A Very Unusual Analog Synthesizer

[@Hainbach]

Support the channel: patreon.com/hainbach Chromaplane on Kickstarter: www.kickstarter.com/projects/komaelektronik/chromaplane-an-electromagnetic-musical-instrument?ref=section-homepage-view-more-discovery-p1

[@JonnyMonday]

Coil pickups are fun. I have one mounted in a toy microphone which simultaneously baffles and enchants people when I use it to produce strange sounds. Back in the day this technique used to be called "circuit sniffing" and I'm very please someone turned the idea into a more controlled, performance instrument. The Chromaplane is classy, a nicely made and well thought out piece of hardware. They deserve the success it has gained.

[@chuckcrunch1]

the pickups were used to record and amplify telephone back in the day. you would just stick it to the ear side of the hand set . there awesome but noisey, i think i need to find a pair and see how they go with a noise gate and a few cheap earbuds as oscillator outputs

[@valdir7426]

A lot of people have done cool things with coils (heard of it from Valentina Vuksic who has this cool piece with hard disks). I've done a live with a heap of electronic junk (including a VHS recorder; laptop and so on); and live chopping of the sound and it was a lot of fun. Has a friend who also used to build his own coils live (if you add a magnet you get a basic microphone). it's interesting to turn this idea into a tonal instrument; it's indeed very expressive.

[@mikemorrisonmusic]

I love the sound of this. It’s reminiscent of the synths used for the Her soundtrack.

[@staticvloid]

I love the lighting in this video, especially toward the end.

[@Hainbach]

Thanks! All recorded in the times between family hikes

[@vestaarcadia]

I've always been looking for an electronic instrument that feels organic, I think this is the one. Amazing concept.

[@d.b.cooper5775]

I love instruments like this. My favourite thing about making music is the fun factor and this looks like a lot of fun.

[@Hainbach]

It is! Swirling arpeggi are my favorite move

[@infn8loopmusic]

Whenever I find myself feeling like I am doing some groundbreaking experimental work... There is Hainbach to humble me. Huge genuine thank you, Hainbach. Incredible work, and fantastic contributions to the community thanks so much!

[@Hainbach]

Thank you, that warms my heart?

[@infn8loopmusic]

​@@Hainbach😂 funny guy. in all serious though, it's truly an honor to share the planet with you. We are all fortunate to be alive at this point in history when some of the original synth masters are still around and new synth masters are being born from synth technology reaching its full potential while vintage synth toys are still around to inspire us. We are very blessed.

[@Rehevkor]

Pledged this immediately after seeing this video. I have no music experience or training but I've always wanted something I can tinker with the make cool musical sounds. I love droning and creepy ambience, and this looks like it was tailor made for me. Awesome stuff.

[@Rivenworld]

OMG, I remember having a telephone coil pickup decades ago, I never thought they could be used to make sounds like this, absolutely awesome!

[@kammingaelijah3672]

Telephone mics have been a part of my sonic creation since the 90s. There lots of fun

[@cefngwyn]

Koma gear has always been kinda 'outside the box' sorta stuff, yet beautifully boxed, as a rule. The Chromaplane appears very Koma-esque.

[@doctorc-ton1099]

This technique of music making you are showing reminds me of one of my earliest audio experiments as a late teenager where i found my toy "circuit maker" board where you can make different circuits with spring loaded connectors to make logic circuits and crystal radios. One of the circuits was a single tone synthesizer/buzzer. I modified the basic circuit by having other resisters wired up, and the pitch could change as i touched the spring taps. The listening device was an ear phone plugged into the little transformer on the board. Well, i have the same pickups you have which i scored from an old cassette recorder with the pickup meant to record telephone conversations, which was vintage 1950-60s. So when I found that the pickup could listen to the transformer, I have essentially what you have in your video, albeit a very primitive version. I plugged in the pickup into a "Realistic Reverb" effect unit which has a microphone input gain, a bucket brigade delay and a nasty reverb. My unit's delay was stuck in one position, but it was enough to make spacey sounds with it. Of course I recorded it and that tape is somewhere in the world. This video has very beautiful sounds, and seems perfect for movie scoring. I felt it relevant to share my story since i have never seen an instrument like the one you presented. Now in retrospect, by the way i played my toy, one can get interesting phase effects and volume fades just by moving the pickup around tastefully. That unit should have a programmable interface where you can tune the oscillators instantly with presets, and have such granular control for tuning in the tiniest of frequency changes. It would be very meditative to play too for Solfeggio frequencies if that is to one's taste. Cheers!

