BA-1 - Manual
BA-1 - Manual
BA-1 is based on a portable 1980s synth with a toylike appearance and a gritty sound. Despite
its small size, it left a big mark on music history, while still flying somewhat under the hype radar.
The original has been used as a secret weapon for bubbly synth textures by some of Sweden’s
most successful pop producers of the past two decades.
It was also a staple of 1990s digital dancehall and beloved by the indietronica scene for its raw
lo-fi quality.
The original hardware has never been properly captured in software form. So for our first ever
synth, we started there. And added a whole lot more!
In keeping with our motto ”it’s an evolution, not an emulation”, we modeled the hardware with
the greatest possible accuracy, before carefully upgrading it with new and useful features. A
second analog-modeled oscillator, FM, polyphony, and more, help to vastly expand the sonic
palette of the original.
All while keeping its signature sound unspoiled. Additionally, BA-1 lets you drain the battery,
bend the circuits, use the built-in speaker, etc. for an authentic lo-fi aesthetic that is normally
hard to get with software.
BA-1 is simple, but surprisingly tweakable. We’ve put great effort into tuning all parameters to be
in the perfect sweet spot. This results in a fun and rewarding programming workflow where you’ll
create new patches on repeat.
Before we go into BA-1’s full feature set, here is a quick rundown of what’s new in the latest
v1.5, released March 2024. You can also see the full overview of the updated features in the
demo video: https://youtu.be/DE1kIzDvo3M
Onboard arpeggiator:
Arpeggiators were an essential ingredient in the synth sounds of the 80s. For BA-1 v1.5, we’ve
added a classic hardware-style arpeggiator with three modes (up, down, up/down) and a three
octave range.
All downloads of BA-1 v1.5 include the standalone BA-1 Retro FX strip as a separate effect
plugin. Use it to add BA-1’s beloved lo-fi and 80s-flavored drive, filter, chorus, delay and reverb
to any track in your session.
Easter eggs:
The colored dots between BA-1’s segments reveal additional synth parameters when clicked.
LFO fade adds ramp time to the modulation wave that gradually (or abruptly) fades up to its set
frequency for a more unpredictable effect.
Chaos introduces nonlinear behavior in the reverb and chorus algorithms for pitch glides and
detuning effects.
Improved preset browser:
BA-1’s preset manager has a vastly improved workflow in v1.5. Search presets by name, filter
by pack, or mark patches with color-coded tags to remember them.
You can easily import packs, create your own or browse the available BA-1 Expansions to add
more sounds to your synth.
New UI theme:
Freshen up BA-1’s look with the all-new black and crimson UI theme.
All Other Features
Oscillator section:
Meticulously modeled to offer the raw grit and drift that made the original hardware so beloved.
The triangle and PWM waveforms are particular highlights if you want a classic 80s dub sound.
A second oscillator has been added in BA-1 - compared to the original - for more flexible sound
design options.
FM:
FM adds complexity and depth to the classic analog subtractive architecture, giving you more
sound design options. Dial-in the FM-oscillator either an octave above or below Oscillator 1 to
add some plasticky 80s texture.
Filter section:
Analog-modeled and nicely rounded 24dB low-pass filter. The resonance offers a gritty bite
and will start to self-oscillate when pushed towards the 95-100% range – just like the real
hardware.
Envelope section:
Lets you shape the sound with the same quirky side effects as in the original hardware.
Additionally, we’ve added the option to host-sync the attack time to your DAW’s BPM. This
allows for sweeping sounds that rise in perfect sync with your music.
LFO Section:
A simple and intuitive LFO section that is easy to master and hard to mess up – like the
original synth. We’ve added the possibility to sync the LFO to the host BPM for more modern
applications.
Effects
Tone + Drive:
Inspired by cheap 1980s rack gear and guitar pedals, the ‘Tone’ block offers two shelving filters
to easily make BA-1’s character darker or brighter. The ‘Drive’ control adds gritty
analog-modeled distortion with two modes—‘Circuit’ models the effect of circuit bending the
original hardware, while ‘OD’ models an 80s overdrive pedal.
Sidechain:
Synths sound better when they ‘move with the mix’. That’s what the Sidechain feature is for.
