The PolyKB III is a virtual instrument based on the architecture of a rare vintage polyphonic synthesizer featuring continuous waveform morphing — a revolutionary feature that allows oscillator waveforms to transition smoothly from triangle through saw to pulse in real time, with full modulation of the morphing parameter. The result is a palette of evolving, organic textures unavailable in standard subtractive synthesis.
Three aliasing-free oscillators with continuous waveform morphing. The morphing parameter is fully modulatable — this is the defining characteristic of the PolyKB architecture.
The WAVEFORM knob sweeps continuously through the following shapes in order:
Every intermediate position is a unique waveform. Modulating this parameter at audio or LFO rates produces timbral evolution that cannot be replicated by standard oscillator designs.
| Parameter | Function |
|---|---|
| FREQUENCY | Tuning in semitone steps (left mouse button) or fine Hz (right mouse button) |
| WAVEFORM | Continuous morphing from triangle to narrow pulse — fully modulatable |
| VOLUME (Osc 2 & 3) | Continuous output level knob |
| VOLUME (Osc 1) | Three fixed levels via switches: 1/3, 2/3, 1 (both switches off = mute) |
| Switch | Function |
|---|---|
| SYNC | Hard sync Osc 2 to Osc 1 — Osc 1 forces Osc 2 cycle restart |
| KB (Key Off) | Disconnects Osc 2 from keyboard — pitch stays fixed regardless of note played |
| LOW (Osc 2 only) | Drops Osc 2 to sub-audio LFO rates. Pitch tracks keyboard unless KB is also on — creates a keyboard-rate-dependent LFO |
| TUN | Slight detune of VCO2 relative to VCO1 — increases phasing and width |
| Parameter | Function |
|---|---|
| Noise VOLUME | Three fixed levels: 1/3, 2/3, 1 (both switches off = mute) |
| [White Noise] label | Click to toggle between White and Pink noise types |
| Noise Filter LED | Band Limited Noise mode — removes harsh high frequency content |
Two independent dynamic 4-pole self-oscillating filters — each switchable between Low Pass, High Pass, and Band Pass modes. Each filter has its own input selector, and a mixer knob sets their relative blend. All audio routing combinations are possible: parallel, serial, or mixed.
| Parameter | Function |
|---|---|
| FREQUENCY | Filter cutoff frequency |
| RESONANCE | Resonance / Q factor. At maximum, filter self-oscillates — outputs sine wave even with all oscillators muted |
| KEYB CTRL | Keyboard follow amount applied to cutoff |
| ADSR2 CTRL | Amount of Envelope 2 (Filter EG) applied to cutoff |
| DRV PRE | Overdrive emulation — subtle low-end enhancement to full saturation depending on level |
| [DRV PRE/POST] | Click label to toggle overdrive position before or after filter stage |
Three ADSR envelope generators. EG1 is hardwired to VCA (amplitude). EG2 is hardwired to Filter 1 cutoff. All three are available as modulation sources in the matrix sections.
| Parameter | Function |
|---|---|
| ATTACK | Time for output to rise from zero to maximum |
| DECAY | Time for output to fall to sustain level |
| SUSTAIN | Level held while note is gated |
| RELEASE | Time for output to fall to zero after note off |
| KB (Key Track) | Keyboard follow applied to EG parameters — higher notes = shorter attack |
| LO (Loop) | EG 2 or 3 cycles continuously Attack→Release while note is held, bypassing Sustain |
| MUL (Multiplier) | Multiplies all ADSR times by 2, 3, or 4 — essential for long pad attacks and releases |
Two multi-waveform LFOs with MIDI sync, polyphonic and monophonic modes, delay, and fade-in. Multiple waveforms can be selected simultaneously to build complex LFO shapes.
| Parameter | Function |
|---|---|
| RATE | LFO frequency |
| Waveform switches | Multiple waveforms can be active simultaneously — triangle, sine, square, noise (S&H at LFO rate). Click sine/triangle label to swap between the two. |
| DELAY | Time between note ON and start of LFO fade-in |
| FADE | Time for LFO output to rise from zero to full level after delay |
| S (Sync) | Locks LFO rate to host tempo — rate displays in musical notation when active |
Four independent modulation matrices — one of the most comprehensive modulation architectures in any virtual synthesizer.
