Bastl Instruments softPop
A semi-modular analog synthesizer in a portable aluminum enclosure with built-in speaker and light effects
Overview
The Bastl Instruments softPop is a discontinued semi-modular light and sound synthesizer designed as a portable, self-contained electronic music instrument. Developed through a near decade-long collaboration between Casper Electronics and Bastl Instruments, it features a fully analog signal path built around two triangle-core VCOs, a state-variable filter, and modulation circuits. First previewed publicly at Superbooth, the softPop was refined by its creators before discontinuation, with its design legacy continuing in the later Softpop SP2. It’s known for its unpredictable, textured sound character—capable of everything from delicate delays to massive drones—and its reactive RGB LED orb that enhances the sonic experience with visual feedback.
Specifications
| Fully analog core and signal path | |
| 6 faders for controlling two VCOs and VCF and their cross modulations | |
| Two wide range triangle-core VCOs 0 & 1 | |
| Quantizer for VCO 0 (auto-tuner) | |
| VCO 1 has variable waveshape via the modulation setting | |
| ∞ resonant state-variable VCF (bandpass, lowpass, highpass) | |
| External input with gain and envelope follower for intuitive sync of VCO 1 | |
| Track & hold circuit for stepped modulations | |
| Looping pattern generator with two patterns P1 and P2 | |
| RGB LED for a psychedelic experience | |
| 25-point patchbay | |
| Secret hack chamber at the back for adventurers | |
| Aluminum body enclosure | |
| Built-in speaker | |
| Additional wooden handle backplate | |
| Dimensions | 150 x 110 x 50 mm |
| Powered by | 4x AA battery, Micro USB, or external adaptor 7-9VDC |
| Flexible attack-decay cycling Envelope | |
| External input for processing audio | |
| MIDI input for sync and musical control |
Design
The fully analog core of the softPop consists of a strongly feedbacked system of dual triangle-core oscillators, a state-variable filter, and sample and hold circuitry. It features an anodized aluminum enclosure with laser engraving, combining durability with a minimalist aesthetic. The unit includes a secret hack chamber on the rear panel intended for experimental modifications, reflecting its ethos as an instrument for sonic exploration.
Context
The softPop emerged from a long creative partnership between Casper Electronics and Bastl Instruments and was first publicly previewed at Superbooth, where its design was further refined. Inspired by the cult-classic Benjolin synthesizer designed by Rob Hordijk, the softPop stands as a unique art object and experimental instrument. Its design DNA directly influenced the development of the Softpop SP2, though the original remains a distinct, discontinued model.
Reception
Reviewer Hollin Jones (Ask.Audio) described it as “a very interesting portable music companion that will keep a curious mind busy,” noting it’s not for those seeking predictable behavior. Orb Mag highlighted its portability, calling it “perhaps the most portable synth outside of Teenage Engineering’s Pocket Operator line,” and praised its “peculiar, wet gurgling sound full of activity and texture.” It has been called a rare instrument that excels equally at melody and noise, with capabilities ranging from massive drones to fine delays—even used as a no-input machine.
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