Introduction to the Deluge
The Synthstrom Deluge from Synthstrom Audible is a compact, all-in-one music workstation with a synthesizer, sampler, and sequencer in a single, portable device. It’s designed to let musicians sketch out ideas, create complete songs, and perform live, all without a computer. The grid layout makes it easy to explore melodies, rhythms, and patterns. The Deluge is straightforward to use at a basic level, but also offers incredibly deep features, making it a favourite for both beginner and experienced musicians. With a built-in rechargeable battery, the Deluge is a powerful portable studio.
The Deluge includes an onboard synthesizer engine and a sampler. This means you can create sounds from scratch or sample and manipulate audio. You can layer parts and experiment with textures ranging from punchy drums to atmospheric pads.
Its sequencer is flexible, letting you create complex song arrangements or dynamic jam sessions using the internal synth engine or external gear. You can experiment with Euclidian sequences, conditional note triggers, polyrhythms, and unusual time signatures. The Deluge lets you launch patterns groups, mute sections, and adjust parameters on the fly, so it’s great for live performances.
The optional community-driven firmware dramatically expands the Deluge’s capabilities with additional synthesis modes, powerful new views and control schemes. Whether you’re focused on recording, sound design, or performance, the Deluge provides a unique approach to music-making that can grow with you over time.
Sketching song ideas
The Deluge is ideal for quickly sketching song ideas. You can start with a beat using a drum kit, then layer additional parts, such as a lead, bassline, or chords. You can use the built-in microphone to record vocal ideas in the moment, or sample sounds and textures from your surroundings. You can do all of this from the comfort of your couch or while sitting at a park.
Writing and arranging complete songs
When you have a song that starts to come together, you can build up your song by create variations for each layer and experimenting with different combinations. When you're ready, group clips into sections to play live or arrange the clips on a timeline to create a complete song structure.
Add a variety of effects to certain layers or your whole song, such as delay, reverb, saturation, and more. Polish your song by adding automatic parameter changes, such as filter sweeps or volume fades. Add "ear candy" to the arrangement using samples for downsweeps, impacts, or any other sound you import.
Live looping
Jam in realtime by recording and looping layers. You can play the synths and samples in the Deluge or record live guitar, vocals, or other gear through the line in input or built-in microphone. Loop a section while you capture your performance, introduce layers, and change out parts.
Controlling and sequencing external gear
The Deluge can control the other synthesizers, drum machines, effects units, and other devices in your studio using MIDI DIN, USB MIDI, or CV. Sketch out a song using the internal synth engine while on the go, then connect to your home setup and change the layers to use your external instruments instead. Automate program changes to restore the state of your other hardware when you load a song, and sequence control changes to create a dynamic performance. The Deluge can control 16 or more external devices, making it a powerful control centre for your whole studio.
You can also use your external gear to control the Deluge. Connect your full-size MPE keyboard or favourite MIDI controller to play and control the onboard Deluge instruments and any gear the Deluge is connected to using custom-defined MIDI CC mappings for any parameter.