Artiphon specializes in creating easy-to-use musical instruments that provide immediate satisfaction. These instruments serve as gateways to the world of MIDI polyphonic expression, allowing players to create unique sounds for each note they play. The Chorda, priced at $250, is a simple instrument with 12 touchpads and a strummable surface that resembles a guitar neck. It features a variety of sounds, including chiptune leads, bass, synth pop drums, and a sampler function for adding custom sounds. With built-in speakers, all you need is a cheap phone to start making music.
The Chorda simplifies music for nonmusicians by quantizing the pads to a specific scale. It offers four modes: Drum, Bass, Chord, and Lead, making it easy to create music without prior knowledge of music theory.
Navigating the Chorda takes some practice, but most functions make sense once you get the hang of it. The looper can be frustrating at times, with a slight learning curve, but it doesn’t detract significantly from the overall experience. The instrument offers over 200 presets across various categories, from Fender Rhodes piano sounds to industrial drums and ambient synth leads. While the Chorda excels in producing FM leads, clean pads, and chiptune sounds, it may struggle with more complex acoustic instrument sounds.
Overall, the Chorda provides a user-friendly entry point into music creation, offering a wide range of sounds and features at an affordable price.
