SUPERBOOTH 2024: Chompi Club - Chompi Design

[@dinogoldie9716]

Chompi = Volca technology for an MPC price. "We want to have fun" convincing you that buying different coloured keys from our supplier's parts bin is somehow empowering.

[@Farold_Haltermeyer]

I was cynical about this until I understood who it was aimed at...and then when I tried it. Deliciously tactile and a lot of fun it will be a gateway for a lot of folks who are intimidated by or just dislike music technology. It’s also highlighted the pretty nasty and snide side of a portion of the music tech fan base sadly, but at least they’re easier to spot now. Eh chaps :)

[@SimpleTrax]

Imo it is very expensive for what it tries to be. Better get a volca or something.

[@GizzyDillespee]

Now I remember why I only watched the basic operations video, and didn't search for customer videos after that. It was because very basic ordinary knob functions were given obtuse names... I think the "amount of reverb" knob was labeled as "magic", or something like that. It seemed like a very basic device, and the labeling conventions add the mystery, but not in a way I'd appreciate. It reminds me of the Dynamorph fx pedal. Some fx pedals, you can look at the knobs and labels, and understand what it does. I challenge anybody to tell me what it does, from looking at it. It has a Kafka/Ovid switch. A holometaboly knob (I think that was it). There was an ecdysis knob, maybe? Heck if I know. Then, when I read what the knobs actually do, it was like, are you kidding me? The knobs were for features like gain, tone, and so on, but they just had to give all those normal functions obtuse names. Which is all to say... ah, I figured out that I wasn't Chompi's demographic, which is fine. I think there will be kids who don't figure out that magic = reverb (or chorus? I forget which, maybe fx in general? It's been a while since I saw the video manual) or some of the other label correspondances until MUCH later. That's fine... kinda funny to think about, someone realizing when they're 22, 6 years into owning a Chompi: "wait... is Magic just an fx level knob?!"🤣 Everybody has moments like that.

[@jonbirchartist]

It's a lovely looking thing. Great pitch from Chelsea too.

[@markv1006]

The chompi has a workflow that NEEDS to be showcased. It has a very specific sample creation, or loop-writing/one-shots of a melody or percussion part, and finally full song kinda stuff. It can do so much, and while it does have constraints, it can really fine tune sampling anything, especially if you're mic'd up and roaming around for some weird ahh noises

[@warius1]

A Korg Microsampler does about the same, including punch in sampling, with a slightly less user friendly workflow, but with a rudimentary sequencer and more effects, though less hifi. I like them both.

[@l00kns33]

Delightful interview! I really enjoyed this soft values interview angle.

[@indigosnow_]

I have one and it's beyond fun. Love the chass bliss collab colorway. Will cop if I end up being able to, bummed that it's a limited run

[@krazywabbit]

Excellent message.

[@apolloc.vermouth5672]

It's pretty niche, but it does sound very good in the couple of demos I've seen - charmingly lo-fi effects with wonderful vari-speed pitch-shifting.

[@prometheusuk9845]

It's not for me, but I think Chelsea did a good job of selling it.

[@ganjanaut]

so cool design :)

[@PacifierMusic]

That’s a lot of fashion accessories but does it play music? Only thing missing from the video clip was the sounds it makes.

[@all-range-mode]

It's an interview with the designer

[@shaman4evah]

Finally someone embracing the rich culture of mechanical keyboards in the synth world! having the option to customize the tactility and the look of the caps makes the instrument so much more personal:)

[@timweinheimer1]

Great idea very creative and personal

[@paulwhittaker5494]

If Willy Wonka created Synths it might look something like this!... 🍫🍦🎧😎🍡🍭 ~ ( Great aesthetic choice!!!... Would have been nice to hear another sound demo though?... )

[@totigerus]

Ooh I hope it comes with a matching purse.

[@Paintopia_VR]

I would like to see a big brother to this that is larger and more complex with lots of cv and gate in and out

[@peaterrepeater4441]

Ableton Push 3 :)

[@milkweedreflections]

Maybe if it wasn't built out of PCB plastic and the cheapest generic keyboard keys you can buy. Their profit on every single sale has got to be astronomical. A masterclasses in marketing though.

[@ScottofOakland]

Have you held one in the flesh? Its rather well built and custom made components are rather costly. That said, it was a kickstarter so I doubt they're bringing home massive paychecks.

[@milkweedreflections]

@@ScottofOakland I mean, or you can buy an Organelle made out of folded metal, and custom wooden buttons, that has the entire functionality of Chompi as a single patch, and is also 100s of other synths, samplers, sequencers, effects, loopers, etc, as patches lol, and its $100-200 cheaper than Chompi, lol. It's actually completely insane how expensive this is, for what it does. Only people who don't know what they're doing are interested in Chompi. But hey, they found their market I guess.

[@ScottofOakland]

@@milkweedreflections I had an Organelle. Sold it. I must be too smooth brained for all that programming.

[@fancylad22]

How is this even a collaboration?

[@GizzyDillespee]

5:40 but... she forgot to play. It looks like if Teenage Engineering got lost on Candy Mountain, so it would've been nice to hear what that sounds like, into $2500 in guitar pedals. That sounds snarky, but I really am curious what you do with a sk1 and those pedals. If the Chompi has stereo outs, what I would do is run 2 parallel fx chains, but I was curious what YOU would do. I was just thinking I should maybe tone down the orientalism in my music, but if I had this, I'd be like, hello kitty. So, I'm not tye demographic. It's weird - maybe a year ago, I remember watching a video on Chompi's basic operation. But since then, it's been crickets, from what I've seen as far as demo videos of someone using it. I gotta go back to IRL in a minute, but I'll look for some other vids later. I wonder how close my idea of what it will sound like, will compare to the sounds people actually make with it. I got twisted circus music, in my mind, but that's pretty much the baseline, when I see any instrument. I'll check out what OTHER people would make with it, after I get home.

[@aseomg]

$600 for a row of computer keycaps, then more $$ for customization? Hahaha..sampler suckers 😎 *ironically, any one of those Chase Bliss stomp boxes are more capable & fun than Chompi

[@SimpleTrax]

Chase Bliss pedals are also a gimmick, fits Chompy perfectly. They all run on same platform. Techincally all CB pedals could be just one, they are just software.

[@danibee535]

how can you seriously think that an entire instrument is just a handful of its components? you obviously have no idea how these things are made.

[@danibee535]

@@SimpleTrax incorrect - indeed chase bliss's whole tagline for a long time was "analog heart, digital brain". for instance the thermae is all actual bbd chips, just controlled by a microcontroller. also you have no idea what goes into writing software.

[@enochroot9438]

That moment hipster design ethos trumps functional ease of use

[@0Fdigital]

Did you actually watch the video? Their entire philosophy is ease of use.

[@mske903]

rubbish