[@ErickvdK]

Good to have you back! 😊

[@Jefflantern483]

That instrument has a trippy & kinda of a nice gnarly sound there Hainbach! Great for chill music too!🙂🙂🔊🔊

[@daneguitarist1]

im a little jealous you have yours already haha i kickstarted and im super excited to get it! it sounds beautiful and is so unique!

[@YungCortex]

Okay this thing is amazing

[@audiowanderer]

what an idea. An instrument to be played with pickup mics. Genius. Nice sounds

[@NicStage]

Really cool design and sounds.

[@VirtualModular]

Back in the 90's I used to point a TV remote at my guitar pickups with the gain turned up, and make strange beeping sounds. That was before I had any synths, same principle I guess! Not my thing these days, so I'm probably the only person in the comments that didn't like the sound of this. It's interesting though, and nice to see something different to the regular saw/triangle etc waveforms you get on most analogue synths. Hope this doesn't sound too negative, just not my cup of tea. Excellent video as always though 😉

[@DeadManWalking4574]

Isao Tomita had the Casio Cosmo synth computer variant who picked up the waves from planets and stars.

[@cptvanier]

Sweet. Would be killer if there where kill switch buttons on the pickups. Very easy to press buttons to turn the pickups on. Let your finger off and they mute. Could play fast rhythms that way. What if the buttons triggered an modifiable envelope!

[@BatmanWangChung]

Suh dude, its good to have you back! Incredible sounds as usual! Have a fabulous day!

[@dan_asd]

This is such a weird magical item you would find in a wizard tower

[@NotDrDre]

Fun fact: Hainbach was born in a wizard’s tower

[@bielanski2493]

Wizard tower? Theremin? More like "Therembackagain"

[@zonashi8645]

I knew this was coming. Only hainbach gets to toggle the fun stuff first.

[@Th3LordZalor]

Version of this with external inputs for every channel would be wonderful. Really like it as a interface but don't know if I need another analog voice.

[@kammingaelijah3672]

They made military grade versions of those type of suction cup telephone pickups . They work amazing to make phasing type sounds waved above portable keyboards speakers.

[@Hainbach]

That is something I would like hear more about. What are they called?

[@DerFabikanal]

been waiting for this!

[@yuvalgoldstein2107]

Yes, of course we need one.

[@punkdigerati]

Ha, I commented on their video that you would love this, of course you had alre given feedback on early versions.

[@anothercouture]

Great video, i was hoping you'd pick this one up and show us its possibilities. Even managed to pick one up on kickstarter too, which is nice.

[@b.slocumb7763]

That looks like a great tool to use for autism sensory activities. It would be so easy to get lost in playing with it for hours on end!

[@HiLoMusic]

it sounds amazing

[@chascoppard]

Lovely stuff!

[@unsoundmethodology]

Such a wonderful machine! I'll have to save up. Though this - and the clip from your older video - mostly reminds me that i need to play more with my Elektrosluch (the Lom Audio stereo EMF microphone, which i built from their open-source design). It's a good deal of fun listening to everything out in the world buzzing away, especially augmented by something like a Mini Kaoss Pad.

[@andimcc6131]

This is one of the most Hainbachy synths I've ever seen :D I wonder what it would sound like if you held a SOMA Ether directly over the Chromaplane plane…

[@michaelkonomos]

That's a great question! Like I wonder if you would pick up the oscillators but hear them with a different timbre?

