Manual | HiChord

00

Quick Start

Seven chord buttons. Zero wrong notes. Turn on using the power button on top, plug in headphones (or use the built-in speaker), and press any button.

The screen shows the current chord name. The volume wheel controls volume.

Step 1 — Press any button. It plays a chord.

All 7 buttons work together — press them in any order and they always sound good together.

2

4

6

1

3

5

7

Tap the buttons above to see the layout. On the real device, each one plays a full chord.

What's a chord?

Three or more notes played together. Each button plays a different chord. The name appears on the screen (like "C", "Dm", "G").

How do the 7 buttons work together?

The 7 buttons follow a pattern used in almost all music. Each button has a role:

This pattern is called the diatonic scale — a set of 7 chords that naturally fit together. It's the foundation of nearly all Western music. HiChord maps it to the buttons so you can play it without thinking about it.

See the notes

Tap a chord button, then try a joystick direction to see which piano keys light up.

↖

Dreamy

Augmented

↑

Maj/Min

Flips bright/dark

↗

Bluesy

Dom 7th

←

Dark

Diminished

Base

→

Jazzy

Maj 7th

↙

Sweet

6th / Sus2

↓

Open

Sus4

↘

Lush

9th

2

4

6

1

3

5

7

—

Key of C — 2 octaves

Step 2 — Hold a button. Push the stick.

While holding a chord button, push the joystick in any direction. Each direction changes the chord's character — try it in the explorer above. Let go and it returns to normal.

The joystick also presses in like a button — you'll use this in Step 4 to start the looper.

Step 3 — The menu buttons.

The three colored buttons at the top control your key, your sound, and your play mode.

Key

Sound

Mode

1

Press the gray button to open the key menu.

2

Joystick left/right to change key. Up/down to shift the octave (higher or lower pitch).

What's a key?

A key is a family of notes that sound good together. Changing the key shifts all 7 buttons to a new family. Just pick whatever sounds best to you.

Change the instrument

1

Press the yellow button to open the sound menu.

2

Press again to go to the next sound, or push the joystick left/right to scroll through them.

FM E.PianoWarm, soft keys

StringsSmooth, cinematic

PianoAcoustic

SawBright synth

VibraphoneBell-like

HarpDelicate

FM OrganClassic organ

CellosRich, warm

30+ instruments total.

Add effects

1

Press yellow to open sound menu.

2

Push joystick up to open effects.

3

Joystick left/right to browse effects. Push joystick up to turn on/off or cycle options. Turn the volume wheel to adjust intensity.

ReverbAdds space

DelayAdds echo

ChorusWider, richer

FilterBrighter / darker

TremoloPulsing

FlangerSwooshing

What do these effects do?

ReverbLike playing in a room, hall, or cathedral

DelayRepeats your sound like an echo

ChorusLayers copies for a wider, thicker sound

FilterLike a tone knob — brighter or darker

Start with these:

Play

Press = full chord

Strum

Notes roll like guitar

Lead

One note at a time

Drums

Each button = a drum

See all modes

Arp

Notes cycle up and down automatically

Beat

Auto drum patterns that play along

Drone

Holds your chord sound forever

Sequencer

Build repeating note patterns step by step

Chord Hiro

Guides you through chord progressions to learn songs

Mixer

Mute, solo, and adjust your loop tracks

Step 4 — Record. Layer. Make a song.

Record yourself playing, then switch to a different sound and record another part on top. Build up a full song with up to 6 layers.

Record your first loop

1

Press the joystick in (push it straight down like a button) to open the looper.

2

Press again to start recording. A metronome countdown plays first — just start playing along with it.

3

Play chords while it records.

4

Press to stop. Your recording loops forever and keeps playing back.

Add another layer

While your first loop plays, switch to a different instrument (press yellow) and press the joystick to record again. The new layer automatically syncs to your first loop. You can keep layering — up to 6 tracks total.

What the screen shows

Filled = playing back

Outline = empty

R = recording now

Track 1

PLAYING

Track 2

PLAYING

Track 3

REC

Track 4

—

Track 5

—

Track 6

—

The screen shows 2 tracks at a time. Push joystick left/right to switch between pages. The shape (circle, square, triangle) tells you which page you're on — all tracks work the same.

Auto-sleep: HiChord sleeps after 30 seconds of inactivity to save battery. Press any button to wake it up.

Charging: Plug in any USB-C cable to charge. HiChord works while charging. A full charge lasts several hours.

Connect to a DAW: HiChord sends MIDI over USB — plug it into your computer and it shows up as a MIDI device in any DAW. See section 10: Connections for USB audio and MIDI details.

That's the basics. Keep scrolling for the full manual — every feature, explained step by step.

01

Your HiChord

Now that you've played your first chords, here's a deeper look at each part of your HiChord.

Connections & ports

Along the top edge of the device you'll find:

Part	Details
Power switch	Red slider on the top edge. Slide to turn on/off.
3.5mm jack	Headphone / line out. Auto-mutes the speaker when plugged in. Works with any standard headphones or aux cable.
USB-C	Charges the battery, sends MIDI to your computer, and can carry USB audio (see section 10).
Speaker	Built-in mono speaker on the left panel. Good for practice; headphones give the full stereo sound.
Mic	Built-in microphone below the volume wheel. Used for vocoder, tuner, and sampling (Batch 4+).
OLED Screen	Shows chord names, menus, looper state, battery level, and current settings.

The 3 menu buttons in depth

Each colored button opens a different menu. Press a button, use the joystick to navigate its menu, then press the button again (or wait) to close it. Here's what you can reach from each one:

Gray — Key & Settings

Left/Right: change key
Up/Down: shift octave
+ Wheel: attack time

Yellow — Sounds & Effects

Left/Right: change sound
Up: enter effects list
+ Wheel: release time

Red — Modes & Tempo

Left/Right: change mode
Up: BPM menu
+ Wheel: filter cutoff

What's a "Batch"? HiChord has shipped in batches with hardware improvements. Features marked "Batch 4+" (mic, vocoder, tuner, slash chords, TRS MIDI) require the newer hardware. Check the bottom of your device or ask support.

02

Playing Chords

Press a button, hear a chordChordThree or more notes played together. Think of it as a "team" of notes that create a mood.. All 7 buttons always sound good together — it's impossible to make a mistake.

The 7 buttons

Each button plays a specific chord in whatever key you're in. Here's what they do in the default key of C:

Button	Degree	Type	In C	Feeling
1	IScale DegreeRoman numerals show a chord's position in the key. Uppercase = major, lowercase = minor.	MajorMajor ChordBright, happy-sounding. Built from the 1st, 3rd, and 5th notes of the scale.	C Major	Home base
2	ii	MinorMinor ChordDarker, more emotional. The 3rd note is lowered by one half step compared to major.	D minor	Gentle, soft
3	iii	Minor	E minor	Darker mood
4	IV	Major	F Major	Lift, openness
5	V	Major	G Major	Tension, energy
6	vi	Minor	A minor	Emotional
7	vii°	DimDiminished ChordTense and unstable — both the 3rd and 5th notes are lowered. Creates suspense.	B dim	Suspense

Try this now: Press 1 → 5 → 6 → 4. That's the most popular chord progressionChord ProgressionA sequence of chords played in order — the backbone of every song. in pop music. You'll recognize it from hundreds of songs.

Changing key

The key determines which notes the 7 buttons play. Change key and the same button numbers give you a completely different sound world.

1

Press to open the key menu.

2

Joystick Left/Right to pick any of the 12 keys: C, C#, D, D#, E, F, F#, G, G#, A, A#, B.

The relationships between buttons stay the same — only the pitch changes.

OctaveOctaveThe same note played higher or lower. Moving up one octave makes the sound brighter; down makes it deeper. shifting

Make things sound higher or lower — useful for creating bass lines or bright melodies.

Shift one Chord Button

Want button 1 to play a deep bass note while the others stay normal? Shift just that button.

1

Hold the Chord Button you want to shift.

2

While holding it, press to shift down one octave. Press again to go lower (−2 max).

