{"id":13520,"date":"2025-08-16T04:31:57","date_gmt":"2025-08-15T21:31:57","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/cstc.vn\/blogtsk\/this-simple-synth-lets-you-build-chords-brick-by-brick-like-lego\/"},"modified":"2025-08-16T04:31:57","modified_gmt":"2025-08-15T21:31:57","slug":"this-simple-synth-lets-you-build-chords-brick-by-brick-like-lego","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/cstc.vn\/blogtsk\/this-simple-synth-lets-you-build-chords-brick-by-brick-like-lego\/","title":{"rendered":"This Simple Synth lets you build chords brick-by-brick like LEGO"},"content":{"rendered":"<\/p>\n<p>I can play you a chord on the guitar because of muscle memory, or make variations of it based on whether I think it sounds good, but if you asked me what keys I played, I\u2019ll probably make a puzzled expression. Music is an emotion, but it\u2019s also theory, and a lot of people end up following one but not the other. Braz de Pina\u2019s 3Tonic \u2018synth\u2019 brings theory to chord-building in a way that\u2019s intuitive, and helps really cement a sense of understanding about what notes we play and why some of them sound happy, why some of them sound sad, and why some of them sound \u2018interesting\u2019.<\/p>\n<p>The 3Tonic is a hardware concept based on de Pina\u2019s own chord-building website <a href=\"https:\/\/3tonic.com\/\">3tonic.com<\/a>, which gamifies the concept of chord structures. Select a bunch of keys and the website tells you which chord you\u2019ve just built. Lay them out together in a sequence and you can listen to the chords you\u2019ve built in succession, knowing whether they work or they\u2019re still a WIP. Think music, but on a building block level, like LEGO.<\/p>\n<p>Designer: Braz de Pina<\/p>\n<\/p>\n<p>This hardware device takes the website\u2019s UI and turns it into a small synth you can carry with you. It\u2019s the ideal learning tool and tinkering gadget for music lovers. The tiny gizmo boasts a screen, a small speaker beside it, 14 buttons, and 2 knobs for control. The main Play and Loop buttons allow you to control playback, while the 12-button layout under the screen gives you an overview of all the notes of the music scale. Press them to create chord combos and the 3Tonic tells you the name of the chord you just built. Do it enough and you\u2019ll actually understand chord theory instead of going by \u2018what sounds good\u2019.<\/p>\n<\/p>\n<p>The two knobs control tempo and rhythm. You can toggle between different rhythmic styles although 4\/4 and 3\/4 are considered the most popular. The tempo button controls the BPM, with 120 set as the default. There\u2019s also a hidden volume wheel in the top right corner for decibel control.<\/p>\n<\/p>\n<p>The overall design is simple to the point of being child-friendly. It\u2019s easy for anyone to tinker with, and there\u2019s no right or wrong, there\u2019s just \u2018what sounds good to you\u2019. For now, this device is purely conceptual, but just in case you love it in theory, the <a href=\"https:\/\/3tonic.com\/\">3tonic.com<\/a> website gives you everything this device does, in digital format. If, however, you found de Pina\u2019s work interesting, the designer\u2019s been on this quest to build some uniquely niche yet useful hardware, including an entire range of <a href=\"https:\/\/www.yankodesign.com\/tag\/braz-de-pina\/\">unofficial Microsoft Copilot macro pads<\/a>.<\/p>\n<\/p>\n<p>The post <a href=\"https:\/\/www.yankodesign.com\/2025\/08\/15\/this-simple-synth-lets-you-build-chords-brick-by-brick-like-lego\/\">This Simple Synth lets you build chords brick-by-brick like LEGO<\/a> first appeared on <a href=\"https:\/\/www.yankodesign.com\/\">Yanko Design<\/a>.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>I can play you a chord on the guitar because of muscle memory, or make variations of it based on whether I think it sounds good, but if you asked me what keys I played, &hellip; <\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":0,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":[],"categories":[16],"tags":[],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO plugin v16.7 - 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