FAD GADGETS

Rhodri Marsden on three of the latest must-have gizmos currently putting the prog in progress.

CRITTER & GUITARI 201

All things tiny this month, beginning with this dinky pocket synth. It’s the successor to a Pocket Piano of similar dimensions (just under 10 inches wide), however its tininess conceals a surprising wealth of features: six sound engines, an arpeggiator, sequencer and a bunch of holes in the back (MIDI, USB, Micro SD, line out). Battery powered and with wooden keys, it’s a curious mixture of cutting edge and retro – and people are evidently pretty hungry for such a thing: it smashed its Kickstarter target in double-quick time, and is due to ship in the first quarter of this year. www.critterandguitari.com

SNARK AIR

The clip-on tuner has been a revelation for guitarists worldwide. Attach it to the headstock of your guitar, and it lets you retune without a) staring down at a pedalboard, b) messing with an app or, c) making a load of noise (you can turn the volume down on the guitar, as it senses the vibration of the note through the instrument). The only downside is the unsightly protuberance it causes, but Snark has now solved this with its new tuner, which is minuscule, discreet and hides behind the headstock, allowing you to give any audience the mistaken impression that you have perfect pitch. www.snarktuners.com

PRINT-A-VIOLIN

Kids’ instruments can be expensive, and this can prohibit many children from learning to play. A Canadian organisation is seeking to redress this with a new 3D-printed violin, which costs as little as $34 to make. The main body is made of PLA polymer, the neck of ABS plastic, to which you just slot in regular tuning pegs, chin rest and strings. Kids in Canada can benefit today, but ultimately the 3D printing revolution will mean many more instruments for many more people, and that’s good. www.avivayoungartists.com