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Inspired by one of the most ambitious analog polysynths of the 1980s, MemoryTone expands the classic three-oscillator design with MPE, effects, deep modulation, and up to 18 oscillators in unison.
Some synthesizers sound like an era.
The Memorymoog sounds like the 1980s trying to outrun the future.
Huge brass.
Unstable pads.
Massive bass.
Metallic textures.
And three oscillators per voice working together to make a sound that could be elegant, aggressive, or gloriously out of control.
Now XILS-lab is bringing that spirit into modern production with MemoryTone.
The software instrument is inspired by the legendary Moog Memorymoog, but it is not limited by the original hardware’s six voices or early-’80s feature set.
MemoryTone offers 16-voice polyphony, advanced modulation, integrated effects, MPE support, an arpeggiator, a sequencer, and up to 18 oscillators sounding in unison.
That is a lot of analog-style chaos in one plug-in.
Three oscillators per voice
The original Memorymoog earned its reputation through an ambitious architecture:
Three oscillators per voice.
Six voices.
Eighteen oscillators in total.
MemoryTone keeps the three-oscillator design but expands it to 16 voices.
Each voice includes freely combinable pulse, sawtooth, and triangle waveforms, plus variable pulse width, hard sync, detuning, low-frequency oscillator mode, and noise.
The result is not just a clean digital recreation of an old synth layout.
XILS-lab has also modeled the small variations that gave the original instrument its personality.
Oscillator drift.
Voice-to-voice detuning.
Level-dependent mixer saturation.
The subtle imperfections that keep a synthesizer from sounding like a spreadsheet.
The filter is part of the story
A big part of the Memorymoog sound came from what happened after the oscillators.
MemoryTone includes a 24dB-per-octave self-oscillating ladder filter, keyboard tracking, filter contour modulation, and dual ADSR envelopes.
Push the mixer levels and the signal can saturate before it reaches the filter.
That changes more than volume.
It changes the harmonic character of the sound.
For players who love the way classic analog synths react when driven hard, that behavior matters.
Built for sounds that did not exist in 1982
MemoryTone may start with a classic analog blueprint.
But it does not stop there.
The plug-in adds six freely assignable modulation slots, polyphonic voice modulation, velocity, aftertouch, expression control, and MPE support.
It also includes an advanced arpeggiator and programmable sequencer.
Then there are the effects:
- EQ.
- Three-band resonator.
- Chorus.
- Delay.
- Phaser.
- Reverb.
All with flexible routing.
That means MemoryTone can handle the expected vintage brass, strings, basses, and pads.
But it can also move into modern electronic territory without needing an entire chain of extra plug-ins.
Jan Hammer, Geoff Downes, and a synth with history
The Memorymoog became a favorite of serious players, including Geoff Downes of Asia, Jon Lord of Deep Purple, and Jan Hammer.
Hammer used the instrument on his iconic Miami Vice scores and helped program original factory presets for the hardware.
MemoryTone includes recreated sounds associated with pioneering synth figures including Wendy Carlos, Herbert Deutsch, and Hammer, alongside contemporary presets searchable by bank, type, author, feeling, style, and project.
That makes it easy to start with history.
Then make it your own.
XILS-lab MemoryTone key features
| Feature | Details |
|---|---|
| Polyphony | Up to 16 voices |
| Oscillators | Three per voice; up to 18 oscillators in unison |
| Waveforms | Pulse, sawtooth, triangle |
| Filter | 24dB/octave self-oscillating ladder filter |
| Modulation | LFO, oscillator FM, pulse-width modulation, filter modulation, six assignable modulation slots |
| Performance controls | Velocity, aftertouch, expression, MPE, MIDI Learn |
| Play modes | Mono, polyphonic, circular polyphonic, unison, mono/poly glide |
| Sequencing | Advanced arpeggiator and programmable sequencer |
| Effects | EQ, resonator, chorus, delay, phaser, reverb |
| Preset browser | Filter by bank, type, author, feeling, style, and project |
Price and availability
MemoryTone is available now from XILS-lab for an introductory price of €79 EUR.
After the promotion, the regular price will be €199 EUR.
It is available as an iLok-protected plug-in with computer-based authorization.
Supported formats include 64-bit AAX Native, AU, VST2.4, and VST3 for macOS 10.13 and later. Windows support includes 64-bit AAX Native, VST2.4, and VST3 for Windows 7, 8, 10, and 11.
A time-limited full-version trial is also available before purchase.
Learn more or download a trial at XILS-lab.
The MikesGig takeaway
MemoryTone is not just an attempt to recreate an old synth.
It is a way to take one of analog music’s most over-the-top architectures and push it into modern sessions.
More voices.
More expression.
More modulation.
More sound.
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