JULY is a faithful emulation of one of the most iconic polyphonic analog synthesizers from the early 1980s.

We spent months living with the original, studying every quirk and charm, from the warm, steady DCO to the silky filter and that unmistakable chorus, then modeled its circuits in detail to bring its soul into software.

Do we really need another emulation?
We think the answer is yes, if it’s done with care.

JULY isn’t just another look-alike. We spent a long time with the real thing, studying every circuit and chasing the tiny details that make it feel alive: the way the DCO behaves, how the envelopes respond, how the filter breathes, and how the chorus shimmers and dances around the sound.

We wanted to capture that exact feeling but also make it practical for modern production.

Arpeggio

The arpeggiator is one of those simple features that ends up sparking whole ideas. Nils Frahm and others have relied on it for hypnotic, evolving patterns that work especially well with external effects. In JULY, we carefully recreated that original feel and added a few thoughtful updates: new play modes, an adjustable range of up to four octaves, bar reset, and extra control over rate, velocity, and note order. It keeps the instant, hands-on vibe of the classic, while giving you more room to shape and perform your own patterns.

VCF

The filter is a big part of what makes this synth feel alive. A 24 dB low pass with a gentle high pass in front, built around the classic IR3109 VCF chip.
It’s smooth and warm when you open it up, but it can bite when you add resonance.
We spent time making sure it moves and breathes like the real thing: soft when you need it, bright when you push it, so it always feels musical under your fingers.

BBD Chorus

Like other synthesizers of the early 1980s, this one includes a BBD-based stereo chorus that gives it much of its character. In JULY, the chorus circuit has been modelled in detail, including the MN3009 BBD chips with 256 stages each, the surrounding filters, and the LFOs that drive modes I, II, and I+II. A rate multiplier allows adjustment of the internal LFO speed, with the option to switch to the slightly different J6 values. JULY’s chorus also has a different texture compared to RES-09, our analog organ & strings machine emulation plugin.

Effects

JULY includes a set of four high-quality effects, inspired by classic gear and designed to complement the synth’s character.
The effects section features:

• Tape Echo, based on our Space Echo emulation Outer Space
• Spring Reverb, adding classic vintage reverb
• Overdrive, for rich harmonic distortion inspired by classic guitar pedals
• Phaser, delivering deep, swirling modulation inspired by vintage analog phase shifters
• You can rearrange the effects in any order using drag and drop.

Color Schemes

By double clicking on each section you can access a color picker to change the section color. To access multiple schemes you can click on the ☰ icon, Color Schemes. You can select between 5 schemes, and every time you change a color it will overwrite the current selected scheme. You can randomize the colors, and also reset to the factory values.