Chorda

Imagine picking up a sleek, portable synth that feels like a musical playground in your hands, blending the tactile joy of strumming a guitar with the endless possibilities of digital sound design. Released in 2023 as an evolution from Artiphon's Instrument 1, it's designed to slip into your everyday life, whether you're sketching ideas on a bus or layering tracks in the studio.

At its core, this digital workstation packs sample-based and physical modeling synthesis with over 100 sounds, from classic instruments to modern synths, plus the ability to import your own samples via the companion app. Twelve capacitive-sensing pads deliver polyphonic play with 8 voices, velocity, aftertouch, and per-note expression across multiple dimensions—tap lightly for subtle tones or press harder for dynamic swells—while a six-trigger bridge lets you strum chords, trigger notes, or tweak tempo and arpeggiation on the fly. Motion control via built-in accelerometer and gyroscope adds gesture-based modulation, and the four-part looper (drums, bass, chords, lead) makes songbuilding intuitive, all powered by a rechargeable battery for over four hours. Measuring a slim 440 x 59 x 29mm, it features a 5W onboard speaker, 1/8-inch headphone/line out, USB-C and Bluetooth MIDI (including MPE), and internal storage for 12 songs.

Users love its expressive touch and instant fun for idea generation, calling it a standout portable MPE controller that punches above its weight, though some note early quirks in sound depth and app reliance that firmware has been smoothing out.