The Modal Electronics ELEMENT One is an 8-voice virtual analog synthesizer with a 37-key keyboard. It is built to be played straight away with little menu diving. It suits keyboard players who want analog-style sounds next to a stage piano, and also guitarists, bassists, drummers, DJs and singers looking for an approachable source of pads, bass lines, arpeggios and leads. Its sound engine is a streamlined version of the one in Modal's COBALT synths.
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8-voice polyphony: 64 virtual analog oscillators, up to 8 per voice, arranged in two independent oscillator groups
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40 oscillator algorithms: sync, ring modulation, PWM, wave morphing, bit crushing, filtered noise, plus FM and noise AM types
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31 resonant filter types: ladder, state-variable, phasing and peaking designs, morphable or static, some with drive
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Hands-on control: 17 endless encoders, a lockable 4-axis joystick and 37 full-size keys with velocity and channel aftertouch
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Three stereo effect engines: chorus, phaser, flanger, tremolo, LoFi, rotary, several delay types and reverb, in any order
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32-step arpeggiator: programmable steps with rests and clock sync in and out
The panel is laid out in clear sections for the LFOs, the two oscillators, the filter and the envelopes. The envelope encoders can be reassigned to four other parameters, and a 1.54-inch OLED display shows patch and parameter information. Modulation comes from three envelopes, three audio-rate LFOs with tempo sync and seven shapes, and a matrix with eight assignable slots plus four fixed routings. A vintage parameter and extended oscillator drift add analog-style instability.
Keyboard modes run from Mono and Poly through Unison 2, 4 and 8 to Stack 2 and 4, and glide has legato and staccato modes. The synth holds 500 patches, 300 of them factory sounds, plus 100 effect presets. Patches can carry category tags and be sorted into custom banks. A stereo input lets you run external audio through the effects. For integration there are MIDI DIN, class-compliant USB-C MIDI, 3.5 mm analog clock sync, and sustain and expression pedal inputs. The free MODALapp editor runs on macOS, Windows, iOS and Android, and as VST3 and AU plug-ins.