Benjamin Poilve’s Minichord is more than an Omnichord-inspired controller. It is a compact digital instrument built around a Teensy 4.0, with 21 chord buttons, a 12-section touch “harp,” onboard synthesis, preset memory, rechargeable battery power, and USB MIDI. The result is part chord machine, part strum instrument, part synthesizer, and part open-hardware project.
The Minichord is currently sold as an assembled product, while its hardware and software remain available for people who want to study, modify, or build the design. As checked on August 18, 2026, Seeed listed it in stock at $169; regional pricing, shipping, taxes, and inventory can change.
What is the Minichord?
The Minichord is an Omnichord-inspired digital instrument designed by Benjamin Poilve. Its central idea is simple: choose a chord with buttons, then play notes from that chord by touching or sweeping across a harp-like surface.
Unlike a conventional keyboard, it does not ask the player to learn a piano layout before making useful chord progressions. Unlike a basic chord controller, it generates its own sound. And unlike a fixed-voice toy, it offers editable synthesis parameters, stored presets, and two USB MIDI ports.
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The official manual documents separate chord and harp synthesis paths containing oscillators, envelopes, filters, waveshaping, delay, tremolo, vibrato, and reverb. “Subtractive synthesizer” here describes the signal-shaping method, not an analog circuit: the Minichord is a digitally implemented synthesizer running on a Teensy 4.0.
The hardware and controls
The Teensy 4.0 is the instrument’s central computing and control platform. It handles input scanning, sound generation, presets, MIDI behavior, and firmware. It is not the whole product: the finished Minichord also uses custom PCBs, touch hardware, controls, battery circuitry, audio hardware, firmware, and an enclosure.
- 21 chord buttons: arranged as seven columns of three.
- 12-section touch harp: used for individual notes, sustained contact, and strumming gestures.
- Sharp modifier: raises the notes of the selected chord by one semitone.
- Three potentiometers: for chord volume, harp volume, and a preset-dependent parameter.
- Rhythm button: switches playback behavior and activates the arpeggiator.
- Audio jack: inserting a headphone or audio plug powers the instrument on.
- Micro-USB: used for charging, computer connection, MIDI, firmware work, and preset editing.
How the chord layout works
The 21 main buttons form seven columns labelled F, C, G, D, A, E, and B. Each column contains three basic chord types:
| Button row | Chord type |
|---|---|
| Top | Major |
| Middle | Minor |
| Bottom | Dominant seventh |
A player can select a chord and use the touch bar to play notes belonging to that musical context. The layout is optimized for quick progression building rather than conventional chromatic keyboard technique.
The sharp button adds another layer. Pressing it raises the selected chord’s notes by a semitone. Combining buttons within the same column can produce major-seventh, minor-seventh, diminished, and augmented chords. Combining buttons from different columns can create slash chords by replacing a chord’s fundamental with another note.
This is powerful, but it is not a universal chord-entry system. The sharp modifier’s behavior means some theoretically possible combinations cannot be reproduced exactly. Players who understand the button-to-note mapping will get more from the advanced chord functions than users expecting every chord to have a familiar piano-style shape.
What the touch harp does
The harp zone contains 12 vertically stacked touch sections. A section can be tapped for an individual note, held to sustain it, or swept across to create a strum-like gesture. Because the selected chord determines the musical context, the same physical movement can produce different note collections as the chord changes.
This interaction is what makes the Minichord feel like an instrument rather than simply a box of chord triggers. It supports the immediate, gesture-based play associated with the Omnichord idea while using a smaller digital surface and a programmable sound engine.
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Why it is a real synthesizer
The Minichord is sometimes described mainly as a compact Omnichord alternative, but that leaves out the most technically interesting part. Its two playing areas have distinct synthesis paths.
Chord section
The chord engine uses multiple modulated oscillators and noise, with vibrato and tremolo modulation. The signal can then be shaped with filtering and waveshaping before passing through delay and reverb.
Harp section
The harp engine uses a modulated string oscillator with vibrato and bend controls. Envelopes, low-pass filtering, waveshaping, delay, and reverb shape the resulting notes.
