When we first got wind of the Chompi sampler a couple of weeks ago, we wondered if its quirky, toy-like nature might put some people off. We needn’t have worried, though: after just a minute on Kickstarter, the machine romped past its modest $30,000 funding target, and has gone on to raise more than $1 million.
It’s fair to say, then, that Chompi’s less-is-more, fast-and-furious workflow has captured the internet’s imagination.
As previously reported, the device enables you to capture a sound via the built-in mic and see it instantly mapped across the two-octave mechanical keyboard. Samples can be edited in a variety of ways, and there are seven voices of polyphony and 14 preset slots.
Effects processing couldn’t be simpler - the multimode filter, lo-fi saturation, granular delay-reverb and other FX are all controlled from one knob - and the tape-style looper enables you to stack-up layers of sounds. The transport knob controls tape scrubbing, loop playback speed/direction and other features.
We suspect that Chompi’s kid-friendly interface has played a big part in its early success, as people seek to recapture the childlike sense of enjoyment that making music with technology first gave them.
USB-C powering means that you can use Chompi anywhere - assuming you have a power bank, that is - while other connectivity includes stereo aux I/O, a headphone socket and MIDI I/O (all on 3.5mm jacks). Your samples are stored on a micro SD card.
The regular price of Chompi will be $599, but the Kickstarter price is $499. There’s also a limited-edition pink version that costs $599. If you order now, you should get one by November 2023, but based on the amount raised so far, we’re guessing you’re going to have to join a pretty long queue.
