Andes JX as a Metaproduct

The Andes JX T-shirt originated as a physical extension of Andes JX, an open-source polyphonic subtractive synthesizer developed under NoiseRoom UIO. Its usual form is digital: algorithms written in C++, a graphical interface, presets, technical documentation, and a repository from which anyone can study, download, and modify the instrument.

But a project is not defined solely by what it does. Over time, it also develops a visual language, an identity, and a particular way of relating to the people who use it.

This led to a question: what happens when a synthesizer temporarily leaves the screen and becomes a physical object?

The answer was to design a T-shirt that would not function simply as promotional merchandise, but as an extension of the project itself—an object capable of preserving part of its visual language, its origin, and its connection to the original software.

In that sense, the T-shirt can be understood as a metaproduct: it does not replace the synthesizer, but expands its universe through another object.

Andes JX T-shirt, limited edition of 12 units, featuring an original illustration inspired by the Ecuadorian Andes and manually screen-printed graphics.

Translating the Andes onto a Textile Surface

The identity of Andes JX has always been connected to the place where it was conceived. Its name, interface, and visual language emerge from a specific intention: to develop audio technology from Ecuador without attempting to conceal that origin.

The T-shirt continues that idea.

The main graphic on the back is an illustration I created as an interpretation of the Ecuadorian Andes. It does not depict a specific mountain, nor does it attempt to construct a realistic landscape. It is composed of fractured planes, lines, textures, and areas of high contrast that fragment the territory until it becomes a graphic structure.

The composition draws from gestural drawing, Latin American modernism, and certain elements of Synthetic Cubism, but it was conceived from the beginning to coexist with the technical language of Andes JX.

The landscape therefore ceases to function solely as a landscape. It can also be read as a signal, a spectrum, a structure, or even an abstract representation of information.

A Graphic System Connected to the Synthesizer

The front uses a reduced version of the Andes JX visual system.

The letters A and JX are arranged around a circle crossed by two axes. The figure can simultaneously be read as a coordinate, a measurement point, an interface control, or a geographical reference.

The central point also refers to a recurring idea within NoiseRoom UIO: creating technology from latitude zero. The symbol therefore acts as an indirect reference to Ecuador and the Equator without resorting to a literal representation.

The back also includes the name ANDES-JX, the description SUBTRACTIVE SYNTHESIZER, the year of production, and the phrase DEVELOPED FOR EXPERIMENTAL USE.

The intention was to bring the garment closer to the visual language of an instrument, prototype, or laboratory object than to that of a conventional promotional T-shirt.

Designing Also Means Discarding

Several versions existed before reaching the final result.

The first proposals explored four directions: one based primarily on typography, another on the logomark, a third closer to laboratory stamps and identification marks, and a fourth built around experimental-looking graphics.

The final version ultimately incorporated elements from several of them.

The logomark survived almost unchanged. The mountain illustration became the center of the back composition. Part of the typographic language and the small technical annotations came from the other explorations.

But moving a proposal from a screen onto an actual T-shirt introduced a new set of constraints.

A line that works at 100% zoom may disappear on cotton. A composition that looks balanced in a mockup may appear too small when placed on an actual back. And an illustration containing too much information may become a dark mass when transferred through a screen-printing matrix.

That is why prototyping was necessary.

From a Complex Illustration to a Single Ink

The original illustration contains a considerable number of lines, patterns, and variations in density. To screen-print it, the amount of information had to be reduced and decisions had to be made about which elements needed to survive the printing process.

The goal was not to reproduce the original artwork with absolute fidelity.

It was to find a second version of the image that would work specifically on fabric.

The black masses needed to retain enough visual weight. Fine lines had to remain visible. Textures could not close up completely, and the negative spaces still needed to function as part of the composition.

This process slightly changed the nature of the artwork: an image originally developed as an illustration also became a reproducible printing matrix.

Material, Fabric Weight, and Presence

The twelve T-shirts were made from 100% cotton, with an approximate fabric weight of 255 g/m².

The choice was primarily based on the desired physical presence and use of the garment.

Rather than producing a lightweight promotional T-shirt, we wanted a garment with more structure, capable of supporting a large back graphic while maintaining a defined silhouette.

Fabric weight alone does not guarantee that a garment will be more durable. Its lifespan also depends on the quality of the fabric, construction, seams, manufacturing process, washing, and subsequent care. For that reason, I prefer not to present the choice of cotton as a guarantee of sustainability.

Its relationship with slow fashion lies instead in the way it was produced: a small run, local manufacturing, close attention to the process, and the intention to develop an object capable of retaining value beyond a campaign or a season.

From Digital Layouts to Real Measurements

Una parte particularmente interesante del proceso fue comprobar que diseñar sobre una plantilla no es lo mismo que trabajar sobre una prenda.

