Learning a musical instrument provides a lifetime of enjoyment. While today’s music increasingly relies on synthesizers, drum machines and samplers to create new and exciting sounds, the complexity of these tools makes them hard to get into the hands of children. Blipblox aims to change that by making electronic instruments fun, easy and safe for all ages. We feel that if intrigued and entertained, children have the ability to understand powerful music creation tools, inspiring them to create the music of tomorrow.

• Blipblox After Dark and SK2 are fully functional synthesizers, and our most toy-like, easiest products to use.  Just turn them on, and the music starts playing, inviting interaction and creativity.
• The Blipblox myTRACKS is a sample-based music production studio.

Blipblox Synthesizers are designed to make exploring soundwaves fun.  They use the same signal flow as a real synthesizer, creating sound with oscillators, and then modifying the sound with a filter.  There are different ways to “modulate” a sound using Low Frequency Oscillators and Envelopes.  Although these may sound like complex terms, Blipblox makes using these synthesis building blocks easy and fun.  The synthesized sound is generated by mathematical algorithms.  

The Blipblox myTRACKS uses clips of real sounds (called Samples) played by melodies (called Clips) to create layed, full songs.  Since it is sample-based, it can play acoustic sounds such as pianos, guitars, horns, etc.  It has 48 different instruments that can be selected across 5 tracks.  It has a built-in microphone for recording any audio.  The myTRACKS a bit more complicated and sophisticated compared to the synths, so it is recommended for older kids. 

Why not both?  The myTRACKS and our synthesizers are specifically designed to work together when connected with a handsome Blipblox Purple MIDI cable.

Both Blipblox After Dark and SK2 models have the same synthesis engine and controls, so the sounds they create are identical.  The After Dark is designed for adults and older kids who want a product closer to a real synthesizer.  The SK2 is designed for kids (as young as 3!), offering a more toy-like experience.

The After Dark has labeled LED indicators showing exactly what is happening with all of the modulations.  The SK2 uses the LED to make a fun light show synchronized with the music.  Both units have “smart LED animations”, helping to show you what modulation sources you are selecting.

The SK2 ships with 400 built-in melodies, while the After Dark has 300.  However, you can upgrade the melodies: you can upload the SK2 melodies into the After Dark, and vice versa..

The SK2 has some different drum samples, adding some sound effects and goofiness.  The After Dark has more straightforward kick and snare samples.

While both units are extremely durable, the SK2 is slightly more rugged than the After Dark.  

All Blipblox products have been tested by hundreds of kids from a variety of backgrounds and ages.  At numerous live events of all kinds, we’ve witnessed first hand the variety of kids who love playing with the Blipblox. Many, even those with no music experience, take to the Blipblox quickly and continue a focused play for an extended period of time without the need for advanced instruction.

Blipblox products can run at least 8 hours on fresh AA batteries. They automatically power off if left untouched for 30 minutes, and can also be used with the included USB power cable.

While every kid is different, these are our general observations for what aspects of the Blipblox will attract which age groups:

Under 3
Blipblox products are safety certified for kids 3 years and older.  While some children under 3 may enjoy them with close parental participation, we have found that the device is a little advanced for them.

3-4 years
Younger kids are attracted to the Blipblox light show and brightly colored knobs and buttons.  But the most popular controls are the signature vibrant levers.  Many kids love to incorporate the Blipblox into imagination play, so it becomes a spaceship controller or “lava flow meter” (actual quote from a kid).  We have seen some more musically-oriented kids at this age start to twist the knobs in a more deliberate way and are able to get some really cool sounds from the Blipblox.

5-8 years
Kids at this age still like the lights and levers, but many are also starting to understand that they are controlling and creating sound.  As kids start to use the Blipblox more, they develop the skills to follow the signal flow lines and connect them to the sound they are hearing. They also love the kick and snare drum beatbox controls.

9-12 years
While the kids at the older end of this age range may at first think a Blipblox looks like a kid’s toy, it doesn’t take much for them to realize they are real musical instruments.  This is also the age where they can think about incorporating any music gear like MIDI keyboards, drum machines, and other synths into their music setup.  Kids who already have experience with a DAW will soon realize that Blipblox products can be used for music production.  

13 years-AdultTeens and adults that are into electronic music or music production are attracted to our products because they look fun but are also legitimate tools.  Blipbloxes become studio devices used to create new synthesized sounds and beats that can be incorporated into a more layered song.  MIDI In means you can connect them to other pro music gear.  Audio Out means they can be recorded and layered into a hit track.  Musicians of all ages find our products uniquely inspiring for producing new sounds.

Blipblox products have been proven as an effective learning tool for early childhood development.  They quickly engage kids and teach them how they can control sounds and create music.  It teaches them the basics of signal flow, understanding how sound gets modulated as it moves through different stages.  Blipbloxes have also been effective in helping special needs kids express themselves in an innovative, non-verbal way.  The Blipblox Synthesizer was the winner of the SBO Best Teaching Tool for Pre-School students.

All of our products are in compliance with toy safety standards set forth by the USA, UK and the European Union, including: FCC, CE, UKCA, ASTM F963-17, CPSC 16, EN62115, REACH, RohS and CA Prop 65 for toys.  All control components are securely locked into the design, so it is impossible to remove any knobs or controls.  The Blipblox is free of any sharp edges, and the batteries are secured inside a screw-down compartment.  All of our products are manufactured with a very durable plastic designed to take hard hits, drops and spills.

Our products are full featured and fully tested on the day you receive it. However, it is possible to upgrade the Blipblox synthesizers firmware over the MIDI port with a sysex file if necessary.  The myTRACKS software is upgradable over USB.

