Bela launches four-channel polyphonic touch recorder for Eurorack and MIDI, Trails · News ⟋ RAThe new module records up to 40 seconds of multi-touch gestures across four channels.
Bela has announced Trails, a polyphonic touch recorder designed to turn finger gestures into melodic, rhythmic and control data for modular, hardware and software setups.
Building on the company’s earlier Gliss controller, Trails expands the concept into a four-channel system capable of recording up to 40 seconds of movement per channel. Each lane outputs X and Y control voltage plus gate, allowing users to generate melodies, modulation, triggers and timing information simultaneously, with both CV and MIDI available.
Gestures can be captured individually or across multiple channels, then looped, scrubbed and offset to create phasing patterns and polyrhythms. Recorded movements can also be switched between smooth continuous curves and stepped, quantised signals using built-in scales or custom tunings, effectively turning drawn shapes into sequenced notes.
Transformation tools let users rotate, pinch and spatially offset gestures without destroying the original recording, while macro control comes via banks of eight touch faders that can be morphed with adjustable slew times. Up to 16 scenes can be stored for recall in live performance.
Watch a video on Trails.