Have you ever wondered how to generate rhythm on a patchable drum machine that has neither buttons, nor a programmable sequencer? We have and turns out you gotta discover it!
Kastle was originally released in Fall 2016 and gained instant popularity as an affordable, pocket-sized modular synth. We processed a lot of feedback and introduced a much improved version v1.5 a year later. Now we’re revisiting the concept once again with an alternative way to operate the same hardware.
The design process gave birth to a seemingly limited, but in fact an innovative and quite playful take on a rhythm box that is using some novel concepts, like the dynamic acceleration envelope to build “a lot of dynamic rhythm” out of very little modulation.
The Kastle Drum is a special edition of Bastl’s classic mini modular synth focusing on algorithmic industrial glitchy drums.
Drum sound synthesis with a unique dynamic acceleration charged envelope makes this rhythm box surprisingly versatile and extremely fun to play. The built-in VC clock generator with a stepped pattern sequencer can either run on its own or it can be synchronized to analog clock, while retaining the triangle LFO for parameter modulation.
The Kastle Drum is a mini modular synthesizer with a headphone output, 2 in/out ports for interfacing other gear, and it runs on just 3 AA batteries. It is ideal for beginners in modular synthesis, but it will add some quite unique functionality to any modular synthesizer system. It delivers the fun of modular synthesis at a low price and fits into your pocket so you can play it anywhere!
8 drum synthesis styles
”noises” output for less tonal content
DRUM selects drum sounds
acceleration charge dynamic envelope
decay time
PITCH control with offset and CV input with attenuator
voltage-controllable clock with square and triangle output
stepped voltage generator with random, 8 step and 16 step loop mode
2 I/O CV ports that can be routed to any patch point
the main output can drive headphones
3x AA battery operation or USB power selectable by a switch
open source
durable black & gold PCB enclosure
dimensions: 70 x 60 x 50 mm
powered by 3x AA battery or Micro USB
How much is my shipping?
Shipping is automatically calculated before you submit your payment information. Simply add items to your cart and proceed to the checkout page, where you'll be offered shipping options and their prices. In the UK, 'next working day' shipping is free if the order value is over £150, and £5 otherwise. We can also ship on a 'next working day before 12pm' service, which costs £6 for orders over £150 and £7.50 for orders under £150.
Shipping to mainland EU typically costs between £7 and £20, depending on the shipping method and the size and weight of the order.
Do you ship to my country?
Almost certainly - the site will give you an estimate of shipping costs if you add an item to the cart and then enter your country and postcode. If you have specific requirements (such as if you prefer UPS over FedEx, for example) then let us know in advance and we'll try to work something out for you.
Shipping methods
We use a combination of DPD, Royal Mail and Parcelforce for the UK, and for international orders it's either DHL, FedEx, UPS, Royal Mail or Parcelforce depending on where you are in the world. If you have a particular preference then try to let us know BEFORE you order so we can look into it for you. Please note that there may occasionally be additional shipping charges if you live in a remote area, depending on what surcharges are applied by the shipper. We'll get in touch to discuss this with you in such cases.
Dispatch times
For UK orders, we aim to dispatch the same working day if we get the order before 16:00. If you have a really urgent situation then of course drop us an email before ordering and we'll always do our absolute best to accommodate you.
For international orders, we normally dispatch the same day if we get the order before 13:00 but again, occasionally it might be the next day before we can send it out, and sometimes the couriers may come to collect a little earlier than scheduled which would also push an order into the next day.
Saturday/Sunday shipping
If you're in the UK and you order before 16:00 on a Friday then we can send something for a Saturday or Sunday delivery with DPD. This is FREE for order values over £350, £5 for order values between £75 and £250, and £7 for order values under £75. (NB: this applies to UK mainland addresses only). Please note that any orders placed after 16:00 on a Friday will ship on the Monday.
International shipping times
Since April 2020, the couriers we use have suspended guarantees for shipping times, so even though we're paying them for priority services - 24-48 hours for most of the world - in practice it's often an extra day on top and sometimes it can be longer. There is absolutely nothing we can do about this, unfortunately. If you are outside the UK and it's a life-or-death situation where you absolutely MUST have that passive mult for the next day then... it may be better to find a local supplier.
Pre-orders
If a product is listed as a pre-order, it means we've ordered it from the supplier but it's not physically in stock yet. The product listing will include an estimated shipping date based on the best information we have from the supplier, but do bear in mind this is subject to change and is not a guaranteed date.
If you place an order containing a mixture of in-stock and pre-order items, we'll normally hold off on shipping anything until the pre-order item(s) have arrived, rather than splitting it into multiple shipments. If you need the in-stock items sooner, we'd recommend placing separate orders. As always, please get in touch if you have questions.
