When I was a kid (puts on old man’s glasses) we had a Casio SK-1. We’d spend all day making burp samples and turning them into silly little songs, but that’s about as far as it goes. You couldn’t fold the tracks or anything. Today’s kids are about to get an actual full-featured groovebox thanks to Playtime Engineering.
The Blipblox myTRACKS According to Playtime, it is a complete music production studio. It has a built-in microphone for sampling (just like the Casio SK-1), as well as 50 instrument sounds and 25 pads for playing them. These sounds can be organized into five tracks that look like multiple grooveboxes designed for adults, and feature two FX processors and a range of effects. Sure, it looks like a toy and probably feels like a toy, but it’s not really a toy. To that end, the ad video shows the adults going out on the town after the kids go to bed.
You can change sounds and add effects via the two bright purple levers on the side that work like typical mod wheels. You’ll be able to purchase sound packs online and download them via USB-C. There’s even a MIDI port. It’s not as high-tech as something like a groovebox, though Junior Engineering OP-1 Areaor Roland MC-707.
Downloading sound packs and modulating effects might be a little too complicated for the little kids in your life, but myTRACKS also includes hundreds of built-in melodies and drum loops to play and have fun with. There’s also a randomization feature that the company says “instantly creates new songs for limited entertainment and inspiration.” These songs will probably annoy you when you’re doing chores, but it’s better than a kid staring at a tablet all day, right?
Now the bad news. The kid-centric groovebox is just a Kickstarter project for now, with shipments finally coming in November. However, this isn’t Playtime Engineering’s first rodeo with this type of gadget. The company has released numerous kid-friendly synthesizers and music creation devices In the Blipblox line. there is the original Blipblox synthesizer and newer Blipblox After Dark. We’ve praised both of these tools for being kid-friendly yet adult-friendly. The myTRACKS Kickstarter will go live on April 9, and prices for backers will range from $250-$300.
