Introduction

Welcome to SOLO by TAQSIM. A hybrid synthesizer that utilizes virtual analog, phase distortion, and sample-playback oscillators to recreate the sounds used in modern world music. SOLO includes high-quality filters, effects, modulation features, and a microtonal scale converter to generate a unique world of sound found in music spanning the globe.

Whether it is quickly playing presets, tweaking sounds, setting up comprehensive modulations, or trying unique microtonal scales, SOLO is designed to be easy to use. We’ve partnered with musicians and producers from around the globe to include a library of authentic sounds to help you stand out from the crowd. If you want to explore more, you can import your own custom multi-samples into SOLO.

Welcome to a new world of sound.

Getting Started

Download

You will receive a download link in your email when purchasing SOLO or requesting the Demo. You can also download the installer files here from our official WeTransfer links below:

Mac Installation

A Mac AU / VST / AAX and Windows VST / AAX installation packages are available.

To install the SOLO MAC AU / VST / AAX installation package complete the following steps:

  1. Download the current SOLO MAC Installer HERE
  2. Unzip the File on your local machine
  3. Run the SOLO-Installer.pkg file
  4. Restart Your Computer
  5. Open either the standalone application or the AU / VST in your DAW of choice
  6. When SOLO opens for the first time, select either the 15-minute trial or to enter your purchased license key information that was emailed to you upon purchase

Windows Installation

To install the SOLO Windows VST / AAX installation package complete the following steps

  1. Download the current SOLO Windows Installer HERE
  2. Unzip the File on your local machine
  3. Run the SOLO.exe file to install the software
  4. Restart Your Computer
  5. Open either the standalone application or the VST in your DAW of choice
  6. When SOLO opens for the first time, select either the 15-minute trial or to enter your purchased license key information that was emailed to you upon purchase
  7. Note, there is no DLL file. A .vst3 file is installed in C:\Program Files\Common Files\SOLO.vst3

Using the Standalone Version

The standalone version of SOLO allows you to play the virtual instrument without it being hosted in a DAW. To start playing the virtual instrument first make sure you have a MIDI controller plugged into your computer and have an Audio Interface that can support low-latency sound.

Click the Options button on the top, then select the Audio/MIDI Settings button. A dialog box will open up where you can select the output you would like to send audio from SOLO to along with its respective Sample Rate and Audio Buffer Size.

Select the MIDI controller you would like to use via the Active MIDI Input dialog box. If you have a Bluetooth MIDI controller, select the Bluetooth MIDI button and select the appropriate controller.

Close the dialog box once the Audio/MIDI settings are complete. You can play sounds by selecting a category within the Category area on the left-hand side and then a preset from the Preset area on the left-hand side.

Using the Plug-In Version

The VST / AU / AAX version of SOLO needs to be played through any DAW that supports the VST and/or AU format. Load the plugin within the DAW and ensure that it is receiving MIDI to play it. Once the plugin has been selected and can receive MIDI and output sound, you can play sounds by selecting a category within the Category area on the left-hand side and then a preset from the Preset area on the left-hand side.

Importing Samples

SOLO has the ability to import SFZ, SoundFont, and Korg KMP files. To import samples to use within the Wave Oscillator, please follow these steps:

  1. Click the three dots on the top right corner
  2. Click on the Add Search Path button
  3. Select the folder where the samples are and click Open
  4. Click Close

There will be a new category under each Wave Oscillator that is the name of the folder you selected. Within that Category you will find the wave samples you can use as the oscillator

Oscillators

SOLO’s oscillator section allows you to mix and match 3 virtual analog-style oscillators or sample-playback waveforms. Each oscillator provides independent controls for you to tweak.

Wave Oscillator Controls

Each Wave Oscillator (WAVE) section has the following controls:

  • Sample Category: Select the category of the wave sample you would like to use
  • Sample: Select the specific wave sample you would like to use for the oscillator
  • High Quality: Enable a high-quality CPU-intensive algorithm for sample playback
  • SEM (Semitone): Adjust the semitones of the oscillator
  • CENT (Cents): Adjust the cents of the oscillator
  • Pan: Adjust the left-right panning of the oscillator
  • Level: Adjust the level of the oscillator

Virtual Analog Oscillator Controls

Each Virtual Analog Oscillator (OSC) section has the following controls

  • Oscillator Type: Select from a SAW, TRI (Triangle), or SIN (Sine) oscillator
  • Sync: Sync Osc 2 and Osc 3 (if they are set as OSC) to Osc 1
  • Pulse Width (PW): Adjust the rate of the Pulse Width oscillator
  • Pulse Magnitude (PM): Adjust the intensity of the PW Oscillator
  • Noise: The level of the Noise Oscillator
  • SEM (Semitone): Adjust the semitones of the oscillator
  • CENT (Cents): Adjust the cents of the oscillator
  • Pan: Adjust the left-right panning of the oscillator
  • Level: Adjust the level of the oscillator

Phase Distortion Oscillator Controls

Each Virtual Analog Oscillator (OSC) section has the following controls

  • Oscillator Row 1: Select from a SIN (Sine), TRI (Triangle), SQU (Square), or a SAW oscillator
  • Oscillator Row 2: Select from a SIN (Sine), TRI (Triangle), SQU (Square), or a SAW oscillator
  • Wav Phase: Set the phase of the wave
  • X/Y Pad: Set the Rise and Run of the oscillator
  • SEM (Semitone): Adjust the semitones of the oscillator
  • CENT (Cents): Adjust the cents of the oscillator
  • Pan: Adjust the left-right panning of the oscillator
  • Level: Adjust the level of the oscillator

