1950s FRENCH MONOSYNTH
The Ondioline was invented in 1941, and produced in France throughout 1950s/60s. It was conceived by inventor Georges Jenny as a low cost Ondes Martenot; sharing the same lateral vibrato keyboard, with a knee-lever to shape volume. It was entirely valve-based with its own built-in amplifier and inspired the Clavioline, Jennings Univox and Hammond Solovox. The sound can be surprisingly realistic when the vibrato and knee lever are used together - organic, sinuous and extremely expressive.
In collaboration with Goldfrapps' Will Gregory and Dan Wilson from Hideaway Studio, Soniccouture extensively restored and modified Ondioline no.599 to be sampled and recreated as a Kontakt instrument.
The Ondioline is a minimal synthesiser by todays standards, and we have sought to preserve that character in our emulation. No labels are visible until you turn a knob; then they appear. The main switch panel is labelled simply A - R and controls a variety of different oscillator shapes, filters & LFOs. The two large white dials control the level of the two divider circuits - effectively two sub oscillators 1 and 2 octaves below the main.