Shortly after Synido added to its TempoKEY range of MIDI controllers, it launches the Scale Pocket portable device, aimed primarily at older children and music students as a way to quickly and interactively learn music scales. In addition, it functions as a mini instrument and MIDI controller.
It features (just about) two octaves’ worth of fairly small keys arranged in two rows, spanning C to the B nearly two octaves above. This keeps the whole thing compact.
On the left are controls for selection one of twelve built-in instruments, the root note and one of eleven scales (or no scale). The scale selection in turn lights up the keys: notes forming part of that scale are illuminated, with green for the root, red for the main octave, and blue for other octaves.
Together, that’s 132 scale patterns instantly viewable with a couple of switch changes. It doesn’t suggest any form of scale locking (to stop you playing ‘wrong’ notes) – the lights alone providing the more subtle recognition of each scale, and allowing for accidentals to be played.
Perhaps surprisingly, those little keys are velocity sensitive (no aftertouch though – can’t be too disappointed at this price point) so it can make for a basic MIDI controller, perhaps hooked up to an iPad or another MIDI instrument for sketching out ideas and recording quick tracks on the move.
The eleven available scales are major, minor, Dorian, Phrygian, Lydian, Mixolydian, Locrian, major pentatonic, minor pentatonic, and blues.
The twelve instruments are piano, music box, accordion, guitar, marimba, harmonica, glockenspiel, violin, vibraphone, a drum kit, saxophone and square wave.
Other controls include sustain, fixed velocity, octave transposition up to four octaves, and volume.
Connections include MIDI and power via USB, MIDI in/out over TRS jacks, and 3.5mm audio jack. It can be powered by batteries but anyone outside China (country of origin) has to work their way through triple-A batteries rather than the rechargeable lithium-ion one supplied on home soil. I’d travel with a USB power bank to save fiddling with batteries, or power off a USB plug or hub when near power.
The colouring and marketing is perhaps designed to appeal to the younger audience Synido is pushing to, but really its bright but not unpleasant colouring and features make it a useful piece of kit for all sorts of musicians.
Currently priced at around $54. Check out the latest price on Amazon.
