Kastle 2 Wave Bard ✨ Patchable Stereo Sample Player

video upload by Bastl Instruments

First jam - Kastl 2 Wav Bard

video upload by Stazma

BASTL Kastle 2 WAVE BARD — a tiny modular groovebox & rhythm generator! But is it any good?!

video upload by BoBeats

CONTENT
00:00 What is the Wave Bard?
00:50 Overview & sound demos
03:28 Sample specs
03:42 Making some rhythms with Wave Bard
06:20 Can you use it to make actual music?!
09:05 How to load samples
09:38 My thoughts about Wave Bard

Check with dealers on the right for availability. Details and pics follow:


KASTLE 2 WAVE BARD

Experimental, patchable stereo sample player

The Kastle 2 Wave Bard is an experimental, patchable stereo sample player that empowers you to discover new rhythms and riffs through modulation and modularity.

Samples are organized in banks, which can be selected and sequenced using knobs or CVs from the built-in Pattern generator and LFO.

Reverse your sounds with the LENGTH knob and the Wave Bard’s unique reversing envelope.

Play melodic samples in quantized scales, and spice up the sound with built-in filter, delay or chorus/flanger effects.

You can load not only your own samples, but also rhythms and scales with the web-based app

Perfect portability

The Kastle 2 Wave Bard is a compact, portable instrument that runs on 3 AA batteries or USB-C, so it can inspire you anywhere, anytime. It loves to jam with your other portable gear—sync it with the sync in/out ports, and use the audio input to mix external signals with the Wave Bard’s output or run them through its built-in effects.

Modulate everything

All main parameters can be modulated and tightly sequenced by the surprisingly powerful CV and GATE pattern generator. Create groovy off-grid beats using the built-in LFO, which can be synced, reset, or left to run freely.

Follow the sound

Do not make beats—let them naturally emerge! The Wave Bard is a semi-autonomous companion that keeps surprising you with fresh ideas. Get instant inspiration from the carefully crafted factory sound bank by the one and only Oliver Torr, or load your own samples and remix on the fly.

Features

8 samples per bank

6 factory-loaded banks (1 to 9 banks in the editor)

user samples can be loaded via web-based app

89 seconds sample limit (mono), 44s (stereo) at 44kHz, or combination

even more sample time available at lower sample rates

stereo audio processing at 44kHz/16-bits

PITCH knob with range of ± 2 octaves (4 octaves total)

— PITCH MOD attenuverter knob for modulating pitch

— NOTE input: quantized pitch with selectable scales (updates on trigger)

— FREE input: continuous, unquantized pitch modulation

— user-defined scales via web-based app

— BANK+PITCH MOD to change quantizer scale

— BANK+SAMPLE MOD for root note adjustment

— BANK+LFO MOD for fine tuning

— BANK+PITCH to change and preview octave

SAMPLE knob to select 1 of 8 samples

— hit the SHIFT button to trigger the selected sample

— TRIGGER input to trigger sample playback

— SAMPLE MOD input with attenuation and two modes:

— PLAY: CV modulation directly trigger samples

— CUE: CV aims at samples and playback waits for a trigger

BANK input with attenuation to change sample banks using CV

LENGTH envelope knob

— turn right to adjust decay

— turn left to reverse samples and add attack

— during attack, samples don't retrigger

— LENGTH MOD input with attenuverter

— LENGTH MOD updates only at trigger

— patchable ENV output of the envelope

stereo delay or chorus/flanger FX

resonant FILTER with Lowpass/Highpass modes

LFO with triangle and pulse output, reset input, attenuverting modulation, synced or free

Tempo generator with tap tempo, divider, and external clock input

Pattern generator (tempo synced) with GATE and CV output, patch-programmable

GATE generator contains RHYTHM patterns user-programmable via web-based app

stereo input with input gain (up to +12db), accepts up to 6 Vpp signal

input can be mixed at the output or run thru the built in effects

stereo output capable of driving headphones up to 250 Ohm

analog sync input

analog sync output

modular I/O connections via right channel of the sync jacks

What's in the box

Kastle 2 Wave Bard unit

quickstart guide

10 patch cables

sticker

for environmental reasons, we are excluding the batteries from the package

Technical Details

USB-C (firmware updates, power)

3x AA battery power (both rechargeable and non)

power consumption approx. 100-150 mA, should last up to 15-18 hours on 3x AA batteries.