Arturia SEM V software

Arturia SEM V

MORE THAN A RESEMBLANCE

A giant has come back to life. Oberheim®'s legendary SEM - Synthesizer Expander Module - is back for the first time as a high-end software emulation powered by Arturia's exclusive TAE® technology.

The SEM module was originally made to compliment other synthesizers but later came into its own as a great sounding synth. The unique filter that allowed continuously variable operation from low pass to high pass gave it a sound that no other had. When multiple SEM's were connected into a 4 or 8 voice polyphonic system, it became a thing of beauty.

Analog masterpiece revisited

Accurately recreating the tone, waveshapes, multimode 12dB/octave filter and other detailed characteristics, SEM V delivers all the deep analog sounds that made its grand ancestor so unique and praised. Our voice programmer mode allows you to recreate the sound of the huge and rare 8 Voice.

Uber mine of sound

The SEM is known as a bass and lead machine but our recreation extends it well beyond the original. it's sound pallet extends to moving 8 voice pads , acid arpeggios and even electronic percussion.

Press Clipping

An awesome synth which takes the Oberheim classic and expand it into a versatile all-rounder.
Future Music

Expanded Creativity

While the SEM was a great synth, we wanted to make it even better.

We added new innovations like the sub-oscillator for deep basses. A second LFO with more waveforms, and the modulation matrix greatly expands the sonic capabilities of the SEM. Add to this the arpeggiator and Key Follow modulator and you get one super powered synth.

Artists Corner

The return of the unknown classic! I used 2 of these SEM modules (salvaged from an 8 voice) virtually every working day between 1992 and 2005 in my studio. If i wanted a pulsey seq or arpegio type riff this was THE synth. Cuts through a mix great and like nothing else BUT VIRTUALLY NO ONE KNEW THESE LITTLE SYNTHS!!! (clients referred to them as "the white lads") An absolute classic that i am extremely glad has been virtualised and a true asset to anyones sonic arsenal.
Roger Lyons ( Producer - Composer )

Analogue warmth and movement abound in the unique multimode filter found on the SEM and I'm happy to say that this has been faithfully recreated on the Arturia version of this venerable classic analogue module. The front panel of the SEM always had a beautiful simplicity to it that made creating your own sounds a breeze and the subtle additions that Arturia have made to this are well thought out and in keeping with the sound of this timeless classic synth.
Ian Boddy ( Producer - Composer )

Arturia has once again delivered a faithful recreation of another analog classic with SEM V. SEM V is a highly musical instrument that evokes the original in so many surprising ways. The filter in all states sounds like the real thing, and they've even captured some more subtle details like the clipping of the envelope generators that adds to the signature sound of the original synth. I have been a long-time user of the SEMs, and about 15 years ago I spent a wheelbarrow full of money to have my several of my Studio Electronics rack-mounted SEMs further modified to bring out all their patch points from the original circuit boards, something the Oberheim® people were nice enough to leave there for us. Then I built separate breakout boxes for the patch points as well as for little oscillator mixers, mults and ... wait for it ... suboscillators at both 8vb and 16vb. Now Arturia has added so many of these previously expensive and esoteric features to SEM V. No more metal shop visits or electrical engineer wrangling required! Imagine my delight when I first tried SEM V and found the control for suboscillators. Where were you guys 15 years ago ?
Erik Norlander ( Producer - Composer )

TAE® Powered

The exclusive analog modeling technology that makes our virtual instrument emulations indistinguishable from the originals. By accurately mimicking the characteristics of analog oscillators, filters, and soft clipping, we can provide astonishing component-accurate detail and authentic analog charm in equal measure.

Included in V Collection

This instrument is also part of the V Collection -your complete dream line-up of the legendary synths, organs, pianos and more that made keyboard history. They’re modeled with the most advanced technologies for authentic realism, and enhanced with new creative options. Whether you use it as DAW plugins in the studio or standalone at gigs, V Collection puts the greatest keys of all time at your fingertips for instant inspiration.

Platform specifications

• Win 8.1+ (64bit) PC: 4 GB RAM; 2.5 GHz CPU. 2GB free hard disk space. OpenGL 2.0 compatible GPU
• Apple 10.13+: 4 GB RAM; 2.5 GHz CPU. 2GB free hard disk space. OpenGL 2.0 compatible GPU

Required configuration

Works in Standalone, VST, AAX, Audio Unit, NKS (64-bit DAWs only).

Main Features

• All the original parameters of the Oberheim® SEM : two oscillators, each offering sawtooth wave and variable-width pulse wave with PWM, sine wave LFO, 12dB/oct multi-mode Filter with low-pass, high-pass, band-pass and notch, two ADS envelope generators.
• Added functionalities : New LFO, Noise, Sub oscillator, on board effects (overdrive, chorus and delay), Arpeggiator, Portamento.
• Polyphony up to 32 and 8 Voice Multitimbrality
• New 8 Voice Programmer module
• Advanced Keyboard Follow module
• Modulation Matrix module
• Works in Standalone
• Now compatible with iSEM Preset export/import
• Polyphony parameter to limit the polyphony of the plugin
• 20 new factory presets from Ian Boddy
• 21 new factory presets from Erik Norlander
• 35 new factory presets from Richard Courtel
• 11 new factory presets from Kevin Lamb
• 14 new factory presets from Drew Newmann
• "Forward Retrigg" mode for the 8-Voice Programmer (for easy use of sequences using the Arpeggiator)
• "Reassign" mode for the 8-Voice Programmer (like in the original one, the SEM V will first use the boards that are not gated in its voice assignment)
• Sustain pedal is now active on all systems