As most of you know, it takes innovation and a recognizable brand to really make waves in the effects pedal community. So far, the crew from Night Owl Industries has done just that, via their Oscar and Edison Tube Preamps, and the Q The EQ wah-style pedal. Today, we’ve got their latest creation for you, something a bit off the wall and not your ordinary pedal – in fact, it’s not even a pedal at all….here we go, let’s check out the Night Owl Industries Arcane Synthesizer!
The basic layout on the Arcane Analog Synth is very friendly to the way your hands are already set up. The controls are arranged bilaterally, not sequentially, so controlling each voice is a cinch. Starting in the center, where you put both of your thumbs is Voice 1, then moving outward to your index fingers on the next voice, which is Voice 2, and so on. Each voice features an Arcade button, which controls each voice’s frequency, a slider to set the filter and a switch that engages the CV input. Sitting down and getting the feel for this synth was a quite enjoyable experience, as everything flows very organically, and the process of deduction was both exciting and not-frustrating at the same time.
Each voice also has a Hold feature, where it’s signal is constantly on, allowing you to manipulate it without having to use your right hand at all. What’s also nice about the way the Arcane is set up is that the knobs, sliders and switches are all positioned perfectly, making it easy to control multiple functions with one hand. We used a Korg SQ-1 Step Sequencer for our CV input in the demo below, which is a blast to add to what the Arcane can already do. Plus, you can assign externally pedals to 2 different effects loops: one affects Voices 1-4, one is strictly for Voice 5, and can be set via the Mix knob. We chose the marvelous Quiet Theory Prelude Delay Reverb to add a bit of ambience in, and the result is fantastic.
The Night Owl Arcane Analog Synthesizer is a fun machine, plain and simple. There’s no 400-page, phone book sized manual to try and decipher, and you can sit down, plug it in and get going in about three minutes. The external CV and Effects Loop options add to its versatility, and the ease of parameter manipulation is a key factor in its success. Always unique in its design, materials and build, like all Night Owl Industries creations, the Arcane will find a place in the setup of both synth enthusiasts and experimental musicians alike. Cheers to all at Night Owl on another great unit – be sure to check out their website for more info, and subscribe to our channel on YouTube after you watch the demo. Cheers!
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