The impOSCar - a less trodden path.
When the impOSCar project began way back in 2001, it's true to say that we were being slightly optimistic with our intended schedule of six months development time. The early signs were good and our supercoder Jon quickly created an alpha version with the basic outlines of key parameters before setting to work in earnest on the detail.
As it's often been said, "The devil is in the detail" because like peeling back the layers of an onion, this instrument became more and more intriguing as time progressed. The combination of digital waveforms, the ability to create your own user waves and subsequent processing through amazing analogue filters meant that, not only would this be a multi-disciplined task, it would take time to get right.
Thrilled by the acknowledgement as to the accuracy of the Oddity in relation to the Odyssey, we started to consider "what if we had added new features along the way?" And the impOSCar gave us the perfect opportunity to put some of these thoughts into action. Over time these thoughts and ideas became realities by way of enhanced filter modes, polyphony, multi-effects and more, and all this took a long time to get right without stifling the character of the original instrument. And then came the huge task of accurately modelling the impOSCar filters, separation and overdrive.
The OSCar, with its two analogue 12dB filters running in series, its filter overdrive and sublime separation control was not a job for some normal off-the-shelf filter algorithms, getting this right demanded huge dedication and anyone who saw our 'April Fool' will now be able to read between the lines to know how much hair-pulling and probe poking was going on. However, we're delighted to say that this painstaking work was fully justified - not only in the way that the impOSCar sounds but also because of the subsequent licensing of these filters to one of the best regarded plug-in instrument manufacturers around today. Yes, due to the rich, versatile and musical sounding filters, even if you decide the impOSCar isn't for you, you'll definitely be hearing a lot more of these filters in 2004 and beyond!
o here we are approaching the beginning of 2004 and we're only just at a point where we think everything is present and correct, and we're finally happy to release the impOSCar. We think the work, and indeed the wait, has been worthwhile. True, the wait has been hardest for those most eager to lay their hands on it, and to those people we'd like to say a special thanks for bearing with us - we appreciate all your encouragement, support and patience.