[@kammingaelijah3672]

Stereo telephone pickups. Recording hair drier has interesting sonic variety

[@kammingaelijah3672]

Stereo telephone mics. Certain electronics interact very nicely. Hair dryer is one of best. Because has various speed settings.

[@SonicVibe]

Wow this one sounds great 👍

[@mustakatu]

This was the only thing that took my attention at Superbooth, pledged almost immediately when the campaign started. I like this new generation of devs that are into unconventional analog and electromagnetic in particular.

[@kammingaelijah3672]

These ttpe of pickups coupled with effects units have existed since 80s . Underground scene knows all about these.

[@kaitlyn__L]

@@kammingaelijah3672 to be fair, at the very start of this video Hainbach mentioned making a video with the same pickups in 2019. It seems what's special about this is not the pickups, but rather the design of the circuitry inside the panel. Which, I'm sure you could implement DIY as well, but, I've never seen a synth that someone _couldn't_ do DIY if they really wanted!

[@kammingaelijah3672]

Telephone pickups been part of rhe noise scene since the 90s. About 5 bucks on ebay

[@michaelkonomos]

True, but add oscillators to it and you are going well past $5. that’s like saying “you can get PS5 controllers for $30” but you also need a PS5 to play, buddy.

[@Desmaad]

Reminds me of a radio drum, although that one used antennae.

[@_Julian__]

10:22 sounds like the intro to retreat retreat by 65daysofstatic.

[@robriki2]

You reminded me that I forgot to put a reminder in my agenda for the super early-bird on the kickstarter. Still I manager to preorder one, at nightbird price!

[@mikegeary8056]

Good on you for suggesting the external input. This thing would be pretty boring without it in my opinion. I’d like to try feeding it wavetables..

[@eriksahd9897]

I want this!

[@bixomaligno]

I feel like I whatched this before

[@Hainbach]

I had posted shorts from this, and I allowed Koma to use the opening piece on their Kickstarter in full.

[@garyg3927]

@@Hainbach 😎

[@d.u.o.2digitalunitoperated818]

Need one!

[@michaelkonomos]

Wonderful video that inspires as always. Is anyone else reminded of the Lyra8? Not in the interface method, but in the sound of the oscillators? There is a sweet sadness to them both.

[@Hainbach]

100% agree

[@KiloLaku]

Would love to hear what the soma ether picks up on this 🤔

[@carbilicon]

I LOVE THE FUTURE

[@TayWoode]

This reminds me of something that would’ve been a larger version in the Image Works futuristic playground at Epcot’s Journey into imagination before they got rid of it, if anyone remembers that part

[@kikkirow]

This instrument is very unique but I find it limited to music production. If you don’t have a lot of gear it may not sound great. Great demonstration.

[@vlorschbuug]

very very pretty

[@christinepaluch7967]

I tried this at Superbooth, it is was really fun.

[@pa2kas]

My humble opinion would be that it is more visually impressive than sonically (like most new gear campaigns!). The same sounds can be created using existing techniques and devices. We desperately need more music (ideas) nowadays - we do have enough gear to make it :)

[@bartektrame8801]

I need to know what's visually impressive about an almost featureless grey plate, unless you're deeming MacBooks the Pinacle of design. Speaking of Apple, this is more about UX than sound output

[@TayWoode]

@@bartektrame8801I did chuckle when he said let’s look at the features I’m thinking yeah where are they? Do i need special glasses? 😂

[@isaiahromero9861]

Dude you could say that about literally any piece of gear. Yea you COULD sit down and program these sounds using existing techniques, but this looks a lot more intuitive and fun. Just don't get one if youre such a purist lol, you're obviously not the target audience

[@kaitlyn__L]

@@bartektrame8801 this is more from an engineering design standpoint, but I was kind of impressed they had so many controls on the side panel. I was expecting it to just be jacks. You could absolutely make this with knobs on the top instead, but those side-turn pots alongside the jacks do look pretty neat. But certainly the initial impression is that of featurelessness.

