Find Harmony, Spark Creativity: Meet the Chordcat groovebox – Play, make music, and spark inspiration with the chord recommendation feature

During its initial pre-release in Japan, Chordcat received enthusiastic feedback, with a wide range of music creators – from beginners to experienced producers – snapping up all the available units. Building on this momentum and wave of positivity, Chordcat is getting a global rollout so even more people can use it to spark their creativity.

Designed to evoke the freedom of musical exploration, the Chord Cruiser function suggests seamless and intuitive chord transitions, putting creative harmonic choices right at your fingertips. So, you can intuitively select recommended chords while playing to compose your own tracks without needing advanced musical knowledge.

Chordcat includes an 8-track sequencer for recording and playing back multiple performances, and there are 145 instrument sounds, 16 drum sounds, and advanced music arrangement tools to experiment with. All this gives you the freedom to craft not only chord progressions but also melodies and rhythms, exactly the way you envision them.

Wherever inspiration strikes – at home, in the studio, or on the go – Chordcat helps you transform your ideas into music. From its intuitive chord creation to versatile sound design, this groovebox is your ultimate tool for unlocking creative potential and fueling your musical imagination.

Chord Cruiser mode: Easily make unique chord progressions

Chordcat can suggest up to 110,000 chord combinations*1 which you can use to create your own progressions. Put the groovebox in Chord Cruiser mode, and an exclusive algorithm selects and suggests multiple musically compatible chords from its database. You can listen to these chords and assign your favorite to the keyboard, triggering the next suggestion automatically. With this intuitive workflow at your fingertips, you can enjoy a simple process for making original tracks. Chordcat also includes 18 preset chord progressions called Chordsets, 13 of which are inspired by various musical genres, such as house and future bass, while the remaining 5 are basic chord presets, such as major and minor. You can use these presets as they are, or as a starting point to spark your own ideas. From there, Chord Cruiser mode gives you the freedom to create entirely unique chord progressions.

*1Total number of chord combinations in the database.

Versatile arrangement features and intuitive instrument control

3 built-in effects

Add unique touches to your music with 3 powerful effects – Arpeggiator, Delay, and Ducker – all of which you can manipulate intuitively using the XY pad.

• Arpeggiator: Creates melodies from chords.
• Delay: Adds depth to sounds and spatial dimension to your music.
• Ducker: Adds dynamics and emphasis, creating a sense of movement in your tracks.

Running Direction feature

Break the boundaries of your compositions. With Running Direction, you can change the playback direction of 4×4 step-sequenced patterns by pressing a single button. Choose from 4 options – right, down, clockwise, and counterclockwise – to discover new phrases and rhythms. This feature unlocks new ideas, enabling you to create innovative chord progressions or explore rhythms across different genres.

Sound presets and tone-shaping tools

Spark fresh ideas during the creative process by switching between 145 sound presets and 16 drum kits designed for a wide range of genres. You can tune your sound presets however you like them using the low-pass filter and amp envelope. These parameters can be automated per pattern, so your sounds can dynamically evolve throughout a track. This enables you to go beyond static presets and build expressive, energetic phrases that bring your music to life.

Key and scale settings

Play with creative freedom and never hit a wrong note. When you set a key and scale on Chordcat, only the notes that belong to the selected key and scale are mapped to the keyboard. For example, setting the key to E and the scale to minor blues will arrange the notes of the E minor blues scale on the keyboard so you can improvise however you like, knowing that any note you hit will blend in harmony with your melody. The compatibility of chords suggested in Chord Play mode or Chord Cruiser mode and the selected key and scale are indicated by LED lights. This helps both beginners and professional musicians, enabling efficient and creative music production.

Core features of Chordcat: A groovebox to inspire you and realize your creative vision

Extensive workspace: 8 tracks, 16 patterns, and 128 steps (8 bars)

Chordcat offers an intuitive and flexible workspace for your music production, including:

• 8 tracks: Play up to 8 different instruments or sounds at once, such as drums, bass, and synths, with independent control for each track. You can also adjust track volume, and pan to balance the left and right audio channels.
• 16 patterns: Create and save up to 16 unique phrases per track and build dynamic song arrangements. You can also use the Pattern Chain feature to play patterns in a designated sequence for seamless transitions.
• 128 steps (8 bars): Arrange sounds precisely within a 16-step (1 bar) x 8-page configuration which enables detailed sequencing and timing for your compositions.

Versatile connectivity: Expand your creative horizons

It’s easy to integrate Chordcat with external synthesizers and DAW software on PC/Mac computers thanks to its MIDI OUT/THRU, MIDI IN, and USB Type-C ports. Use Chord Play and Chord Cruiser modes to control and perform with your connected devices effortlessly.

Enhanced DAW integration with Chordcat Manager, plus Ableton Live Lite license offer

Seamlessly import and export sequence patterns between Chordcat and your PC/Mac using the dedicated Chordcat Manager software.*2 Export patterns created on the hardware to your DAW software to change sounds, or import patterns from your DAW to Chordcat so you can play around with arrangements. A free license for the music production software Ableton Live Lite will also be available*3 for customers who register their Chordcat product. By using Chordcat with Ableton Live Lite, you can build a seamless workflow that takes you from sketching ideas to full-scale music production.

*2 You can also use Chordcat Manager to back up entire projects to your PC/Mac for safe storage.
*3 The Ableton Live Lite license is available free of charge if you register your Chordcat to your AlphaTheta account and apply via the dedicated webpage (scheduled for release around September 2025).

Flat design, focused on portability

The flat design without knobs or protrusions makes it easy to slip Chordcat into a small bag. You can take it anywhere and create music wherever inspiration strikes – in the studio, at home, or on the go – thanks to the compact and lightweight construction.

Battery or USB power for freedom to be creative anywhere

Chordcat runs on 6 AA batteries so you can make music anytime. The groovebox also supports USB Type-C power for extended sessions when connected to a PC/Mac. With Chordcat, you can instantly capture and develop your ideas without missing a beat.

Chordcat specifications

Maximum Dimensions (W × D × H)	247 × 111 × 33 mm / 9.72” × 4.37” × 1.30”
Weight	0.4 kg / 0.9 lb
Power Supply	DC 5 V, 500mA (USB bus power) AA/LR6 alkaline battery × 6
Battery Life	Approximately 5 hours (when using alkaline batteries). Varies depending on the usage conditions
Accessories	USB cable (C to C) Warranty (for some regions) Quick Start Guide Precautions for Use

* Disclaimer: Specifications and price are subject to change.
* Other product, technology, and company names, etc. mentioned herein are trademarks or registered trademarks of their respective owners.