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FabFilter Twin 3.10 brings MPE to the subtractive synth

FabFilter releases Twin 3.10, a free update that adds MPE and Note Expression to its subtractive synth plugin, along with more than 200 new presets.

Simon Janvier

3 min read

FabFilter Twin 3 interface: four oscillators, filters, modulation matrix and effects section
Screenshot: FabFilter (official Twin 3 product page)

FabFilter released Twin 3 version 3.10 on October 29, 2026. The official announcement boils down to one line: its subtractive synth plugin now supports MPE and Note Expression. The update is free for Twin 3 owners and installs over the existing version, fully backwards compatible with saved projects.

MPE in one sentence

MPE (MIDI Polyphonic Expression) gives every note its own MIDI channel, so a compatible controller can send pitch, pressure and finger movement per note, where classic MIDI applies pitch bend or aftertouch to the whole chord. Note Expression is the VST3 format’s own equivalent (see our plugin formats guide).

Diagram: how an MPE controller drives Twin 3.10, from per-note gestures to the synth’s 64 voices MPE controller one MIDI channel per note Per-note gestures pitch bend, Timbre, Lift Twin 3 MIDI sources new Timbre and Lift inputs Modulation matrix 100 slots Voices up to 64, each modulated
Diagram: how an MPE controller drives Twin 3.10, from per-note gestures to the synth’s 64 voices

What changes in Twin 3.10

  • Two new MIDI sources, Timbre (vertical movement on the key, usually sent as CC74) and Lift (release velocity), assignable like any other source in the modulation matrix.
  • Per-note pitch bend is on by default when MPE is enabled, so a single note in a chord can slide on its own.
  • More than 200 new factory presets by bManic, Bigtone and Christian Laffitte; existing factory presets were updated to respond to an MPE controller out of the box.
  • An arpeggiator fix: it no longer drifts out of sync or retriggers notes when flooded with controller messages.

Architecture at a glance

Element Twin 3
Oscillators 4, analog-modelled with drift, ring modulation on 1+2 and 3+4
Filters 4, adjustable slope and shape (low pass, high pass, band pass, bell, shelves, notch)
Modulation 100-slot matrix: 16-step XLFOs, envelopes, XY controllers, envelope followers, MIDI sources
Polyphony 64 voices, unison, polyphonic portamento
Formats VST, VST3, AU, CLAP, AAX Native, AudioSuite
Systems Windows 7 to 11; macOS 10.13 or later, Intel and Apple Silicon

Envelopes (see our ADSR envelope guide) and XLFOs remain the heart of Twin 3 sound design; MPE adds sources you play in real time, one finger at a time.

FabFilter’s official introduction video:

Who it is for, what it costs, what it competes with

Who it is for. Players with an expressive controller (Roli Seaboard, Expressive E Osmose, Linnstrument, or a keyboard with polyphonic aftertouch) who wanted a straightforward subtractive synth to drive with it. Without an MPE controller, the update mostly brings new presets and the arpeggiator fix.

What it costs. The update is free for Twin 3 owners. FabFilter gives no price in the announcement; new-licence pricing is on the Twin 3 product page.

What it competes with.

  • u-he Diva: heavier, CPU-hungry analog emulation that has supported MPE for years.
  • Arturia Pigments: multi-engine synth (wavetable, granular, samples), MPE-compatible, broader but less direct.
  • Vital: wavetable synth with a free basic tier and MPE support.

Twin 3 stands out for its readable interface and drag-and-drop modulation; it remains a pure subtractive synth, with no wavetables or samples. More plugins are listed in our synth plugins section, including Native Instruments Massive XL.

Further reading