Syntonie - Formes

Syntonie's Formes takes basic video signals and reshapes their contrast and contour into new forms. Feed a triangle, ramp or other periodic video signal into one of its three channels, and it gives you seven shaped versions back at the same time: sine, antisine, exponential, logarithmic, trapezoid, antitrapezoid and asymmetric folding. There are no knobs or switches — just one input and a column of outputs per channel. You patch in a signal, then choose the curve you want.

In a video system, the shape of a signal is also the shape you see. A plain triangle moves evenly from black to white and back again; Formes changes how that movement happens. It can soften corners, bend the rise and fall, flatten the top into a plateau or fold the signal into something more complex. Used after an oscillator like Ondes or a ramp generator like Rampes, it quickly changes the feel of bars, gradients and moving forms without making the patch more complicated.

The three channels make it especially useful for building 2D patterns — you can shape a horizontal and vertical signal separately before combining them, which gives the resulting form a different contour and weight. On complete shapes, RGB material or external video sources, Formes behaves more like contrast or gamma processing, shifting how the image sits between black and white.

Formes is a great and very direct tool for coaxing more variety out of your oscillators and ramps.

Features:

• Triple wave shaper for analogue video synthesis
• Three identical channels
• One 0–1V input per channel
• Seven simultaneous shaped outputs per channel
• Output shapes: sine, antisine, exponential, logarithmic, trapezoid, antitrapezoid and asymmetric folding
• Control-free layout with no knobs or switches
• Works with triangle, ramp and other periodic signals
• Pairs well with Ondes oscillators and Rampes ramp generators
• Can shape horizontal and vertical signals before 2D pattern generation
• Can process complete shapes, RGB material or external video sources for contrast / gamma-style effects
• 0–1V video-level outputs
• 75Ω output impedance
• 100kΩ input impedance
• Powered via Eurorack 16-pin connector or 12V DC barrel input