Chromaplane, a one-of-a-kind synthesizer created by KOMA Elektronik and Passepartout Duo, has soared past its Kickstarter goal. The campaign launched on July 23rd with a goal of $35,781, which was quickly reached by backers eager to take advantage of the "early bird" specials. 

According to the Kickstarter page, The Chromaplane features ten tunable electromagnetic fields that are played with pickups. Users can interact with the space around these fields using gestural expression. Since it harnesses the sensitivity of users' hands and ears, the whole playing experience is very accessible, and everyone is free to invent their personal ways of using the pickups. Since the response to movement is immediate, the experience is also very immersive and makes for a mesmerizing way to explore the sounds. According to the creators, Chromaplane is designed in a distinctive way that aims to reimagine what a musical instrument can be. 

For those curious about how Chromaplane operates, it constantly emits a cloud of electromagnetic fields from its surface. This is accomplished via carefully sculpted flat copper spirals in an isomorphic layout. Dots are located on the instrument's surface to provide a visual representation of the center point of each field. Users can move two electromagnetic pickups across this surface to create sounds. The closer a pickup is brought to the center of a field, the louder it will be, and it is possible to coach everything from ethereal drones to lively melodies and much more out of the instrument. The ten analog square wave oscillators each offer adjustable pitch and octave control. A dedicated tuning screw for each oscillator makes it possible to control the pitch, and each of the three rows of oscillators has its own distinct range. 

The Chromaplane also supports external signals, which can be connected directly to one channel of the instrument's fields. The pickup then plays this signal, seamlessly blending it into performances. In addition, the Chromaplane has a four-pole low pass filter and lo-fi delay/echo effect. For convenience, the fields of the Chromaplne can be silently tuned with a unique tuner that is precise and reliable and only requires a single coin cell battery to operate. Using the tuner makes it possible to tune the fields of the Chromaplane without any need for a wired connection. The tuner is available as an add-on that can be included with your pledge on Kickstarter, along with other optional extras, such as a protective sleeve and patch cables.

The Kickstarter campaign is set to run from July 2024 until August 2024, followed by a live Chromaplane event at KOMA space in Berlin. Manufacturing is expected to occur between September and December 2024, with rewards shipping out in December. For more information or to make a pledge, visit the Chromaplane Kickstarter page (https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/komaelektronik/chromaplane-an-electromagnetic-musical-instrument). Pledges begin at about $390 for a Chromaplane. In contrast, higher pledges include a Chromaplane and Field Kit Bundle, duo bundles, and educational bundles.