Introducing the small game console-like music gadget “Kanpure -KANTAN Play core-”!
*View in browser* *InstaChord Co., Ltd.*
Press release: June 7, 2024
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Introducing the small game console-like music gadget “Kanpure -KANTAN Play core-”!
*Japanese and Chinese ventures jointly developed a barrier-free, open-source electronic musical instrument that can be played by anyone with any disability*
Simple image image
Developing electronic musical instruments
InstaChord Co., Ltd. (Meguro-ku, Tokyo) is collaborating with Chinese venture company M5Stack to create a pocket-sized electronic musical instrument*.
Jointly developed “Kanpure -KANTAN Play core-“*, released on June 8th. Pre-orders will begin at 10 a.m. on the crowdfunding (CF) site “Kibidango.” This product was developed with the aim of making it possible for all people, including those with no musical experience or those who have given up on playing due to various obstacles, to enjoy playing musical instruments. Also program *
Open source* allows the product to evolve and grow, a feature not found in traditional electronic musical instruments.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EpE7xJE2ono
Feature list:
1. No musical knowledge required
2. Barrier-free
3. Play six notes at the same time with one finger
4. Music production made easy
5. The product itself grows
1. No musical knowledge required
To perform, use sheet music in which “chord symbols” are replaced with “numbers.”
Most songs are made up of six basic chords, so you can play most songs just by choosing a number from 1 to 6. Of course, you can easily play chords other than the basic chords.
* ・Learn code theory*
Even if you can play the guitar or piano well, you won’t be able to learn chords. This is because when learning chord theory, it is necessary to replace chord symbols with “numbers” (degrees/degrees). Since Kanpure is played using numbers, it has the advantage that other instruments do not have, such as allowing you to learn chord theory naturally.
* ・More than 1 million free sheet music*
KANTAN is an app that automatically converts the chord scores of more than 1 million songs freely available on the Internet into numbers. If you use “CORD”, you can play any song from the day you buy it. *Supported sites: U-FRET, ULTIMATE GUITAR TABS, Gakki.me, J-Total Music, Guitarians.com
2. Barrier-free
It’s okay if you have difficulty playing due to a disability. With Kanpure, you can assign performance operations to a USB-connected game controller or buttons connected to an expansion port, so you can freely create an instrument with a shape and operation method that is easy for the person to play. While aiming to create the ultimate barrier-free environment for everyone, it also serves as a means for artists to expand their range of expression.
You can also make musical instruments that you play with your feet. 3. Play six notes at the same time with one finger
You can select instrument icons such as drums, bass, piano, guitar, wind instruments, synthesizer, etc. by tapping on the screen and play up to 6 different instruments at the same time.
If you press the play button repeatedly, each part will play in time with the rhythm, giving you a new musical experience like being the conductor of a band.
Select the instrument to play on the touch panel
4. Music production made easy
Unlimited combinations of performance phrases
You can compose and arrange songs simply by selecting chord
progressions, tones, and phrases, so even if you’re not good at playing instruments, you can quickly arrange the songs you want. At the time of release, it will have 128 types of tones and over 200 types of performance phrase patterns. Phrase patterns can also be edited freely, and phrases created by other users can also be imported.
It also supports MIDI output and MIDI file export.
5. The product itself grows
The software is open source and can be freely modified by users. You can publish new firmware or modify it on GitHub, allowing the product itself to evolve and grow.
Development history:
I want to create musical instruments tailored to each person with a disability. The electronic musical instrument “Instacord” released in 2021 has gained popularity as it can be played even by people who are not good at musical instruments. However, I realized that some people have difficulty playing even Insta chords due to various disabilities. There are major hurdles in developing custom-made products tailored to each person’s disabilities and characteristics. That’s where the idea of an open source musical instrument that users could freely customize was born.
“Fun” and “convenient” regardless of disability
Just saying that you can play even if you have a disability won’t get more people to pick it up.