Antes de imprimir fue necesario posicionar físicamente los artes, verificar distancias respecto al cuello, determinar la altura del gráfico posterior y comprobar las proporciones del isólogo frontal.

La camiseta se convirtió literalmente en otra superficie de prototipado.

Manual Screen Printing

The first production run was manually printed by screen printer Diego Panamá.

Black and white textile pigments and a printing base supplied by Alemena de Serigrafía were used specifically for testing and producing the garments.

The pigments provide the color, while the printing base acts as the medium used to prepare the mixture for printing. The chemical formulation of these materials was not analyzed as part of the project, so it is more accurate to describe them in terms of their function and the results obtained rather than attribute environmental properties that have not been verified.

The final print uses a single ink.

The choice of a water-based system was primarily driven by the finish we were looking for: a lightweight print with minimal surface presence that would integrate more naturally with the cotton.

This type of result is sometimes commercially described as a no-hand or zero-hand feel. The term refers to the tactile finish rather than to a different printing technique: the process remains manual textile screen printing.

Pigmentos textiles y pasta madre utilizados durante el desarrollo de la impresión. Los materiales fueron suministrados para preparar las mezclas utilizadas en las pruebas y en la producción definitiva.

A QR Code as a Link to the Source Code

The T-shirt was not meant to represent Andes JX only visually.

A QR code was added to the back of the neck, linking directly to the project’s repository.

This creates a functional connection between the physical object and the software. Scanning it takes the user back to the place where Andes JX actually exists: its source code, documentation, and project files.

The QR code also introduced a technical challenge.

Unlike an illustration, where a small loss of information may remain visually acceptable, a code must preserve enough definition and contrast for a camera to interpret it correctly.

Specific scale and printing tests were therefore carried out before incorporating it into the final garments.

The Andes JX T-Shirt as a Limited Edition

The first edition of the Andes JX T-shirt consists of twelve units.

The quantity was not chosen to artificially create a sense of scarcity. It primarily reflects the scale of the project.

Producing a small first run made it possible to work closely with pattern making and garment construction, review dimensions, carry out screen-printing tests, and avoid manufacturing a substantial inventory before understanding how people would respond to the object.

All garments from this first series carry the mark:

01/12

In this case, the inscription does not function as an individual serial number for each T-shirt, but rather as an identifier of the first edition, consisting of twelve units.

Much like a software version, this first edition represents a particular moment in the development of Andes JX. A future interpretation of the project would not necessarily need to reproduce this object exactly.

During production of this first run, a typographical error was also found in one of the garment inscriptions: “EXPERIMETNAL USE” instead of “EXPERIMENTAL USE.” Rather than discarding the series, the decision was made to preserve it as part of the material record of the process.

In this sense, the first run can also be understood as a prototype edition: an edition that retains concrete traces of its initial production stage and documents the process of taking Andes JX from software to a physical object.

And that is precisely part of the idea.

Local Production

The T-shirt brings together different forms of work.

The concept, visual direction, illustration of the Andes, logomark, and final artwork were developed by me as part of Andes JX and NoiseRoom UIO. I also defined the dimensions and placement of the graphic elements and supplied the materials used during the printing tests.

Pamela Males was responsible for producing the twelve garments and collaborated in production coordination, particularly in finding and communicating with the professional responsible for the screen printing.

The printing was carried out manually by Diego Panamá, who translated the digital files into a physical process and resolved their application onto the fabric.

This division of tasks matters.

The result does not come solely from graphic design, garment construction, or printing. It exists because different forms of knowledge had to converge around the same object.

A Project You Can Also Wear

The T-shirt does not replace Andes JX.

Nor does it attempt to summarize the entire project in a single illustration.

It is an extension.

The mountains refer to the territory from which the project was developed. The logomark connects geography, technology, and visual language. Screen printing makes a manual process visible. The numbering records the first production run, and the QR code ultimately leads the user back to the software.

Through NoiseRoom UIO, I am interested in allowing projects to exist in more than one form.

Andes JX can be heard.

It can be studied.

It can be modified.

Its source code can be opened and taken apart to understand how a synthesizer works.

And, for at least these twelve units, it can also be worn.

Availability

The first Andes JX Prototype Edition is available as a limited run of 12 units.

Price: USD 27

Purchases are currently handled directly through NoiseRoom UIO via Instagram DM.

Technical Specifications

The post Andes JX: From Synthesizer to Object appeared first on Jhonatan López.

A polysynth from Ecuador

There is no completely neutral place from which to design an instrument. Every synthesizer reflects technical decisions, visual references, and listening habits shaped by the people and environments behind it.

Instruments created in the United States, Europe, and Japan shaped much of the vocabulary of modern subtractive synthesis. Andes JX builds on that legacy while articulating it from a different territory: Quito, Ecuador.

