This blue mini keyboard is a modern successor of Bontempi B30. Although the case looks similar, the functions are very different. It has only each 8 preset sounds and rhythms, but 14 lovely arranged polyphonic demo melodies.
Although it is 2 note polyphonic, a keyboard flaw often makes both channels cancel out each other during fast play, which makes polyphonic play almost unusable. All sounds are based on low resolution loop samples. There is also a primitive monophonic sequencer. The percussion can be played through 4 drumpads and includes a remarkable metallic cymbal. The tiny speaker sounds very thin and bassless; its unique timbre somehow remind to an oboe; it distorts nicely during polyphonic play, which can be used as a sound effect.
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The main voice is based on low resolution samples, those sound grainy in the bass range by low sample frequency. Within the limits of their low resolution, the preset sounds are fairly realistic. The "piano" sounds like what the name suggests. The "trumpet", "flute", "violin" and "clarinet" contain a delayed 6Hz vibrato. The "xilophone" sounds a little metallic with hollow bass range; it may be rather a glockenspiel. The "guitar" may be a nylon string acoustic one. The "organ" is an electronic one, which makes a plain toot with percussive attack; the waveform is semi-brassy with grainy bass range and reminds to bagpipes. It can be described best as a beat organ. The digital volume control steals bit resolution of all sounds, which truncates the decay phase at low volume and thus can be rather regarded as a sound effect.
The percussion samples are clearer than with B30, but like all other sounds, also the base drum sounds thin and completely bassless. The impulsive snare slightly reminds to a machine gun. Nice is the high pitched metallic cymbal with 1s long decay, which gives the rhythms of this instrument a unique touch.
To use the sequencer, press "Rec." and play some monophonic notes. Press "Play" to finish, which replays the note sequence. The timing resolution is very coarse. Strange is that although you can set the tempo lower while the sequence plays, pressing "Play" always resets the tempo to default. Although the sequencer is barely good for anything (you can neither stop and re-start the running pattern, nor it can be combined with rhythm), it even holds its data after power off.
A highlight of this simple instrument are the 14 lovely arranged polyphonic demo melodies. They include a lot of drum kit solos and other nice details those give them a vivid, hand- played appeal. Some arrangements are jazz- or country- like; they have little to do with the same songs on B30 or Bontempi B50.
The demo songs of this instrument are:
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