The ability to play six musical instruments with just one finger* is an “unparalleled level of fun”*, and even those who are not good at playing musical instruments can quickly create the accompaniment they desire* “unparalleled convenience”*
By combining these features, we have created a completely new music gadget that all music lovers can enjoy.
Commercialization will be postponed if crowdfunding is not achieved Kanpure will begin accepting pre-orders on the crowdfunding (CF) site “Kibidango” from 10am on June 8th.
If pre-orders do not exceed the target amount of 50 million yen, we plan to postpone commercialization.
Crowdfunding site
https://kibidango.com/2473
Trial sessions held in various locations:
* ・Hibiya Music Festival 2024 Music Market*
Date and time: June 8th (Sat) and 9th (Sun) 10:30-18:30
Venue: Around Hibiya Park Grassland Square (Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo) * ・NT (I tried making something) Kanazawa*
Date and time: June 22nd (Sat) and 23rd (Sun) 10:00-17:00
Venue: Kanazawa Station East Hospitality Dome Basement Square (Kanazawa City, Ishikawa Prefecture)
* ・Shinjuku Southern Terrace Marche * Date and time: July 6th (Sat) and 7th (Sun) 12:00-19:00
Venue: Shinjuku Southern Terrace (just outside the new south exit of JR Shinjuku Station)
* ・Sound Festa Osaka*
Date and time: July 10th (Wednesday) 10:00-18:00, July 11th (Thursday) 10:00-17:30
Venue: Osaka International Conference Center Grand Cube Osaka 5F (Kita Ward, Osaka City)
*・Kanpre experience session in Osaka*
Date and time: July 13th (Sat) 10:30-17:30
Venue: Community Food Hall Nihonbashi (Takashimaya East Annex 1st floor) (Naniwa Ward, Osaka City)
* Development team:*
* – InstaChord Co., Ltd.*:
https://instachord.com/
A one-person manufacturer of products such as InstaChord, a
guitar-shaped electronic instrument that can be played by people who have failed with musical instruments. Responsible for Kanpure planning and marketing.
* – M5Stack*:
https://m5stack.com/
A startup company based in Shenzhen, China that produces the “M5Stack” series of small IoT microcomputer modules. Responsible for designing Kanpure’s software and hardware.
* – Switch Science Co., Ltd.: *
https://info.switch-science.com/
A Japanese company that develops, manufactures, imports, and sells electronic circuit modules, and is known as a leading company in the field of “open source hardware.” We coordinated this project and realized joint development between Japan and China.
* – GOROman (Technology Evangelist): *
https://x.com/GOROman
A technology evangelist who is highly sensitive to new technologies and products and is expanding his career opportunities by leveraging his wealth of skills and knowledge. Concept developer for this project.
Product Summary:
– Product name: Kanpure -KANTAN Play core-
– Price: 33,000 yen (tax included)
(Kanpure Base without M5Stack is 26,000 yen)
– Size: W 74 x H 125 x D 32mm (including protrusions) Body thickness 23mm – Weight: (TBD) Display: 2.0 inch IPS LCD (Resolution: 320 x 240) Capacitive touch panel sound source: SAM2695 (manufactured by Dream, France) – Built-in tones: 128 GM-compliant tones Performance patterns: 200 types (planned)
(User can add/edit) Speaker 5V x 2 (stereo)
– Compatible microcontroller module: M5StackCore2, CoreS3, CoreS3 SE (Full kit comes with M5Stack CoreS3 SE installed) Interface – 3.5mm stereo output
– Accelerometer
– Bluetooth LE MIDI
– USB Type-C (USB MIDI host, USB-OTG compatible)
(For Core2, a separate USB module is required)
– microSD card slot
– Grove ports x 3 (I2C, GPIO, UART)
* Standard MIDI port, Sync unit, and other self-made expansion devices can be connected.
– Switches
– Performance button x 15+4
– Side button x 2
– Jog dial x 1
– Analog lever switch x 1
– Knob (rotary encoder) x 2
– Power button
– Reset button
*About details about this release*
https://prtimes.jp/main/html/rd/p/000000006.000058517.html
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