Suzuki OM-108 Omnichord

General

Unless you've already managed to reach middle-age, you've probably never seen the likes of the Suzuki Omnichord before. Looking like something ripped from the dashboard of the Millennium Falcon, this sort-of part-keyboard part-keytar apparition first saw light of day in the early eighties and now makes a welcome return. The same charm-level is there, from the hands-on playability of the bank of chord buttons to the touch-strip, which is basically your 'strumming' strip, but can produce glissandos and single notes - as if you're playing a harp. Initially designed for music-makers with minimal music-making experience, the idea is that you simply select the right chord by pressing down the corresponding button and start playing.

The Incomparable Sound of the Suzuki OM-108 Omnichord

A remake of the original 1981 Omnichord, this slice of digital history celebrates Suzuki's 70th anniversary (you might also know Suzuki as the owner of Hammond - the organ people), and gives you exactly the kind of sound you would expect from the time period. Don't expect lushly sampled grand pianos, guitars, harps and so on. Instead, expect Nintento-esque sound generated by the very same simple oscillators that the developers had to hand forty years ago. But besides playable chords and melodies, there are also backing instruments - so drums and bass as well as keyboard-style accompanying chords. Next to the irresistible retro charm, this edition of the Omnichord also features MIDI, meaning you can expand the sonic palette as much as you want - just imagine linking it up with a Kontakt orchestra and steering the string section with your strumming-strip!

Famous Fans

While many musicians viewed the Omnichord as a trumped up toy when it was first released, this unique little sonic-weaver managed to find its way into the hearts of many a famous name, including David Bowie, Brian Eno, Joni Mitchell and Eurythmics. And, when the shiny new remake was recently unveiled at NAMM, none-other-than Stevie Wonder himself couldn't keep his hands off it. How's that for credentials?