PlayFader is a versatile two-channel CV, Gate and MIDI sequencer and looper that loves to make friends with modular synths, vintage synths, any synth or sampler with MIDI, guitar pedals, and anything else with CV and expression inputs. It can even be a great controller and sequencer for your DAW and computer-based workflow.
Each channel features CV and Gate outputs that are controlled by its Fader and Play button. Move the Fader to change the CV level, press the Play button to output a variable-width gate or trigger.
PlayFader also outputs two channels of MIDI - select from notes, chords, CCs and many more output options. MIDI mirrors the analogue outputs so you can control anything with a MIDI input while also controlling your analogue CV synths, pedals etc. This gives you control of four voices! Or more, depending on your patching imagination.
PlayFader runs either to its own internal clock with full transport controls and tap tempo, or loves making friends with external clocks. Sync can be by CV or MIDI, in or out.
The LOOP button allows you to capture your playing in a buffer that repeats after any number of steps from 1 to 64. You can even set your own User Loop Length live. Each channel has two recording buffers (Loop A and B) which you can jump, swap and copy between.
Although the Loop buffer is always synced to the clock, you can record un-quantised gates, or you can switch on synced ratchets with the TIME button. Now your gates/notes repeat at the division rate you set for as long as you hold a PLAY button down. Very groovy.
You can change ratchet divisions on the fly via the Faders while holding that PLAY button down and record the results into the Loop buffer. You can also punch-in recording or clear, change loop lengths and reset the buffers independently per channel to keep playing endlessly with your loops.
Select from your own fully customisable user scales or smooth voltage ranges of 2, 3, 5 & 8v in addition to live transposition.
You can use LATCH to override the CV you recorded into the buffer and output a CV value based on the current live Fader position, all while the recorded gate pattern keeps going.
You can play with the Fader CV Latched on, sending out whatever note/value you want from the Fader and then simply drop back into your previously recorded pattern by switching LATCH off. A quick double-tap of LATCH will unlatch both channels at the same time for some seriously fun drops. This is even more creative when you combine it with the dual Loop buffers in each channel.
FUN FX modes
- Roll - think of Slip Mode on most major DJ software, punch in a loop while the playhead keeps on moving, so you drop right back where you would have been.
- Slide - allows you to set a loop within your loop, adjusting the size and location on the fly, and the pattern will pick up where you left off when you release the FUN key, like SLIP mode on Pioneer CDJs.
- Sustain/Trigger - fun with gate lengths and re-triggering, great for adding dynamics to patterns.
- Bend - Pitch bend, obvs…
- LFO - LFO modulation fun ( we have plans for an alternate firmware more LFO-based too!)
- Random - As the name suggests, gradually adds randomisation to your pattern, with the two faders adjusting the randomisation parameters.
- All FUN modes will be addressable by the built-in accelerometer in future firmware, which should be bonkers amounts of fun.
PlayFader has a protective lid - or PlayCase - that doubles as a stand and feels great in your hand if you want to hold it and play. When you’re travelling, all the controls are safely protected by the lid, held in place with a handy wristband which supports LGBTQ+ equality around the world. The lid can then be flipped onto the back of the PlayFader when you’re ready, giving you some grip and a bit more height, making it perfect to play all day!
A note on the case from Play All Day:
“The process of using recycled plastic does mean that there will be some lightly visible imperfections in every case, it’s a trade-off against using virgin plastic and we think it’s worth it. We prefer to support our planet instead of chasing perfection at all costs. And most importantly, the PlayCase has 100% achieved our design goals. We wanted something strong, light and made in small batches from recycled materials. Tick for all 3!
“That being said, we understand that everyone has their own preference so we’d like to be very honest about this. The yellow cases look perfect, imperfections are pretty much invisible due to the light colour. However the black cases, in certain lights due to the slightly reflective surface, do show up some imperfections. These tend to be in liquid flow-type lines which are actually quite nice. But more importantly, you can’t see any of them when you’re using PlayFader, or in most light situations.
“It’s up to you and we hope you appreciate that we’d rather be transparent with customers and produce a product with much less impact on the environment. We plan to continue our sustainability approach through alternate firmwares too, getting more functionality out of a single PlayFader.”
