The Novation Bass Station II is a fixture in synth-based music, a power-packed digitally controlled mono synth that growls and howls and is eminently tweakable — especially given its compact design! When synthesists are searching for subterranean low end, the Novation Bass Station II is a first choice due to its ultra-fat suboscillator and overdrive-equipped filter section. But the Bass Station II has always been more than what its name implies — its capable of producing scorching lead sounds and mesmerizing sonic textures. And, when electronic music pioneer Aphex Twin got his hands on it, he took the Bass Station II to a new level. The Novation AFX Station comes pre-loaded with Aphex Twin’s AFX Mode, a firmware update also available to legacy Bass Station II owners. By allowing users to assign a unique patch to every key, AFX Mode explodes the Bass Station II’s sound design capabilities, transforming it into a powerful drum module, chord organ, and much more. Along with its sequencer and arpeggiator, the AFX Station is a perfect platform for generative music making and endless sonic exploration. Additionally, this limited-edition hybrid synth sports a sleek blacked-out top panel, labeling for the expanded AFX Mode functions, and a haunting purple glow that emanates from its pitch and mod wheels. It all equates to the ultimate Bass Station II experience, conceived by one of the foremost minds in electronic music!
Patch-per-key performance and advanced sound design tools
On top of its patch-per-key functionality, AFX Station offers a bevy of advanced soundsculpting features. These include microtuning editing for pushing the boundaries of scale-based music, fixed duration envelopes to tighten drum patches, independent sub-oscillator tuning, and oscillator glide diverge for adding distinct portamento characteristics by slowing down the glide time of oscillator two relative to oscillator one, which creates dramatic divergences. Additionally, AFX Station’s paraphonic setting allows you to play two notes at a time, with separate pitches for the oscillators — an ideal feature for laying a droning pedal tone under a melodic line or ripping a lead over a repeating bass figure!
The right ingredients for epic, expressive sounds
While the AFX Station supplies the bread-and-butter synthesis controls to create a wide range of leads, pads, and effects, it's primed for heavy-hitting bass. Two main oscillators can be hard-synced for tighter, punchier tones. And a sub-oscillator is on hand to fill out the bottom end. And because its 25-note keyboard supports aftertouch, you'll find it easy to put some expression in your performances. The AFX Station packs two discrete filter designs, each with an overdrive circuit for seriously distorted tones. The Classic filter is based on the original Bass Station synth, giving you LPF, HPF, and BPF modes. The Acid filter is a diode ladder design that can get very squelchy — think 303 and you've got the idea.
Get creative with a built-in arpeggiator and step sequencer
When you switch on the AFX Station's arpeggiator you can choose from 32 different rhythmic patterns in different directions, with control over the octave range. You can also play up to four of your own patterns into the step sequencer and play them back using one of the 32 rhythms. The step sequencer also records legato and rests, so you can create more expressive sequences on the fly compared to simple note on-off sequencers found on some synths.
Features:
- Monophonic hybrid synthesizer keyboard primed for huge bass sounds
- Pre-installed with firmware v4.14, including AFX Mode
- 2 discrete analog filter designs give you distinct flavors to create your sounds
- Dual DCOs can be hard-synced for tighter, punchier bass
- Sub-oscillator with square, sine, and narrow pulse-width waveforms adds rich, full low end
- Dedicated knobs and faders, and aftertouch allow for very expressive performances
- Patch-per-key functionality expands Bass Station II’s sound design capabilities
- Paraphonic mode allows users to play two notes at once
- Fine-tune drum patches with fixed-duration envelope and retrigger counts
- Tune the suboscillator to any non-octave-tracking interval
- Oscillator glide diverge adds distinct portamento characteristics
- 64 factory presets, 64 user slots
- Built-in arpeggiator and step sequencer with 32 different rhythmic patterns
- LFO Slew feature lets you distort the LFO waveforms for more modulation possibilities
- External input for processing line-level audio signals
- Powered by AC or USB bus power