The Omnichord is an electronic musical instrument created in 1981 by the Suzuki Musical Instrument Corporation. Designed to work like an electronic autoharp, it lets users play harp-like sounds using an electronic strum plate, which mimics the way a stringed instrument is played. The Omnichord became popular because it is easy to carry, has a unique sound, and was liked for its fun and unusual look.

Different Omnichord models include features such as organ-like chords, pre-set drum rhythms, and an automatic bass line. A grid of buttons allows users to choose major, minor, and 7th chords, which can be activated using the strum plate, chord buttons, and bassline accompaniment.

Production of the Omnichord stopped with the OM-300 model in 1996. Later, the instrument became popular again because people became interested in old electronic devices from the past. A new model, the OM-108, was released in 2024.

Production

In 1981, the Suzuki Musical Instrument Corporation introduced the first Omnichord, called the OM-27. It was released with another instrument named the Tronichord, which is also known as the Portachord. This instrument was designed for people who had no musical training and might feel nervous about using traditional keyboards.

The OM-27 had 27 buttons for playing chords, a strum plate, and built-in drum rhythms. It also had controls for adjusting volume, tempo, and sustain. The only sound available was a "harp" sound.

In 1984, Suzuki made two new models: the OM-36, which had 36 chord shapes, and the OM-84, which had 84 chord shapes. Both models had a better strum plate.

The next model, the OM-100, moved the strum plate to a more comfortable position. It also added sounds like guitar, piano, banjo, jazz organ, flute, chime, brass, vibraphone, and synthesizer.

In 1989, the OM-250 was introduced. It had a MIDI out port, which allowed it to connect with other electronic instruments. In the early 1990s, the OM-300 was released. It added a MIDI in port, a chord sequencer, and more sound options.

In 1999, Suzuki changed the name of the Omnichord to the Q-Chord. The new model had a redesigned body, more sounds, a better speaker, and an expansion slot for storing songs.

In the 2020s, more people became interested in the Omnichord because of new music styles and a growing interest in old electronic instruments. In 2024, Suzuki announced a new model called the OM-108. It has analog circuits, copies of older models, new sounds and drum settings, and the ability to use the chord buttons like a keyboard or drum pad.

Sound and features

The Omnichord has pre-set rhythm patterns with controls for tempo and volume. It also includes an automatic bass line feature, which can be combined to create musical accompaniment. The most unique part of the Omnichord is the Sonic Strings strum plate, which allows the player to "strum" arpeggios in a way similar to a guitar. Later models of the Omnichord added MIDI compatibility, more sound choices for the Sonic Strings, vibrato, and a feature called Chord Computer that stores chord sequences.

The Omnichord was mainly designed to provide background music rather than play melodies. It is well-suited for supporting a singer with basic rhythms and simple chord playing that does not require advanced music knowledge.

The Omnichord has three main sound generators:

• A percussion section that plays rhythms such as rock, waltz, slow rock, Latin, foxtrot, and swing. These rhythms can be adjusted for tempo and volume.
• A chord generator that creates different types of chords, such as organ-like chords or walking bass. The original model, OM-27, could play 27 chords, while later models could play 84 chords.
• A Sonic Strings section that produces arpeggios or individual notes from a selected chord across a range of four octaves. This is played using a touch-sensitive strip. The notes played on the strip are always in harmony with the chord selected. Later models included additional sound options for the Sonic Strings, such as vibes, brass, organ, guitar, and banjo.

Later models included a Chord Memory section with a chord sequencer that allowed users to record up to 51 chords in sequence. These chords could be played back automatically or using a footswitch. In 2023, Pitchfork described the Omnichord as "feeling like a toy" with "cheap" sounds.

Users

The Omnichord was easy to use, even for people who did not know much about music or how to read music. This made it popular with many users. It was especially popular in Japan, where it was used in pop and electronic music, in advertisements for products like Coca-Cola and the Walkman, and in music education to help students practice by playing along with backing tracks.

The Omnichord was used by pop music groups in the 1980s and 1990s, such as the Human League, Talking Heads, and Devo. Eurythmics used the Omnichord’s harp sound on their 1982 song "Love Is a Stranger." Brian Eno and Daniel Lanois used a slowed-down recording of the Omnichord on the 1983 song "Deep Blue Day" to create a unique sound. Lanois also used the Omnichord on the U2 song "Trip Through Your Wires" from the 1987 album The Joshua Tree, combining it with delay effects and guitar amplifiers.

David Bowie used the Omnichord during his performance of the 1968 song "America" by Simon & Garfunkel at the 2001 Concert for New York City. Damon Albarn used the Omnichord OM-300’s "Rock 1" preset for the 2001 Gorillaz song "Clint Eastwood." Meshell Ndegeocello used the Omnichord to create her 2023 album The Omnichord Real Book. At the 66th Annual Grammy Awards, the Omnichord became the first winner of the Grammy Award for Best Alternative Jazz Album. Other users included Jim James, Nick Rhodes, and Joni Mitchell. On January 1, 2026, during the inauguration of New York City’s mayor Zohran Mamdani, singer Lucy Dacus performed the political song "Bread and Roses" with the Omnichord.