52 (version 2.2 or higher), Pro-53, FM7, FM8* | realtime software synthesizer | 128 | 0 | floating point precision (infinitesimal) | full MIDI or audio range | Windows or MAC OS | DXi and VSTi compatibility |
| Native Instruments | Absynth 2, 3, 4, Absynth 5* | realtime software synthesizer | ? | ? | .001 cent or better | full MIDI or audio range | .gly format file | - |
| New England Digital | Synclavier | digital synthesizer and sampler | 1 per song | 1 per song | 1 cent, 0.3-2.1 Hz | full synth | ? | - |
| Oberheim | OB-Mx | analog synthesizer | 0 | 9 global | 1 cent | full MIDI | digital front panel, sysex | - |
| Orthogonal
Devices |
ER-101
Indexed Sequencer*, ER-102 Sequencer Controller* |
analog modular sequencer |
- |
2 per track, 4 tracks per
snapshot |
1.2 cents |
8 octaves |
numeric LEDs |
quantizer function |
| PAiA | Theremax* | analog synthesizer and controller | 0 | continuous pitch instrument | continuous | not applicable | body capacitance | - |
| Peavey | DPM2, DPMV2, DPM 3, DPM3 SE, V3, DPM si, DPM 4, DPM 488 | wavetable synthesizer | 2 global | 0 | 1 cent | +/-99 cents | digital front panel, sysex | - |
| Polyfusion | Modular series 2000 | analog modular synthesizer | 0 | 1+ global, equal tempered only | continuous | not applicable | knob | - |
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| Rayna | Rayna synthesizer | digital synthesizer | 0 | 1 global | .00005 Hz (high resolution), 3.9 Hz (low resolution) | full synth | tuned from computer, ratio input | tune with sustain |
| (rgc:Audio) now Cakewalk |
z3ta+ Waveshaping Synthesizer* | realtime software synthesizer | 0 | global or per preset | ? | full MIDI | SCALA .scl file | Hermode Tuning support |
| Robert Strauss | Scala 2 SynthEdit Microtuner* | VST Tuning Editor | 0 | 4 tunings per patch | 0.001 cent | full MIDI | SCALA .scl file | Real Time note channel key changes and scale selection |
| Robert Strauss | Scala 2 Kontakt Microtuner* | Sampler (Kontakt) Tuning Editor | 0 | ? | 0.001 cent | full MIDI | SCALA .scl file | Script generattor retunes Kontakt sample sets |
| Robert Strauss | microHarmonic VST Synth* | realtime software synthesizer | 0 | ? | 0.001 cent | full MIDI | - | - |
| Robert Strauss | microGuitar VST Synth* | realtime physical modeling software synthesizer | 0 | ? | 0.001 cent | full MIDI | - | - |
| Roland | see also Edirol | - | - | - | - | - | - | - |
| Roland | System-100M, System-700 | analog modular synthesizer | 0 | 1+ global, equal tempered only | continuous | not applicable | knob | - |
| Roland | XP-10 | wavetable synthesizer | 1 global | 0 | 1 cent | -64, +63 cents | digital front panel, sysex | - |
| Roland | XP-30, XP-50, XP-60, XP-80, JV-1080, JV-2080 | wavetable synthesizer | 1 per part (16 parts) | 0 | 1 cent | -64, +63 cents | digital front panel, sysex | - |
| Roland | Sound Canvas (SC-55), SC-155, SC-33, SC-50, SC-55mkII, SD-35 | wavetable synthesizer | 1 per part (16 parts) | 0 | 1 cent | -64,+63 cents | sysex only? | - |
| Roland | CM-300, CM-500, E-35, E-36, E-38, E-56, E-66, E-70, E-86, E-88, E-90, E-96 | portable keyboard | 1 per part (16 parts) | 0 | 1 cent | -64, +63 cents | sysex only? | - |
| Roland | SC-88, M-GS64, E-86, G-800, RA-800, SC-880, G-1000 | wavetable synthesizer | 1 per part (32 parts) | 0 | 1 cent | -64, +63 cents | sysex only? | - |
| Roland | SCC-1 | wavetable sound card | 1 per part (16 parts) | 0 | 1 cent | -64, +63 cents | sysex only? | - |
| Roland | PMA-5 | portable music unit, wavetable synthesis | 1 per part (16 parts) | 0 | 1 cent | -64, +63 cents | sysex only? | - |
| Roland | RA-30, RA-90, RA-95, MT80S, MT120, MT120S, MT200 | arranger & wavetable synthesizer | 1 per part (16 parts) | 0 | 1 cent | -64, +63 cents | sysex only? | - |
| Roland | JV-880, JV-30, JV-35, JV-50, JV-90 | wavetable synthesizer | 7 global? | 0 | 1 cent | -64, +63 cents | sysex only? | - |
| Roland | JW-50, W-50 | wavetable synthesizer | 1 per part (16 parts) | 0 | 1 cent | -64, +63 cents | sysex only? | - |
| Roland | KR-370, KR-570, HP-2800G, HP-3800G | digital piano | 1 per part (16 parts) | 0 | 1 cent | -64, +63 cents | sysex only? | - |