3

Or press to shift up one octave (+1 max).

Shift all Chord Buttons at once

1

Press to open the key menu.

2

Joystick Up/Down to shift everything. Range: −1 to +2 octaves.

BPM (tempo)

Controls the speed of delay, arpeggios, drum loops, sequencer, and metronome. Range: 40–300.

1

Press , then Joystick Up to enter BPM menu.

2

Left/right to adjust. Range: 40–300 BPM.

Tap Tempo: Tap three or more times in rhythm to set BPM by feel instead of numbers.

InversionsInversionSame chord, different arrangement. The lowest note changes — like reshuffling a hand of cards.

An inversion rearranges which note is on the bottom. Same three notes, but a different one is lowest — giving the chord a different color. Think of it like reshuffling a hand of cards.

How to invert

1

Hold a Chord Button (e.g. button 1 for C Major).

2

While holding it, press . Each press cycles: Root → 1st Inversion → 2nd Inversion → Root.

Use inversions to make chord transitions smoother. Instead of jumping around the keyboard, the notes stay close together.

Turn on Voice LeadingVoice LeadingEach note moves the shortest distance to the next chord. Makes progressions sound smooth and connected. in effects ( → up → navigate to VOICE LEAD) and HiChord picks the smoothest inversion automatically.

Chord Lock

Normally, pushing the joystick changes a chord temporarily — release and it snaps back. Chord Lock makes the change permanent, so that button always plays the modified chord. For example, you could lock button 5 to always play a Dom7, giving your progressions a bluesy feel without holding the joystick every time.

1

Hold a Chord Button + push joystick to the modification you want (e.g. right for Maj7).

2

While holding both, press . Screen shows "LOCKED".

To unlock: repeat the same steps. Locked chords transfer when you change keys.

Slash chordsSlash ChordWritten "Em/C" — a chord with a different bass note. Like playing a chord with your right hand and a bass note with your left. (Batch 4+)

A slash chord uses a different bass note under a normal chord — like playing "C/E" (C major chord with E as the lowest note). It creates smoother bass movement between chords.

How to enable

First, turn on Bass mode in effects:

1

Press → Joystick Up to enter effects.

2

Left/right until you see BASS.

3

Press up to cycle: OFF → ROOT → SLASH.

Mode	What happens
OFF	No bass voice (default). All 6 voices play the chord.
ROOT	Adds a bass note 2 octaves below the chord root. Good for fullness.
SLASH	The bass note follows a different scale degree. Hold one Chord Button for the bass, press another for the chord. Screen shows "Em/C".

Try this: Set Bass to SLASH. Hold button 1 (C bass) and press button 6 (Am chord). You get Am/C — the same chord with a warmer, grounded feel. Walk the bass down: 1→6→5→4 while keeping the same chord on top.

03

The Joystick

This is where it gets expressive. Hold a Chord Button, push the joystick in any direction, and the chord changes character — adding notes, removing them, or altering them. Release to snap back. 3 joystick modes give you 28 different chord voicingsVoicingA variation of a chord — same root, different color. Adding a 7th, removing the 3rd, or raising the 5th are all different voicings. at your fingertips.

Default Mode

Start here. Covers pop, rock, soul, and everything in between.

↖

Dreamy

AugAugmentedThe 5th is raised, creating a floating, unresolved, dreamy quality. Common in Beatles songs.

↑

Flip

Maj ↔ Min

↗

Bluesy

Dom7Dominant 7thA major chord with a flatted 7th. The classic blues and rock sound — creates tension that wants to resolve.

←

Dark

Dim / Min

→

Jazzy

Maj7Major 7thSmooth, sophisticated, lush — the sound of bossa nova and neo-soul. / min7

↙

Sweet

6th6th ChordSweet, nostalgic — think old jazz standards and doo-wop. / Sus2

↓

Open

Sus4Suspended 4thThe 3rd is replaced by the 4th. Creates an open, unresolved feeling — like a question.

↘

Lush

9th9th ChordA chord with the 9th added on top. Rich, colorful, modern.

What each direction does to the chord

Every direction changes specific notes inside the chord. Here's exactly what happens, using the key of C as an example (button 1 = C Major: C-E-G):

Direction	Chord Change	What it does (theory)	Example in C
↑ Up	Maj ↔ Min	Flips the 3rd — raises it a half step (minor→major) or lowers it (major→minor). Changes the chord's emotional character between bright and dark.	C (C-E-G) → Cm (C-E♭-G)
↗ Up-Right	Dom7	Adds a flatted 7th note on top of a major chord. Creates bluesy tension that wants to resolve.	C (C-E-G) → C7 (C-E-G-B♭)
→ Right	Maj7 / min7	Adds the natural 7th to the chord. On major chords, gives a smooth jazz feel. On minor chords, adds mellow warmth.	C → CMaj7 (C-E-G-B) Am → Am7 (A-C-E-G)
↘ Down-Right	9th	Adds the 9th (same as the 2nd note of the scale, but an octave higher). Makes chords sound modern and colorful.	C → Cadd9 (C-E-G-D)
↓ Down	Sus4	Replaces the 3rd with the 4th. Removes the major/minor quality entirely, creating an open, unresolved sound.	C (C-E-G) → Csus4 (C-F-G)
↙ Down-Left	6th / Sus2	On major chords, adds the 6th note for a sweet, nostalgic quality. On minor chords, replaces the 3rd with the 2nd (sus2).	C → C6 (C-E-G-A) Dm → Dsus2 (D-E-A)
← Left	Dim / Min	Makes the chord darker. Major chords become minor (lowers the 3rd). Minor chords become diminished (also lowers the 5th). Maximum darkness.	C (C-E-G) → Cm (C-E♭-G) Dm (D-F-A) → Ddim (D-F-A♭)
↖ Up-Left	Aug	Raises the 5th by a half step. Creates a floating, unresolved, dreamy quality.	C (C-E-G) → Caug (C-E-G♯)

Major and minor chords react differently to the same direction. For example, Right adds a Maj7 on major chords but a min7 on minor chords. Experiment with both to hear the difference.

Try this: Hold button 1 and slowly push the joystick in every direction. Listen to how each one changes the mood. Then do the same on button 6 — minor chords react differently than major ones.

Extended Mode

Richer jazz and R&B colors. Switch to it in effects ( → up → JOYSTICK → up).

Direction	Result	What changes	Vibe
↑ Up	Major ↔ Minor	Flips the 3rd up or down a half step	Flip bright/dark
↓ Down	Dom7#9Dom 7 Sharp 9The "Hendrix Chord." A crunchy clash between major and minor. Iconic in "Purple Haze."	Adds flat 7th AND sharp 9th — both major and minor 3rds clash on purpose	Hendrix crunch
← Left	Sus4+7	Replaces the 3rd with the 4th, adds the flat 7th	Suspended tension
→ Right	Add11Add 11The 11th (same as the 4th, but higher up) is added without replacing any note. Spacious and modern.	Adds the 11th (= 4th, but an octave up) on top without removing any notes	Open, modern
↖	Half-dim7Half-Diminished 7thBittersweet and jazzy — the classic "ii" chord in minor key jazz.	Lowers the 3rd, lowers the 5th, adds flat 7th (minor chord with a flat 5)	Bittersweet
↗	Dom9	Adds flat 7th + 9th — a dom7 chord with the 2nd scale note on top	Smooth funk
↙	Add9	Adds the 9th (= 2nd, up an octave) without a 7th — simpler than a full 9th chord	Warm sparkle
↘	Min11	Minor chord + flat 7th + 11th — stacks 5 notes for a wide, open sound	Modal, open

Chromatic Mode

Two features in one. With a chord held: advanced jazz voicings and altered dominants (see table below). Without a chord held: push left/right to shift the entire key up or down by one semitoneSemitoneThe smallest musical step — one fret on guitar, one piano key to the next. 12 semitones = one octave. (e.g. C → C# → D). This lets you modulate to any key mid-performance without opening the key menu.

