Soma - Metaconformer

The SOMA Metaconformer is a MIDI thru box with a mind of its own that gives MIDI instruments and sequences a creative boost.

Completely crazy! The box, which at first glance seems inconspicuous, wants to put an end to the seemingly one-dimensional MIDI world in which MIDI instruments and their channels no longer exist side by side in a system and sounds are no longer changed solely by actually or virtually turning the knobs on the parameters. Instead, they should interact with each other and open up new sound universes (literally at the touch of a button or key on the MIDI keyboard). But be warned! According to the current state of research, no one can predict their results.

Metaconformer is placed between MIDI controller(s) and MIDI instrument(s) and uses various internal operating modes to change, convert and dynamically forward the circulating MIDI data. Three different modes are used.

In splitter mode, "keyboard splits" can be defined, which are sent from separate MIDI channels from Metaconformer. These can be played using a connected (single-channel) MIDI controller keyboard so that different instruments can be played on a single keyboard within different zones. These can either be next to each other or overlap for even more sonic variety.

In combiner mode, polyphonic MIDI data can be routed dynamically and polyphonically to different destinations. You decide on a specific combination of MIDI output channels and use a single channel of a MIDI controller as input. When a note is played, it is assigned to the lowest available MIDI channel. If you play a chord, the individual notes are sent dynamically to different MIDI outputs so that different harmonies from different MIDI instruments or individual multi-timbral synthesizers or samplers can be heard.

Finally, in Translator mode, MIDI notes can be used for CC control, allowing synthesizer parameters to be controlled via keyboard or sequencer. To use this mode effectively, it must be possible to use two MIDI channels simultaneously. The first channel is responsible for selecting the note and triggering the synthesizer's VCA envelope, otherwise nothing can be heard. The second channel is responsible for selecting the value of the synthesizer parameter by the number of MIDI notes pressed. This is possible using either two keyboards or two Metaconformers. This mode is particularly suitable for granular delays, resonant filters and paraphonic oscillators.

Features:

• Experimental MIDI box that doubles as a MIDI-router or thru box
• Enables the control of complex MIDI connections in a new way 
• Breaks down the barriers of conventional MIDI setups
• Flexible instrument routing scenarios
• 2 independent MIDI inputs
• 4 MIDI outputs, one of which can be used as a sync source.