The HiChord went viral for a good reason: it is a pocket synth where one button plays a whole chord that fits your key, so anyone can strum out a progression in a minute. It is also $320, and not everyone wants a chord machine above all else. Here is what the HiChord actually does, how it compares to the Omnichord it is often measured against, and the best HiChord alternatives, from a free app to a $900 classic.
The short answer
The HiChord ($320, aluminum edition, in stock at its maker's store) is the best pocket chord machine if you want dedicated chord buttons, drums, a looper and MIDI. For the strum-harp original, the Suzuki Omnichord OM-108 (about $900). To try chord buttons for free, GarageBand on an iPhone or iPad. For beats, a Pocket Operator or EP-133 K.O. II. For chords and melody at once in your pocket, with no wrong notes and the ability to play along with a song, GLIDE (ours, $114.99).
Prices checked in October 2026 at US stores.
- What is the HiChord pocket synth?
- HiChord price, editions and availability
- HiChord looper, drums and MIDI
- HiChord vs Omnichord
- HiChord alternatives compared
- Should you get the HiChord or an alternative?
- HiChord FAQ
What is the HiChord pocket synth?
The HiChord is a pocket chord synthesizer from Pocket Audio. It first showed up as a prototype on TikTok, then launched on Kickstarter in May 2024, where MusicTech reported a huge first day of backing. MusicTech described the idea simply: pick a key, then each button plays a chord that fits it, so "users can never hit a bum note."
How you play it:
- Seven chord buttons play the seven chords of your key, one button each.
- A joystick with nine positions changes the chord you are holding: minor, sus, seventh, ninth and more.
- Three function buttons and a small screen that names the chord, so it doubles as a way to learn progressions.
- Play modes for strumming, arpeggios, drones and a single-note lead, so you can play a melody too.
It is small (about 4 x 2.8 x 1.1 inches), has a built-in speaker, a headphone jack and a rechargeable battery that charges over USB-C. The maker lists 30+ instruments, 28 chord types, 10 scales and six voices at once.
HiChord price, editions and availability
On the official HiChord store, the Black Aluminum Edition is $320 and marked "in stock, ships now". A Silver edition is also listed in stock, and earlier colors (Cosmic Blue, Moon Gray, Retro Cream) are marked as past editions. The store says it ships worldwide with duties prepaid, includes a carry case and USB-C cable, and offers 30-day returns and a one-year warranty.
A cheaper plastic edition has appeared at some US retailers in the past, but we could not confirm a current price for it, so check before you count on it. Collector colors on resale sites can sell for far more than the store price.
HiChord looper, drums and MIDI
This is where the HiChord is more than a chord toy. According to its maker it has:
- A six-track looper that records in sync, so you can stack chords, a bass line and a melody.
- A drum machine with 7 kits and 56 beat patterns.
- MIDI in and out over USB-C, plus a 3.5 mm TRS MIDI out, so it can play other synths or your computer.
- A built-in mic for sampling and a vocoder.
- A sequencer, an arpeggiator and effects like reverb, delay and chorus.
That is a lot in one pocket. If those features are what you are after, few things at this size match it.
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Plus first dibs on every new batch and every new build. Your code comes in the welcome email.
HiChord vs Omnichord
The HiChord is often called a pocket Omnichord, and the two share the same big idea: one button, one chord. They feel quite different, though.
| HiChord | Suzuki Omnichord OM-108 | |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $320 | About $900 |
| Size | Lap or tabletop | |
| How chords work | 7 buttons for your key, joystick for chord color | A grid of chord buttons, 108 chord types |
| Strumming | A strum mode, plus arpeggio and drone modes | The famous touch strumplate, played like a harp |
| Drums | 7 kits, 56 patterns | 10 rhythm patterns |
| Looper | Six tracks | None listed |
| MIDI | In and out | Out only |
| Power | Rechargeable, USB-C | 8 AA batteries or an adapter (sold separately) |
Pick the Omnichord OM-108 if you want that shimmering strum sound and a classic you can put on a table. Pick the HiChord if you want it in a pocket with a looper. Our Omnichord alternatives guide goes deeper on strum-style instruments.
