What inspired you to set up SOMA synthesizers?
My personal experience as a musician, over a period of time. I was eventually bored with the commercial synthesizer market. The way most brands were building synths and how they sounded. I was in search, in need, of deeper vibes, more wilder character - a synthesis engine which was esoteric or even 'organic'. As a result, I put some demos online, and was surprised to discover that a lot of musicians felt the same. The need for alternatives, more out-of-the-norm, possibilities in synthesis.

Do you have a background or experience in electronics?
I worked as a radio engineer and a musician in Donetsk, Ukraine, and later moved to Moscow, Russia, after war broke out in the city. I have made grade studio and audiophile equipment, moving unto putting together some unusual synthesizers and hybrid instruments for my own music projects.

What is your background? Do you make music as well?
Yes, I have been making music since my teens. I grew up somewhere in the intersection of music, engineering and meditation. So all the influences kind of mobilised towards SOMA. Some of my music can be heard here.


Where is SOMA synth made? Factory? Workshop?
The soldering, final assembly, testing, adjustments and branding is all hand-made - in Poland and Russia. We use outsourced production for some parts as enclosures, from time to time.

The design and interface on SOMA synths is very different from other synth makers. Why so? Who designs SOMA synths? 

The synthesizers were designed by me. The difference that you speak of, is due to the 'esoteric' architecture and new paths, signal flow - with a new method of interaction (triggering). I understood well that a synth doesn't play itself and the sound is born via the interaction between a musician and the instrument. Hence how this interaction formulates, what entails within the process, is indeed very important. With SOMA synthesizers, the idea is to bring about alternative, newer ways to interact, create and manipulate sounds. Which opens up new vistas and dimensions within the sound spectrum...

Future SOMA Synths? new things for 2019 and 2020?
A lot of ideas are in the pipeline, and a few surprises too! For now I will have to keep them a secret (smiley face) ... But we at SOMA are searching, developing deeper and more esoteric ways in synthesis ... Currently I am touring a bit with a new audio-plastique performance - which is based on a system of analog synthesis, controlled by the movements of the body. Read a full description of the performance.

https://somasynths.com/lyra-organismic-synthesizer/