Splice Astra v1.0

A long time in the making, Astra is a versatile software synth capable of achieving a wide range of unique tones.

When we set out to create this instrument back in 2018, we wanted to provide the widest possible range of functionality—pushing the technical envelope as far as we could go—without making it feel overwhelming or all-over-the-place. For me, the sweet spot with an instrument comes when the creative process is simplified, not overcomplicated with too many options or menus.

Ultimately, the speed at which the end user can come up with high-quality sounds is the single most important factor with Astra; cumbersome preset load times and slow interface graphics are nowhere to be found. Almost all of Astra’s features can be viewed simultaneously in its open-ended interface, without the need to click into complex menus or multiple tabs. The interface can freely be resized by dragging the bottom right corner.

Astra has two main, identical oscillators. Each one is configurable to be used for virtual analog, FM, granular, sampler, or wavetable-based synthesis. There’s also a sub oscillator, noise generator, multi-mode filter, two envelope generators, two LFOs, a sample & hold section, and a comprehensive effects engine. Below, let’s dive into these features and more in a little more detail.