TAQS.IM

  • TAQS.IM TAQS.IM SOLO
    TAQS.IM

    SOLO

    $139.00
    $139.00 $139.00
    Software

About TAQS.IM

TAQS.IM is a Tujunga, California-based developer founded in 2018 by Armenian-American musicians Antranig Kzirian and Aram Hovagimian. The company specializes in virtual instruments and tuning tools built for microtonal music, particularly Middle Eastern maqam scales that fall outside the standard 12-tone Western system. Their flagship product, SOLO, is a hybrid world-music synth that pairs sampled ethnic instruments with modelled oscillators and an integrated microtonal scale converter. Beyond plugins, TAQS.IM runs a Middle Eastern music podcast, a 24/7 radio station, and instructional oud videos, positioning the brand as both a software developer and a cultural resource for musicians working with non-Western traditions.

SOLO: World Synth

SOLO debuted at NAMM 2023 as a cross-platform VST3, AU, and AAX instrument designed for composers and producers who need authentic Middle Eastern, North African, and Central Asian sounds without resorting to sample libraries alone. The synth combines recorded ethnic instruments with synthesis engines and includes an oriental-style microtonal scale converter that handles maqam tuning natively. You can load expansion packs like Silk Road, Electro Shaabi, and Oriental EDM to extend the palette. SOLO gives you the timbral detail of sampled sources and the flexibility of synthesis in one plugin, making it practical for film scoring, electronic music production, and traditional ensemble arrangements that demand precise intonation beyond equal temperament.

MicroToner

MicroToner is a MIDI utility plugin that retunes third-party instruments using pitch bend messages, letting you apply microtonal scales to synths and samplers that don't support alternate tuning tables internally. You route MIDI through MicroToner, select a scale, and it sends the necessary pitch bend data to your target instrument in real time. This tool is useful if you already own a synth library and want to explore maqam, raga, or other non-Western scales without replacing your entire setup. It works with any plugin or hardware synth that responds to MIDI pitch bend, turning your existing instruments into microtonal-capable sources.

Shop TAQS.IM at Blackout Audio

If you're scoring for film, producing electronic music with Middle Eastern influences, or composing in microtonal systems, TAQS.IM's tools handle the tuning and timbral details that standard plugins skip. Browse the collection online and reach out to the Blackout Audio team with questions. Free shipping on orders over $199 across Canada.