Direction	Result	What changes	Vibe
↑ Up	Min(Maj7)Minor Major 7thA minor chord with a natural 7th. The classic "James Bond" chord.	Minor chord + natural (not flat) 7th — an unusual pairing that sounds dramatic	Film noir
↓ Down	Maj13Major 13thLush and orchestral — stacking notes up to the 13th.	Stacks the 7th, 9th, and 13th (= 6th up an octave) on top of the chord	Full, warm
← Left	Half-dim7	Lowers the 3rd, lowers the 5th, adds flat 7th — minor with a flat 5	Dark jazz
→ Right	6/96/9 ChordA major chord with both the 6th and 9th. A jazz standard ending chord.	Adds both the 6th and the 9th — a classic jazz ending voicing	Smooth landing
↖	Maj7#11Maj7 Sharp 11Lydian-flavored — the raised 11th gives an ethereal, "floating upward" quality.	Adds natural 7th + raised 11th (= raised 4th up an octave). Lydian flavor.	Ethereal, Lydian
↗	Dom13	Flat 7th + 9th + 13th — a dominant 7th chord with extra color notes stacked on top	Rich tension
↙	Dom7b9Dom7 Flat 9Dark, Spanish-flavored tension. Common in flamenco and minor-key jazz.	Flat 7th + flatted 9th — the lowered 9th adds dark, Spanish tension	Spanish, dark
↘	Dom7altAltered DominantMaximum jazz tension — both 5th and 9th are altered. The "spiciest" chord available.	Flat 7th + altered 5th + altered 9th — everything shifted for maximum dissonance	Maximum spice

Switching joystick modes

1

Press , then Joystick Up to enter effects.

2

Left/right until you see JOYSTICK, then up to cycle: DEFAULT → EXTENDED → CHROMATIC.

04

Sounds

30+ instruments built in. Four synthesis engines, from classic analog to real instrument samples. New sounds added with firmware updates.

Quick select (fastest way)

Hold , then press a Chord Button:

+ Button	Sound	Engine
1	Saw	Analog
2	Sine	Analog
3	FM E.Piano	FM
4	FM HX7	FM
5	Strings	Sample
6	Clarinet	Sample
7	FM Bell	FM

Browse all sounds

Press , then left/right to scroll through all sounds. The screen shows the name and an animated icon for each sound.

Try this: Pick any sound, play 6 → 4 → 1 → 5. Now switch to a completely different sound and play the same thing. Same chords, completely different feeling.

Full sound list

These are the sounds you can browse with the joystick. The list may grow with firmware updates.

Analog

Saw

Bright, buzzy, harmonically rich

Analog

Sine

Pure, clean fundamental tone

Analog

Triangle

Soft, mellow, flute-like

Analog

Square

Hollow, retro, 8-bit character

FM

FM E.Piano

Classic DX7 Rhodes-style keys

FM

FM Bell

Crystalline, glass-like bells

Sample

Piano

Upright piano

Sample

Strings

Orchestral string ensemble

Hybrid

Juno Poly

Classic Juno-106 polysynth pad

Sample

Flute

Airy, breathy woodwind

Sample

Brass

Horn section ensemble

Hybrid

Ocean Pad

Ambient noise + FM wash

Sample

Clarinet

Warm woodwind

Sample

Wurli

Wurlitzer electric piano

Sample

Vox Ahh

Choir vocal pad

Sample

Vibraphone

Bell-like mallet percussion

Sample

Acoustic

Acoustic guitar

Sample

Harp

Delicate plucked strings

Sample

Humming

Soft human humming

Sample

Robbo

Punchy synth bass

Sample

Shutter

Percussive, clicky hit

Hybrid

SawSquare

Layered saw + square wave

Special

Mic Sample

Record from mic (Batch 4+)

Special

User Sample

Upload via Companion App

Mic Samples are temporary — lost when you power off. Save important samples to a preset or re-record them after restarting.

05

Effects

Layer reverbReverbSimulates the echo of a space — from small room to cathedral., delayDelayRepeats your sound after a set time. Syncs to your BPM., chorusChorusLayers slightly detuned copies for a wider, shimmering sound., and more on top of any instrument.

How to get there

1

Press to open the sounds menu.

2

Joystick Up to enter the effects list. The screen shows the first effect name.

3

Left/right to browse effects. Up to toggle on/off or cycle options. Volume wheel to adjust intensity where applicable.

Every effect, explained

All effects are in the same menu. Browse left/right to find the one you want, then use Joystick Up to change it.

Effect	Press up	Extra controls
Reverb	Toggles ON / OFF	No extra controls. Adds spacious room/hall echo to everything you play.
Delay	Cycles: OFF → 1/4 → 1/8 → 1/16 → 1/16T	Echoes repeat at the selected musical interval. 1/4 = one echo per beat (slowest). 1/8 = twice per beat. 1/16 = four times per beat (fast). 1/16T = triplet sixteenths (rolling). Synced to BPM.
Chorus	Toggles ON / OFF	No extra controls. Adds a shimmering, stereo-widened copy of your sound.
Flanger	Toggles ON / OFF	No extra controls. Jet-plane sweeping effect.
TremoloTremoloRapidly varies the volume, creating a pulsing or stuttering effect. Like someone quickly turning the volume knob up and down.	Cycles: OFF → 1/4 → 1/8 → 1/16 → 1/16T → 1/32	Volume pulses on and off at the selected rate, synced to BPM. 1/4 = gentle breathing (once per beat). 1/16 = rapid stutter. 1/32 = extreme chop.
LFO	Cycles: OFF → LOW → MED → HIGH	VibratoVibratoA slight, rapid pitch wobble — like a singer adding warmth to a held note. — rapidly wobbles the pitch up and down. LOW is subtle warmth, HIGH is dramatic warble. Best on sustained notes and pads.
FilterLow-Pass FilterCuts out high frequencies, making the sound darker and more muffled. Turn the cutoff up for brightness, down for warmth. Like the tone knob on a guitar.	Toggles ON / OFF	Volume wheel sweeps the cutoffCutoff FrequencyThe point where the filter starts removing frequencies. Low cutoff = muffled and warm. High cutoff = bright and open. (dark ↔ bright). Turn down for warm, muffled tones. Turn up for bright, open sound. Shortcut: + volume wheel works even outside the menu.
GlideGlide (Portamento)Instead of jumping instantly to the next note, the pitch slides smoothly between notes. Like sliding your finger up a guitar string.	First press: ON / OFF. Press again while ON: adjusts speed (fast ↔ slow).	Notes slide smoothly into each other instead of jumping — like sliding a finger up a guitar string. Fast = quick pitch bend. Slow = long, dramatic sweeps. Best paired with Lead mode for expressive melodies.
Stereo	Toggles ON / OFF	ON = chord notes spread across left and right channels with slight detuning for a wide, immersive sound (best with headphones). OFF = everything plays in the center (mono).
Voice Count	Cycles: 8 → 4 → 2 → 1 oscillators	How many notes sound at once in a chord. 8 = thick, full chord with doubled notes. 4 = lighter chord. 2 = just root + one other note. 1 = single note (monophonic).
ADSRADSR EnvelopeControls the volume shape of each note: Attack (fade in), Decay (initial drop), Sustain (held level), Release (fade out after letting go).	Cycles: LONG → SHORT → SWELL → PLUCK → TOUCH → SUSTAIN	Controls the "shape" of each note — how fast it fades in when you press, and how long it rings after you release. PLUCK = instant hit that cuts off quickly. LONG = slow fade in, long tail. See ADSR presets below for details. Fine-tune: + wheel = Attack, + wheel = Release.
Bass	Cycles: OFF → ROOT → SLASH	ROOT = bass note 2 octaves below chord root. SLASH = bass follows a different scale degree. See Slash Chords.
Voice Leading	Toggles ON / OFF	When ON, Chord Buttons auto-pick the smoothest inversion — notes stay close instead of jumping.
Vocoder	Cycles: OFF → MIC → LOOP	MIC uses your voice (Batch 4+). LOOP uses Track 1 audio. Makes the synth "talk." See Vocoder & Sampling.

