Ny Polyphonic Ensemble
Key Features
- Faithful emulation of the KORG Lambda ES-50 Polyphonic Ensemble from 1979 with authentic analog-style tone shaping
- 64 voices of polyphony — 16 more than the original hardware's 48-voice architecture
- Dual sound engine with Percussive section (electric piano, clavi, piano, harmonics) and Ensemble section (brass, organ, choir, strings I, strings II)
- Routable Chorus (Phase) effect that can be independently assigned to either section for lush, wide stereo textures
- Native C++ code delivers extremely low CPU consumption with high performance across all supported platforms
- Full MIDI Learn with every parameter controllable via MIDI CC for hands-on hardware integration
- Resizable user interface with Universal Binary 2 support for native Apple Silicon performance
Description
Ny by Full Bucket Music is a polyphonic ensemble synthesizer that faithfully emulates the KORG Lambda ES-50 from 1979. It delivers the lush string machine textures, shimmering organs, and warm brass tones that defined late-1970s keyboard sounds.
The plugin splits its voice architecture into two distinct sections. The Percussive section covers electric piano, clavi, piano, and harmonics, while the Ensemble section offers brass, organ, choir, Strings I, and Strings II — each with independent level control.
Ny provides 64 voices of polyphony, surpassing the original Lambda's 48-voice limit. A routable Chorus (Phase) effect adds width and depth to either section, producing the thick, detuned character that made vintage string machines iconic.
The interface keeps things deliberately simple, prioritizing immediacy over deep sound design. Getting an authentic 1970s string machine tone takes seconds, and even without heavy processing the plugin sits well in synthwave, ambient, and retro-leaning mixes.
Written in native C++ for minimal CPU usage, Ny supports all major plugin formats on both Windows and macOS, including Apple Silicon natively via Universal Binary 2. A resizable GUI and full MIDI Learn support round out a remarkably complete package for a vintage ensemble emulation.
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Frequently Asked Questions
What synth does Ny emulate?
Ny emulates the KORG Lambda ES-50, a polyphonic ensemble synthesizer released in 1979. The original Lambda was a preset-style keyboard that used pre-programmed oscillator timbres rather than traditional subtractive synthesis, delivering ready-made string, brass, organ, and percussive tones.
How does Ny compare to the original KORG Lambda ES-50 hardware?
Ny closely simulates the original hardware's dual Percussive and Ensemble sections and Chorus effect, but adds 64 voices of polyphony compared to the Lambda's 48. It also includes modern conveniences like full MIDI CC control, a resizable interface, and multi-format plugin support that the 1979 keyboard never had.
What plugin formats does Ny support?
On Windows, Ny is available as VST2, VST3, CLAP, and AAX in both 32-bit and 64-bit versions. On macOS, it supports VST2, VST3, AU, CLAP, and AAX as a Universal Binary 2, meaning it runs natively on both Intel and Apple Silicon Macs.
Can Ny be used for genres other than synthwave?
Absolutely. While the vintage string machine character suits synthwave and retro electronic music naturally, the Ensemble section's organ, choir, and brass tones work well for ambient pads, film scoring layers, and even progressive rock textures. The Percussive section's electric piano and clavi sounds also lend themselves to funk and soul productions.
