"Don’t mean to throw you for a loop, but… meet NIBBI.
The folks at Chase Bliss and CHOMPI Club released CHOMPI’s firmware under the MIT license [see the announcement post], so I’ve adapted it to run in your DAW as a VST, Audio Unit, and AAX plugin for Pro Tools.
Record and sample sounds, play them across the keyboard, layer tape-style loops, and get weird with lo-fi saturation, wow and flutter, delay, reverb, and filters.
Big thanks to Chase Bliss and CHOMPI Club for opening this up!
"Our little pal CHOMPI is officially being discontinued.
That's the bad news.
The good news is that we've decided to make it open source as a result. You now have everything you need to edit firmware, create your own firmware from scratch, and even physically build a DIY CHOMPI of your own.
We're also releasing a new beta firmware called WAVE – a wavetable synth – that's available for everyone to play with, and an ideal starting point for open source work.
You can find everything you need to get started on the CHOMPI website.
"This video shows you 10+ ways to push a chromatic sampler and take the sound design of your samples to the next level. It uses the Chase Bliss Chompi sampler for demonstration purposes, but the sound design techniques can be applied to just about any other chromatic sampler or DAW. Table of contents and notes below. You can support me on Patreon, where you’ll also find a bonus video that complements this one and shows you 5 more tricks (link in pinned comment).
"We're no longer pursuing what we've been calling "CHOMPI 1.5" at this time.
You may remember we made an announcement last year that we would be starting to manufacture CHOMPI ourselves going forward. The plan was to make a backwards-compatible CHOMPI that would have slightly different hardware from the original but the same processor, so that no matter what CHOMPI you bought you would have access to the same firmware.
Well, that turned out to be a pretty bad idea.
The main reason is that we started to bump into the limits of what that processor was capable of while making the new TEMPO firmware. The manufacturing process was also turning into a bit of a puzzle, and so we found ourselves in the position of essentially recreating an existing product that was already maxed out. It would have been time-consuming, expensive, and limiting for future ideas. It just didn’t make sense.
So that leaves us in the awkward spot we’re in now. Sorry.
Chelsea and Tobias are still working here and we’ll be continuing to support CHOMPI – we’re leaving the door open for what’s next – but at this specific moment we are not working on or planning any new CHOMPI products."
"It's pretty well-documented that Joel loves CHOMPI, but we never really took a moment to show you why. So here's that moment. Honestly, we thought there would be more talking involved in this video, but instead Joel just made a bunch of insane beats. Sometimes actions speak louder than words."
0:00 - Intro
0:37 - Jam 1
1:24 - "We like to make sounds with our mouths"
2:53 - Some thoughts on CHOMPI
3:27 - Jam 2
4:27 - Jam 3
5:15 - Bye bye
"I recently spent an evening exploring the Chompi Club running the Tempo firmware together with a few of my favorite effects pedals and recorded these three ambient sketches.
Rather than choosing one myself, I thought it would be interesting to share all three and hear your impressions.
Which sketch resonates with you the most: A, B, or C?
I'd love to know not only your favorite, but also why it connects with you.
Chapters
00:00 Sketch A
04:32 Sketch B
09:22 Sketch C
Signal chain:
Chompi Club (Tempo Firmware) → Chase Bliss Onward → Chase Bliss Lost+Found → Old Blood Noise Endeavors Bathing Liminal Delay → AC Noises Ricorda → KMA Audio Machines Stereo Headphone Amp
Recorded in stereo with Zoom H4n Pro.
🎥 All sounds and visuals by The Pedalboard Orchestra
🔊 Recording & mastering by The Pedalboard Orchestra
⚠️ This is not a sponsored video — all equipment was personally purchased"
"While testing my new KMA Audio Machines headphone amplifier, I stumbled upon this little musical moment.
Chompi Club runs a simple sequence into the Chase Bliss Onward, then through a parallel reverb setup with the EarthQuaker Devices Afterneath and Chase Bliss Dark World.
My wife heard it and suggested I record it before it disappeared, so this is a completely spontaneous one-take recording captured with a Zoom recorder while I was simultaneously holding a phone camera and playing the instruments.
Sometimes the unplanned moments are worth keeping."
The new TEMPO firmware will change your CHOMPI into an entirely new instrument. It’s an alternate imagining of what CHOMPI would be like as a groovebox – a syncable pattern-maker that is hands-on and as intuitive as possible.
