Music creation has always felt like an exclusive club with steep entry requirements, demanding years of practice, expensive equipment, and deep theoretical knowledge just to play a simple chord progression. Most synthesizers and music gear reinforce this barrier with complex interfaces, intimidating arrays of knobs, and workflows that assume you already know what you’re doing. HiChord from Pocket Audio takes a radically different approach, asking what would happen if making music felt as natural and immediate as humming a tune.
The device itself reflects this philosophy through thoughtful industrial design that prioritizes approachability without sacrificing quality or functionality throughout the user experience. The CNC anodized aluminum chassis measures just 100mm x 71mm x 28.65mm, making it genuinely pocket-sized while feeling substantial and durable in your hands. Rounded edges and a minimalist layout create an object that invites interaction rather than intimidating users with technical complexity, while the integrated OLED display and built-in speaker ensure standalone operation.
Designer: Pocket Audio
What makes HiChord particularly clever is how it handles chord generation through the Nashville Number System, where seven buttons are mapped to diatonic chords in your selected key. This means you can trigger full, harmonically balanced chords instantly without knowing complex fingerings or music theory that typically takes years to master. The patented chord mapping ensures that everything you play sounds musically correct, eliminating the fear of hitting wrong notes that keeps many people from experimenting.
The joystick for real-time chord modifications adds dynamic control that transforms static button presses into expressive musical performance throughout your creative sessions. You can shift between major and minor, add suspended tones, or extend chords with 7th and 9th intervals simply by moving the joystick. This level of harmonic flexibility creates 6,048 different chord voicings across 12 keys, which would normally require extensive keyboard skills but becomes accessible through intuitive physical gestures.
The dual-track looper and drum machine capabilities turn the device into a complete songwriting tool rather than just a chord player for basic accompaniment. You can layer chord progressions, add rhythmic elements with quantized finger-drumming, and build full arrangements using the three built-in drum kits. The 12-oscillator digital synth engine provides multiple waveforms, FM synthesis, and built-in effects like tremolo, delay, and LFO modulation, ensuring your creations sound polished rather than toy-like.
USB-C MIDI output enables seamless integration with professional studio setups, allowing HiChord to control software synths or hardware while maintaining its standalone functionality for portable use. The rechargeable battery and robust aluminum construction mean you can take it anywhere for spontaneous creative sessions, whether that’s a park bench, coffee shop, or airplane seat during a long flight where inspiration strikes unexpectedly.
HiChord treats music creation as play rather than work, removing technical barriers while maintaining the depth needed for serious musical expression and professional applications. The device proves that accessible doesn’t have to mean limited, offering enough harmonic sophistication to satisfy experienced musicians while remaining approachable for complete beginners. By combining thoughtful design with powerful technology, HiChord opens music creation to anyone curious enough to press a button and discover what sounds emerge.
The post HiChord Pocket Synth Makes Music Creation Effortless first appeared on Yanko Design.