Plinky Synth

Thonk 24HP
SAMPLER OSCILLATOR SEQUENCER FILTER MIDI

Verified sheet

The facts on this sheet have been cross-checked against the sources below.

Sources
Suggest a correction

Expressive 8-voice touch synthesizer with 64 main pads, sampler/oscillator voices, low-pass gates, delay/reverb, sequencer, arpeggiator, and TRS MIDI on v3.

Patch Ideas · 5

★ MIDI poly voice
TRS MIDI In from a keyboard or sequencer plays Plinky v3 as an 8-voice touch synth. The stereo output goes straight to the mixer while Pitch Hi / Lo and Gate Output can still drive external voices.
▸ Show diagram
Patch diagramPatch diagram with 7 modules and 7 connections. Signals: 4 audio, 1 cv, 1 pitch, 1 gate.Plinky SynthMixerVCO 1VCO 2EnvelopeVCAMIDI KeyboardTRS MIDI In: enabledTRS MIDI InaudioEuro L / RaudioPitch Hi / Lo Output1v/octGate OutputgateIn 1audioIn 2audioV/Oct1v/octOutaudioTriggateOutcvInaudioCVcvOutaudioOutaudioaudiocvpitchgate
★ Touch-controlled filter voice
Use the main pads to play Plinky, then send Touch Output to a filter cutoff and A Output to a VCA. The same finger pressure that opens the strings also animates the external analog voice.
▸ Show diagram
Patch diagramPatch diagram with 6 modules and 5 connections. Modules: Plinky Synth, VCO, Filter, VCA, Output, Filter (In) -> VCA. Signals: 3 audio, 2 cv.Plinky SynthVCOFilterVCAOutputFilter (In) -> VCATouch OutputcvA, B, X, Y OutputscvEuro L / RaudioOutaudioCutoffcvCVcvOutaudioInaudioInaudioaudiocv
Stereo sampler fuzz
Feed a drum loop into the audio input, raise the saturation, and modulate the delay or reverb with B and X. Plinky becomes a crunchy stereo processor that still keeps the touch keyboard available for overdubs.
▸ Show diagram
Patch diagramPatch diagram with 5 modules and 6 connections. Modules: Plinky Synth, Delay, Reverb, Mixer, Drum Loop. Signals: 4 audio, 2 cv.Plinky SynthDelayReverbMixerDrum LoopAudio InputaudioA, B, X, Y OutputscvEuro L / RaudioTime CVcvOutaudioMix CVcvOutaudioIn 1audioIn 2audioIn 3audioOutaudioaudiocv
★ Clocked touch sequencer
Clock Input locks the arpeggiator or sequencer, Trigger Output retriggers envelopes, and Gate Output keeps a companion VCA open only while notes are held. The result is a compact touch-led pattern voice with external sync.
▸ Show diagram
Patch diagramPatch diagram with 6 modules and 7 connections. Modules: Plinky Synth, Clock, Envelope, VCA, Filter, Output. Signals: 3 audio, 1 cv, 1 gate, 1 trigger, 1 clock.Plinky SynthClockEnvelopeVCAFilterOutputClock InputclkTrigger OutputtrigGate OutputgateEuro L / RaudioOutclkTrigtrigOutcvCVgateInaudioOutaudioInaudioCutoffcvOutaudioInaudioaudiocvgatetriggerclock
Modulation bank
Route A, B, X and Y outputs to four destinations: filter cutoff, VCA level, delay time and stereo pan. The built-in LFOs make Plinky a four-lane modulation source even when no pads are being played.
▸ Show diagram
Patch diagramPatch diagram with 7 modules and 7 connections. Signals: 3 audio, 4 cv.Plinky SynthVCOFilterVCADelayMixerFilter (In) -> VCAA, B, X, Y OutputscvEuro L / RaudioOutaudioCutoffcvCVcvOutaudioTime CVcvPan CVcvIn 1audioIn 2audioInaudioaudiocv

Behaviors

Eight-string polyphony touch any of the 64 main pads

Plinky plays eight separate string voices arranged as eight vertical strips, and each string can stack oscillators or grains for a dense polyphonic texture.

Shift-pad editing hold a shift key and tap a pad

The pad grid becomes a parameter editor, preset selector and sample browser rather than only a keyboard.

Modulator quartet use A, B, X or Y as a source

Each mod source has its own LFO, and modulators A and B also have physical knobs that add offset on top of any incoming CV.

TRS MIDI performance feed Plinky v3 via MIDI In

The v3 hardware supports external polyphonic sequencing over TRS MIDI while still letting a melodic line be played on top by touch.

Input overdrive drive the audio input hard

The input stage can saturate into crunchy fuzz, especially when fed with modular-level signals.

Gate and touch CV extraction play the pads

Plinky exposes gate, touch pressure, highest/lowest pitch and modulation CVs, so it can behave as both a synth voice and a controller for the rest of the rack.

Controls

Performance Main pads (64) Play the eight string voices and edit parameters by touch.
8 vertical strips
Global Shift keys (8) Select presets, sequencer pages, parameters and samples with the main pads.
blue LEDs
Global Transport / mode pads Provide play, record, clear, previous, next and preset workflow control.
touch pads
Edit Arrow column Acts as a vertical slider during parameter edit mode.
touch strip
Global Encoder Selects and edits parameters and presets.
push encoder
Modulators A/B A / B knobs Offset the A and B modulators when those sources are used.
physical knobs
A/B/X/Y Modulation rows Rows 6 and 7 control CV level, offset, depth, rate, shape and symmetry for the four modulators.
A, B, X, Y

I/O

IN · 7

  • Pitch Input 1V/oct CV
    V/oct input that transposes hand-played notes, arpeggiator or sequencer.
  • Gate Input +5V gate GATE
    Scales the openness of the low-pass gates.
  • A, B, X, Y Inputs +/-5V CV
    Four modulation CV inputs with dedicated LFOs.
  • Clock Input clock pulse GATE
    16th-note / 4 PPQN clock input for sequencer and arpeggiator sync.
  • Audio Input line or modular audio AUDIO
    Stereo line / Eurorack audio input for effect processing or sampling.
  • TRS MIDI In Type A / B
    TRS MIDI input on Plinky v3.
  • USB-C 5V USB
    USB power and computer connection.

OUT · 9

  • Trigger Output trigger pulse GATE
    Trigger out for each note played by hand, the arpeggiator or sequencer.
  • Touch Output CV CV
    Highest current finger pressure across the strings.
  • Pitch Hi / Lo Output 1V/oct CV
    V/oct outputs for the highest and lowest notes being played.
  • Gate Output 5V gate GATE
    Gate signal while one or more pads are being touched.
  • A, B, X, Y Outputs -5V to +5V CV
    Modulation outputs derived from the four mod sources.
  • Euro L / R Eurorack level AUDIO
    Stereo Eurorack-level audio output.
  • Phones Top stereo headphone
    Top-panel headphone output.
  • Phones Bottom stereo headphone
    Bottom-panel headphone output.
  • TRS MIDI Out Type A / B
    TRS MIDI output on Plinky v3.