Olydian Musical Instruments VC-01 Voicecrafter is a new hardware hybrid vocal Synthesizer with two distinct voice engines and a built-in sequencer.

There are all kinds of synthesizers. Some appeal to the masses, but others break the mold. Photosynthesis, the first Synthesizer from American developer Kyle Fakhoury, certainly falls into the latter category. Released in 2025, this digital synth runs on solar energy.

He releases his work under the name Olydian Musical Instruments and is currently working on a flagship vocal Synthesizer named VC-01 Voicecrafter, which is no less distinctive.

Olydian Musical Instruments VC-01 Voicecrafter

The developer uploaded a YouTube video featuring the instrument’s first sound demo. The VC-01 Voicecrafter isn’t officially released yet, but Olydian Musical Instruments has already shared some details.

The VC01 is a large desktop unit featuring numerous controls, including both knobs and sliders. It also includes a 3-octave mechanical Cherry-style keyboard in the lower section, plus a pitch bend on the left.

As the name suggests, it is a vocal Synthesizer powered by two unique engines: formant synthesis and consonant-vowel sampling. 

The developer has not yet revealed exactly how the two engines work. However, it will ship with 20+ sample banks. Players can use a large touch panel that spans almost the entire center of the instrument, with individual vowels assigned to touch-sensitive keys.

Each engine also has a programmable ADSR envelope controlled by sliders on the top panel and a dedicated FX processor. Alongside these, two LFOs with various shapes and a reverse option are controllable from the left area.

To refine your sounds, it includes a global multi-FX processor with vibrato, reverb, and three delay types. These are tweakable on the right side with various knobs.

For example, the reverb has dry/wet mix and size controls. Stereo Spread Control and portamento are also onboard.

Sequencing Vowels

You can play the synthetically generated and sample-based vowels using the keyboard. A more interesting alternative is the built-in sequencer, which offers looping and overdubbing. T

This allows you to quickly capture ideas, loop them, and overwrite them as needed—making it suitable for performance.

The developer says that the VC-01 Voicecrafter sequencer can store thousands of sequencer steps for long pre-written playback. You can also store presets in the synth so you can recall your settings at any time.

Get an early first look in the linked video.

First Impression

Based on the initial demo, I assume the VC-01 Voicecrafter will be a niche Synthesizer with a limited pool of interested people. Vocal synthesis isn’t necessarily something everyone looks for in a hardware synth.

For those interested, though, this one is very exciting since there aren’t many like it. I really like how hands-on it feels. I’ll keep you posted and update you when there’s more info.

Olydian Musical Instruments VC-01 Voicecrafter availability and price are TBA.

More information here: Olydian Musical Instruments

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