[@petrosvouris7864]

Minimalism is such a nice aesthetic. I think maybe they also meant there is so much new products that appeal to us not just by their aesthetic, but also because of their uniqueness they appeal to the gimmicky wonder gas we feel when we see such pretty things. True you can make the same sounds on many synths but as far as creating new instruments for performance, this is definitely appealing. .

[@mysticalabysss]

That's fun

[@harrisonallen]

I’ve pre-ordered mine! Did you try it with the Soma electro-magnetic pickup thing? Would love to see that. And what you (Hainbach) can do with four pickups hooked to a mixer and panned, for the stereo effect you mentioned.

[@Hainbach]

The Ether is the one unit I keep borrowing out and forgetting which of my friends has it. Definitely on my list, should be very beefy

[@michaelkonomos]

Am I correct to assume that what is special here is that the oscillators are designed and tuned to emit in the EM spectrum in a way that typical oscillators do not? Like a telephone pickup pic isn’t going to work if you hover over the Lyra or whatever will it?

[@Hainbach]

From my experiments at Thomann you mostly get a bit of a noisey buzz when you use telephone coil pickups on synths. This is tuned exactly for clear reception, you don’t even hear the power lin

[@michaelkonomos]

@@Hainbach thank you that’s very helpful. So perhaps similar results to Soma Ether?

[@RichardStroffolino]

How stable is the tuning once you lock it in, in your experience? A friend and I were discussing it when the kickstarter went up and that was his major concern? Great video as always!

[@Hainbach]

Once it is warmed up it’s stable

[@stephenmandelbaum2027]

Surprised you didn't dust off the Fieldkit to demo this.

[@Hainbach]

My Field Kit FX is broken sadly, need to get it fixed

[@curtishoffmann6956]

This is how you make a proper martini - fill the glass with gin and just wave it at the Vermouth.

[@xinaesthetic]

I'm not sure what this has to do with the video, but as you posted that comment I was having my first martini in many years and it didn't taste like the gin had been drowned. Just thought I'd say.

[@curtishoffmann6956]

@@xinaesthetic (Just grab a pickup and wave it at the synth.)

[@xinaesthetic]

@@curtishoffmann6956 ah yes, that makes sense.

[@bielanski2493]

I wonder what using a phone butt unit as second coil would do, but alas i can't afford the fee.

[@petegarrity6610]

Is it basically a speaker coil with no diaphragm. Just feedback. Where do the oscillators come in?

[@Hainbach]

They are picked up as EMF

[@humanwaveform]

the more strange instruments, the better.

[@GhGh-yx4qj]

красиво

[@Space_Bub]

Wow Leafcutter john has something similar and IMO, Kind of cooler...

[@whatr0]

the Tim Hecker synth

[@knfld]

chromaplane and ppooll would be great fun

[@brood_esque]

@@knfld for real omg

[@RemoDeVico]

[@kammingaelijah3672]

Hair dryer. Anything with a speaker like mini keyboards .

[@floydhopkins7901]

Try not to want stuff but...

[@kammingaelijah3672]

My comments were removed. Fight the pop

[@Hainbach]

They were not

[@christopherknowles]

Hainbach, no! Please not you too.

[@Hainbach]

What no?

[@christopherknowles]

@@Hainbachmy apologies. Actually I thought this would be a much more expensive and overpriced. $400 is not bad for what it is. Carry on.

[@chronotub1528]

First

[@floydhopkins7901]

First on the first

[@chro.]

@@floydhopkins7901first on the first on the first

[@vlorschbuug]

@@floydhopkins7901 first on the first on the first

[@TheOuterLimit]

Im sorry but its horrible

[@Hainbach]

Don’t say that to me, write that to the people that made it

[@TheOuterLimit]

Ha ha yes but I guess horrible can be good to occasionally. You play it well though…

[@Adolf_Spritzer]

Went to a show the other day and watched a guy play a lightbulb with this same concept. It was wild.