KOMA Elektronik and Passepartout Duo recently introduced Chromaplane, a unique new polyphonic electromagnetic instrument.
Since then, it’s gone on take first place in the 2025 Guthman Musical Instrument Competition, a 2025 Guthman Musical Instrument Competition, n annual event that celebrates innovative new instruments.
This video is a hands-on guide to getting started with the Chromaplane, and is a good introduction to what it’s capable of.
Topics covered:
0:00 – Intro
0:39 – Pickups
0:58 – How it Works / Playing
2:53 – Envelopes
3:33 – Polarity and Phase
4:27 – Alternative Pickups
5:02 – Voltage Controlled Filter
7:44 – Delay / Echo
9:30 – Tuning
10:44 – Tuning by Ear
11:46 – Using the Tuner
12:14 – Tuning Website
12:44 – External Input
13:10 – Feedback
14:43 – Outro
Lunacy Audio has introduced BEAM 2.0, a major update to their “modular effects playground”.
With BEAM 2.0, every BEAM effect is now also available as a standalone plugin. The update is free for BEAM owners and fully accessible à la carte for new users.
Features:
300+ Global Presets
200+ Impulse Responses
150+ Node Presets
4 Standalone Effects – Grains, Space, Filter, and Haze
Preset Generator – Intelligently generate new presets from scratch with the click of a button using a proprietary probability cluster algorithm.
Expanding Ecosystem – Expand BEAM with additional effects and preset packs. Any Lunacy effect can be loaded in the BEAM engine.
Today, Arturia releases MicroLab mk3, a comprehensively upgraded version of their compact, slim keys MIDI controller, and at an affordable price.
MicroLab’s hardware has received a full redesign: the controller has been equipped with a new and improved two-octave keybed, featuring the same velocity-sensitive keys found in MiniLab 3, and a new sustain pedal input, making it a more capable instrument for expressive performances.
If you don’t have a sustain pedal to hook up to MicroLab, you can activate the controller’s Hold Mode using a button in the corner. The same button also activates Chord Mode, which can be used to play chords with a single key – a helpful feature for beginners.
Mk3 is now available in white and black versions – a nice visual touch.
Features:
Velocity-sensitive mini-keys
2 touch strips: Swipe, tap, and control pitch, modulation, and browsing.
Sustain pedal input: Connect a sustain or expression pedal for extended expressivity.
One-finger chords: Activate Chord Mode and play full harmonies with a single key.
Analog Lab Intro included: Browse and play from a curated selection of iconic sounds.
Plug & Play: Connect via USB-C. Install via MCC for Windows users.
Arturia MicroLab mk3 Overview Video:
MicroLab ships with an newly-updated bundle of software that includes Analog Lab Intro, a virtual instrument featuring hundreds of presets from Arturia’s V Collection software, and Ableton Live Lite, a stripped-down version of the popular DAW.
