haloplane

Haloplane

Created by KOMA Elektronik and Passepartout Duo

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The Haloplane is an electromagnetic micro-loop sampler built for sculpting sound in motion. Blending a deeply expressive performance approach with a unique attitude towards sound design, its surface unveils an evolving universe of sound as you explore it.

Created as both a performance instrument and a sound-design workspace, the Haloplane lets you capture audio and take it on a journey using the same pickups as the Chromaplane. Its seven customizable electromagnetic fields can independently emit short looping samples or wavetables, each with its own independent parameters and LFO. These loops are automatically sliced, transposed, and scrubbed with the length, pitch, and position parameters, providing control over the continuously changing inflections of each field.

Sounds can be created on the spot using the built-in microphone or line input. All field parameters and sounds can be captured and saved into presets, allowing for complex performance arrangements.

One of the most unique qualities of the Haloplane is field rotation: rotation shifts the fields around the instrument, creating everything from agile melodic riffs to precisely timed sequences. And because it's CV controllable, you can use other synthesizers to sequence and modulate the position of fields on the instrument.

A special modulation output translates the pickup activity into a CV source that can be repatched on the instrument, or interact with your other synthesizers. The pickups themselves run through a multi-mode filter, and audio effects: choose the filter style and effect type to refine the instrument’s sound with ambience and character.

  • Seven customizable fields

  • Stereo electromagnetic pickups

  • Micro-loop sampling

  • Wavetable synthesis

  • Integration as USB audio interface

  • Pitch, length, position and modulation control

  • CV-controllable Field Rotation

  • Built-in CV-controllable filter and audio effects

  • Microphone and line input

  • Stereo envelope output

  • Modulation CV output

  • Up to 100 user presets and scales

  • Companion app

Companion App

While the Haloplane can be used completely standalone, the companion app acts as a display for the device, providing more control and clarity.

The app is accessed directly from the Haloplane itself over a WiFi connection. Within the app, you can peek into the exact parameters of each field, drag-and-drop samples, save and load presets and scales, browse the carefully curated preset library, and access exact customization options.

The app is compatible with any device that includes WiFi and a browser, and can also be accessed in locations where no internet is present.

All your presets, scales, samples, and settings are saved directly to the instrument’s SD card. The app simply acts as a larger interface to provide more depth and clarity.

What is a Micro-Loop Sampler?

When a sound is recorded onto the Haloplane it is automatically sliced into segments. The length and amount of slices is determined by the length parameter. When the position parameter is changed, the Haloplane smoothly morphs between slices. The maximum duration for a given field is 4 seconds. The fields’ LFOs can target its length or position, providing evolving textures and grain-like effects. Sample playback can also be reversed.

What about wavetables?

The wavetable engine is based on the same idea as the sample micro-loops, but on a smaller timescale. Any extremely short samples are processed as wavetables. A wavetable contains six waveforms which are smoothly morphed between via the position parameter. Length changes the pulse-width of the wave while in forward mode, and oscillator-sync while in reverse mode. The companion app’s wavetable designer allows for the creation of wavetables that perfectly fit the Haloplane’s desired format.

Audio Effects

The pickups of the Haloplane pass through a state-variable filter and selectable audio effect. Both are CV controllable. The companion app lets you tailor the pickups’ signal to suit your needs: choose the panorama (mono, middle, wide), the sensitivity, the filter type, and the audio effect. The Haloplane features a delay, reverb, flanger, chorus, and bit-crusher.

CV Compatibility

Both the filter and audio effect have a CV modulation input. In addition, the Envelope Follower and Modulation outputs can be used to connect and modulate other gear. The rotation input CV can be used to modulate field rotation based on a clock or LFO.

USB Audio Integration

Alternatively, the Haloplane can be started in its dedicated USB audio mode. In that mode, the Haloplane is an audio interface with 7 outputs. Selecting the Haloplane from your DAW, you can emit any sound from the fields. The Haloplane is currently compatible with modern macOS, Windows, and Linux PCs.

FAQs

  • The instrument is powered via USB-C. It does not contain an internal battery, however any USB power bank can power it.

  • Yes. The multimode filter and audio effects both have a CV input. In addition, Field Rotation also contains a configurable configurable CV input with three modes (trigger, rotation, and phase reset).

    Finally, the Haloplane contains two CV outputs, Envelope and Modulation. The Modulation outputs a CV source that continuously moves based on pickup activity.

  • Generally speaking, no. It is a standalone synthesizer.

    While in USB audio mode though, any sound can be emitted from any field - allowing you to use the Haloplane freely in any context.

    You can make use of the envelope follower and modulation outputs as a CV source, or sample your other gear.

    The Haloplane is not a MIDI controller, and doesn’t include any MIDI connectivity.

  • No, this is not a MIDI device. To use the Haloplane as a generic controller, connect it in USB audio mode, and use your DAW or other software to stream any sound from the 7 field channels.

  • Not at all. The instrument’s fields have been appropriately tested: just because you can hear them, does not mean that they are any more strong than any other electronic device’s electromagnetic field.

  • The Haloplane is completely tuning agnostic with both course and fine tuning adjustments. Fine tuning is quantized to 1 cent increments, and course is quantized to half-steps.

  • No, the Haloplane’s features can nearly all be accessed fully standalone. The app acts to enhance the depth of the instrument, but the instruments core features (sampling, sound parameter changes, modulation assignments, saving/loading presets and scales, and rotation) are all possible completely standalone.

  • Yes, you do not need an internet connection to use the app. The Haloplane makes its own WiFi network, and you can connect to it and load the app from any device that has WiFi and a browser. Additionally, the Haloplane can be powered by any USB power bank.

  • Yes! Get in contact about Haloplane workshops via passepartoutduo@gmail.com