POLYRESONATOR

Oscillators generated sound. Filters shaped it. Amplifiers controlled it. But..

In the early days of electronic music, most synthesizers followed a predictable path VCO-VCF-VCA & Envelopes.

But one instrument dared to go beyond traditional synthesis architecture — the Polymoog™. Instead of merely filtering sound, it introduced something far more expressive: Resonance as a tonal sculptor. It was spectral shaping — decades before the term became common. The resonator emphasized carefully chosen bands, creating vowel-like formants, animated timbres, and shimmering harmonic structures that felt almost acoustic. This is the kind of processor that makes musicians stop and ask: "What is creating that sound?"

Really, what is creating that sound?

Shape resonance — shape emotion!

POLYRESONATOR is not a strict replica — it is a respectful evolution. It introduces modern control, gain staging, and tonal engines designed for contemporary production workflows. At its heart lies a simple idea of shaping resonance

Stop EQ’ing. Start Sculpting Sound

Instead of simply cutting or boosting frequencies, builds musical resonances inside your audio, transforming flat sounds into rich, animated textures.

Make drums punch harder. Give bass physical weight. Turn synths into choirs. Push leads forward without harsh EQ. All in seconds. POLYRESONATOR lives in the space between an EQ, a filter bank, and a harmonic enhancer. Which means it solves problems most plugins can’t. Use it when a sound feels: - lifeless, - too clean, - buried in the mix - lacking emotion - missing character

When multiple resonant filters interact

sound stops behaving like raw audio… and starts behaving like an instrument

ORIGINAL MODE

Based on original resonator diode scheme. Clear, energetic response. Fast, articulate, vintage solid-state character

Early resonator curcuit: sligtly non-linear, firm, and controlled rather than warm. Fast clipping response, Strong odd harmonics, Slight compression of peaks, Keeps transients relatively tight, Prevents resonant bands from exploding in level. Formant-focused, Mechanical / robotic edge, Great note articulation. Good for: - Emulating classic electronic textures - Making pads sound like vintage machines - Kraftwerk-style tonal shaping - Tight bass resonances - Sequenced synth lines Wants the true resonator philosophy? This is the default mode.

VINTAGE MODE

Based on tube amplification scheme. Smooth and warm. Warmer response with smoother highs

Tube-style saturation introduces gentle nonlinearities that make the resonator feel less like a filter bank and more like a vibrating acoustic object. Softer clipping curve, Strong even harmonics, Natural micro-compression, Slight transient rounding, Perceived loudness increase without harshness. Perception: Smooth, Expensive, Analog, Emotional, “Record-ready”. Best to use for: Pads, Strings, Poly synths, Electric piano, Guitar, Vocals. This is often the most musical mode.

BOLD MODE

Based on valve construction. Thick and powerful. Dense and harmonically rich

Valve-style saturation behaves more dramatically than tube — it adds weight and authority, making the resonator sound bigger than the source. Higher saturation ceiling, Strong harmonic bloom, Noticeable density increase, Controlled but audible breakup when pushed, Enhances low-mid energy. Perception: Huge, Cinematic, Modern analog, Powerful. Best to use: Mono synth leads, Bass, Drums, Industrial textures, Techno sound design. “Sound suddenly enormous?” — what can be said about BOLD mode

CONSOLE MODE

A secondary line that supports or expands on the title

Preamp-style console saturation. This mode is more about gluing the resonator bands into one instrument. Extremely subtle harmonic enhancement, Micro compression, Phase cohesion across bands, Slight high-frequency smoothing. Perception: Professional, Controlled, Hi-fi, Expensive mix bus. Best to use for: Full mixes, Drum buses, Stereo synth layers, Parallel processing, Master FX chains. When the resonator feels too “separated” or clinical, try to use Console

HOW TO USE

Over time, producers discovered it could: simulate vocal articulations, create ensemble richness, push synths forward in dense arrangements, add dimension without obvious effects. - Raise one band’s Emphasis. - Sweep the CF (Center Frequency) slowly. You will immediately hear the sound “speak.” - Add a second band for complexity. - Adjust Gain to balance energy. - Select an Engine to shape harmonic density. - Blend with Mix for parallel processing. - Small moves often produce the most musical results.

PRE LOWCUT

Pre High-Pass (LowCut) filter

Removes excessive low frequencies before the signal enters the resonator bands. This improves clarity, prevents low-end distortion, and allows the resonant bands to react more musically. Lower settings retain weight and body, while higher settings emphasize articulation and formant detail.

Other controls

INPUT: Adjusts incoming signal level. Range: −inf to +12 dB (Default: 0 dB) OUTPUT: Adjusts final output signal level. Range: −inf to +12 dB (Default: 0 dB) I/O METERS: Individual Input and Audio meters placed at the left (input meter) and right (output meter) sides of the plugin interface for the gain staging control

Who used unique Resonator?

Many artists certainly used the Polymoog™ and its unique Resonator section extensively within their music, shaping the sound of the internal synth voices. It's a sonic character as a core part of their sound design. Extracting and re-engineering this complex analog circuit to accept external audio signals and function reliably as a standalone unit was been a significant undertaking, and likely not commercially viable given the niche market and the availability of simpler, more versatile standalone filters. But some hardware brands already make Resonators as standalone effect processor. And we present to you Resonators as unique FX-design tool. - Gary Numan*: cold, metallic, and often haunting sounds were central to his early work on albums like "The Pleasure Principle" (1979). - Tony Banks (Genesis)*: Banks was a big fan and used it for unique textures and pads, often blending it with other synths on tracks from albums like "Duke" (1980) and "Abacab" (1981), contributing to lush, sometimes metallic-sounding pads and strings. - Rush (Geddy Lee)*: used Resonators effect to add layers on pads to synth-heavy sound in the late 70s and early 80s. - Patrick Moraz (Yes)*: create complex and dynamic soundscapes with Resonators sections, like at "Permanent Waves" (1980) and "Moving Pictures" (1981). The resonator would have contributed to the character of the string and pad sounds. - Kraftwerk*: contributing to their signature robotic and electronic soundscapes. They layered many sounds, but it would have added to the overall texture of albums from the late 70s/early 80s. * ™: All product names, artists and bands names, trademarks and registered trademarks are the property of their respective owners. All company, product, bands and service names used are for identification purposes only. Use of these names, trademarks and brands - does not imply endorsement!

BEST USED BY INSTRUMENTS

- Pads & Strings - Analog-style polysynhts - Electric pianos - Guitars - Drum Buses - Sound design layers - Vocals

TIPS & CREATIVE TECHNIQUES

CREATE VOCAL TEXTURE Boost the MID band with moderate emphasis and sweep between 600–900 Hz for vowel-like articulation. ANIMATE STATIC SYNTH Use low emphasis on multiple bands rather than pushing one aggressively. Overlap creates movement without modulation. TUNE YOUR DRUMS Focus the HI band around 2–4 kHz to add pitch-like presence to snares and percussion. ADD ANALOG WEIGHT Switch to Vintage or Console engines and drive gently for subtle harmonic thickening. PARALLEL MAGIC Set Mix between 30–60% to enhance tone while preserving the original transient detail.