Ahead of the NAMM 2022 show, taking place in Anaheim this weekend, San Francisco-based Playtime Engineering has unveiled two toys, the Blipbox SK2 synthesizer and the Blipbox myTrack groovebox, designed to help even the youngest musically inclined minds produce, record, store and share electronic beats and melodies.
Game Time Engineering
The SK2’s spacy surface detail belies its ability to generate more than 400 pre-recorded tunes ranging from chiptunes to orchestral tunes, as well as multi-mode filters, 16 oscillator schemes and stereo multi-tap delay features. A signal flow diagram is printed on the front of the unit and all controls are labeled, making it easy for even beginners in the basement to learn and discover new synth sounds. Users can export their tracks via a 1⁄4 inch audio output and import new sounds via the MIDI input.
The myTRACK, on the other hand, is a kid-sized multitrack sampling device that uses a 5×5 grid of playpads to trigger beats and sequences (think a muted Ableton Push 2). Any of the 48 preloaded instruments can be applied to any or all five of the available tracks, as can process effects controlled by the device’s physical levers. In fact, many of myTRACK’s more advanced features are presented as dedicated, physical buttons rather than buried sub-menu options. Additionally, these pre-packaged sounds and sequences can be updated via USB-C to accommodate new sets such as orchestral, hip-hop, jazz, rock and EDM. A built-in microphone allows your future Grandmaster Flash to explore the outside world in search of new sounds to capture and modulate. The myTRACK offers a 5-pin MIDI OUT connector so the device can connect to and control an SK2, while its USB-C connector is class-compliant USB MIDI input and output so you can use it with any Mac or Mac Windows DAW can use.
Game Time Engineering
The SK2 will retail for $199 and will be available in November 2022. The myTRACK will follow in the first quarter of 2023 for $249
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