Robotic Bean has announced the release of a free update to its beloved 4-track cassette instrument plugin that’s been adding dusty noise-stalgia (and a healthy dose of tape wobble) to productions worldwide.
Version 1.5 of Portatron comes with Auto Face, a new Portapack, and several bug fixes and improvements to keep your creative flow smoother than freshly demagnetized tape.
Remember those live performances where Alessandro Cortini (Nine Inch Nails) floats chords in and out of the fog by riding faders with ninja precision? With Auto Fade, you can now do the same, without sprouting extra arms.
When Auto Fade is enabled, moving the Level fader of one channel automatically moves the others in the opposite direction. Bring a track forward, and the others politely step back, and vice versa. It’s perfect for Fader Instrument presets, hands-on jams, or just making your loops breathe like a living organism.
The free FADE – Automatic Fader Instruments Portapack includes 43 cassettes packed with 270 chord samples lovingly recorded from hardware favorites such as the Roland JU-06A, Elektron Digitone, and the EMS Synthi A.
These presets are designed to show off the new Auto Fade feature in all its glory—so you can start sculpting evolving chord landscapes right out of the box (or, technically, right out of the virtual shoebox full of cassettes).
Available in VST3, AU and AAX plugin formats for Windows and Mac, Portatron is priced $99 USD at Plugin Boutique and from the Robotic Bean store. The update is free for all existing Portatron owners.
