Nopia synth nears launch with projected £550 price
Creators Martin Grieco and Rocío Gal told MusicRadar the harmony-focused instrument is due in a couple of months.
By James Whitfield · Staff Writer
2 min read
Nopia, the harmony-focused synthesizer that drew attention from music gear fans after an early 2023 demo, is close to release. Creators Martin Grieco and Rocío Gal told MusicRadar the instrument should arrive in “a couple of months” at a price of around £550, according to The Verge.
The device has been pitched as a “harmony machine,” built to let players trigger fuller musical parts without handling a conventional keyboard performance. The Verge reported that Grieco and Gal recently brought Nopia to MusicRadar’s offices for an extended look at the hardware.
Nopia’s design centers on combining several musical roles inside one tabletop instrument. According to The Verge, it blends modules for keys, bass, arpeggios and pads into one performance system, giving it some of the role of a groovebox without putting drums at the center.
The control layout is aimed at fast harmonic changes. The Verge reported that Nopia includes a one-octave keyboard called the Chord Builder, a 12-button Tonal Selector and an Extensions Dial, with those controls used to set the key and chord voicings.
The point of that setup, according to The Verge’s description, is to make more complex chords playable with minimal input. A player can shape harmonies using one or two fingers rather than performing every note of a chord manually.
Nopia also includes performance controls for changing how those chords are played. The Verge reported that a strum plate in the upper-right area lets users pick out individual notes from a chord, while a slider can bend the pitch of the full chord.
The sound engine is not limited to one synthesis method. According to The Verge, Nopia includes both virtual analog and sample-based synth engines, along with built-in effects such as delay, reverb, tape emulation and beat repeat.
Connectivity is another part of the pitch. The Verge reported that Nopia offers a broad set of connection options, including per-module MIDI output, which would let its harmony system control external instruments.
The release timing remains approximate. MusicRadar was told the launch is expected in a couple of months, while The Verge described the instrument as due by the end of the year at around £550.
For musicians who followed the original demo, the update marks the clearest sign yet that Nopia is moving from internet curiosity to commercial product. Grieco and Gal’s latest showing puts a price range and launch window on a device that has been teased for several years.
This story draws on original reporting from The Verge.