Chompi (stylised as CHOMPI) is a sampler released in 2023 by Chelsea and Tobias Hendrickson, a couple from Spokane, Washington. Designed to be accessible and screenless, the sampler uses LEDs and physical labels to show the status of the sampler; the design was inspired by Eurorack modules. Many effects are included, such as a filter and tape saturation. The Kickstarter campaign for Chompi was one of the most successful of 2023, raising over $900,000 in one day.
Chompi was created by Chelsea and Tobias Hendrickson, a couple from Spokane, Washington.[1] They were introduced to synthesizers after spending time with a synthesizer group in New Zealand;[2] before making Chompi, they ran a community synth program focused on Spokane and the Pacific Northwest[3][4] which offered modular synth classes for around a decade.[5][6] Chompi was announced on 12 March 2023, via a YouTube video on the Chompi Club channel; the video showcased the basic features of the sampler and looper, as well as the effects unit.[7]
The Kickstarter campaign for Chompi's funding launched on March 28, 2023[5] with a goal of $30,000, and raised over $900,000 in one day.[8] By the end of the campaign it had raised over $1,000,000,[9][3] making it one of the most successful Kickstarter campaigns of 2023.[10] Chompi units were offered for $499 as part of the campaign, with a limited-edition pink version offered for $599.[11][12]
Chompi is manufactured by Electro-Distro and uses the Daisy Seed, a microchip by Electro-Smith designed to create unique musical instruments.[8][13] Many components are manufactured in the US.[2] It was designed to be accessible[5] and screenless,[9] as Tobias has severe vision loss.[2] Much of the workflow was developed by Tobias while completely blind between eye surgeries, using a 3D printed prototype model of Chompi.[2] The creators also state that the screenless design invites users to explore.[8] LEDs and physical labels are used to differentiate and show the status of various effects,[9] such as a filter,[11] tape saturation,[10][5] and the "magic wand" - a combination of reverb and delay.[7] Buttons on the device are toy-like and oversized,[8] described by the creators as "chonky" (a play on the word "chunky") and "bubbly".[2] Aspects of the design, such as visual customisability and the internal hardware, were inspired by Eurorack modules.[2]
Chompi units ordered by Kickstarter supporters were shipped by January 2024;[14] units then became available to the general public on the Chompi Club website with the price starting at $599.[15][5]
Many news outlets praised Chompi when it was announced, with the toy-like design being a frequent topic of discussion and many calling it "adorable".[8][10][15]
On release, Hainbach reviewed Chompi, with praise given to the effects and looper but criticising the lack of visual labels.[14][16] Music YouTuber Tinez also reviewed Chompi, criticising the loud mechanical keys and lack of important features such as sample volume control.[16] However, later firmware releases fixed bugs and added features such as sample pan and volume control, with the creators taking feature requests over Discord.[16]