Curves & Membranes

Curves & Membranes is a one-oscillator mono synth built around Bézier wave shaping, orbital modulation, and a membrane-style filter model. The idea was not to make a synth that does everything, but to make a smaller instrument where the few core parts actually behave in interesting ways.

It is monophonic on purpose. I did not want to lower oversampling or update rates, because I did not want to compromise the sound. I also did not feel any need to add more oscillators when the one that is there already does enough interesting things on its own. The smaller structure also makes the interface easier to grasp, and to me the limitation makes it more attractive, not less.

The oscillator uses a repeating single-cycle Bézier waveform. You shape it by moving handles and midpoint rather than selecting from a fixed set of waveforms. From there, the synth runs two modulation concepts in parallel: an 8-slot wave preset bank with slew and clocked stepping, and independent orbital modulators for each point and handle. In the filter stage, 32 membrane lanes react to LP, BP, and HP actuator points in parallel, with damping, tension, width, emphasis, and keyboard tracking changing the response.

A big part of the point is that the sound and the visuals reflect the same thing. The oscillator shape, the modulation movement, and the filter behavior are all part of the same core idea, so what you see on screen is not just decoration pasted on top.

It works especially well for bass lines with movement, expressive mono leads, and long evolving drone material. You can keep it simple and musical, or push it much further with wave sequencing and orbital motion. Even with a lot of movement, the synth is designed to stay pitch-stable and playable.

There are no preset system included. The thinking there is simple: if the interface is clear enough, you should be able to make your own sounds without starting from a giant preset browser. Randomization is also a big part of the workflow. The modulation systems are built to make exploration fast, not precious.

Highlights:

• One-oscillator mono synth.
• Bézier single-cycle oscillator.
• None, Clip, and Fold wave distortion modes.
• 8-slot Wave Preset Bank with slew.
• Internal or host-clocked wave sequencing.
• Independent orbital modulators for each point and handle.
• 32-lane membrane filter with LP, BP, and HP actuators.
• Direct interface with no hidden panels or secondary pages.

Videos
Full walkthrough:
{See video at top of page}

Sounds / patch ideas:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jo4qDD3YghU