DivKid Drops the Plinky 12 Trio: Toadstep, Chords & Blocks – Modular Mayhem Incoming

DivKid kicks off with the Plinky 12 series – a new family of instruments that are as slim as a vinyl and twice as dangerous. You get three flavours: Blocks, Chords, and Toadstep. Each one’s got its own attitude and set of tricks, but they all share a polyphonic synth engine, a play surface that begs to be poked, and enough connectivity to wire up half your studio. Swappable panels mean you can morph your Plinky 12 into whatever flavour you fancy, without buying a whole new slab of hardware.

Blocks is the closest you’ll get to the original Plinky experience – think expressive, tactile, and ready for polyphonic play. Chords, from Making Sound Machines, is all about harmonic exploration and clever features for the musically curious. Then there’s Toadstep, a four-track sequencer cooked up with Toadstool Tech, channeling the spirit of the RYK M185 and Metropolis, but with its own Plinky twist. If you’re after a one-stop shop for sequencing, jamming, and modular mayhem, this lineup is already looking like a street-fighting squad.

Toadstep doesn’t mess about. DivKid jumps straight in, showing how this four-track sequencer is basically a button-per-function playground. Even with zero manual-reading, you’re up and running in minutes – and that’s before you start diving into the deep end. Each track can spit out MIDI, CV, and gate, so you can drive your modular, your DAW, or whatever else you’ve got lurking in the shadows.

The sequencing is inspired by the classics but goes further: you get quantised note masks, step repeats, ratchets, probability, swing, and all the usual suspects, plus a synth engine that’s more than just an afterthought. DivKid layers internal sounds with analog gear, showing off how Toadstep can juggle complex patterns, shifting track lengths, and all sorts of rhythmic chaos. If you want to see a sequencer that can actually keep up with your ideas (and maybe even outpace them), this is where the action is.

Chords is the Plinky 12’s answer to anyone who thinks harmony is just for jazz nerds. DivKid dives in and immediately starts building lush chord progressions, arpeggios, and strummed patterns that sound like they’ve been lifted from a future club anthem. The interface is all about speed: pick a scale, mash some pads, and you’re off. The chord banks are deep, with easy access to inversions, custom voicings, and even velocity sequencing for extra expression.

What really slaps is the way Chords lets you sequence rhythm, harmony, and arpeggiation independently – so you can get complex, evolving patterns without breaking a sweat. The synth engine underneath is classic Plinky: tweakable, randomisable, and capable of everything from glassy pads to dirty stabs. And if you want to layer up with external gear, MIDI out is ready to drive your polysynths into the stratosphere. There’s a lot under the hood, but DivKid keeps it moving – if you want the full harmonic deep-dive, you’ll need to watch the video and let your ears do the learning.

Blocks is where Plinky 12 goes back to its roots – but with a bigger, brighter, and more expressive play surface. DivKid swaps panels and boots into Blocks mode, instantly getting that classic Plinky vibe: six ‘strings’ to play, pressure sensitivity, and a layout that just begs for two-handed chaos. The sound engine is as tweakable as ever, with icons and overlays to keep you from getting lost in menu hell.

This section is all about hands-on fun. DivKid jams along with modular beats, running Blocks through a stereo VCA for sidechaining and into modular effects for extra grit. The pressure-sensitive surface means you can go from delicate pads to percussive plucks in a heartbeat. If you want an instrument that rewards playful exploration and expressive performance, Blocks is the one to watch. The video’s got the full jam – text can only hint at the madness.