It can work in ‘External’ or ‘Internal’ mode. By default, Sidechain is set to ‘Internal’ and will
create an automatic 4/4 ducking pattern synced to your host tempo. This can be dialed-in to
taste. Click the ‘Routing’ label to switch to ‘External’ mode and duck BA-1 when a sidechain
input is present. Place the sidechain either before or after the FX section by clicking the
routing switch.
Battery:
The original synth was portable and could be powered by batteries. But they never lasted
long – and weird sonic artifacts were introduced as the power deteriorated. We’ve modeled
this behavior and exaggerated it slightly for a better effect. Drain the battery to achieve pitch
fluctuations, noise and distortion the further down you go.
Speaker:
Sometimes a mix needs some ‘moving air’ to come alive. While the original hardware’s speaker
was by no means high quality, it had a quirky and pleasant lo-fi vibe. We’ve modeled it in all its
rough glory. When using BA-1, you can click the speaker button to switch from line
to speaker output.
Options
Re-Gen:
Create new and unique patches with every click. Unlike a regular randomizer, Re-Gen hosts a
smart algorithm, calibrated to come up with usable and musical patches. When you’re stuck for
inspiration, click Re-Gen and let it take you in a new direction.
5 Color options:
After long hours in the studio it can be nice to see something new. BA-1 lets you switch
between gray, blue, purple, orange and the new black color mode to keep things fresh. Click on
the colored squares to preview the options.
Utility settings:
Switch between Mono and Poly mode (the original hardware was mono only). Turn Velocity
Sensitivity on or off. Open the MIDI Settings. Or reset BA-1 to its initial state.
Resizability:
Plugin window fully resizable (click+drag bottom right icon).
BA-1 comes with a ton of new musical inspiration in the form of 500+ carefully crafted
presets. This includes 4 genre-based expansion packs created by top sound designers in the
industry. Whether you’re into synthwave, modern pop, lo-fi hip hop or 80s / 90s nostalgia, we
got you covered.
From left to right, the preset bar gives you the following options:
- Save preset
- Browse 500+ presets by top sound designers and friends of Baby Audio for instant
inspiration.
BA-1’s preset browser gives you easy access to the best patches from notable producers and
sound designers:
Here are the top panel functions of the preset browser from left to right:
Preset packs will appear in the left column of the browser window.
Shortcuts
- Control (PC)/Command (Mac) + click and drag on a parameter to fine tune adjustments.
- Use the scroll wheel to adjust values while hovering over a parameter or cycle through
automation types while hovering over a motion menu.
Compatibility
- Platforms supported: Mac OS 10.11 and up (including Native Apple Silicon M1/M2
Compatibility). PC Windows 10 and newer.
- DAWs supported: All major DAWs, including Ableton Live, Pro Tools, Logic Pro, FL
Studio, Cubase, Studio One, Bitwig, Reaper, Reason etc.
Installation
A software download is emailed to you right after your purchase, however you can always go to
www.babyaud.io/downloads for the latest software updates. After downloading, unzip the file
and select either Mac or PC depending on your system.
- MAC: Double click on the PKG installer and follow the instructions
- PC/WINDOWS: Double click on the setup file and follow the instructions
Activate your software by entering the license key that was emailed to you when you bought
BA-1. Serial keys are entered in the ‘trial mode’ open screen. If you have any problems
activating, please email [email protected]
If you’re running BA-1 in trial mode, please note that the trial will output 5 seconds of silence
every 60 seconds. To buy the full version, go to https://babyaud.io/ba-1
Uninstall Locations
Mac OS
- AU: /Library/Audio/Plug-ins/Components/
- VST: /Library/Audio/Plug-ins/VST/
- VST3: /Library/Audio/Plug-ins/VST3/
- AAX: /Library/Application Support/Avid/Audio/Plug-Ins/
Windows
- VST: The file will be in the custom path selected during installation
- VST3: \Program Files\Common Files\VST3\ AAX: \Program Files\Common
Files\Avid\Audio\Plug-Ins\
We hope you’ll enjoy BA-1 and use it in your own way to achieve things we had never even
intended for it to do. If you run into any issues or have questions along the way, you can always
contact us at [email protected] – enjoy the journey!