Haken Audio Slim 21, announced ahead of SFF 2026, is the most portable full-size Continuum controller so far, with the same features & synth engine.
Update: it’s shipping now
Expressive MIDI controllers with MPE are trending. From Osmose, ROLI Seaboard, Ebodme ERAE II, Linnstrument, and many more. The selection is huge today. One that’s been around for a long time is the Haken Audio Continuum and its built-in EaganMatrix sound engine.
Ahead of SynthFest France 2026, Haken Audio has unveiled the Slim 21, the most affordable and compact version of the full-size Continuum.
Haken Audio Slim 21
Slim 21 is the newest and most portable member of the Haken Audio Continuum family. It offers the same unique neoprene surface, with each finger tracked individually.
The main difference between the two other Continuum controls is their size. It has 21 half steps, nearly 2 octaves, and measures 45 x 19 x 3 cm (17.7 x 7.5 x 1.2 in), weighing 1.6 kg (3.5 lbs).
At its core lies the same EaganMatrix sound engine, offering multiple synthesis types, including virtual analog, additive, and physical modeling.
The dedicated Haken Editor for macOS and Windows allows users to craft all-new sounds like on a multi-engine Synthesizer. Powerful engine, yes, but the highlight is how expressively you can play it.
Continuum’s unique, sensitive play surface seamlessly interfaces with the EaganMatrix sound engine for a truly organic playing experience. The hardware uses up to 12 independent Hall-effect sensors per finger to track each finger individually.
The ultra-high-speed A/D converters digitize each sensor’s analog output. A typical note played on the Continuum will use data from hundreds of thousands of Hall-Effect samples, enabling exponentially greater accuracy and sensitivity.
This lets the user articulate pitch or other parameters differently for each pressed note. Just like with other MPE controllers, but even more fluidly.
First Impression
It’s great that there’s now an affordable entry into the full-size Continuum world.
Haken Audio Slim 21 is available now for $1799/1949€
More information here: Haken Audio
Available from my partner
Well, they could have added an extra active. Much better it could have been.
Not affordable at all. Maybe a 2 key version ?
And still the most affordable full-sized Continuum to date 🙂
Hans Zimmer will buy a few.
crazy, These Things will stay niche forever…
it’s sad
I don’t understand why someone would buy this instead of an Osmose, Linnstrument, Erae or any number of other MPE instruments nowadays.
Maybe time to play one? It plays differently from an Osmose, Linnstrument, Era, or any other MPE instrument.
It’s time to admit that nobody cares about MPE. It’s cool if it’s free, I guess, but to charge a fortune for the opportunity to make a note go all wobbly? I’ve never seen a demo that wasn’t irritating, it’s always just some nature-boy hippie spa music.
“nature-boy hippie spa music”.
Admittedly, it’s not for everyone.
However, it’s my go-to genre when I’m doing menial work such as cleaning the kitchen or shaving my arse.
Don’t knock it until you’ve tried it.
Check the music of Rashad Becker and tell me your impressions please, he even uses TWO slims live (and you can hear the Haken synth engine in many sounds). It’s really complex and deep what you can do with these things..
source? his first album was Oberheim Matrix-12 and some other vintage synth, then he used Nord Modular a lot. He uses a Haken now??
He already used a regular Continuum in 2019
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QH79MsWrTlw
Some can diss this all they want, but it’s one of the best sounding and most expressive instruments in the last 30 years.
To me, what Haken Audio has done (and by extension Expressive E with the Osmose) is as significant as the Theremin, Ondes, Minimoog, Arp2600, Fender Rhodes, CS80, MPC & Akai/EMU samplers etc
Loris Re-Synthesis and now the new skins (because the EaganMatrix Micro software is admittedly awful and too complex for most to deal with otherwise) allow for such awesome sonic explorations.
The expressivity of the Continuum is really out of this world, so to have a full size affordable Slim21 will make many musicians consider adding it to their lineup, whereas full size Continuum wasn’t really an option due to its high costs.
I initially thought the Erae2 (which is excellent in many regards and allows one to accomplish amazing things too) would easily replace a Continuum for a fraction of the price if coupled with an Eagan Matrix Micro, but after comparing both, the Continuum’s multi-spring sensors and design allow for an infinitely more refined control of the sound.
Anyway, MPE may not be for everyone and in some cases will be sounding gimmicky and boring, but put it in the right hands and it is just stunning and inspiring (with good measure and subtlety too, it’s not about doing Satriani like MPE synth solos)
people who buy these are forever trying to convince others that they are mind blowing. It’s annoying. Keith McMillen did MPE years ago and it never really took off.
KMI MPE sucked. It felt like an afterthought insisting on using this unreliable fabric technology.
The fact that a company develops and produces new modules means it’s successful.
And some people who can’t afford it have a need to convince others that it’s worthless.