For musicians looking for old-school sounds or sonic fun....check out the Suzuki Omnichord OM-108! More than 40 years since its first release, the Omnichord is back and better than ever. In 1981, this small electronic instrument achieved cult status around the world for its ease of use, portability and capabilities. The OM-108 Omnichord is an instrument for those looking for a particularly cool instrument that plays right out of the box - with no musical training! Simply press a chord button and slide your hand along the harp sensor (strum plate) to activate a corresponding arpeggio. Many producers use the OM-108 Omnichord as a go-to for adding off-the-beaten-path textures to tracks. It offers 10 options for both rhythm and voices, many of which bring back the beloved retro '80s vibes. Built-in speakers, battery power, line-out for an external amplifier and a MIDI output round out the awesome capabilities of the enduring Omnichord!
Analog circuits and retro sound
The OM-108 Omnichord may have a few new things, but this incarnation has many aspects that are a nod to its colorful past. Suzuki designed the OM-108 with analog circuitry to accurately reproduce the sound of the previous OM-84 model, while the voices of "omni 1" and "omni 2" directly reflect the classic sound of the OM-84. In addition, there are eight "strumplate" sounds to explore, including harp, organ, guitar, banjo and more! Omnichord fans may recognize the celeste, harp and piano from previous models, while the FM piano tone - a signature electric piano sound from the 1980s - makes its debut in the OM-108. All other sounds are produced with PCM (Pulse Code Modulation).
108 playable chords and much more
The OM-108 again takes inspiration from the OM-84 and offers a voice layering feature so that a Main Voice can be layered with a Sub Voice. These are easily controlled with the corresponding volume controls. The OM-108 also offers sus4 and add9 chords, giving a total of 108 playable chord types (Klundert tip: hence its name!). For even more variety in the Omnichord's capabilities, you can tap the blue Keyboard button, and the chord buttons turn into a 20-key playable keyboard with available octave shift up and down.
Omnichord rhythms
The Omnichord OM-108 is an all-in-one music-making device that includes 10 built-in rhythms in addition to the simple structure for playing chords. Although they share rhythm names with previous models, they have been updated to reflect modern patterns. In addition, a HipHop trap beat (cool!) has been added to the list. Press the OM-108's keyboard button again and dive into drum pad mode. This mode sets the chord buttons and strumplate for creating catchy beats with retro drum kits. For even more rhythmic possibilities, try the OM-84's included retro '80s voicings.
Suzuki OM-108 Omnichord features:
- the electronic instrument first released in 1981 - now back and better than ever
- 10 voices including celeste, harp, guitar, banjo, and more
- voices included from previous Omnichord models
- 10 rhythms included with a never-before-heard trap beat
- 108 playable chords with the ability to play sus4 and add9 chords
- made with analog circuits to capture the retro vibe of the originals
- Real Time Control for changing chords and rhythms while playing live
- includes sound from the OM-84 drum kit
- easily portable with built-in speakers and headphone output
- MIDI output is great for recording and performance
- powered by battery or AC adapter (not included in delivery)
Several (optional) accessories are available for the Omnichord: a gigbag (bag), strap button (for mounting a sling) and separate power adapter.