Settings (also in this menu)

Keep browsing left/right past the effects to find these settings. Same controls — Joystick Up to change.

Setting	Press up	Options
ScaleScaleA specific set of notes that defines the "flavor" of a key. Major = bright and happy. Minor = dark and emotional. Each scale changes which 7 chords the buttons play.	Cycles through 10 scales	Changes the set of chords available on the 7 buttons. Major (default, bright), Minor (darker), Harmonic Minor (dramatic), Melodic Minor (jazzy), Major Pentatonic (simple, folk), Minor Pentatonic (bluesy), Blues (raw), Dorian (minor with a bright 6th), Mixolydian (major with a flat 7th), Lydian (dreamy, raised 4th).
Joystick Mode	Cycles: DEFAULT → EXTENDED → CHROMATIC	Changes what the joystick does while holding a chord. See The Joystick.
MIDI	Toggles ON / OFF	Sends MIDI notes over USB-C. Channel 1, up to 12 simultaneous notes.
USB Mode	Cycles: AUDIO → MIDI	AUDIO = USB audio to your DAW. MIDI = MIDI note output. Brief reconnect when switching.
Speaker	Toggles ON / OFF	Turn off the built-in speaker when using headphones. Always starts ON when powered on (not saved across reboots).

"System Full" — If the screen shows this when you try to enable an effect, it means there isn't enough CPU for that combination. Turn off another effect first (e.g., reverb can't run alongside delay or flanger). This protects audio quality.

ADSR envelope presets & what they sound like

Preset	Attack	Decay	Sustain	Release	Best for
LONG	800ms	1000ms	70%	2000ms	Pads, ambient
SHORT	100ms	100ms	100%	120ms	Rhythmic stabs
SWELL	800ms	300ms	80%	2000ms	Slow builds
PLUCK	5ms	80ms	0%	180ms	Plucked strings, keys
TOUCH	25ms	260ms	66%	450ms	Responsive playing
SUSTAIN	200ms	300ms	85%	3000ms	Organ-like sustain

You can also fine-tune Attack and Release manually using the volume wheel combos (hold + wheel = Attack 1–2000ms, hold + wheel = Release 1–5000ms).

Randomize

Click the joystick while in a menu to randomize:

Menu	What gets randomized
(Sounds)	Random waveform — effects stay the same
(Key)	Random everything — sound, effects, key, arp pattern
(Mode)	Random arp + sequencer pattern — sound stays

06

Vocoder & Sampling

Use your voice (or any sound) to shape the synth, or record samples and play them as an instrument. Batch 4+ required for mic features.

Vocoder

The vocoderVocoderAnalyzes the frequency spectrum of your voice and applies it to the synth sound — making the synth "talk." The robot-voice effect from Daft Punk and Kraftwerk. takes audio from the mic (or a looper track) and uses it to shape whatever sound you're playing. It splits your voice into frequency bands and uses those to control the volume of matching bands in the synth — the result is a synth that talks, whispers, or sings with your voice's shape.

How to enable

1

Press → Joystick Up to enter effects.

2

Left/right until you see VOCODER.

3

Press up to cycle: OFF → MIC → LOOP.

Source	What it does
OFF	Vocoder disabled (default)
MIC	Uses built-in microphone as input. Speak or sing into the mic while playing chords. (Batch 4+)
LOOP	Uses Track 1 audio as input. Record a vocal loop first, then the vocoder shapes your synth to match it. Track 1 audio is muted (used only as the vocoder source).

Try this: Enable MIC vocoder, select a Saw or Square wave (harmonically rich sounds work best), hold a chord, and slowly say "ahhhh" and "oooh" into the mic. The synth follows your vowel shapes.

Vocoder parameters

These are adjustable via the Companion App or MIDI CC. They control the character of the vocoder effect:

Formant Shift

−12 to +12 semitones. Shifts the vocal character up (chipmunk) or down (deep). Default: 0.

Band Q

0.5 (wide, smooth) to 2.0 (narrow, robotic). Controls how precisely the vocoder tracks your voice. Default: 1.0.

Attack

0.5–50ms. How fast the vocoder responds to your voice. Lower = more responsive. Default: 2ms.

Release

1–200ms. How long the vocoder sustains after you stop speaking. Default: 20ms.

Noise Level

0–100%. Adds unvoiced noise for consonants (s, t, k sounds). Default: 15%.

Gate

On/off. When on, silences the output when no voice input is detected (prevents hiss). Default: on.

Tip: Harmonically rich sounds (Saw, Square, FM) work best as the vocoder carrier. Pure Sine has very little for the vocoder to shape.

Mic Sampling

Record any sound from the microphone and play it back as a pitched instrument. Batch 4+ only.

1

Switch to Mic Sample mode ( → browse to MIC SAMPLE).

2

Adjust mic gain with the volume wheel if needed (0.5x–10x).

3

Hold Button 1 to record (max ~3 seconds). Release to stop.

4

HiChord auto-detects the pitch and transposes to C. You're now in Lead mode — play any button to hear your sample at different pitches.

Mic samples are temporary — lost when you power off. Save to a preset to keep them.

User Samples

Upload your own audio via the Companion App. User samples are stored permanently — they survive power cycles.

Feature	Mic Sample	User Sample
Source	Built-in microphone	Companion App upload
Storage	Temporary (RAM)	Permanent (flash)
Max length	~3 seconds	Varies (flash capacity)
Survives power off?	No (save to preset)	Yes
Auto-pitch?	Yes (transposes to C)	Yes

There's also a User Kit — upload one-shot drum samples via the Companion App. It appears when browsing kits with the joystick (only shows up if you've uploaded samples).

07

Play Modes

Modes change how the 7 buttons behave. Same buttons, completely different instrument.

How to change modes

There are two ways:

Method 1: Quick Select (fastest)

Hold and press a Chord Button (1–7) to jump directly to the 7 most common modes.

Method 2: Browse (all 15)

1

Press to open the mode menu. The screen shows the current mode name.

2

Joystick Left/Right to scroll through all 15 modes.

3

Press again to close the menu, or just start playing — it auto-closes.

Mode settings: Many modes have adjustable settings (strum speed, arp rate, etc.). To access them: press → Joystick Down.

Play (Oneshot)

Hold + press Chord Button 1

The default mode — where you start. PolyphonicPolyphonicMultiple notes sound simultaneously — press several buttons to layer chords.: press a Chord Button to play, release to stop. Press multiple Chord Buttons to layer chords together.

Action	What happens
Press Chord Button	Chord plays immediately
Release Chord Button	Chord fades out (speed depends on your Release setting)
Press multiple Chord Buttons	All chords sound at once

Try this: Press Chord Button 1, then while holding it, add Chord Button 5. You'll hear two chords layered together.

Strum

Hold + press Chord Button 2

Notes roll out one by one, like strumming a guitar. Press a Chord Button and the notes fan out with a slight delay between each.

Strum speed

Push the Joystick Down while in Strum mode to cycle through speeds:

Speed	Delay between notes	Feel
Slow	120ms	Gentle, ballad-style
Medium (default)	80ms	Natural guitar feel
Fast	40ms	Quick, energetic strum

Notes roll through all active oscillators (1→2→3→4→5→6) with the selected delay between each.

Lead

Hold + press Chord Button 3

MonophonicMonophonicOnly one note at a time — new notes cut the previous one. Like a flute. — plays only the root note of each chord. One note at a time, new notes cut the previous one.

Action	What happens
Press Chord Button	Plays the root note of that chord
Press another Chord Button	Previous note stops, new note plays

Best for: Playing melodies over a looped chord progression. Record a chord loop first, then switch to Lead and play a melody on top.

Drone

Hold + press Chord Button 4

Press once to sustain a chord indefinitely — the sound never stops until you switch modes. Press a different Chord Button to change the droneDroneA continuous sustained sound, like a bagpipe's hum. Creates an ambient foundation. chord. Great for ambient pads and background textures.

