I was fortunate to experience a Passepartout Duo live and it’s so beautiful to hear and look at. An electro-acoustic performance in which, along with their custom synths, they interact with a mysterious plate that is manipulated electromagnetically to create sequences, control synth parameters and define rhythms and notes based on the plate’s activity. It’s so simple and beautiful at sight, but so expressive and delicate in its rough minimalist form. It’s an instrument of delicate gestures and movements, a way of touching sound. Now they’ve partnered with Koma Elektronik to release a commercial version of the instrument with pre-orders starting next week.
It’s fully analog, polyphonic, 10 oscillators inside, all tunable with screws and switches. It generates sound and it needs to be tuned with an accessory+manual which can help defining specific tuning systems. It has external input, two pickup inputs, envelope CV output, a fiter with cutoff, resonance and CV input and a delay with feedback, voltage and mix control. There’s also a Max4Live device in the works, which as a digital synth that follows the instrument’s analog voice and adds a MIDI follower. Such connection is done through audio/CV in the actual audio interface, not though MIDI o USB/driver-based connections.
Koma Elektronik will be launching the Chromaplane Kickstarter campaign on July 23. Three price tears will be available: Super Early Bird at €299 (limited availability), Early Bird (limited availability) for €319 and Kickstarter Campaign at €359.