Andes JX is an open-source polyphonic subtractive synthesizer developed in C++ with the JUCE framework. It was conceived as a musical instrument, an open software project, and a platform for studying digital signal processing and audio software architecture.

In 2026, Andes JX was presented at AES LAC 2026 in Lima, Peru, as part of the convention’s technical program.

The project does not attempt to invent a new synthesis paradigm. Instead, it asks what happens when a familiar architecture is designed from a different geography, visual memory, and cultural perspective.

A familiar architecture from a different place

From a technical perspective, Andes JX uses the fundamental building blocks of subtractive synthesis: oscillators that generate harmonically rich signals, filters that reshape their spectrum, envelopes that control their evolution over time, and a low-frequency oscillator for modulation.

In addition, the instrument includes two oscillators with PolyBLEP-based aliasing reduction, independent amplitude and filter envelopes, global LFO modulation, multiple polyphony modes, glide, keyboard tracking, velocity sensitivity, and MIDI control.

One of its most significant sonic decisions is the inclusion of two switchable filter models.

The first is a State Variable Filter based on a topology-preserving structure. It provides a stable and controlled response while supporting several filtering modes within a flexible architecture.

By contrast, the nonlinear Moog Ladder filter introduces stronger saturation and a more pronounced resonant character.

Together, these two filters reflect one of the instrument’s central design principles: keep the architecture focused, but ensure that each decision produces an audible result. Andes JX does not aim to provide unlimited modules or endless modulation routing. Instead, its interface offers a deliberate set of controls, each with a clearly defined role.

Andean geography as identity

The Andean identity of Andes JX is not intended to reproduce Ecuadorian traditional music literally or to translate a landscape directly into sound. Instead, it appears through visual, conceptual, and sonic decisions that place the instrument within a specific territory.

Visual language

The interface uses a slate-blue palette, soft off-white text, and a restrained composition inspired by stone, mist, sky, and the high-altitude landscapes of the Ecuadorian Andes.

Rather than relying on bright accent colors or a futuristic aesthetic, the instrument adopts a contained visual language intended to suggest openness, stability, and the severity of mountain environments.

Factory presets

The 33 factory presets are named after real locations in the Ecuadorian Andes, combined with musical or timbral references.

Examples include:

• Cotopaxi Acid;
• Cayambe 5th;
• Imbabura Pedal;
• Quilotoa Aqua;
• Páramo Sostenuto.

These names propose associations between geography and sonic character. They are not intended as literal representations of each place. Instead, the names, landscapes, and cultural associations provide starting points for sound design.

The bank retains familiar subtractive-synthesis categories such as basses, pads, leads, brass, keys, plucks, and effects. However, it presents them through an identity connected to Ecuadorian geography.

An open educational project

Andes JX was not developed only as a production tool. It was also designed to show how a complete polyphonic synthesizer is organized internally.

The source code is available under the GNU GPL v3 license, together with bilingual documentation in English and Spanish. Its architecture separates the main responsibilities of the system:

• DSP processing;
• plugin, parameter, and MIDI management;
• preset handling;
• graphical interface;
• host integration.

This separation allows individual modules to be studied independently while also showing how they interact within a real-time audio application.

Technical and academic references accompany the PolyBLEP oscillators, Moog Ladder filter, and State Variable Filter implementations. In this way, a student or developer can begin with the source code, consult the original publications, and follow the path from a mathematical concept to its application within a functional instrument.

The project does not claim to present the only correct synthesizer architecture. Its educational value lies in offering a complete implementation that can be read, tested, questioned, and modified.

The JX lineage

The name Andes JX acknowledges two lines of influence.

The first comes from the Roland JX family of polyphonic synthesizers, known for their subtractive architecture and their association with the analog instruments of the 1980s.

The second belongs to open and educational software.

Andes JX grew from the study of JX11, the educational synthesizer developed in JUCE by Matthijs Hollemans for Creating Synthesizer Plug-Ins with C++ and JUCE. JX11, in turn, is related to MDA JX10, the freeware synthesizer created by Paul Kellett and later released as open-source software.

Andes JX continues that lineage while expanding the architecture, documentation, visual identity, and academic purpose of the project.

The term “JX” therefore acknowledges its technical ancestry, while “Andes” defines the place from which that lineage continues.

From NoiseRoomUIO to AES LAC 2026

Andes JX is part of the NoiseRoom UIO project catalog, alongside Classic Compressor CCMkI and NoiseRverb.

Although each plugin addresses a different technical problem, all three share a common intention: combining audio software development with an identity connected to the context in which the projects were created.

NoiseRverb used impulse responses captured in architectural spaces in Quito. Andes JX extends that search into synthesis and virtual instrument design.

The development of the synthesizer also led to the academic paper:

“Design and Architecture of a Polyphonic Subtractive Synthesizer as a Modular Structure for Teaching DSP and Audio Software.”

