Modal Element One

Modal embrace simplicity with their latest instrument, the Element One.

“The synth for people who just want to play” is how British company Modal Electronics open proceedings for the Element One, their new 37‑key, eight‑voice digital synth. I daresay that line will either put you off to the point of immediately turning the page (in which case I’ve already lost you, and am now writing to myself), or it will pique your interest as someone who, perhaps, has always found the barrier of entry when it comes to synthesis just that little bit too high.

A compact and accessibly designed piece of hardware designed to provide a competitor for the likes of the microKorg 2, the Element One is a lightweight polyphonic synth with up to eight virtual‑analogue oscillators per voice, onboard effects, slots for 500 presets and an accompanying app. “We’ve often had a lot of criticism for things being too complicated,” Modal Electronics’ Berry Nielsen told SOS at this year’s Superbooth event. Ease of use is the name of the game here, with simple panel sections, the promise of minimal menu‑diving, and a long list of out‑of‑the‑box playable presets that come categorised by musical feel (‘vintage’, ‘dark’, ‘mellow’ and so forth). There’s also the free MODALapp, which, as you might expect, offers in‑depth screen‑based editing and graphic parameter readouts, along with comfortably navigable preset backup and management.

Physically the Element One feels solid enough, with its steel front panel and full‑size keys, but most of the overall real estate is comprised of a plastic chassis. It has a smart‑looking illuminated logo on the rear, and a very usable selection of I/O including headphone and stereo line outputs, inputs for expression and sustain pedals, a 3.5mm audio input, analogue clock sync, DIN MIDI in and out, and USB‑C. It also runs on a 9V power supply, which is handy. It offers some very nicely weighted aftertouch on the keyboard, which should not go unrecognised.

Round the back we have quarter‑inch sockets for audio output, expression and sustain pedal input, 3.5mm sockets for audio in and sync I/O, MIDI I/O ports, a USB‑C port and an input for the external 9V power supply.

A simple physical interface centred around a 1.54‑inch OLED screen and two encoders, the Element One’s front panel hosts sections for its three LFOs, two oscillators and the multi‑mode filter, along with a section for the filter and amplitude envelopes, whose encoders can also be assigned to control any four of a multitude of other parameters under the hood. The left side of the panel hosts a joystick‑style X/Y controller for expression and pitch‑bending. The idea is that once you’ve decided on all of the above’s various functions (including the filter response and oscillator algorithm), all controls are presented thus for quick access and stress‑free performability for players of any experience level.

The Element One measures 561 x 293 x 67mm and weighs 4.5kg.

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