A self-developed hybdrid modular system comprising a VCO, a function generator, two LFOs, a ring modulator and a wavefolder, controlled by a Goldfinger touch controller. The output sound is transmitted to a small MINIRIG loudspeaker which is manipulated by metal tea boxes and conch shells that act as filters, distortion units, or resonators. This combination of analog synthesis and physical sound manipulation creates a unique electro-acoustic instrument that is unlike any other.
Watch
Foldinger (demo), performed by Karlheinz Essl
Studio kHz, 3 Aug 2026
Gear
Music Thing Modular Goldfinger touch-controller, MakeNoise CONTOUR function generator, MakeNoise STO voltage-controlled oscillator, Doepfer A-114 ring modulator, two LFOs, After Later Audio VALLEY waveshaper, MINIRIG portable loudspeaker. Additional Chinese tea boxes, a conch shell, a couple of screws, an African rattle and my own hand as acoustic sound shapers.
Recording / Amplication Setup
Two Neumann KM 184 condenser Microphones and a ZOOM F3 field recorder. It can also be used to amplify the Foldinger over PA systems, in which case the two microphones should be panned left and right.