HiChord alternatives compared
The right alternative depends on why the HiChord caught your eye: the chords, the beats, the price, or just playing music without learning theory. Here they are by price (US retail, checked October 2026):
| Instrument | Price | Details |
|---|---|---|
| HiChord | $320 |
Chords: Yes, 7 buttons Melody: Yes Speaker: Yes Drums: Yes Looper: 6 tracks MIDI: In and out Battery: Rechargeable |
| Omnichord OM-108 | About $900 |
Chords: Yes, button grid Melody: Yes Speaker: Yes Drums: Rhythms Looper: No MIDI: Out Battery: 8 AA |
| Orchid | $649 |
Chords: Yes Melody: Yes Speaker: Stereo Drums: Yes Looper: Yes MIDI: Out Battery: Rechargeable |
| EP-133 K.O. II | $329 |
Chords: No Melody: Yes Speaker: Yes Drums: Yes Looper: Sequencer MIDI: In and out Battery: 4 AAA |
| Pocket Operator PO-33 | $99 |
Chords: No Melody: Samples Speaker: Yes Drums: Yes Looper: Sequencer MIDI: No Battery: 2 AAA |
| Stylophone S-1 | About $25 |
Chords: No Melody: One note Speaker: Yes Drums: No Looper: No MIDI: No Battery: 3 AA |
| GarageBand (iPhone, iPad) | Free |
Chords: Chord strips Melody: Yes Speaker: Your device Drums: Yes Looper: Live Loops MIDI: Yes Battery: Your device |
| GLIDE (ours) | $114.99 |
Chords: Yes, bottom row Melody: Yes, 3 rows Speaker: Yes Drums: No Looper: 1 button MIDI: No Battery: 7 to 12 h |
Suzuki Omnichord OM-108
The original chord machineSuzuki's 2024 reissue of the instrument that started it all. Press a chord button and brush the strumplate for a harp-like sweep, with 10 rhythm patterns and a keyboard mode for melodies. About $900 at US stores (Musician's Friend showed $886.48, backordered, when we checked). Bigger and pricier than the HiChord, and nothing else sounds quite like it.
Telepathic Instruments Orchid
Songwriting chord synthCo-founded by Kevin Parker of Tame Impala. You pick a root on a one-octave keyboard and the chord type with buttons, with built-in stereo speakers, a looper, beats and MIDI out. It has sold in limited drops for $649 from Telepathic Instruments' own site. A desktop instrument rather than a pocket one, and the richest chords on this list.
Teenage Engineering EP-133 K.O. II
Sampler and beatmakerIf the HiChord's drum machine and looper were the draw, this is a beat machine first: 12 pads, a built-in mic and speaker, a sequencer and MIDI, on four AAA batteries or USB-C. $329. It does not play chords for you. Our Pocket Operator alternatives guide covers it and its siblings.
Teenage Engineering Pocket Operator PO-33 K.O!
Pocket samplerA calculator-sized sampler with a mic and speaker for $99. Brilliant for beats and loops, not built for playing chords live.
Stylophone S-1
Cheap and cheerfulAbout $25. A stylus on a metal keyboard, one buzzy note at a time. A great small gift, but it plays no chords at all. See our Stylophone alternatives guide for where people go next.
GarageBand on iPhone or iPad
Free appThe free way to try chord buttons before you spend anything. GarageBand's Guitar has Chord Strips: tap a strip for a whole chord or swipe it to strum, with autoplay patterns, plus drums and Live Loops. It is free from Apple. The trade-off is a glass screen instead of real buttons.
GLIDE
Pocket synthFull disclosure: we make this one. GLIDE is not a chord-button machine. It is a pocket synth where the bottom row plays chords, or taps out a chord progression that loops, while the three rows above play melody. Scale lock is on from the first press, so there are no wrong notes, and notes slide into each other like a string. Hold two keys and it can listen to a song through its mic and retune itself to that song's key and tempo. Tilt it to change the sound, catch an idea on the one-button looper, or tap Randomize for a brand-new sound. For a HiChord-style feel, chord mode makes every key play its whole chord. It has a speaker and a headphone jack, runs 7 to 12 hours per charge, and ships built and tested with a microSD sound library. Updates are free once it's yours. It has no drum machine and no MIDI, so if you need those, the HiChord is the better buy. $114.99.
New to the gear words in this list? Our guide to what a synthesizer is explains them in plain English.
Should you get the HiChord or an alternative?
Get the HiChord if
- You want dedicated chord buttons and a joystick for chord color.
- You want drums, a multi-track looper and MIDI in one pocket box.
- You want to learn progressions: the screen names every chord.
- $320 fits the budget.
Get an alternative if
- You want the classic strum sound: Omnichord OM-108.
- You want to try chord buttons for free: GarageBand.
- You care most about beats: EP-133 or a Pocket Operator.
- You want chords and melody at once, with no wrong notes, for under $120: GLIDE.
- You want to play along with songs you already love: GLIDE.
Honest take: if chord buttons are the whole reason you want one, buy the HiChord. If what you really want is to make music in your pocket that sounds good right away, there is more than one way to get there, and you can try GLIDE in your browser at the bottom of this page.
HiChord FAQ
How much is the HiChord?
The HiChord Black Aluminum Edition is $320 on the official HiChord store, where it was listed in stock and shipping when we checked in October 2026. Older colors are listed as past editions.
Does the HiChord have a looper and drums?
Yes. Its maker lists a six-track synchronized looper and a drum machine with 7 kits and 56 beat patterns, plus MIDI in and out over USB-C.
Is the HiChord better than an Omnichord?
Neither is better, they suit different players. The HiChord is a $320 pocket chord synth with a looper and drums. The Suzuki Omnichord OM-108 costs about $900, is much bigger, and has the touch strumplate that gives the Omnichord its famous harp-like sound.
What is a cheaper alternative to the HiChord?
GarageBand on an iPhone or iPad is free and has chord strips you tap or strum. For real buttons in your pocket, GLIDE costs $114.99 and plays chords on its bottom row with melody above, always in key, though it has no drum machine or MIDI.
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