Five fixed sources connect to predefined destinations via switches. This is the original vintage PolyKB matrix. Switches have three states: Green LED = positive modulation, Red LED = negative modulation, no LED = path disconnected.
| Source | Available Destinations |
|---|---|
| LFO 1 | Pitch VCO 1/2/3, Waveform morphing VCO 1/2/3, Filter 1&2 Cutoff |
| Noise / LFO 2 | Pitch VCO 1/2/3, Waveform morphing VCO 1/2/3, Filter 1&2 Cutoff |
| ADSR 2 | Pitch VCO 1/2/3, Waveform morphing VCO 1/2/3, Filter 2 Cutoff (not Filter 1 — already hardwired) |
| VCO 2 | Pitch VCO 1&3, Waveform morphing VCO 1&3, Filter 1&2 Cutoff |
| Velocity | VCA, Filter 1&2 Cutoff, Envelope Attack, Envelope Decay/Release |
Two freely assignable sources each modulate up to four selectable destinations. Sources and destinations chosen from comprehensive drop-down menus. Positive/negative modulation via green/red LED switches.
Sources include: ADSR 1/2/3, Velocity, Aftertouch, LFO 1&2 (poly or mono), Mod Wheel, Sequencer Pitch, Sequencer Velocity.
| Control | Function |
|---|---|
| VCA [+] / [x] | Additive or multiplicative velocity applied to output level |
| Pressure ON | Polyphonic aftertouch adds to Mod Wheel level |
| ATTK | Velocity modulates envelope attack times |
| DEC | Velocity modulates decay and release times |
| VCF 1&2 | Velocity modulates Filter 1 and 2 cutoff |
An XY pad where each voice is represented as a movable point. Voice position on the X and Y axes independently modulates two assignable destinations. Amount controlled by four corner knobs. In Polyphonic Circular mode, voices are dynamically reassigned as notes are played — creating unpredictable, evolving modulation patterns from arpeggios and chord progressions. See VOICEXY section below for full detail.
| Control | Function |
|---|---|
| ON | Enable / disable arpeggiator |
| Up / Down / Up-Down | Note play order. No mode selected = random order. |
| Oct | Cycle through additional octave before restart |
| Poly | Polyphonic mode — plays chords per a user-defined sequence of transpositions |
| Octave Number | Number of octaves when Oct is active |
| Playing Mode | Free (immediate update), After Each Note, After Each Cycle |
| SWING | Swing amount. Full right = no swing. 66% = typical jazz swing. |
| GATE | Note hold time, from zero to full clock period |
| Chord Sequences | Transposition values for polyphonic mode (0–12, up to 32 steps, space/comma separated) |
| M.SYNC | Sync arpeggiator clock to host tempo |
128-step polyphonic sequencer with up to 8 independent voice sequences. Records pitch and velocity. Sequencer presets are stored and recalled independently from instrument presets.
| Control | Function |
|---|---|
| Voices Select | Select which voices are recorded or played |
| VCE DEL | Delete all steps for selected voice (confirmation required) |
| STP DEL | Delete current step for selected voice (no confirmation) |
| TRG (Triggered) | Sequencer starts only while a note is held — stops on note release |
| TUN (Tuned) | Transposes sequence to lowest note played on keyboard |
| Step/Run | Step-by-step recording or playback mode |
| Max/Current display | Left-click to increase max steps, right-click to decrease. Click current step to reposition. |
Three zoom modes: Zoom 1 = full range (useful for parameter modulation), Zoom 2 = 4 octaves, Zoom 3 = 2 octaves. Left-click to add or modify a step, right-click to erase. Check Velocity box to display/edit velocity instead of pitch. +/- rotate buttons shift sequence left or right by one step.
An XY room simulation that positions each voice in a stereo space relative to two virtual cardioid microphones. Voice positions are independently movable. Dynamic modes animate the positions in real time.
| Control | Function |
|---|---|
| WIDTH | Stereo field width. Wide setting introduces subtle time differences between voices and microphones — can add groove to sequences. |
| Mic knob | Orients the cardioid pickup pattern of the two virtual microphones |
| Init Pos. | Preset voice placement: Random Wide or Random Tiny |
| DYN modes | Aquarium (random drift), Magnet (voices exchange positions), Path (follow recorded paths) |
| SPEED | Speed of dynamic movement |
| AMOUNT | Depth of dynamic movement |
| SPACEXY ON switch | Global enable / disable in main panel |
Each voice is a movable point on an XY pad. X and Y axis positions independently modulate two assignable destinations. In Polyphonic Circular mode, each incoming note activates the next point — creating a dynamic, evolving modulation pattern driven by performance.