"A complete walkthrough of Chompi and its recently released Tape 2.0 firmware, providing an in-depth demo and tutorial on all its features. Following the structure of Chompi's manual, it’s organized like a video game that gradually builds up your understanding of Chompi, starting at level 0 and going to level 8 (plus a bonus level). If you already have a Chompi, you can use this video as a reference guide/video manual. If you don't have one, you can use it to learn about this chromatic sampler from Chase Bliss and Chompi Club.
Table of contents:
0:00 - Intro / Preview
1:24 - Level 00: Hardware 1. Summarize Chompi in one sentence 2. Identify the external parts 3. Connect cables 4. Power up
"This is a story I've been wanting to tell for a long time.
CHOMPI is quite possibly the most cheerful instrument ever made, and to be fair that is the resting state of Tobias and Chelsea (and their two corgis). But the unexpected success of CHOMPI and everything that led up to it was quite a saga. Truth be told, Tobias was reluctant to tell this story at all, but I think it's important you know where CHOMPI is coming from and how much heart goes into it.
Also, things are different now. We're doing this together.
"We say... A pre-owned Chompi Club Chompi in excellent condition. It comes with original packaging and accessories.
Manufacturer's description Chompi is a quirky, chromatic sampler and tape music instrument, inviting you into the magical world of sound design. With its unique stereo sampling engine, expressive multi-effects and varispeed “tape” style looper; Chompi is ready for immediate fun.
Special care was taken with sourcing quality materials for Chompi's hardware, but many aspects of the platform have also been designed with user customization in mind. The modular panel enclosure, MX mechanical key switches and keycaps, and DJ-style encoder knobs can all be customized and retrofitted by the user to match their own unique style.
Chompi's workflow is designed to be user-friendly and accessible to individuals of all experience levels… So whether you’ve been playing music for years, or are just starting your sonic journey, Chompi just might become your new favorite buddy!
"I spent the whole summer working on the soundtrack of a new immersive show that carried me to a distant country—one that feels strangely close to my own world. Along the way, I discovered words and images I had never known, yet they started resonating within me, offering sudden, immense epiphanies.
Today I sat down without a storyboard to guide me, and I played—reliving in sound this paradoxical time: absurdly still, yet absurdly alive."
"... I come here every day, say hello to the butterflies, and talk about things with them. When the time comes, though, they just quietly go off and disappear. I'm sure it means they've died, but I can never find their bodies. They don't leave any trace behind. It's like they've been absorbed by the air. They're dainty little creatures that hardly exist at all: they come out of nowhere, search quietly for a few, limited things, and disappear into nothingness again, perhaps to some other world.
(Haruki Murakami, 1Q84)"
"At Superbooth 2024,* Chelsea from *Chompy shared insights into the design process behind the *Chompy Synthesizer and Sampler*. As the COO at *Chompy*, Chelsea emphasized the goal of creating an inviting and playful instrument that breaks the barrier to entry for music enthusiasts. Drawing inspiration from their experience in electronic music education, Chelsea highlighted the importance of making music-making a fun and enjoyable experience, free from intimidation. The customizable features of the *Chompy*, such as interchangeable panel sets, keycaps, and knobs, offer users the opportunity to personalize their instrument and foster creativity in the music production process.
For more information on the Chompy Synthesizer and Sampler and its customizable options, visit the Chompi Website and stay tuned for exciting colorways and collaborations, including the Chase Bliss Chompy Club partnership.
"At Superbooth 2024, Sonic State caught up with Tobias from Chompi Club to discuss their latest release, the limited edition colorway collaboration with Chase Bliss*. The *Chompi *sampler offers chromatic and one-shot sampling, basic sound design features, and built-in effects like delay, reverb, tape saturation, tape warble, and filters. The firmware update allows for proper send and return with external effects, expanding the sound possibilities. *Chompi pedals are stereo, providing a unique resampling capability where users can bring back the signal and re-sample it, creating complex textures and ambient pads quickly.
Additionally, the Chompi *also features a unique looper function where all samples can be loops and vice versa. Users can add effects like glitch and create interesting textures through live audio manipulation. Pre-orders for the special edition *Chompi are currently available on their website, with shipping expected by mid-July. For more information and to purchase, visit the Chompi Club website or contact their retailers worldwide."