That architecture means the Minichord is not limited to replaying a set of recordings. It generates and processes sound in real time. The trade-off is that its small physical surface cannot expose every parameter at once, so deeper editing moves to a browser-based tool.
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Presets and sound editing
The Minichord stores 12 internal preset banks. Factory sounds can be replaced with custom patches, and presets can be shared with other users.
The three main knobs are assigned as follows:
- Top knob: chord-section volume.
- Middle knob: harp-section volume.
- Bottom knob: a parameter determined by the selected preset.
Each knob also has a secondary function. Hold the sharp button while turning a knob to access that additional assignment.
Sound design takes place in minicontrol, a browser-based editor rather than a downloadable DAW plug-in. The documented workflow is:
- Open minicontrol in a compatible desktop browser.
- Insert headphones or another 3.5-mm audio plug so the Minichord powers on.
- Connect it with a data-capable micro-USB cable. A charge-only cable will not work.
- Reload the page after connecting the hardware.
- Approve the browser request to control and reprogram MIDI devices.
- Select a preset and edit the parameters shown in the interface.
- Use the save, reset, share, or load commands as required.
The manual recommends Google Chrome on desktop because the editor depends on Web MIDI and SysEx support. Changing an on-screen control is not necessarily the same as permanently writing the change to the instrument: use the preset-management command to save the current settings to the selected bank.
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Discrete, continuous, and arpeggiator playback
The rhythm button changes how chord playback behaves:
- Discrete mode: the chord sounds only while its button is held.
- Continuous mode: the selected chord continues until another chord is chosen.
- Arpeggiator mode: a press longer than one second starts a 16-step pattern across the chord section’s four voices.
In arpeggiator mode, the rhythm button becomes a tap-tempo control. Depending on the active pattern, a chord change may wait for a strong beat rather than occurring immediately.
USB MIDI: two ports, not two audio outputs
When connected to a computer, the Minichord exposes two USB MIDI ports:
- One for the chord section.
- One for the harp section.
Both use MIDI channel 1. In software that distinguishes between MIDI ports, the two sections can be routed independently—for example, the chord section to one software instrument and the harp section to another. Applications that merge the ports or do not distinguish them may treat the Minichord as one MIDI source.
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This makes the device useful in two ways: it can be a self-contained sound source for portable playing, or a performance controller for external synthesizers and software instruments. It does not automatically replace a conventional keyboard, since its layout and note-generation model remain chord-centered.
Battery, charging, and power behavior
The manual lists a 500 mA charging current, a full charge time of less than three hours, and approximately seven hours of play time. These are manufacturer figures, not independent battery measurements. The assembly documentation lists a 1,000-mAh battery.
The instrument can be played while connected to USB power. When the low-battery LED begins pulsing, the manual says approximately 15 minutes of play time remain. The audio plug is also the power switch: inserting it turns the Minichord on, while removing it turns the instrument off.
Open source—but with different hardware and software licenses
Minichord is genuinely published as an open project, but “open source” needs qualification.
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- Hardware design files: Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International.
- Source code: BSD 3-Clause.
The software license is permissive, while the hardware license includes a noncommercial restriction. That means the published design can be studied and modified, but the hardware license should not be interpreted as permission to manufacture and sell unrestricted commercial clones. Check the individual files and repository terms before redistributing modified hardware or software.
The official source repository is the appropriate starting point for firmware and design files.
Can you build a Minichord?
Yes, in principle, but this is not a beginner-friendly weekend kit. The assembly documentation describes:
- A four-layer, 1.6-mm main PCB.
- A two-layer, 1.6-mm touch-zone PCB.
- Gerber manufacturing files.
- Surface-mount and through-hole components.
- A 1,000-mAh battery.
- Enclosure manufacturing and assembly.
- Firmware uploading and final testing.
Some integrated circuits require advanced SMD soldering. A DIY builder also needs access to PCB fabrication, suitable tools, enclosure work, battery integration, and the Teensy firmware process. Buying an assembled unit removes most of that work while preserving the ability to edit presets and study the published design.
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Firmware updates and preset risks
The documented firmware-update route uses PJRC’s Teensy Loader:
- Install Teensy Loader.
- Connect the battery.
- Connect the Minichord to a computer with a micro-USB cable.
- Insert the audio plug to power it on.