Yes. Blipblox synthesizers can receive MIDI clock.  The myTRACKS sends MIDI clock.

Yes. They come with AA batteries and a built-in speaker.   You can create music anywhere!

Yes, there are several modes to reduce LED activity.  Please see the user manual for details.  The reduced LED settings are preserved through power cycles.

Yes!  Check out some of these YouTube videos to see the Blipblox being used for real music production and performance:

https://youtu.be/To95HM4pVxg

https://youtu.be/8UYOlsNXHrg

https://youtu.be/bw407fKxSQ8

https://youtu.be/pHOXoqqJP8k

Blipblox Synthesizers have a sequencer that plays hundreds of built-in melodies, so the user can focus on exploring the tone and textures of the sound, not just play individual notes. You can use the MIDI Input port to connect an external keyboard, or a computer running music software.

Yes. As crazy as some of the sounds can get, they are still frequency matched and in tune. You can incorporate almost any Blipblox sound into a music track.

The Amplifier Envelope has only a Release control knob. The Modulation Envelope has only an Attack control knob. The envelopes automatically adjust some parameters based on tempo and other factors to keep them fun and usable.

The two LFO waveforms are automatically randomized when the SEQ button is pressed.

There are 16 Oscillator Modulation Schemes in the Blipblox synthesizers. Each scheme takes two Modulation inputs. Different Modulation schemes automatically assign the Modulation inputs to parameters such as Sync, PWM, Detune, wavetable scan etc. Some modulation inputs use non-traditional sound warping to ensure there is a wide range of sounds to explore. Different waveforms are hard-wired into the different Oscillator Schemes.

There are several special modes accessed by pressing multiple combinations of buttons. These include turning off the sequencer, changing the LED mode and editing drum sounds. The manual describes these in detail.

There are 3 modulation sources: LFO1, LFO2 and Modulation Envelope. Any 3 of these can be routed to Oscillator Modulation 1, Oscillator Modulation 2, and Filter Modulation. This forms a 3x3 modulation matrix. There is also the Amplifier Envelope dedicated to controlling the release time of each note.

Blipblox Synthesizers have sixteen different oscillator algorithms for generating sound. Synthesis techniques such as pulse width, frequency, detune and sync are modulated using the two control inputs. Five of the schemes use wavetables, and the control inputs modulate the wavetable scanning and morphing. Some schemes have up to eight oscillator waveforms, creating classic “super-saw” effects, and other really complex sounds.  You may be surprised how “big” of a sound you can get out of a Blipblox synthesizer.

Wavetable Synthesis uses small snippets of audio to reproduce unique tones that are difficult to make using pure mathematics. Using these tones, acoustic sounds like clarinets, oboes, violins, or even human vocal sounds can be synthesized. You can use the modulation options to smoothly move between these waves, so you can morph these tones together for really fun effects.

Blipblox synthesizers feature a filter that can operate in three modes:  Lowpass, Bandpass and Highpass.  These modes are selectable by holding down the FITLER MOD button.  Each mode removes a different portion of the audio frequency.  The amount of filter resonance can be controlled by holding down the CTRL 2 button, then adjusting the FILTER lever.  Resonance emphasizes audio at the cutoff frequency, adding an interesting "squeaky" quality to the sound.  Resonance can be applied to all three filter modes.

Multi-tap delay sounds particularly good on synthesizer sounds.  The effect "taps" different delay points and echos them on the left and right channels separately.  This stereo effect can be heard through the stereo audio output jack.  The amount of this effect can be controlled by holding down the CTRL 1 button and then adjusting the FILTER lever.

Yes, you can use the Drum Edit Mode to choose one of the 100 drum samples for the Kick and Snare, and then adjust the sample’s pitch.

No. However, they include features to upgrade all the melodies over MIDI SYSEX. We have several fun upgrade packs available.  All you need is a Mac or PC computer and a USB-MIDI cable.  Full details at: https://blipblox.com/pages/product-center-blipblox-synthesizers

You can always play your own sequences via the MIDI IN port using a MIDI keyboard or a computer running music software.

For tracks 1-4, each track can play one sound at a time. On the drum track, up to four sounds can be played at once. This gives the myTRACKS a total of eight sound polyphony for big exciting songs.

Samples are automatically trimmed to remove silence at the beginning of the sample. This makes it easy to use samples rhythmically in a song. Samples are also automatically normalized, so quiet and loud samples mix well together. Samples can be manipulated in real time using the two effects processors.

The root note of the sample is the same as the root note of the pad pressed to sample. If you match your sampled sound’s pitch to the pitch on the pad before sampling, your sample will be in tune with the rest of the set.

The myTRACKS sounds and sets are completely upgradeable and we are looking forward to creating user-produced sound packs that can be downloaded to any myTRACKS.

There is a special Drum Machine mode. Hold down the MODE button, and the drum track is extended to all 25 pads. This allows you to access 25 drum sounds on the Drum Track in this mode. In addition, you can use drum instruments on tracks 1-4.

Yes. This is the “Multi MIDI” configuration mode. This is for interfacing your myTRACKS with a DAW, or controlling multiple different external devices, each with their own MIDI channel.  Or, you can play multiple instruments on a multi-timbral synthesizer.  See this video as an example:

https://youtu.be/BqP-D3XXvKw

Each sample recorded off the microphone can be as long as 9 seconds.  Total sample time is around 42 seconds.  That 42 seconds of sample time can be divided into lots of small samples.  You could put a unique sample on each of the 25 Play Pads as long as the total sample time is under 42 seconds.