Product Overview
PlayFader is a versatile two-channel CV, Gate and MIDI sequencer and looper that loves to make friends with modular synths, vintage synths, any synth or sampler with MIDI, guitar pedals, and anything else with CV and expression inputs. It can even be a great controller and sequencer for your DAW and computer-based workflow.
Each channel features CV and Gate outputs that are controlled by its Fader and Play button. Move the Fader to change the CV level, press the Play button to output a variable-width gate or trigger.
PlayFader also outputs two channels of MIDI - select from notes, chords, CCs and many more output options. MIDI mirrors the analogue outputs so you can control anything with a MIDI input while also controlling your analogue CV synths, pedals etc. This gives you control of four voices! Or more, depending on your patching imagination.
PlayFader runs either to its own internal clock with full transport controls and tap tempo, or loves making friends with external clocks. Sync can be by CV or MIDI, in or out.
The LOOP button allows you to capture your playing in a buffer that repeats after any number of steps from 1 to 64. You can even set your own User Loop Length live. Each channel has two recording buffers (Loop A and B) which you can jump, swap and copy between.
Although the Loop buffer is always synced to the clock, you can record un-quantised gates, or you can switch on synced ratchets with the TIME button. Now your gates/notes repeat at the division rate you set for as long as you hold a PLAY button down. Very groovy.
You can change ratchet divisions on the fly via the Faders while holding that PLAY button down and record the results into the Loop buffer. You can also punch-in recording or clear, change loop lengths and reset the buffers independently per channel to keep playing endlessly with your loops.
Select from your own fully customisable user scales or smooth voltage ranges of 2, 3, 5 & 8v in addition to live transposition.
You can use LATCH to override the CV you recorded into the buffer and output a CV value based on the current live Fader position, all while the recorded gate pattern keeps going.
You can play with the Fader CV Latched on, sending out whatever note/value you want from the Fader and then simply drop back into your previously recorded pattern by switching LATCH off. A quick double-tap of LATCH will unlatch both channels at the same time for some seriously fun drops. This is even more creative when you combine it with the dual Loop buffers in each channel.
FUN FX modes
- Roll - think of Slip Mode on most major DJ software, punch in a loop while the playhead keeps on moving, so you drop right back where you would have been.
- Slide - allows you to set a loop within your loop, adjusting the size and location on the fly, and the pattern will pick up where you left off when you release the FUN key, like SLIP mode on Pioneer CDJs.
- Sustain/Trigger - fun with gate lengths and re-triggering, great for adding dynamics to patterns.
- Bend - Pitch bend, obvs…
- LFO - LFO modulation fun ( we have plans for an alternate firmware more LFO-based too!)
- Random - As the name suggests, gradually adds randomisation to your pattern, with the two faders adjusting the randomisation parameters.
- All FUN modes will be addressable by the built-in accelerometer in future firmware, which should be bonkers amounts of fun.
PlayFader has a protective lid - or PlayCase - that doubles as a stand and feels great in your hand if you want to hold it and play. When you’re travelling, all the controls are safely protected by the lid, held in place with a handy wristband which supports LGBTQ+ equality around the world. The lid can then be flipped onto the back of the PlayFader when you’re ready, giving you some grip and a bit more height, making it perfect to play all day!
A note on the case from Play All Day:
“The process of using recycled plastic does mean that there will be some lightly visible imperfections in every case, it’s a trade-off against using virgin plastic and we think it’s worth it. We prefer to support our planet instead of chasing perfection at all costs. And most importantly, the PlayCase has 100% achieved our design goals. We wanted something strong, light and made in small batches from recycled materials. Tick for all 3!
“That being said, we understand that everyone has their own preference so we’d like to be very honest about this. The yellow cases look perfect, imperfections are pretty much invisible due to the light colour. However the black cases, in certain lights due to the slightly reflective surface, do show up some imperfections. These tend to be in liquid flow-type lines which are actually quite nice. But more importantly, you can’t see any of them when you’re using PlayFader, or in most light situations.
“It’s up to you and we hope you appreciate that we’d rather be transparent with customers and produce a product with much less impact on the environment. We plan to continue our sustainability approach through alternate firmwares too, getting more functionality out of a single PlayFader.”
