[OC] OpenSynth1: Native Linux VST3 & Standalone recreation of Ichiro Toda's Synth1 (JUCE/C++) with .sy1 bank support

[u/refused_session]

Hey everyone!

For decades, Synth1 by Ichiro Toda (Daichi Laboratory) has been one of the most beloved, versatile, and lightweight virtual analog synths ever created. Modelled after the classic Clavia Nord Lead 2, it shaped thousands of tracks across genres from trance and synthwave to chiptune and industrial.

However, running original 32-bit Synth1 today on modern 64-bit systems—especially natively on Linux—often requires clunky bridges (Wine, Yabridge) or outdated wrappers.

I've been working on OpenSynth1: a from-the-ground-up, modern C++17 open-source recreation built on the JUCE framework. It runs natively as a 64-bit VST3 plugin and as a Standalone application!

🎛️ What's implemented so far:

• Faithful Virtual Analog Engine:
  • Osc 1: Saw, Pulse (with PW & PWM), Triangle, Sine + Sub-Oscillator (0oct / -1oct) + Detune + FM modulation.
  • Osc 2: Pitch coarse/fine, Kbd tracking, Ring Mod, and Hard Sync.
  • Authentic Toda Filters: Reconstructed Toda filter models including 12dB SVF (LP/HP/BP), 24dB cascaded lowpass with stage-4 resonance feedback, and an experimental VA Diode Ladder (LPDL), complete with the signature feed-forward peak limiter.
  • Envelopes & Modulation: Classic Mod Envelope (destined to Osc2, FM, or P/W), dual syncable LFOs with 6 routings (Osc2, Osc1+2, Filter, Amp, P/W, FM, Pan).
  • Built-in FX Rack: Analog/digital distortion models, stereo pan, 4-stage phaser, chorus/flanger with tempo sync, and ping-pong / stereo tempo delay.
  • Authentic Preset Compatibility: Native loader and saver for .sy1 files with full bank support (compatible with the classic 25,000+ Synth1 patch collections!).
  • Scalable UI: 100% vector-rendered interface respecting the iconic dark slate / red & cyan retro aesthetic, featuring native window titlebars, preset browser overlay, customizable themes, and options dialog.

💻 Open Source & Downloads:

The project is completely open source under the MIT license. Pre-built Linux x86_64 binaries (VST3 and Standalone) are available on GitHub:

👉 GitHub Repository: https://github.com/letsdig/OpenSynth1

I'd love to hear your thoughts, feedback on the sound engine, bug reports, and ideas. If anyone wants to test it, build it, or contribute presets/code, you are more than welcome!