Faderpunk: 16 faders, no fixed assignments

Huang describes 16 faders, 16 buttons, and a jack per channel. A configurator lets you define which tasks the surface takes on. A channel can simply act as a controller; combinations of several channels enable other functions. Huang mentions LFOs, envelopes, clock dividers, various sequencers, MIDI-to-CV conversion, and scale quantizers. The appealing principle: it's not the next device that determines the setup, but the question of which control function your instrument is currently missing. Huang's enthusiasm is correspondingly clear:

Arthur from ATOV demonstrates what this can look like in practice in sonicstate's Bristronica feature from 2025. One sequencer controls the modular system, another the C-Shell. There's also MIDI control for Bitwig and envelopes from Faderpunk itself. Later, Arthur explains that two-channel Euclidean sequencers send MIDI to the drums in Bitwig. This isn't just a list of functions: multiple tasks in a hybrid setup are handled on the same control surface.

The reverse direction is also interesting: Arthur mentions CV-to-MIDI as a way to supply a polyphonic MIDI synthesizer with external CV modulation. So the modular system doesn't have to remain isolated.

The early demonstration also shows the space calculation: the smallest app unit includes jack, fader, and button; larger apps take up multiple channels. The sequencer shown there, with four 16-step sequences, uses eight of them. Versatile doesn't mean unlimited. The sonicstate interviewer sums up the overarching benefit as a question:

For everyday use, an unspectacular detail is crucial: according to Arthur, the apps run on the device. The configurator is for setup; after that, you can disconnect and run Faderpunk standalone. In the same demo, he changes an app color to green and explains color coding for live use. There are also stickers for the buttons. Free assignment is only convenient if you still know what's happening where later on.

Huang also points out that you don't have to decide between desktop and rack module once and for all at purchase:

The open firmware opens up another kind of customization. Huang points to the ability to program your own functions if the existing apps don't fit. In the sonicstate interview from Superbooth 2026, Arthur already reports a concrete community contribution: with version 1.9, a port of Mutable Instruments Grids was added as a four-channel app. That's a more tangible argument for open source than the usual promise of limitless possibilities.

But Arthur isn't just interested in the next big feature. He also describes the platform as an opportunity to try out small ideas and see with the community whether they're actually used. In the sonicstate interview, he says: