I wrote my first synth overview for Engadget in 2019. On the time I assumed it is likely to be a one off. Perhaps it could afford me the chance to play with some enjoyable gear at times, however “Engadget synth beat reporter” was not one thing within the playing cards long run. Properly, 4 years later I’ve not solely managed to show music tech into a daily a part of my job, however I’ve turn into one thing of a connoisseur of bizarre, low-cost synths. I’d virtually say that I’ve turn into jaded by the relentless releases of wannabe Volcas and VSTs-but-hardware. So I used to be considerably skeptical of SOMA’s Rumble of Ancient Times (RoAT from right here on out), a $170 “8-bit noise synthesizer.”
Properly, this little pile of battery-powered weirdness has silenced my inside cynic. It’s jogged my memory to cease being so treasured about my music. That creating artwork ought to be enjoyable. And that, generally, you simply have to let issues go.
Earlier than I flip you off with extra philosophical ramblings (and don’t fear, there might be extra), let’s lay out precisely what the RoAT is. It’s an 8-bit digital synth and sequencer impressed by video video games of the early PC period, which needed to do loads with extremely little. The core right here isn’t some high-powered ARM processor; there’s no superior bodily modeling or complicated wavetables. As a substitute, the RoAT runs on a really primary microcontroller such as you may discover in previous kitchen home equipment. (Not the type that hook up with the web and have big touchscreens.)
There are 4 freely tunable oscillators with 16 waveforms to select from. The frequency vary accessible is large and the potentiometers can solely flip a lot, so dialing in an ideal scale isn’t one thing that’s going to return straightforward. The 16 voice choices are all harsh and decidedly digital. Assume Atari 2600 in a blender. And the resonant filter is deliciously lo-fi. I do know that it’s considerably cliche at this level to say {that a} synth is oozing character, however I don’t understand how else to explain the sound of RoAT. It’s one of many extra characterful devices I’ve had the pleasure of utilizing at any value level.
The sequencer is primary, too. An oscillator is both on or off and that’s it. In order for you a selected word you must lock it in with the tuning knobs. The one variable is that by default, the voices can both be momentary on, or momentary off – so you possibly can set one to drone whereas the others pop in so as to add shade. The sequences have to be performed in reside, nothing is quantized and the sample size is only a single bar. However because it’s not a step sequencer, that doesn’t matter fairly as a lot. You possibly can all the time simply flip the tempo all the way down to 70 bpm whereas really taking part in at 140 bpm and successfully get two bars.
Terrence O’Brien
The simplicity right here really makes it enjoyable and fuss free. You simply maintain down the report button and faucet the little copper pads beneath every voice button, look forward to the loop to return again round and faucet some extra so as to add extra triggers. The entire technique of dialing in notes then sequencing them is sloppy and playful. You don’t have to consider ratchets or parameter locks. The constraints really free you as much as deal with jamming, experimenting and iterating.
The one a part of the RoAT interface that may appear intimidating at first is the financial institution of registers. That is the way you do precise sound design on the instrument. There’s a desk within the backside proper hand nook the place all the assorted parameters are laid out, like frequency, wave choice, LFO sort and pace, etcetera. They’re in numbered rows, from zero to seven, and also you navigate between them utilizing buttons on the left facet labeled one, two and 4. So sure, you will have to do some primary arithmetic if you wish to change the discharge of a voice or tweak the filter resonance, which you’ll discover on web page 5 and choose by urgent the one and 4 buttons (1+4=5, obtained it?). Whereas this may appear unnecessarily difficult, it’s really fairly straightforward to wrap your head round and I’d argue far sooner and extra satisfying than attempting to scroll by means of an infinite menu.
A number of the parameters want a bit of extra rationalization than what may be squeezed into the desk on the entrance. However flip the RoAT over and also you’ll get a lot of the data you want on the again of the unit.

Terrence O’Brien
The one exception to that is web page six of the registers, which is the place you’ll discover the summing algorithm controls. These are defined on the again of the gadget, however I’d be mendacity if I mentioned I absolutely understood what all of them meant or why they have an effect on the sound the way in which they do. I’ve a sense that many individuals might be in the identical boat as me. That being mentioned, you don’t actually need to grasp to easily tweak the knobs till you hear one thing you want.
By the way in which, turning knobs till you hear one thing you want is completely a legitimate method for any instrument, but it surely appears significantly acceptable right here. The dramatic adjustments even a tiny little bit of motion introduces imply that is finest navigated by really feel. And if that looks as if an excessive amount of give you the results you want, there’s that button labeled “CHAOS” within the high left nook. I wager you possibly can guess what it does. (It causes chaos, btw.)
This button randomizes all of the parameters aside from the row you’ve at present chosen within the register. So in the event you don’t have any of the numbered buttons on, you’re on row zero which controls pitch, you possibly can knock out numerous iterations on a selected melody or sequence, swapping in numerous waveforms and algorithms.

Terrence O’Brien
Now that is the place the constraints of the RoAT may turn into a difficulty for some. Do you just like the chaos you’ve simply created? Nice, you higher report that proper now. Get out a subject recorder and a TRS cable, or fireplace up your DAW or one thing. As a result of when you flip that energy swap on the RoAT off, your creation is gone – ceaselessly. There’s no saving of sequences. No presets. No MIDI out to manage different devices.
There may be analog sync out, however no sync in. That implies that, whilst you can join the RoAT to a Volca or a Pocket Operator and maintain them in time, you must use the clock on the RoAT to drive the whole lot. And there’s no faucet tempo right here or a display the place you possibly can see the precise tempo you’re at. So I actually hope you take pleasure in your jams at 108.45 BPM.

Terrence O’Brien
Virtually the whole lot concerning the RoAT is messy and ephemeral. However, that’s additionally sort of what makes it so nice. I understand that loads of what attracts me to the RoAT may not matter to a lot of you. You may simply need to play a pleasing melody on a clear sounding synth. Which, nice, I like doing that too. That’s not what you come to the RoAT for, although.
It’s wonderful at noisy rhythmic patterns good for industrial or chiptunes. However it’s restricted connectivity and incapability to reliably reproduce the identical precise outcomes a number of instances means it’s not a great efficiency instrument. As a substitute it’s finest as a supply of inspiration and samples. Although, considering of the Rumble of Historic Occasions in purely sensible phrases misses the purpose. It takes out of date expertise that will in any other case be destined for a landfill and mutates it into an experimental instrument that’s straightforward to get misplaced in. And each time you flip it on appears like a model new journey.

Terrence O’Brien
Keep in mind once I mentioned earlier that it jogged my memory that generally it’s essential let issues go? Properly, I’m a digital hoarder. I’ve saved virtually each picture I’ve taken since 2008 (and each crappy photochop since 2005). I’ve a tough drive overflowing with track sketches which can be absolute trash and clearly going nowhere. And I’ve a tough time parting with even insignificant private gadgets floating round my home.
Not solely that, however I’m the form of one that second guesses the whole lot. I’ll nitpick and obsess over a mission – be it a track or this overview – till I hate it. In April of final 12 months I discussed in my overview of the Chase Bliss Behavior that I had been sitting on three songs for an EP for over a 12 months. Properly, completely zero progress has been made there. The truth is I’ve since determined a kind of songs is nugatory and I’ve minimize it.
Which brings me again to the Rumble of Historic Occasions. Its simplicity, playfulness and sloppiness are a pure counter to my obsessive tendencies. Its insistence that you just discover, iterate and continually push ahead prevents me from getting caught. And the truth that I can’t save a sequence – that I’ve to begin with a clean canvas each time I flip it on – retains me from hoarding half-baked concepts that I’ll by no means revisit.