| Control | Function |
|---|---|
| Four corner knobs | Modulation amount for X+, X-, Y+, Y- axes independently |
| Destination menus | Same destinations as Dropdown Matrix — any parameter |
| Init Pos. | Preset voice positions: Random Wide or Random Tiny |
| DYN / PATH | Voices follow recorded paths. Right-click and draw path. Double-click to delete. |
| Red circle → Green | A voice turns green when actively sounding — monitor voice assignment in real time |
| Module | Parameters |
|---|---|
| Delay | Dry/Wet, Time (L/R independent), Feedback (L/R independent), Sync to host tempo |
| Chorus | Dry/Wet, Rate, Amount, Type (3 algorithms) |
| Phaser | Dry/Wet, Speed, Amount (sweep depth), Freq (center frequency), Res (feedback), Stereo (L/R phase offset) |
| EQ | Two shelf filters (High/Low). Each: Freq, Res, Gain (centered knob — CW boost, CCW cut), ON LED. Both EQ ON LEDs and the main EQ switch must be active. |
| Reverb | Delay (pre-delay), Level, Damp (HF rolloff), Type (Large/Medium/Small), HP (110Hz high-pass on input) |
| Parameter | Function |
|---|---|
| OUTPUTS | Master output level |
| TUNE | Global pitch offset |
| SPACEXY ON | Enable / disable SPACEXY stereo enhancement |
| BENDER | Pitch bend range in semitones |
| [GLIDE] | Glide (continuous) or Glissendo (semitone steps). Polyphonic glide available — each voice glides independently. |
| VELOCITY | Global velocity scaling for all matrix modulations |
| AFTER | Polyphonic aftertouch level for modulation |
| DRIFT | Per-voice random detuning and parameter variation — emulates component tolerances in analog hardware. Full left = all voices identical. |
| NBR VCES | Available voice count (1–16). Affects SPACEXY and VOICEXY behavior. Reduce to limit CPU with long releases. |
| Unison | Number of voices triggered per note. Set NBR VCES to a multiple of Unison setting for correct behavior. |
| Play mode | POLY circular (voices assigned in rotation), POLY reset (always from voice 1), MONO low/high/last priority |
The PolyKB III has two independent preset systems: Global presets (instrument sounds) and Sequencer presets (sequences stored separately). Both use the same multi-criteria browser.
| Function | Notes |
|---|---|
| Sort criteria | Author, Type (category), Style (genre), Feeling (character), Project, Bank |
| Save / Save As | Factory presets are locked — must use Save As to store edits. User presets can be overwritten with Save. |
| A/B Comparison | Store two independent settings and toggle between them. Copy A→B or B→A with arrow buttons. |
| Export Preset | .epkb format for individual preset backup |
| Export Bank | Cross-platform bank export (Mac and PC compatible) |
| Favorite / Hidden | Tag presets as Favorite (show only favorites) or Hidden (remove from list) |
| * indicator | Asterisk after preset name = unsaved edits exist |
| Topic | Note |
|---|---|
| Waveform morphing as PWM | Small WAVEFORM modulation amount on Square wave ≈ classic pulse width modulation. Larger amounts = dramatic timbral morphing. |
| Osc 2 LOW + VCO2 matrix row | Using Osc 2 in LOW mode as a modulation source via the VCO2 matrix row creates a keyboard-tracking LFO — higher notes produce faster modulation. |
| Envelope LOOP | EG2 or EG3 in Loop mode with short A/D creates a rhythmic timbral pulse while a note is held. |
| LFO multi-waveform | Stacking multiple LFO waveforms avoids mechanical repetition. Sine + noise = natural breath. |
| Velocity / VCA | For maximum dynamic range: MAIN velocity fully CW, VCA switch green, mode set to [x] (multiplicative). |
| SPACEXY WIDTH | Wide setting introduces subtle timing differences — can add micro-groove to sequenced parts. |
| Voices & Sequencer priority | Sequencer voices always have priority. If NBR VCES = 1 and sequencer uses 3 voices, keyboard gets no voices. Set NBR VCES high enough to accommodate both. |
| Delay time modulation | Modulating delay time in the Dropdown Matrix produces spring reverb-like ambiance effects. |
| Filter self-oscillation | Resonance at maximum produces a pure sine tone with no oscillator input needed — useful as a pitched effect or tone source. |