Standard black-and-gold Chompi

Chompi (stylised as CHOMPI) is a sampler released in 2023 by Chelsea and Tobias Hendrickson. Designed to be accessible and screenless, the sampler uses LEDs and physical labels to show the status of various filters and effects.

Background

Chompi was created by Chelsea and Tobias Hendrickson, a couple from Spokane, Washington.[1] They previously ran a community synth program focused on Spokane and the Pacific Northwest[2] which offered modular synth classes for around a decade.[3][4] Chompi was announced on 12 March 2023, via a YouTube video on the Chompi Club channel; the video showcased the basic features of the sampler and looper, as well as the effects unit.[5]

Funding

The Kickstarter campaign for Chompi's funding launched on March 28, 2023[3] with a goal of US$30,000, and raised over $900,000 in one day.[6] By the end of the campaign it had raised over $1,000,000,[7][lower-alpha 1] making it one of the most successful Kickstarter campaigns of 2023.[8] Chompi units were offered for $499 as part of the campaign, with a limited-edition pink version offered for $599.[9][10]

Production and design

Chompi is manufactured by Electro-Distro and uses the Daisy Seed, a microchip by Electro-Smith designed to create unique musical instruments.[6][11] It was designed to be accessible[3] and screenless,[7] as Tobias has vision loss;[2] the creators also state that the screenless design invites users to explore.[6] LEDs and physical labels are used to differentiate and show the status of various effects,[7] such as a filter,[9] tape saturation,[8][3] and the "magic wand" - a combination of reverb and delay.[5] Buttons on the device are "toy-like" and oversized.[6]

Chompi units ordered by Kickstarter supporters began shipping on 13 December 2023; they are planned to be generally released starting January 2024,[12] with the price starting at $599.[13][3]

Notes

  1. ↑ Mixdown Magazine claims that the Kickstarter raised over $2,000,000; this is incorrect, as the Kickstarter page shows $1,240,290.

References

  1. ↑ Pearson, Madison; Sandstrom, Summer; Sommerfeld, Seth (23 March 2023). "New fair mascot, kickstarting sound design; plus, new music!". Inlander. Retrieved 28 December 2023.
  2. 1 2 "About". Techno Logic. Retrieved 28 December 2023.
  3. 1 2 3 4 5 Taylor, Nick (19 March 2023). "Chompi Club unveils new tape-music instrument". Resident Advisor. Retrieved 28 December 2023.
  4. ↑ Clarry, Tuck (5 July 2018). "Tobias and Chelsea Hendrickson hope to grow and diversify Spokane's music scene, one synthesizer at a time". Inlander. Retrieved 29 December 2023.
  5. 1 2 Introducing... ✨CHOMPI✨ (YouTube video). 12 March 2023. Retrieved 28 December 2023.
  6. 1 2 3 4 Vincent, Robin (29 March 2023). "Chompi Club: Adorable Daisy powered sampler and looper". GearNews. Retrieved 28 December 2023.
  7. 1 2 3 Rogerson, Ben (18 October 2023). "Get a closer look at the Chompi sampler, one of the most eagerly awaited electronic instruments of 2023". MusicRadar. Retrieved 28 December 2023.
  8. 1 2 Venutti, Isabella (19 April 2023). "Meet CHOMPI, the adorable sampler that sold out on Kickstarter". Mixdown Magazine. Retrieved 28 December 2023.
  9. 1 2 Jones, Andy (3 May 2023). "The hottest new samplers, grooveboxes and drum machines of 2023". MusicRadar. Retrieved 28 December 2023.
  10. ↑ Davis, Luke (24 March 2023). "Chompi". Sampleface. Retrieved 28 December 2023.
  11. ↑ Rogerson, Ben (15 March 2023). "Chompi is a super-cute sampler that was inspired by the Casio SK-1 and looks like a kid-friendly OP-1". MusicRadar. Retrieved 28 December 2023.
  12. ↑ "CHOMPI Sampler - Coming Soon!". Chompi Club. Retrieved 28 December 2023.
  13. ↑ Beschizza, Rob (8 November 2023). "Chompi is an adorable miniature sampling synth". Boing Boing. Retrieved 28 December 2023.
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