Action	What happens
Press Chord Button	Chord sustains forever
Press different Chord Button	Switches to new chord (crossfade)
Switch modes	Drone stops

Arpeggio

Hold + press Chord Button 5

Chord notes play one at a time automatically, synced to BPMBPMBeats Per Minute — the speed. 120 BPM is a typical pop tempo.. Press a Chord Button and the notes cycle through a pattern. 6 patterns, 9 rates, 3 chord modes.

Patterns

Hold + press a Chord Button (1–6) to select a pattern:

Button	Pattern	How it plays
1	UP	Low to high, repeat
2	DOWN	High to low, repeat
3	UP/DOWN	Bounces up then back down
4	DOWN/UP	Bounces down then back up
5	RANDOM	Random chord tones each beat
6	FINGERPICK	Pairs of notes, like guitar fingerpicking

Chord layering mode

Hold + press Chord Button 7 to cycle through these layering modes:

Mode	What you hear	Best for
ARP ONLY	Only the arpeggiated notes play (default)	Clean melodic lines
CHORD+ARP	Full chord sustains in the left channel, arp in the right — stereo split	Ambient pads with movement
RHYTHM+ARP	Chord pulses rhythmically while arp plays on top	Energetic, driving patterns

Rate

Push Joystick Down in Arp mode to cycle through:

Rate	Speed	Feel
1/1	1 note every 4 beats	Very slow, one note per bar
1/2	1 note every 2 beats	Half notes — spacious
1/4	1 note per beat	Quarter notes — relaxed
1/8 (default)	2 notes per beat	Eighth notes — most common
1/16	4 notes per beat	Sixteenth notes — fast
1/16T	6 notes per beat	Triplets — rolling, waltz-like
1/32	8 notes per beat	Very fast, trill-like
Swing 8th	2 per beat (uneven)	Jazzy, bouncy shuffle — long-short-long-short pattern
Swing 16th	4 per beat (uneven)	Funky, syncopated groove

Gate length: How long each note rings is tied to your Release time. Short release = staccato arp. Long release = legato, overlapping notes.

Repeat

Hold + press Chord Button 6

The full chord pulses on/off rhythmically, synced to BPM. Like a gate effect — press and hold a Chord Button, and it stutters at the selected rate.

Control	How
Change pulse rate	Joystick Down (same rates as Arpeggio: 1/1 through Swing 16th)

Note: Release time is automatically capped at 200ms in Repeat mode to keep pulses clean. Your saved release time restores when you leave this mode.

Mic Sample

Hold + press Chord Button 7 · Batch 4+ only

Record any sound from the built-in mic, and HiChord auto-tunes it to C so you can play it chromatically with the Chord Buttons. See also Vocoder & Sampling.

1

Hold Chord Button 1 to record (records while held, max ~3 seconds).

2

HiChord detects the pitch and transposes the sample to C.

3

Auto-switches to Lead mode — press any button to play back chromatically.

Control	How
Adjust mic gain	Turn volume wheel before recording (0.5x–10x)

If pitch detection fails, the raw sample is used without transposition.

Drum Mode

Press → Joystick Left/Right to browse

Each Chord Button plays a different drum sound. See Drums & Beats for the full button mapping and kit selection.

Button	Sound
1	Kick
2	Kick (alt)
3	Snare
4	Closed Hi-hat
5	Tom
6	Bell / Ride
7	Open Hi-hat / Cymbal

Drum Loops

Press → Joystick Left/Right to browse

Pre-programmed drum patterns. 7 styles × 8 variations = 56 ready-made beats. Each Chord Button picks a different groove style. Change variations with the joystick. See Drums & Beats.

Auto-Drum

Press → Joystick Left/Right to browse

Enter from Drum Mode. Hold a drum button and push the joystick to auto-trigger that hit at rhythmic rates. Build beats hands-free, one layer at a time.

Sequencer

Press → Joystick Left/Right to browse

Record a chord progression step by step (up to 16 steps), then loop it automatically. This is great for building a backing track without the looper.

1

Press Chord Buttons to add steps (one chord per step).

2

Click the joystick to start/stop playback.

3

When you leave Sequencer while playing, it auto-bounces to the next empty looper track.

Action	How
Add a chord step	Press a Chord Button (hold 300ms for joystick modifications)
Start/stop playback	Click joystick
Navigate steps	Hold Joystick Left/Right
Replace a step	Navigate to it, press a new Chord Button
Add 4 more steps	Joystick Down (up to 16 max)
Remove 4 steps	Joystick Up
Trim to cursor	Hold click + Joystick Up

Each step saves the chord root, chord type (including joystick modifications), and bass mode.

Chord Hiro

Press → Joystick Left/Right to browse

A Guitar Hero-style rhythm game. Notes scroll across the screen — press the right Chord Button in time. 16 songs across 5 difficulty categories.

Category	Songs	Complexity
Folk	Levels 1–4	Simple progressions, slower tempo
Rock	Levels 5–6	Moderate tempo, familiar patterns
Jazz	Levels 7–10	ii-V-I patterns, chord extensions
Modern	Levels 11–12	Complex rhythms
Fusion	Levels 13–16	Advanced patterns, fast changes

Controls

Action	How
Select a song	Press to enter song list
Browse levels	Joystick Up/Down
Start playing	Press to begin

Timing windows: EASY (±200ms), MEDIUM (±150ms), HARD (±100ms), EXPERT (±50ms). Scoring: PERFECT → GREAT → OK → MISS.

Ear Trainer

Press → Joystick Left/Right to browse

HiChord plays a chord (or progression) — you identify it by pressing the correct button. Trains your ear to recognize chord qualities.

Level	Challenge	Rounds
Level 1	Identify a single chord (basic triads only)	3 rounds
Level 2	Identify a 4-chord progression (triads only)	2 rounds
Level 3	Single chord with modifications (7ths, sus, aug — requires joystick)	3 rounds
Level 4	4-chord progression with modifications	2 rounds

Action	How
Replay root note (hint)	Press to hear the root note again

Tracks your streak and best streak. On Levels 3–4, arrows show which joystick direction to use for the modification.

Tuner

Press → Joystick Left/Right to browse · Batch 4+ only

Chromatic tuner using the built-in mic. Sing or play an instrument near the mic — the display shows the detected note and how far off you are. The screen inverts colors when you're in tune.

Mixer

Press → Joystick Left/Right to browse

Control your looper tracks. Mute, unmute, adjust volume, and solo individual tracks. Use this to mix your layered loops after recording.

Action	How
Mute/unmute track	Press Chord Button 1–6
Track volume	Hold Chord Button + turn volume wheel
Metronome on/off	Press Chord Button 7
Solo a track	Hold Chord Button + press
Pause/resume all	Click joystick
Multi-mute	Press 2+ buttons at once (Batch 4+)

08

The Looper

Record a chord progression, then layer instruments on top. 6 tracks, ~20 seconds each. This is how you build a full song from nothing.

Recording your first loop (Track 1)

Track 1 is special — it sets the loop length. Everything else syncs to it.

1

Click the joystick (press it straight down). Screen shows WAITING.

2

Set the length: left/right to choose barsBar (Measure)A bar is a group of beats — typically 4 beats at your current BPM. At 120 BPM, one bar lasts 2 seconds. 4 bars = about 8 seconds.. 0 = free length (stop whenever you want). 1–8 = fixed length (auto-stops after that many bars).

3

Click again. In bar mode, you'll hear a 4-beat count-in (metronome clicks) before recording starts. Play your chords.

4

Click to stop. The loop immediately starts playing back.

Try this: Set bars to 4, record 1 → 5 → 6 → 4 (one chord per bar). Now you have a loop! Switch to a different sound and add a melody on Track 2.

Adding layers (Tracks 2–6)

Switch instruments, switch modes — each layer adds depth. After finishing a recording, HiChord auto-advances to the next empty track so you can keep layering without navigating.

1

Change your sound, mode, or octave for the new layer.

2

Click → WAITING → Click → recording starts at Track 1's next loop point (auto-synced).

3

Play. Click to stop. Repeat for up to 6 layers.

