Rob Redman finds this 8-bit-inspired synth and sequencer a handy companion in his epic sound design journeys
Gear can be more than just a tool for performing and recording but also a means of exploration. The Roar of Ancient Times, or RoAT, from Soma labs, may not appear too inspirational but spend just a few minutes delving into its lo-fi possibilities and you will soon find there is a lot on offer.
The device itself is fairly diminutive and has a somewhat unfinished look. I imagine some users will while away many an hour devising interesting housings for it, while the rest will be happy to simply play as is. Don’t be deceived though, RoAT is solidly constructed. Yes, this is a battery-power-only device and it feels to us like a slight missed opportunity, as a power input, or better yet, a Eurorack modular compatible version, would make the RoAT a much more interesting proposition for many. Maybe Soma have a modular version in the works. We hope so.
But back to the synth itself. It’s a simple affair with volume, output, sync jack and power switch across the top. Although the knobs are small they don’t warrant any lack of confidence in use, feeling robust enough under hand. The same can be said for the controls found elsewhere, which include rotary controls for adjusting voices and buttons for activating them, or for selecting options from the matrix-based menu. There are also touch sensitive pads, one for each voice, used for triggering notes. Labelling is clear and, although small, the matrix is easy to read.
The matrix is where a lot of time is spent, as the seven rows of four-voice frequencies are where you check to modulate your output. Accessing these is done through a combination of buttons, labelled 1, 2 and 4, making for easily adding for any combination up to the seven needed. This feels odd for the first few minutes then becomes natural and doesn’t need to be thought of again. Essentially you have access to one of four options at a time, controlled by the four potentiometers. We thought it might lead to headaches and slow navigation but the reality is quite the opposite. No menu diving here, as it is all readable from the front panel, with just a couple of taps needed to get where you need.
RoAT has four voices with 16 tunable waveforms. Each of these has its own LFO that can be used to modulate tone or pitch. The way these are controlled is also different from most other devices. Turn the knob counter clockwise to select frequency range and clockwise to adjust amplitude. This way of working i
