The Noise Engineering Basimilus Iteritas Alia is a 10 HP Eurorack drum voice that Noise Engineering calls a universal drum synthesizer. It is a parameterized digital voice with analog roots, built for modular users who want kicks, snares, hats and unusual percussion from one module. It can also play basslines and leads.
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Three algorithms: the Skin/Liquid/Metal switch selects six-oscillator additive synthesis, additive with a pitch envelope, or two 3-operator phase-modulated oscillators for metallic and noisy tones
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Deep tone shaping: Morph sweeps the waveform through sine, triangle, saw and square, and Spread moves the oscillator spacing from harmonic to strongly inharmonic
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Infinifold wavefolder: Fold sets the fold threshold, and the top of its range blends in a pulse train for extra harmonics
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Full CV control: Decay, Attack, Morph, Fold, Harmonic and Spread each have a CV input, with the knob acting as offset
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Envelope output and pitch encoder: send the internal envelope elsewhere in the patch, and tune in semitones or fine steps with 1V/octave tracking
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Alia platform: swap to other Alia firmwares for free over USB through Noise Engineering's Customer Portal
The Harmonic control sets how quickly the upper harmonics decay. Fully counterclockwise it leaves a single oscillator, close to a simple analog bass drum, and turning it up brings in more partials for snares, toms and tonal hits. Attack covers a lot of ground: left of centre it adds noise to the transient, at centre it gives an analog-style pop, and to the right it slows the attack for softer, swelling sounds. With external CV on the pitch and timbre inputs, one module can stand in for a whole kit.
Compared with the original Basimilus Iteritas Alter, the Alia version sounds and works almost the same. It adds the envelope output, uses an encoder for pitch instead of a potentiometer, and accepts pitch CV from -2 V to +5 V. Because it runs on the Alia hardware platform, the module can be reflashed in about a minute with a WebUSB browser such as Chrome, Edge or Opera. The other firmwares include Ataraxic, Cursus, Debel, Incus, Manis and Toros Iteritas Alia, so the same hardware can become a different voice when a patch needs it.