Released in 1981, Suzuki Omnichord OM-27 (perhaps the first truly portable electronic music instrument) attracted a ton of attention. Resembling an autoharp, the Omnichord came in three colors—brown, ivory, and red—and featured 27 chords arranged in three rows: major, minor, and seventh. It also featured a Strumplate, which let players modulate the synthesized tones, and very primitive drum machine presets. Yes, it looks like a toy, but it’s most definitely a synth—albeit one with limited...
