Koma Elektronik Chromaplane

Koma Elektronik Chromaplane at a glance

The Chromaplane from Koma Elektronik is an experimental drone synthesizer that is played with two electromagnetic pickup coils. The cornerstone of the analog sound generation is formed by ten oscillators with square waveforms, which are arranged under the hood in three rows for the bass, mid and high frequency ranges. The oscillators are always active and can therefore be played fully polyphonically. The way in which the tone generators are "played" could not have been more unconventional. Instead of a keyboard, pads or a MIDI input, there are two pickup coils with which the oscillators are triggered. The process is based on magnetism and reacts sensitively to changes even when the coils are not in direct contact with the housing. With a little practice, melodies can be played within the selected range. The oscillators are followed by a resonant 24 dB Lowpass filter, with which the overall sound can be varied from bright to dark and certain frequency ranges can be overemphasized. An almost charismatic-sounding LoFi Delay effect completes the signal path. The Delay-Zeit can be set in the range from 40 - 400 ms. The control range of the feedback is around 133%, which is perfect for building up sounds that never seem to end. The Time and Cutoff parameters each have their own control voltage input. Thanks to the integrated envelope follower, Chromaplane can modulate itself. Based on the level differences that occur when the oscillators are played, the envelope follower generates variable voltages that can be used to modulate filters and Delay-Zeit. The synthesizer, which looks like a Macbook, is definitely in a class of its own. The unusual playing technique, the interaction of electromagnetism and typical synthesizer components, and a certain challenge to deal with scales, make Chromaplane an instrument in its own right with a focus on drone sounds.