Diva captures the spirit of five decades of analogue synthesizers. Oscillators
filters
and envelopes from some of the greatest monophonic and polyphonic synths of yesteryear were meticulously modelled for unmatched analogue sound. More than a single synthesizer: Recreate an old favourite or mix-and-match modules to design your unique hybrid. Diva captures the spirit of various analogue synthesizers by letting the user select from a variety of alternative modules. The oscillators
filters and envelopes closely model components found in some of the greatest monophonic and polyphonic synthesizers of yesteryear. But what sets DIVA apart from other emulations is the sheer authenticity of her analogue sound. This comes at the cost of quite a high CPU-hit
but we think it was worth it: Diva is the first native software synth that applies methods from industrial circuit simulators in realtime.
Oscillators and Filters
The filters are at the heart of Diva’s analogue sound. A combination of realtime circuit simulation and zero delay feedback (ZDF) design gives Diva its remarkable sound. With ZDF
the delays normally produced when modelling analogue circuits are vastly reduced
resulting in a much more authentic resonance behaviour. (If you are interested
Urs wrote an in-depth blog post about ZDF.) Diva models five different filters found in classic hardware synthesizers. All filters have modulation options and the traditional cutoff and resonance controls
but each has its character
quirks and options. Diva models five different filters found in classic hardware synthesizers. All filters have modulation options and the traditional cutoff and resonance controls
but each has its character
quirks and options. All five share common controls: waveform selection
octave range
mix or independent output volume controls
a noise source and plentiful modulation options. Plus a few touches unique to each model.
Effects and envelopes
Switching oscillators and filters on or off like an organ would be very limiting. Envelopes provide more nuanced and engaging results. Diva has two slots—one dedicated to the amplifier
the other to the filter—both with three models to choose from. Craft gently rising sounds
notes that fade slowly into the distance
or sharp percussion. As a final touch you can put Diva’s two stereo effects slots to use. In keeping with the vintage feel
the available effects would be right at home in the studios of bygone days. Add space with the plate reverb and delay
or movement with the phaser
chorus and rotary speaker effects.
Subtle Details
The Trimmers panel is where you can make your sounds feel more analogue. Control voice detuning per oscillator
adjust variance between individual voices (round robin)
voice drift and more—adding life to your music. These options mirror the inherent variations in analogue hardware. As the circuit boards are not always 100% the same (due to component tolerances)
oscillator tuning may differ slightly
some envelopes are a little less snappy. The individual effects may be subtle
but they add up to a more authentic analogue sound. Dive into the Modifications panel for more modulation options and an opportunity to push Diva into more experimental and unusual territories. Modulation processors such as Invert
Add
Quantize and Lag open up fresh ideas for manipulating Diva. These capabilities take Diva beyond the original hardware that inspired it.
Features:
Authentic
award-winning analogue sound
Mix-and-match panels for custom layouts
Per-voice oscillator detune and user-definable modulation source
Zero delay feedback (ZDF) filter design for authentic resonance behaviour
3 ADS(S)R envelope models based on classic synth hardware with keyboard follow and velocity scaling
5 oscillators models based on classic synth hardware
5 filter models based on classic synth hardware
2 host-syncable LFOs with multiple waveforms
restart options and phase controls
2 stereo effects slots
each with chorus (3 modes)
phaser (2 modes)
plate reverb
delay
rotary speaker
Host-syncable arpeggiator with continuous rate offset
swing
various progression options