- Open Teensy Loader.
- Download the latest firmware
.hexfile from the Minichord Source section. - Drop the file into Teensy Loader.
- Use a thin pin through the reset hole on the back of the unit.
- Wait for “Download Complete” and “Reboot OK.”
Firmware changes can affect preset compatibility. The manual warns that older presets may sound incorrect or become incompatible after an update. Save or share important custom sounds first, and be prepared to use minicontrol’s Reset all banks function if necessary. That recovery restores factory settings, so it should not be treated as a harmless first step.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.Common problems and fixes
No sound
- Confirm that a headphone or audio plug is inserted.
- Check that the chord volume knob is not fully counterclockwise.
- Check the harp volume knob when testing the touch bar.
- Charge the battery.
The computer does not detect it
- Make sure the instrument is powered on through the audio jack.
- Try a USB cable that supports data, not charging only.
- Reload minicontrol after connecting the device.
- Approve the browser’s MIDI permission request.
- Use a browser with the required Web MIDI and SysEx support.
Preset edits disappear
Changing sliders does not necessarily save changes permanently. Use “Save current settings to selected bank.”
MIDI appears as one instrument
Your music software may be merging the two MIDI ports. Check whether it can address the chord and harp ports separately.
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Minichord versus an Omnichord
The comparison is most useful at the level of interaction philosophy. Both instruments make chord-and-strum performance approachable, but the Minichord is not a one-for-one replacement for every Omnichord model or use case.
| Area | Minichord | Omnichord-style alternative |
|---|---|---|
| Playing concept | Chord buttons plus touch harp | Chord-and-strum performance |
| Sound generation | Programmable digital synthesis | Depends on the particular Suzuki model |
| Editing | Browser-based preset editor | Depends on model and feature set |
| MIDI | Two USB MIDI ports for chord and harp sections | Depends on model |
| Open design | Published hardware and software resources | Generally a commercial closed product |
| Physical workflow | Compact, chord-centered, non-keyboard layout | Similar broad interaction idea, but different implementation |
Readers specifically seeking the original Suzuki sound, established commercial support, or a particular Omnichord model should evaluate those products separately. Readers seeking a small, modifiable, synth-based chord instrument may find the Minichord more compelling.
Who should buy or build one?
The Minichord is a strong fit for:
- Players who want quick chord progressions without a piano keyboard.
- Omnichord fans looking for a smaller digital instrument.
- Synth users interested in patch editing.
- Makers who want open hardware and modifiable firmware.
- Musicians seeking a compact USB MIDI controller with its own sound engine.
- Beginners who find chord-button layouts less intimidating than keyboards.
It is a weaker fit for:
- Pianists who need conventional chromatic control.
- Performers who require extensive front-panel synthesis controls.
- Users expecting USB-C, wireless MIDI, or a large display.
- Musicians looking for a mature workstation ecosystem.
- Buyers who want a completely maintenance-free appliance.
Current buying status
Early coverage described the Minichord as a project that might enter production. That is now outdated. As of August 18, 2026, the official Minichord site says it is available, and Seeed’s product page lists the assembled Minichord in stock at $169, SKU 114993647. The price and stock status are date- and warehouse-dependent, and shipping, taxes, and regional totals may differ.
The assembled product is the practical choice for musicians who want to play immediately. The DIY route is better for technically capable makers who value repairability, experimentation, and modification more than convenience.
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The Minichord succeeds because it combines an unusually approachable performance interface with a genuinely programmable digital sound engine. It is not merely a toy, a sample player, or a chord-only MIDI box. It is a compact synthesizer whose chord buttons and touch harp determine how that synthesis is played.
Its limitations are equally clear: the front panel offers only a small number of controls, deeper editing requires a compatible desktop browser, the connection still uses micro-USB, and the nonstandard chord system takes time to learn. Building one from scratch demands real electronics and fabrication skills.
For experimental players, makers, chord-based songwriters, Omnichord fans, and compact MIDI performers, those compromises are part of the appeal. The Minichord is best understood not as a replacement for a keyboard or full-size groovebox, but as a distinctive pocket instrument that makes complex digital synthesis accessible through a simple musical gesture: choose a chord and strum.
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