Voicing

SOLO allows you to weak how the voicing of the preset. The voicing section has the following controls:

  • Poly / Mono / Legato: Choose between a polyphonic, monophonic or legato mode
  • Low / Last / High: Choose the priority of the note to be played when in Mono / Legato mode
  • Velocity: Adjust the level that the velocity impacts the sound
  • Glide: Adjust the glide time
  • Unison: Turn on unison mode for the OSC oscillators, where either 4 or 8 oscillators are being played
  • 4/8 Voice: Select whether 4 or 8 voices are being played for unison
  • Unison Detune: Adjust the amount the unison oscillators are detuned from each other
  • Unison Spread: Adjust how much the unison oscillators are spread within the stereo spectrum

Scale

Break free of the twelve-tone scales by dialing in microtonal scales with an “oriental-style” scale converter. The scale converter section has the following controls:

  • Scale: Enter in the amount of detuning by cents for each note
  • Limit Notes: Allow only the notes within the scale to be played
  • Scale Select: Select one of the preset scales
  • Root: Select the root of the scale, this transposes the preset scale to the selected root
  • Reset: Reset the scale to its original setting

Filter

Choose between either a Moog-style ladder or an Oberheim-style filter to shape the sonics of your sound. The filter section has the following controls:

  • MG / OB: Select between a Moog-style ladder or Oberheim-style filter
  • -12db / -24db: Select between a -12db or -24db filter
  • Attack: Set the attack of the filter
  • Decay: Set the decay of the filter
  • Sustain: Set the sustain of the filter
  • Release: Set the release of the filter
  • Cutoff: Set the cutoff of the filter
  • Resonance: Set the resonance of the filter
  • Amount: Set the amount of the filter
  • Key Track: Set the key track of the filter

Loudness

Shape the loudness of your sound with a traditional ADSR Filter. The loudness filter section has the following controls:

  • Attack: Set the attack of the filter
  • Decay: Set the decay of the filter
  • Sustain: Set the sustain of the filter
  • Release: Set the release of the filter

Controllers

Tweak the modulation and pitch bend controls. The controllers section has the following controls:

  • Mod Min: Set the minimum level that modulation is engaged
  • Mod Rev: Reverse how modulation is applied
  • PB Range: Set the pitch bend range

LFO's

Utilize 2 LFO’s (Low-Frequency Oscillator) within the Modulation Matrix. The LFO section has the following controls for each LFO:

  • SIN / SQR / SAW / TRI: Set the type of LFO oscillator Sin (Sine), Sqr (Square), Saw, Tri (Triangle)
  • Rate: Set the rate of the LFO
  • R Attack: Set the attack of the LFO Rate
  • Depth: Set the depth of the LFO
  • D Attack: Set the attack of the LFO Depth

Modulation Matrix

Utilize the flexible modulation matrix to modulate one parameter with another. The Modulation Matrix section has the following controls:

  • Source: Select the source of the modulation
  • Modifier: Select what value is modifying the target
  • Target: Select the target value that is being modified
  • Amount: Select the amount that the value is being modified
  • Add: Add an additional modulation route
  • Remove: Remove an existing modulation route

Effects

Use the onboard studio-quality EQ, Distortion, Phaser, Delay, and Reverb to shape your sound. The effect section has the following controls:

EQ

The EQ section has the following controls:

  • Low: Set the amount for the Low EQ
  • Mid: Set the amount for the Mid EQ
  • High: Set the amount for the High EQ

Distortion

The Distortion section has the following controls:

  • In Gain: Set the Input Gain
  • Out Gain: Set the Output gain
  • Sat: Set the amount of Saturation
  • Tone: Set the amount of Tone

Phaser

The Phaser section has the following controls:

  • Depth: Set the depth of the phaser
  • Rate: Set the rate of the phaser
  • Intensity: Set the intensity of the phaser

Delay

The Delay section has the following controls:

  • Feedback: Set the amount of feedback
  • Time: Set the amount of time
  • Mix: Set the amount of mix

Reverb

The Reverb section has the following controls:

  • Size: Set the size
  • Damping: Set the amount of damping
  • Width: Set the width
  • Mix: Set the amount of mix

Release Notes

Below is the list of release notes for each major version of SOLO:

SOLO 1.2 - February 2022

  • MPE Support
  • Expression Support
  • Increased Presets to 300+
  • New Samples from popular Oriental Keyboards
  • Sound Engine Improvements and Optimization (Up to 50% More Efficient)
  • Filter Responsiveness Improvements
  • Glide and Legato Improvements
  • Pitch Bending Improvements
  • Modulation Table Improvements
  • SoundFont Support Improvements
  • Phaser Improvements
  • Scale UI Improvements
  • New Oscillator UI
  • Delay Sync
  • Ability to Set the Location of the Sample Library
  • Re-voiced all presets

SOLO 1.1.4 - March 2021

  • ProTools AAX Support
  • Phase Distortion Oscillator Option
  • Low / Last / High note priority for Mono / Legato mode
  • Pan on the Oscillators
  • Sustain Pedal Support
  • Set pitch bend by semitones
  • Improved Sound Engine
  • Improved Filter Responsiveness
  • Increased Presets to 200 Total
  • Re-voiced all presets
  • UI Improvements
  • Stability Improvements
  • Optimization Improvements

SOLO 1.0 - November 2020

  • The initial release of SOLO

Disclaimer

The information in this document is subject to change without notice and does not represent a commitment on the part of TAQS.IM. The software described by this document is subject to a License Agreement and may not be distributed. No part of this documentation may be copied, reproduced, or otherwise transmitted or recorded, for any purpose, without prior written permission by TAQS.IM.