Twisted Electrons has opened pre-orders for FLEXFM, an 8-voice hybrid groovebox that combines sampling, FM synthesis and analog filters. According to Synth Anatomy, it ships before Christmas 2026 at an introductory price of 999€ including VAT.

FLEXFM is not an MPE instrument, and the announcement does not mention MPE or aftertouch. Still, it is a useful case study for expressive musicians: how does a hardware box handle performance expression when the standard MIDI chain does not carry it per note?

The hardware at a glance

Each of the eight voices has four FM operators and its own multimode analog filter, alongside three digital filter types named CROQUETTE, ZMORPH and ORACLE. The report cites more than 30 operator engines. You can sample through the audio input or import WAV files, and each voice has four LFOs that can be drawn with the joystick.

The sequencer offers up to 128 steps and 16 patterns per voice lane, with up to four overlapping notes per voice in poly mode. Effects include a plate reverb with shimmer, a vintage-style echo and a compressor with sidechain pumping. A piezo-based drum pad adds touch input.

Connectivity includes individual mono outputs, stereo main outs, a headphone socket, a mono input, MIDI In and Out, and USB for data and multitrack audio. A full software editor is included.

Expression through the joystick, not the keybed

What stands out is that the instrument puts gesture at the center of modulation. Drawing LFO shapes with a joystick is an immediate, physical way to shape movement, and a piezo pad responds to touch strength. These are performance gestures, even if they are not per-note MPE gestures.

That is a different philosophy from MPE, where each finger carries its own pressure, slide and pitch. In a groovebox, expression tends to be global or per-voice-lane, recorded into patterns and replayed. Neither approach is better; they suit different workflows. MPE excels at live, polyphonic, evolving lines. Sequenced hardware excels at repeatable, tightly locked grooves with motion baked in.

Where an MPE controller could still help

Because the announcement lists standard MIDI In and Out, you could play FLEXFM from an MPE controller such as a LinnStrument, Osmose or Sensel Morph. Be realistic about what you would get. Unless the firmware explicitly implements MPE, the box would most likely read notes and perhaps channel-wide messages, ignoring per-note channels. We do not know how it handles multi-channel input, so ask the manufacturer before relying on it.

For a practical middle path, many players use a controller to record notes into the sequencer, then use the joystick and LFOs to add movement afterward. You lose per-note slide, but you gain a groove-centric workflow that complements rather than replaces MPE playing. Our guide to building a dawless MPE rig covers how to pair controllers with hardware synths.

Price and positioning

At 999€, FLEXFM sits in the same range as several flagship MPE controllers. The official retail price is listed as 999€ plus VAT, and the report does not explain the difference from the introductory price, so confirm details on the product page before ordering.

Why it matters for the MPE community

Hardware makers are increasingly building instruments around hands-on, gestural modulation, and that sets expectations. Players who get used to drawing modulation with a joystick or tapping a touch-sensitive pad often want the same immediacy from their synths. This pushes the whole market toward richer input, which is good for MPE adoption even when a specific product does not support it.

If you are evaluating FLEXFM for an expressive rig, the questions to ask are simple: does the firmware accept MPE or at least multi-channel input, can it respond to pressure, and can the joystick be mapped to external MIDI? The answers will decide whether it becomes a performance partner or a standalone groove machine.