You can also navigate tracks manually with Joystick Left/Right (or up/down in drum modes).

Layer idea: Track 1 = Strings (chords). Track 2 = FM Bell (arpeggio). Track 3 = Robbo (bass, octave down). Track 4 = Funk drum loop. Track 5 = Saw (lead melody).

Reading the screen

The OLED shows 2 tracks at a time across 3 pages. The shape tells you which page:

Playing Empty Recording

Track 1

PLAY

Track 2

PLAY

Track 3

REC

Track 4

—

Track 5

—

Track 6

—

Circles = page 1 (tracks 1–2). Squares = page 2 (tracks 3–4). Triangles = page 3 (tracks 5–6). Left/right to switch pages.

Controls

Action	How
Switch tracks	Joystick Left/Right (drum modes: up/down)
Cycle looper states	Click joystick: OFF → WAITING → RECORD → LOOP → OFF
Set bar count	Left/right while in WAITING (0 = free, 1–8 = fixed with count-in)
Pause/resume all	Joystick Down
Clear current track	Click joystick when track is OFF (clears saved audio)
Clear all tracks	Stop Track 1 → all tracks clear
Toggle metronome	Button 7 in Mixer mode (on by default)

Auto-bounce

When you leave Sequencer or Drum Loop mode while a pattern is playing, HiChord automatically "bounces" (records) that pattern into the next empty looper track as audio. This means your pattern keeps playing as a loop layer, and you're free to switch to a different mode and play on top. Drone mode also auto-bounces when you switch away.

Note: The looper is disabled while in Sequencer mode (the sequencer IS the loop). When you leave, the sequence bounces to a track. Drum loops persist across mode changes — start a beat, switch to chords, and jam on top.

Capacity: 6 tracks, ~20 seconds each. Metronome on by default. No overdub or undo — each track is a discrete layer.

09

Drums & Beats

Three ways to make beats: trigger drums manually, play pre-made loops, or auto-trigger with rhythmic patterns.

Drum Mode ( → browse to DRUM MODE)

Each button triggers a different drum sound:

Button	Sound
1	Kick
2	Kick (alt)
3	Snare
4	Closed Hi-hat
5	Tom
6	Bell / Ride
7	Open Hi-hat / Cymbal

7 drum kits

Hold + press a Chord Button to switch kits:

Button	Kit	Style
1	Tight Kit	PCM samples, clean default
2	x0x Box	808-style deep sub bass
3	x9x Box	909-style punchy techno
4	Lynn Kit	LinnDrum warm vintage
5	KR-78	Lo-fi retro machine
6	Trap Box	Modern sub-heavy trap
7	Tight Kit	Cycles back to default kit

User Kit: If you've uploaded drum samples via the Companion App, a User Kit also appears when browsing kits with the joystick (right/left in drum mode). It's skipped automatically if no samples are loaded.

Drum Loops

Pre-programmed drum patterns. 7 styles × 8 variations = 56 ready-made beats. Access via → browse to Drum Loop.

Button	Pattern
1	Rock
2	Disco
3	Reggae
4	Funk
5	Hip-Hop
6	Electro
7	Jazz

Hold a button + Joystick Up/Down to cycle 8 variations: Original, Ghost notes, Busy hi-hats, Syncopated kicks, Fills, Half-time, Double-time, Jazz. Left/right switches kits.

Try this: Start a Funk drum loop, then switch back to Play mode (hold + press Button 1). The drums keep playing. Now play chords on top — you've layered a full song without touching the looper.

Auto-Drum

In Drum Mode, hold a button and push the joystick to auto-trigger at rhythmic rates:

Direction	Rate
↑ Up	1/4 note
→ Right	1/8 note
↓ Down	1/16 note
← Left	1/32 note
↗	Swing 8th
↘	Swing 16th
↙	1/16 triplet
↖	Swing 8th

10

Connections

Every way to get sound out of (and into) your HiChord.

Outputs

Speaker

Built-in mono. Auto-mutes when headphones are plugged in. Can be toggled off in effects. Always starts ON at power-up.

Headphone / Line Out

3.5mm stereo jack. Works with headphones, aux cables, or 3.5mm-to-1/4" adapters for pro gear.

USB Audio

Class-compliant 48kHz stereo. No drivers needed. Shows up as "HiChord" in your DAW.

USB MIDI

Channel 1, up to 12 notes, velocity fixed at 100. Control any software synth.

TRS MIDI

3.5mm TRS Type A output (Batch 4+). Direct connection to hardware synths with a TRS-to-DIN adapter.

USB Audio and MIDI can't run simultaneously. You need to switch USB Mode in the effects menu. TRS MIDI (Batch 4+) is always active when MIDI is enabled.

How to enable USB Audio

USB Audio is the default mode. If you've switched to MIDI and want to switch back:

1

Press to open the effects menu.

2

Push Joystick Left/Right until you see USB Mode.

3

Push Joystick Down to toggle to AUDIO.

4

HiChord briefly disconnects and reconnects as a USB audio device. Your computer/phone should recognize it as "HiChord."

How to enable USB MIDI

1

Press to open the effects menu.

2

Push Joystick Left/Right until you see USB Mode.

3

Push Joystick Down to toggle to MIDI.

4

Then scroll to MIDI and push Joystick Down to toggle it ON.

When in MIDI mode, HiChord sends notes but no audio over USB. Use the 3.5mm headphone jack to hear sound from the device itself.

Common setups

Record to DAW

USB-C cable. Set USB Mode to AUDIO. Select "HiChord" as audio input in your DAW. 48kHz stereo, no drivers.

Control software synths

Set USB Mode to MIDI, toggle MIDI ON. Load any plugin — HiChord sends the notes, your DAW plays the sound. Use 3.5mm jack to hear HiChord's own audio.

External speakers / mixer

3.5mm aux cable from headphone jack. Use a 3.5mm-to-1/4" adapter for pro gear.

Hardware synths

Batch 4+: TRS MIDI Type A — direct with adapter. Older batches: USB MIDI host adapter (Kenton, RK-006).

iPhone / iPad

Lightning: Camera Adapter + USB-C cable. USB-C iPad/iPhone: direct cable.

Android

Direct USB-C cable (needs USB OTG support). Works with BandLab, Koala, FL Mobile, etc.

11

Companion App

Design presets, upload samples, create arp patterns, and look up songs — all from your browser.

app.hichord.shop

The Companion App runs in your browser (Chrome or Edge recommended). Connect HiChord via USB-C and it communicates over Web MIDI — no install needed.

Preset Designer

Tweak every parameter visually — effects, ADSR, filter, chorus depth, flanger rate, and more. Save directly to your HiChord's 4 preset slots.

Sample Upload

Upload your own audio files as playable instruments (User Sample) or one-shot drum hits (User Kit). Stored permanently — survives power cycles.

Arp Pattern Editor

Design custom fingerpick patterns with note pairs and octave multipliers. Create patterns you can't access from the device alone.

Vocoder Controls

Fine-tune all vocoder parameters: formant shift, band Q, attack/release, noise level, and gate threshold.

Hybrid Voice Editor

Configure individual oscillator engines, FM ratios, detune amounts, panning, and gain for completely custom hybrid sounds.

12

User Presets

Found a sound you love? Save it. 4 slots that survive power cycles and factory resets.

1

Press + together to open the preset menu.

2

Left/right to select a slot (P1–P4). Up to save. Down to load.

Saved slots are marked with * on screen.

What gets saved

Everything: sound, all effects, key, mode, arp pattern, octave shifts, inversions, chord locks, filter cutoff, drum kit, sequencer pattern, vocoder settings, FM parameters, samples, and more (100+ parameters total).

13

Battery & Power

Charging, battery life, and power management.

Power on/off

Slide the red power switch on the top edge. The OLED screen lights up and shows the current key.

Charging

Plug in any USB-C cable to charge. A full charge takes about 2 hours. You can play while charging.

Batch	Battery life
Batch 1	~3–4 hours (varies by unit)
Batch 2	~4–5 hours
Batch 4+	~8–10 hours

Checking battery

Press + together. The screen shows your battery percentage. (Batch 2+ only — Batch 1 units don't have a battery meter.)

