Unsupported Browser
The web browser that you are currently using is no longer supported, and as such features of this website may not work as expected. We advise you to update to a currently supported browser (such as Chrome, Edge, or Firefox) to improve your security, speed, and overall experience.
Playing videos requires marketing & advertising cookies. By pressing Play, you consent to their use, which will override previously rejected settings. To update your preferences, see our cookie policy.
Playing videos requires marketing & advertising cookies. By pressing Play, you consent to their use, which will override previously rejected settings. To update your preferences, see our cookie policy.
Playing videos requires marketing & advertising cookies. By pressing Play, you consent to their use, which will override previously rejected settings. To update your preferences, see our cookie policy.
Key Features
The SOMA Laboratory Flux is for composers and performers wanting hands-in-air synth expression.
Inspired by the theremin idea but built on magnetic sensing, Flux uses two handheld magnetic bows and a multi-polar sensor surface.
Product Ref: 383775
Flux is designed to bring the phrasing of classical instruments into a synthesizer format. The right-hand bow tracks pitch on the X-axis, so you can glide, add vibrato, and shape intonation by ear. Volume is controlled by your distance to the centre line on the Z-axis, which makes crescendos and decays feel natural.
The note scale is stable and clearly marked, helping you learn the layout and land notes cleanly. When you want a more defined result, you can engage quantisation, with an adjustment that leaves room for controlled vibrato rather than snapping everything rigidly to pitch.
Instead of antennas and capacitive coupling, Flux uses magnets and a multipolar sensor array. Two bows are held between your fingers, and the system reads both position and angle. That angle tracking is a big deal: flipping the right-hand bow on the Y-axis switches octaves, while left and right tilting on the X-axis controls two independent modulation parameters that vary by engine.
On the timbre side, six poles can register positive and negative magnetic fields independently. Flip the left bow and you can switch what those sensors control, opening up extensive parameter access while your hands stay in the air.
Flux is built around synthesis algorithms intended to feel like self-contained instruments, each set up for direct timbral control. The system is DSP-based and includes spatial effects, so you can shape tone and space from the synth itself. Sound design options include tools such as distortion, complex FM, and physical modelling aimed at creating unreal, non-existent instrument behaviours.
Engines live together in one firmware, and you can launch a different engine quickly without rebuilding your whole setup. Presets store the complete state, including the chosen engine and tunings, so a performance can move between contrasting sounds with minimal interruption.
Flux supports monophonic, duophonic, and polyphonic playing, plus staccato-enabling and percussive-style options for sharper attacks. Duophonic mode lets you play two voices with two bows, each with its own volume control and independent octave flips, which helps with wide intervals.
To keep tracking consistent in real spaces, Flux includes automatic calibrations at power-on and during pauses, along with a fast manual calibration using touch sensors. A simple sensor-based control scheme avoids deep menus: touch a sensor to pick a parameter, then use the notes area like a large slider to set its value.