The paper was selected by the AES LAC 2026 review committee and presented at the convention in Lima, Peru. It examines how a functional synthesizer can serve as an object of study for teaching digital signal processing and audio software engineering.

Presenting Andes JX at AES LAC 2026 provided an opportunity to share work developed in Ecuador with a Latin American community of researchers, educators, engineers, and audio developers.

Try Andes JX

You can download Andes JX as a VST3 plugin for Windows.

The project includes:

• 33 factory presets;
• C++ source code;
• a bilingual user manual;
• technical documentation in English and Spanish;
• a modular architecture built with JUCE;
• GNU GPL v3 licensing.

You can download the instrument, explore the source code, and review the documentation through the following links:

Download Andes JX
GitHub repository
User manual

Andes JX is an Andean synthesizer built in Ecuador, inspired by the Andes, and designed to be heard, studied, and transformed.

Development: NoiseRoomUIO, Quito, Ecuador
Authors: Jhonatan López and Valeria Villarreal
Academic context: work developed in connection with the Numerical Simulation and Computational Analysis Laboratory at Escuela Politécnica Nacional

The post Andes JX: A Synthesizer from Latitude Zero appeared first on Jhonatan López.

New blog post — I’ve been meaning to write this for a long time. It’s about a concept that has fascinated me from the moment I encountered it. I’ll also share a small contribution I made in this area with NoiseRverb, a heritage acoustics plugin that captures the sonic identity of historic churches in Quito through convolution reverb.

We often associate heritage with visual beauty—particularly in architecture. This connection largely stems from the preservation of artistic landmarks due to their historical significance. As a result, many of these sites have become popular tourist attractions.

But what if we consider a different kind of heritage — one we can hear? Can sound hold historical value? Can it be preserved? The answer is yes. While this isn’t a new idea — researchers have studied it before — it’s starting to find its place in the audio industry as well.

While some heritage spaces are preserved through sound art, others live on through live recordings or songs. For example, the Festival Internacional de Música Sacra (FIMUSAQ) in Quito has helped preserve local culture through sacred music. While it’s not the only example globally, it clearly shows how sound can carry historical weight.

What Is Heritage Acoustics?

Heritage acoustics is a field that explores and protects the sound of historic spaces. It combines architecture, physics, and sound engineering. From cathedrals to theatres, their sound is as iconic as their structure.

The goal is to study how sound behaves in these spaces. It involves looking at reverberation, reflections, absorption, and how sound waves move. There are three main techniques used:

• On-site measurements: Microphones and speakers are placed in the space. Specific signals are played (like sine sweeps), and the room’s response is recorded. This captures real acoustic data.
• Impulse response (IR) capture: This technique records how a room reacts to a quick, broad sound. The result is a unique audio fingerprint of the space.
• Computer modelling: 3D simulations of the space are created using architectural drawings. This allows engineers to predict how sound will behave, even without access to the real location.

These methods help protect the unique sound of historical buildings and let others experience it — even from far away.

Applications in the Music Industry

The study of heritage acoustics has led to exciting tools for musicians and producers. These include:

• Convolution reverb plugins that recreate historic spaces.
• Acoustic modelling for virtual concerts.
• Restoring old recordings with their original acoustics.
• Immersive museum or VR audio experiences.

All of these are interesting, but I’ll focus on convolution reverb, as it’s where I work most.

Convolution Reverb

To understand convolution reverb, you need to know what an impulse response (IR) is. An IR is a recording of how a space reacts to a short, full-range sound — like a clap or a burst of noise. It contains key information about the room’s reflections and decay.

There are many ways to create an IR: clapping, popping a balloon, or playing a sine sweep. The results are similar, no matter the method.

Convolution reverb takes this IR and applies it to any audio signal. The result is a realistic simulation of how that signal would sound in the original space. This is done using a mathematical process called convolution. It combines the original sound with the impulse response to recreate the acoustic experience.

This technique is popular for its realism. It lets musicians take a studio recording and place it in a real, historic space — without leaving their DAW.

Heritage Acoustics Plugin

As part of our exploration, I worked with engineers Analí Pinto and Fausto Espinoza to create a VST3 plugin called NoiseRverb. It’s based on impulse responses captured in seven churches in Quito: San Francisco, Basílica, Catedral, Compañía, Guápulo, El Sagrario, and Santo Domingo.

The plugin lets musicians and producers experience these spaces inside their usual music-making software.

We recorded the impulse responses on-site and processed them digitally. Then, we used real-time convolution to bring those spaces to life inside the plugin. The result is an authentic, immersive experience.

NoiseRverb is free to download here.

Learn more about heritage acoustics and its role in cultural preservation in this introductory article on architectural acoustics and in the study on acoustic and perceptual variables in three heritage churches of Quito.

The post NoiseRverb: Heritage Acoustics in a Plugin appeared first on Jhonatan López.