Auto-sleep

HiChord automatically enters sleep mode after 30 seconds of inactivity to save battery. Press any button to wake it instantly. All your settings are preserved.

Low battery behavior: At ~3% battery, HiChord enters deep sleep to protect the Li-Po cell. Charge before continuing. If the device won't power on, plug in USB-C and wait a few minutes before trying the power switch.

14

Advanced Controls

Shortcuts and hidden combos for power users.

Volume wheel combos

Hold a function button while turning the wheel for real-time parameter control:

Hold	+ Wheel	Range
	Attack time (how fast notes fade in)	1–2000 ms
	Release time (how long notes ring out)	1–5000 ms
	Filter cutoff (brightness)	20 Hz – 20 kHz

Button combos

Combo	What it does
+	Show battery voltage and percentage
+	Factory reset (your presets and looper recordings are safe)
+ + (hold 5s)	Enter DFU mode for firmware updates

15

Under the Hood

For the curious. Here's what makes HiChord tick — the synthesis engines, signal path, and voice architecture.

Voice architecture

12 oscillatorsOscillatorA circuit that vibrates at a frequency to produce a tone — the fundamental building block of synthesis. arranged as 6 stereo pairsStereo PairsTwo oscillators per voice, panned left and right with slight detuning for natural width.. Main voices (oscillators 0–5) each have a detunedDetuneSlightly shifting pitch by ±5–15 cents. Creates thickness and movement without sounding out of tune. counterpart (oscillators 6–11) panned opposite for stereo width.

How voices are assigned

Voice	Plays	Stereo pair
1 (osc 0)	Root note	osc 6
2 (osc 1)	Third	osc 7
3 (osc 2)	Fifth	osc 8
4 (osc 3)	Bass (root −2 octaves, or slash chord note)	osc 9
5 (osc 4)	Extension (6th, 7th, etc.)	osc 10
6 (osc 5)	Additional harmonics / fill	osc 11

Main oscillators pan across the stereo field (L to R). Paired oscillators pan opposite for width. When Stereo effect is OFF, everything sums to mono.

Four synthesis engines

Analog

Classic waveforms: Sine, Saw, Square, Triangle. Clean sound at any pitch.

FMFM SynthesisOne wave modulates another's frequency, creating complex tones. The tech behind the legendary Yamaha DX7.

Electric pianos, bells, metallic textures. Tweak modulation depth and ratio in the Companion App for unique tones.

Sample

Real instrument recordings with pitch-shifting (±24 semitones). Stored permanently — survives power cycles.

Noise

White, pink, filtered resonant, metallic. Used in hybrid presets like Ocean Pad for ambient textures.

Signal flow

Every sound passes through this chain:

Chord Logic

→

12 Voices

→

ADSR

→

Bass Osc

→

Filter

→

Chorus

→

Flanger

→

Delay

→

Reverb

→

Looper

→

Output

Technical specs

Processor: STM32H750 400MHz Cortex-M7
Sample Rate: 48 kHz
Bit Depth: 16-bit out / 32-bit float internal
Polyphony: 12 oscillators (6 stereo pairs)
Display: 64×32 OLED
Latency: <3 ms
Dynamic Range: ~90 dB
Storage: QSPI Flash (non-volatile)
Looper: ~20 sec × 6 tracks (SDRAM)
MIDI: USB class-compliant Ch 1 + TRS Type A (Batch 4+)
Power: USB-C / rechargeable Li-Po battery
Battery: Batch 1–2: LP503450 1000mAh 3.7V • Batch 4+: LP703478 2400mAh 3.7V
Charger: TP4056 (USB-C), ~2 hr full charge
Audio Out: 3.5mm stereo + USB + built-in speaker

16

Quick Reference

Every button combo in one place. Print this page if you want a cheat sheet.

Gray Key & Settings

press	Open key / octave menu
Left/right in menu	Change key (12 keys)
Up/down in menu	Global octave shift
Click in menu	Randomize everything
Hold chord +	Octave DOWN for that button
+ volume wheel	Adjust attack time (1–2000ms)
+ chord 1–6 (in Arp)	Select arp pattern (1=UP, 2=DOWN, 3=UP/DOWN, 4=DOWN/UP, 5=RANDOM, 6=FINGERPICK)
+ chord 7 (in Arp)	Cycle arp chord mode (ARP_ONLY, CHORD+ARP, RHYTHM+ARP)
+	Battery status
+	Factory reset (keeps presets)
+ + (5s)	Enter DFU / firmware update mode

Yellow Sounds & Effects

press	Open sounds menu
Left/right (sounds)	Browse all 30+ instruments
Up (from sounds)	Enter effects submenu
Left/right (effects)	Browse effects
Up (on an effect)	Toggle or cycle the effect
Click in menu	Randomize waveform
Hold + chord	Quick select sound (1–7)
Hold chord +	Cycle inversions (Root / 1st / 2nd)
Chord + joystick +	Chord lock / unlock
+ volume wheel	Adjust release time
+	Open preset menu

Red Modes & Tempo

press	Open mode menu
× 3 taps	Tap Tempo (set BPM by rhythm)
Left/right (mode)	Cycle through 15 modes
Down (in mode)	Mode-specific params (strum speed, arp rate, difficulty)
Up (mode menu)	Enter BPM submenu (40–300)
Click in menu	Randomize arp / sequencer pattern
Hold + chord	Quick mode select (buttons 1–7)
Hold chord +	Octave UP for that button
+ volume wheel	Filter cutoff (20Hz–20kHz)

Looper

Click joystick	Cycle: OFF → WAIT → REC → LOOP → OFF
Left/right	Switch tracks (up/down in drum modes)
Left/right in WAITING	Set bar count (0 = free, 1–8 = fixed)
Joystick Down	Pause / resume all tracks

17

Music Theory

You don't need any of this to use HiChord — but if you're curious why those 7 buttons always sound good together, here's why.

The diatonicDiatonicUsing only the 7 natural notes in a key — no "outside" notes. HiChord's 7 buttons map directly to these 7 chords. system

Every key has 7 chords that naturally belong together. HiChord maps them to the 7 buttons. That's why every combination sounds musical — you literally can't play a wrong chord.

Button	Degree	Name	Musical role
1	I	TonicTonicThe "home" chord — where melodies feel resolved and at rest. Most songs begin and end here.	Home — where phrases resolve
2	ii	SupertonicSupertonicOne step above home. Gentle forward motion — commonly leads to the V chord.	Gentle forward motion
3	iii	MediantMediantSits between tonic and dominant. A moodier substitute for the I chord.	Darker alternative to 1
4	IV	SubdominantSubdominantLifts away from home. The classic "pre-chorus" chord — builds anticipation.	Lift, anticipation
5	V	DominantDominantMaximum tension — this chord "wants" to pull back to the I. The engine that drives music forward.	Tension — pulls back to 1
6	vi	SubmediantSubmediantThe emotional heart — the "relative minor." Same notes as the major key, but sadder.	Emotional, the "relative minorRelative MinorEvery major key has a "twin" minor key using the same notes. In C, the twin is A minor (button 6)."
7	vii°	Leading ToneLeading ToneOne half step below home. Creates intense pull toward resolution.	Maximum suspense

Progressions to try

Buttons	Name	Where you've heard it
`1→5→6→4`	Axis of Awesome	Let It Be, No Woman No Cry, With or Without You
`1→6→4→5`	'50s Doo-wop	Stand By Me, Every Breath You Take
`6→4→1→5`	Emotional	Someone Like You, Numb, Africa
`2→5→1`	Jazz ii-V-I	Every jazz standard turnaround
`1→4→5`	Blues / Rock	12-bar blues, Johnny B. Goode
`1→4→6→5`	Anthemic	Africa, Where Is The Love

Try this: Play 6→4→1→5 with Strings + Reverb. Now try the same progression with Saw + Delay (1/8). Same chords, completely different world.