| Roland | V-Synth, V-Synth GT | analog and physical modeling synthesizer | 1 per patch | 0 | 1 cent | +/- 100 cents | digital front panel or sysex | - |
| Roland | Fantom X-6, X-7, X-8 | wavetable synthesizer | 1 per part (16 parts) | 0 | 1 cent | -64, +63 cents | digital front panel or sysex | - |
| Roland | Juno-D | wavetable synthesizer | 1 per part? | 0 | 1 cent | -64, +63 cents | digital front panel or sysex | - |
| Rosedene Audio | Pocket Theremin MK1, Elysian Theremin | analog synthesizer and controller | 0 | continuous pitch instrument | continuous | not applicable | body capacitance | - |
| Sequential | Prophet 5 rev. 3.3 | analog synthesizer | 120 global | 0 | .59 cents | +/-50 cents | one knob per key in tuning mode | tune with sustain |
| Sequential | T8 | analog synthesizer | ? | ? | ? | ? | ? | - |
| Solton | Ketron SD1 | digital synthesizer | 13 global x 198 registrations | 0 | 1 cent | +/-99 cents | digital front panel | 13 scales selectable from footpedal |
| Solton | Ketron X1, Ketron X4 | portable keyboard | 198 global | 0 | 1 cent | +/-99 cents | digital front panel | 6 scales selectable from footpedal |
| Solton | Ketron X8 | portable keyboard | 198 global | 0 | 1 cent | +/-99 cents | digital front panel | 6 scales selectable from footpedal, accordion style keyboard |
| Solton | Ketron XD3 | arranger and wavetable synthesizer | 13 global 198 x registrations in memory or 999 registrations from disk | 0 | 1 cent | +/-99 cents | digital front panel | 13 scales selectable from footpedal |
| Solton | Ketron
XD9*, Vega*, Vega EX4*, SD1 Plus*, SD3*, SD5*, SD8*,
SX3000*, SX3000-B* |
portable keyboard | 13 global 198 x registrations in memory or 999 registrations from disk | 0 | 1 cent | +/-99 cents | digital front panel | 13 scales selectable from footpedal |
| Solton | AUDYA*,
AUDYA 5* |
arranger and workstation |
13 global 198 x registrations in memory or 999 registrations from disk | 0 | 1 cent | +/-99 cents | digital front panel | 13 scales selectable from footpedal |
| VAZ Synthes (was Software- Technology) | VAZ Plus* | realtime software synthesizer | 0 | 127 global | 1 cent | full MIDI | .tun file format (text file), Windows OS | DXi compatibility |
| Cycling 74 | MSP* | realtime software synthesizer | 0 | unlimited | 0.000001 Hz | full MIDI | Mac OS, Windows XP | - |
| Sound Transform Systems | Serge Modular* | analog modular synthesizer | 0 | 4 per Touch Activated Keyboard Sequencer | continuous | 3 1/2 octaves | one knob per note | - |
| Starr Labs | Wilson Microzone U648*, U990* | MIDI controller | - | - | - | - | generalized controller keyboards optimized for microtonal scales, 9 x 90 or 6 x 48 hexagonal keys | 4 MIDI outputs (no sound) |
| Steinberg | Cubase 4, 5, 6, 7, Cubase 8*, Nuendo 3, 4, 5, 6, Nuendo 6.5* | computer sequencing environment | ? | ? | ? | full MIDI | Mac OS, Windows XP, Vista | - |
| Symbolic Sound | Kyma* | digital modular synthesizer | 0 | unlimited? | 0.0026 Hz | full MIDI | Windows or Macintosh OS | - |
| Synapse Audio | Orion Pro, Orion Platinum | software synthesizer | 0 | 1 global | ? | full MIDI | Windows OS. SCALA .scl file format | VST or DX instrument |
| Syntauri | alphaSyntauri | digital synthesizer | 0 | 1 global, 1 to 31 note equal tempered only | 4.69 cents | not applicable | Apple II or IIe computer | - |
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Control analog synthesizers from MIDI |
| Synthesizers.com |
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| Synthesizers.com | Q171
Quantizer Bank* + Q172 Quantizer Aid* |
control voltage quantizer
for modular synthesizer |
3 (up to 24 notes per
octave) |
- |
about 2.9 cents |
any tuning within single
octave |
MIDI + pitch bend to set,
knob to select |
Both modules required for
microtuning, only 4th channel can use custom microtuned
scale |
| Synton | Series 3000 | analog modular synthesizer | 0 | 1+ global, equal tempered only | continuous | not applicable | knob | - |
| Synton | Fenix | analog modular synthesizer | 0 | 1+ global, equal tempered only | continuous | not applicable | knob | - |
Updated January 3, 2016 Please send additions, corrections and questions to: microtonal@wavemakers-synth.com