Frap Tools recently announced their new eight-voice FM analog synth which they proudly state is “actually fun to play”.
It was shown off at Superbooth 2025 so it’s not a compete surprise. It marks Frap Tools’ debut in standalone keyboards.
Whether other analog synths have been fun to play or not is really up to each individual musician, I guess, but presumably this statement about the Magnolia means it is easy and fulfilling to create, edit and play sounds.
The design of the Magnolia allows for both classic analog polysynth sounds as well as programming less conventional timbres more akin to “complex oscillators” synth modules.
It features a high quality Fatar keyboard with polyphonic aftertouch and has a “large and relaxing” front panel for accessing controls.
The company says:
Most of us think about frequency modulation as carriers, operators, and weird formulas. While this is an accurate depiction of the most refined linear FM implementation, we must not forget that, at the end of the day, FM is just a an oscillator modulating another one at audio rate to create complex sounds.
That’s what you’ll find on Magnolia! Just two oscillators and a big, orange knob to tweak. It is a more raw and in-your-face way of doing FM, without precise ratios and indices, but we guarantee: it’s incredibly fun!
And what does “thru-zero” mean? It is a label that makes sense only when talking about analog oscillators, and it just says: hey, I’m an analog circuit, but I can do realFM!
Currently selling on Reverb for $4,164 as a preorder.
Key Features
- 8-voice polyphony.
- All-analog signal path.
- Analog through-zero frequency modulation.
- 5-octave, velocity-sensitive keyboard with polyphonic aftertouch and adjustable curves.
- Bi-timbral programs with Morph, Dual, and Split capabilities.
- Two oscillators per voice: an “east coast” one with PWM and a “west coast” one with linear TZFM, wavefolder, and flip sync.
- Continuously variable wave form selector.
- 18 dB/oct high-pass and 24 dB/oct low-pass resonant filters with linear FM.
- Analog pre-filter saturation.
- Three loopable DAHDSR digital envelopes.
- Three digital LFOs with continuously variable wave forms.
- Per-part arpeggiator.
- Per-part 16-step sequencer.
- 200 memory slots for presets.
- Analog global distortion.
- Two global digital effect slots with choruses and delays.
- Hands-on modulation matrix with explicit visual cue.
- Velocity-off modulation source.
- “Polymove,” an expanded polyphonic randomization source.
- A Macro knob assignable to every parameter.
- 16 modulation sources.
- 38 modulation destinations.
- 64 modulation slots per part.
- Independent midi channels.
Technical Specifications
- Architecture: Polyphonic, Bi-timbral Analog Synthesizer
- Sound path: In-house developed full analog voices
- Polyphony: 8 voices
- Effects: Stereo analog distortion. In parallel digital stereo effects.
- Keybed: 61 keys Fatar keybed with velocity and polyphonic Aftertouch
- Controllers: Pitch Wheel, Mod Wheel, Macro Knob, Hold Button, Sustain Pedal input, 2x Expression Pedal input.
- Panel Controls: 33 knobs, 15 sliders, 50 buttons
- Connections: Stereo Headphones Output, Main Output Left & Right, USBC, Sustain, MIDI In/Out/Thrum 2x Expression Pedal Input
- Modulations: 16 sources, 38 destinations, 64 slots per part (with 2 parts per program)
- Monophonic Modulators: Pitch & Mod Wheels, Expression Pedal 1 & 2, Macro Knob
- Polyphonic Modulators: Tracking, Velocity On & Off, Polymove, Aftertouch, 3x LFOs, 3x 6-stages Envelopes
- Size: ~ 990 × 380 × 110 mm (knobs & feet included)
- Weight: ~ 15kg
Priced at around $5,000 RRP and shipping now.
Currently selling on Reverb for $4,164 as a preorder.