All 28 chord types

Chord	Character	How to access
Major	Bright, happy	Buttons 1, 4, 5 (default)
Minor	Dark, emotional	Buttons 2, 3, 6 (default)
Diminished	Tense, unstable	← Left / Button 7
Flat 5 (b5)	Dark, unstable	← Left (Extended, varies)
Augmented	Dreamy, floating	↖ Up-Left (Default)
Sus4	Open, anticipatory	↓ Down (Default)
Sus2	Airy, modern	↙ Down-Left (Default, minor)
Maj7	Smooth, sophisticated	→ Right (Default, major chords)
Min7	Mellow, jazzy	→ Right (Default, minor chords)
Dom7	Bluesy, gritty	↗ Up-Right (Default)
Maj6	Sweet, nostalgic	↙ Down-Left (Default, major)
Min6	Melancholy, noir	Joystick mod (minor chords)
Maj9	Lush, colorful	↘ Down-Right (Default, major)
Min9	Rich, emotional	↘ Down-Right (Default, minor)
Dom7#9	Hendrix crunch	↓ Down (Extended)
Half-dim7	Bittersweet jazz	↖ Up-Left (Extended)
Dom9	Smooth funk	↗ Up-Right (Extended)
Add9	Warm sparkle	↙ Down-Left (Extended)
Add11	Spacious, modern	→ Right (Extended)
Min11	Open, modal	↘ Down-Right (Extended)
Sus4+7	Suspended tension	← Left (Extended)
Min(Maj7)	Film noir	↑ Up (Chromatic)
Maj13	Orchestral warmth	↓ Down (Chromatic)
6/9	Jazz standard ending	→ Right (Chromatic)
Maj7#11	Ethereal, Lydian	↖ Up-Left (Chromatic)
Dom13	Rich tension	↗ Up-Right (Chromatic)
Dom7b9	Spanish, dark	↙ Down-Left (Chromatic)
Dom7alt	Maximum jazz spice	↘ Down-Right (Chromatic)

That's 28 unique chord types listed above. With inversions and slash chords, HiChord can produce over 84,000 distinct voicings across all keys.

All 10 scales

Scale	Character	Best for
Major	Bright, happy (default)	Pop, rock, country
Natural Minor	Dark, melancholy	Ballads, emo, metal
Harmonic Minor	Dramatic, Middle Eastern	Classical, flamenco
Melodic Minor	Sophisticated, jazzy	Jazz, film scores
Major Pentatonic	Simple, singable	Folk, country, gospel
Minor Pentatonic	Gritty, raw	Blues, rock, hip-hop
Blues	Blues + the blue note	Blues, funk, soul
Dorian	Minor with a bright 6th	Funk, jazz fusion
Mixolydian	Major with a flat 7th	Rock, classic soul
Lydian	Major with a raised 4th	Film scores, dreampop

18

Help & Updates

Troubleshooting, firmware updates, and batch-specific features.

Troubleshooting

No sound

Check volume wheel. Check battery (+). Are you in Drum mode? Check if headphones are plugged in and speaker is toggled off.

Buttons not responding

Check battery. Check if a function button is stuck. Power cycle (slide switch off, wait 3 seconds, back on). Batch 1–3: try running button calibration.

Looper problems

Check which track is selected (left/right). Check bar count. Check mutes in Mixer mode. Hit Joystick Down to resume if paused.

Display frozen

Check battery. Power cycle. May be in sleep mode — press any button to wake.

USB audio silent

Check USB_MODE = AUDIO in effects. Try a different USB cable. Restart your DAW.

MIDI not sending

Check USB_MODE = MIDI. Check MIDI is toggled ON in effects. Is your DAW listening on Channel 1?

Button & Joystick Calibration (Batch 1–3)

If chord buttons feel unresponsive, trigger the wrong chord, or the joystick drifts, run a calibration. This only applies to Batch 1–3 units (ADC buttons). Batch 4+ uses digital I2C buttons and doesn't need calibration.

How to enter calibration

1

Power off your HiChord completely.

2

Hold + (Key + Sound) while powering on.

3

The screen shows ENTERING CALIBRATE. Release the buttons.

Step 1: Calibrate buttons

The screen prompts each button one at a time:

1

Screen shows HOLD 1 — PRESS+HOLD. Press and hold chord button 1.

2

Keep holding until the screen shows BTN 1 OK with a number. Then release.

3

Repeat for buttons 2 through 7. Each button takes a few seconds.

Hold steady — press firmly and don't wiggle. The device takes 20 samples and rejects outliers, so a stable press gives the best result. If it times out, it will retry automatically.

Step 2: Calibrate joystick

1

Screen shows DONT TOUCH. Leave the joystick alone for 2 seconds while it captures the center position.

2

Screen shows PUSH LEFT. Push the joystick all the way left and hold until it confirms.

3

Let the joystick return to center. Repeat for RIGHT, UP, and DOWN.

Finishing up

The device validates the calibration data automatically. If everything passes, the screen shows DONE! SAVED and your HiChord restarts with the new calibration. If it shows ERROR BAD CAL, power cycle and try again — make sure you're pressing one button at a time and pushing the joystick fully to each edge.

Calibration is saved permanently — it survives power cycles and firmware updates. You only need to do this once unless the buttons start feeling off again.

Firmware updates

1

Connect via USB-C.

2

Open updater.hichord.shop in Chrome or Edge (not Safari).

3

Follow the on-screen instructions.

Manual DFU: hold + + for 5 seconds. Batch 1 units: fully charge before updating.

Feature availability by batch

Feature	Batch 1	Batch 2	Batch 4+
Core synth, effects, modes	✓	✓	✓
Looper (6 tracks)	✓	✓	✓
USB Audio & USB MIDI	✓	✓	✓
Battery level display	—	✓	✓
Built-in microphone	—	—	✓
Vocoder (Mic mode)	—	—	✓
Tuner	—	—	✓
Mic Sample recording	—	—	✓
Slash Chords	—	—	✓
Multi-mute (Mixer)	—	—	✓
TRS MIDI output	—	—	✓

Feedback & bug reports

Found a bug? Have a feature request? We read every message and use your feedback to shape firmware updates.

Bug report

Email support@hichord.shop with your batch number, firmware version (shown at boot), and what happened.

Feature request

Email support@hichord.shop with your idea. Many features in recent firmware came directly from user requests.

Need help? support@hichord.shop

HiChord Manual

Quick Start

Step 1 — Press any button. It plays a chord.

See the notes

Step 2 — Hold a button. Push the stick.

Step 3 — The menu buttons.

Key & Octave

Sound

Change the instrument

Add effects

Mode

Play

Strum

Lead

Drums

Arp

Beat

Drone

Sequencer

Chord Hiro

Mixer

Step 4 — Record. Layer. Make a song.

Record your first loop

Add another layer

What the screen shows

Your HiChord

Connections & ports

The 3 menu buttons in depth

Gray — Key & Settings

Yellow — Sounds & Effects

Red — Modes & Tempo

Playing Chords

The 7 buttons

Changing key

OctaveOctaveThe same note played higher or lower. Moving up one octave makes the sound brighter; down makes it deeper. shifting

Shift one Chord Button

Shift all Chord Buttons at once

BPM (tempo)

InversionsInversionSame chord, different arrangement. The lowest note changes — like reshuffling a hand of cards.

How to invert

Chord Lock

Slash chordsSlash ChordWritten "Em/C" — a chord with a different bass note. Like playing a chord with your right hand and a bass note with your left. (Batch 4+)

How to enable

The Joystick

Default Mode

What each direction does to the chord

Extended Mode

Chromatic Mode

Switching joystick modes

Sounds

Quick select (fastest way)

Browse all sounds

Full sound list

Saw

Sine

Triangle

Square

FM E.Piano

FM Bell

Piano

Strings

Juno Poly

Flute

Brass

Ocean Pad

Clarinet

Wurli

Vox Ahh

Vibraphone

Acoustic

Harp

Humming

Robbo

Shutter

SawSquare

Mic Sample

User Sample

Effects

How to get there

Every effect, explained