Product Overview
Have you ever wondered how to generate rhythm on a patchable drum machine that has neither buttons, nor a programmable sequencer? We have and turns out you gotta discover it!
Kastle was originally released in Fall 2016 and gained instant popularity as an affordable, pocket-sized modular synth. We processed a lot of feedback and introduced a much improved version v1.5 a year later. Now we’re revisiting the concept once again with an alternative way to operate the same hardware.
The design process gave birth to a seemingly limited, but in fact an innovative and quite playful take on a rhythm box that is using some novel concepts, like the dynamic acceleration envelope to build “a lot of dynamic rhythm” out of very little modulation.
The Kastle Drum is a special edition of Bastl’s classic mini modular synth focusing on algorithmic industrial glitchy drums.
Drum sound synthesis with a unique dynamic acceleration charged envelope makes this rhythm box surprisingly versatile and extremely fun to play. The built-in VC clock generator with a stepped pattern sequencer can either run on its own or it can be synchronized to analog clock, while retaining the triangle LFO for parameter modulation.
The Kastle Drum is a mini modular synthesizer with a headphone output, 2 in/out ports for interfacing other gear, and it runs on just 3 AA batteries. It is ideal for beginners in modular synthesis, but it will add some quite unique functionality to any modular synthesizer system. It delivers the fun of modular synthesis at a low price and fits into your pocket so you can play it anywhere!
8 drum synthesis styles
”noises” output for less tonal content
DRUM selects drum sounds
acceleration charge dynamic envelope
decay time
PITCH control with offset and CV input with attenuator
voltage-controllable clock with square and triangle output
stepped voltage generator with random, 8 step and 16 step loop mode
2 I/O CV ports that can be routed to any patch point
the main output can drive headphones
3x AA battery operation or USB power selectable by a switch
open source
durable black & gold PCB enclosure
Technical Specs
Shipping Details
How much is my shipping?
Shipping is automatically calculated before you submit your payment information. Simply add items to your cart and proceed to the checkout page, where you'll be offered shipping options and their prices. In the UK, 'next working day' shipping is free if the order value is over £150, and £5 otherwise. We can also ship on a 'next working day before 12pm' service, which costs £6 for orders over £150 and £7.50 for orders under £150.
Shipping to mainland EU typically costs between £7 and £20, depending on the shipping method and the size and weight of the order.
Do you ship to my country?
Almost certainly - the site will give you an estimate of shipping costs if you add an item to the cart and then enter your country and postcode. If you have specific requirements (such as if you prefer UPS over FedEx, for example) then let us know in advance and we'll try to work something out for you.
Shipping methods
We use a combination of DPD, Royal Mail and Parcelforce for the UK, and for international orders it's either DHL, FedEx, UPS, Royal Mail or Parcelforce depending on where you are in the world. If you have a particular preference then try to let us know BEFORE you order so we can look into it for you. Please note that there may occasionally be additional shipping charges if you live in a remote area, depending on what surcharges are applied by the shipper. We'll get in touch to discuss this with you in such cases.
Dispatch times
For UK orders, we aim to dispatch the same working day if we get the order before 16:00. If you have a really urgent situation then of course drop us an email before ordering and we'll always do our absolute best to accommodate you.
For international orders, we normally dispatch the same day if we get the order before 13:00 but again, occasionally it might be the next day before we can send it out, and sometimes the couriers may come to collect a little earlier than scheduled which would also push an order into the next day.
Saturday/Sunday shipping
If you're in the UK and you order before 16:00 on a Friday then we can send something for a Saturday or Sunday delivery with DPD. This is FREE for order values over £350, £5 for order values between £75 and £250, and £7 for order values under £75. (NB: this applies to UK mainland addresses only). Please note that any orders placed after 16:00 on a Friday will ship on the Monday.
International shipping times
Since April 2020, the couriers we use have suspended guarantees for shipping times, so even though we're paying them for priority services - 24-48 hours for most of the world - in practice it's often an extra day on top and sometimes it can be longer. There is absolutely nothing we can do about this, unfortunately. If you are outside the UK and it's a life-or-death situation where you absolutely MUST have that passive mult for the next day then... it may be better to find a local supplier.
Pre-orders
If a product is listed as a pre-order, it means we've ordered it from the supplier but it's not physically in stock yet. The product listing will include an estimated shipping date based on the best information we have from the supplier, but do bear in mind this is subject to change and is not a guaranteed date.
If you place an order containing a mixture of in-stock and pre-order items, we'll normally hold off on shipping anything until the pre-order item(s) have arrived, rather than splitting it into multiple shipments. If you need the in-stock items sooner, we'd recommend placing separate orders. As always, please get in touch if you have questions.
