WORLD OF MUSIC ; PORTABLE KEYBOARD - Latest Portable Music Keyboards, Synthesizers and Music News

Modal Electronics tests the Eurorack waters with Filton, a 20HP dual analogue transistor ladder filter module – a Moog-style dual analogue ladder filter.

New 20HP module is a Kickstarter exclusive. It is based on the design of the classic Moog ladder filter. Filton promises to deliver saturated transistor overdrive, resonant harmonic peaks and warm analogue timbres. It also features the ‘polesweeping’ that Modal introduced in its 002 synth, which enables seamless filter morphing from four-pole through bandpass to one-pole 6db per octave, and everything in between.

In fact, Filton is based on the same circuitry as the 002’s filter, though the design has been altered to improve stability and sound. Additionally, the dual architecture means that you get two filters, which enable you to process two sounds independently or a single sound using both filters in series or parallel.

Each of these filters has an audio output, four analogue CVs with attenuvertor controls for FM, Resonance, Morph and Level, pitch tracking provided by the 1V/Oct input, an audio output and a mixed output.

All CV inputs on Filter A have been ‘normalled’ to Filter B, meaning any CV signal plugged into Filter A is automatically sent to Filter B if nothing is plugged into the corresponding input.

Filton is available exclusively on Kickstarter priced at £299. As such, it’ll only be released if the £50,000 funding target is reached.

Modal Electronics announces the Cobalt5S, a portable virtual analogue synth. The compact 37-note keyboard can be used “wherever and whenever inspiration strikes”

Modal Electronics is flexing its virtual analogue muscles again with the launch of the Cobalt5S, a “go-anywhere” synth that’s designed with portability in mind.

Powered over USB (so you can use a power bank if you wish), the Cobalt5S has a 37-note mini keyboard with aftertouch and offers five voices, two independent algorithm groups and up to eight oscillators per voice. In addition, there are 40 algorithms including sync, ring modulation and waveform morphing.

The self-oscillating 4-pole morphable ladder filter is the same as the one featured in the Cobalt8, while three envelopes can be used on the filter, amp or modulation destinations. There is one polyphonic LFO and one global LFO, along with an 8-slot modulation matrix.

Other features – On the performance front, you have a 512-note realtime/step sequencer with four animation lanes, along with a programmable 32-step arpeggiator. There is MPE controller support, as well, while onboard control options include 16 rotary encoders and an X/Y/Z touchpad.

If you want to edit in software, you can do so via the MODALapp, which runs on PC, Mac, iOS and Android.

The Cobalt5S is available now, priced at $489/£379/€449. Find out more on the Modal Electronics website.

Modal Electronics has released a new sound library for their Cobalt line of synthesizers, AlgoRhythms.

The patch collection builds on the recent v1.1 COBALT Series firmware update, with rhythmic patch and polyrhythmic patches.

Here’s what Modal Electronics said about it:

“Modal Electronics set their sound design team a challenge. Arm the Modal Community with a preset pack brimming with pulsating textures, reactive to the subtle inflection of a truly expressive performance and mapped for tactile control to switch their sound up on the fly.

The result: AlgoRhythms. A collection of 30 unique sounds, 20 sequences, 25 rhythmic sounds and 5 uber-expressive performance centric patches, that showcase the sheer power the firmware v1.1 update provides.

From pulsating beds, to edgy leads and driving basses, everything the forward thinking creative is included to pepper their production with the power of polyrhythms.”

The AlgoRhythm is  available now as a free download.