Portable hybrid synth

Bastl Kalimba, a unique desktop instrument that combines microphones, touch sensors, and an accelerometer, with a user interface inspired by the traditional kalimba and its main interaction element: the tines. We believe that this combination of features and physical interface leads to intuitive creativity and easy musical expression.

Just play it, you already know it
Treat it like an acoustic Instrument, it will answer like one:
Plucking the Kalimba’s tines with varying intensity is captured by internal microphones and touch-sensitive areas, which then excite both the physical modelling engine and the FM engine. In certain settings, you can even excite the engine by knocking or strumming on the unit’s casing or directly on the tines.

Intuitive features with a Bastl twist
Motion and expressiveness are central to this instrument. The internal accelerometer acts as an alternative exciter for the physical modelling engine, while also interacting with the FM engine by dynamically filtering the left and right channels as you move and rotate the device. The front panel features function-based touch points (for creating pads, pitch slides, and timbral modulation) and there are also 2 function-assignable ones on the back of the device.
Custom scales, octave shifting, an arpeggiator, presets, an internal layering looper, tempo/metronome, and built-in effects (such as reverb, delay, bit-crush, overdrive, filtering, and modulation) are all included.

Take it Anywhere
Sensitivity of internal microphones is well tuned so you don't have to worry about feedback on a loud stage. With a rechargeable battery via USB-C and built-in speaker, the Bastl Kalimba is also a great companion for outdoor and commuting adventures.

Features
12 tone tines
— touch and velocity sensitive
— each holds tone with micro tuning adjustment
— for plucking or touch sound playing
— each with light responding to playing

6 voices - Unique sound engine
— FM synthesis
— physical modeling with stereo digital resonators
— Stereo microphones for exciting the physical modeling engine
— interactive macro mapping across 6 bipolar control knobs
— Octave switching

Front Panel Touchpoints
— Pad touch point for altering the behaviour of tines into manual volume fading
— Glide touch point for touch based pitch slides between tines
— SOIL and WIND touch points to alter the timbre, activate accelerometer and excite the resonators
— Advanced locking feature for touch points, tines and arpeggiator

Assignable L/R touch points
— can be assigned to any knob/effect
— can also be assigned to: pitch bend (+/- 1 or 7 semitones), transpose (+/- 7 or 12 semitones), tempo, arpeggiator octave and rate, pad, glide, velocity add and sustain

Accelerometer
— Sound animation with movement (rotating/shaking the device)

Performative Arpeggiator
— 5 modes: up/down/up-down/order/random
— velocity is set with touch pressure
— Tempo divider
— set octaves

Built in looper
— free running or tempo synced with unique reversing time stretch
— double/half the looper time
— up/down an octave
— destructive looping (rerecord the looper thru the built in effects)
— undo/redo (1 layer)

Built in effects:
— Downsampler/Bit crusher/Distortion (RAT style)
— Chorus/Flanger/Tape emulation
— Filter that softly cuts high or low frequencies
— Reverb/Delay
‣ two models for each – day time/night time
‣ adjustable decay/time and send level

Tempo generator
— numerical BPM input
— tap tempo
— external clock divider/multiplier
— half/double tempo
— hi-hat style metronome

12 scales = tuning presets
— tuning for each tine with micro pitch adjustments
— Easy scale semitone transpose

16 presets - holds all sound and arpeggiator settings
6 level sensitivity setting for different climates and hands

Built in speaker
Built in battery charged by USB-C

Neck/wrist strap holes
Ergonomic enclosure

https://bastl-instruments.com/instruments/kalimba