Getting Started with OrchidUpdated 18 days ago
Welcome to Orchid 🌸 Your new companion for exploring harmony, unlocking chord shapes, and finding new musical directions. This guide will get you from unboxing to your very first chord in just a few minutes.
Unboxing Orchid
In the box, you’ll find:
Orchid (the instrument itself)
Quick Start Guide
Safety info
Power & Connections
Power — Plug Orchid into any USB-C power source (computer or wall adapter).
Audio — Connect the 3.5mm stereo output to your speakers, mixer, or headphones.
MIDI / Firmware — USB-C also handles MIDI (to your DAW or external gear) and firmware updates. You'll also notice a 5-pin MIDI output.
The Interface at a Glance
Orchid is designed to help you find what's on your mind. Here's what you’ll use most often:
Screen → shows key, chord names, voicings, and notes (plus more if you can find them).
Sounds → choose a sound from Orchid’s synth engine.
Voicing Dial → rotate to explore inversions and pitch.
Bass Synth → choose a bass sound from our bass engine, and play it with chords or on its own. It also has its own voicing dial (the small one in the middle).
Performance Modes → choose Strum, or Arpeggio, among many others.
Looper → have a jam and overdub as many times as you please.
BPM/Beats → adjust the BPM, select your pre-programmed beat.
FX → edit the FX parameters for sounds and beats.
Options → this is where all other settings live.
Your First Chord
Play a Chord → Press a chord pad, then play a note. Orchid will generate a voicing and display the chord name (which can be changed in Options > View.
Pick a Key → Press the Key knob and turn the dial to choose (e.g. C Major).
Explore the Voicing Dial → Turn the dial to shift between inversions or octaves.
Choose a Perform Mode → Try Strum (rolled like a guitar), or Arpeggio (one note at a time).
Exploring Sound
Rotate the Sound knob to explore all sounds on our synth engine.
Save your favourites to come back later by pressing the Sound knob.
Loops & Progressions
Use the Loop knob to capture and play back chord progressions.
Layer new ideas over the top.
Troubleshooting
No sound? → Check volume, Bass settings, and output selection.
USB not recognised? → Try a different cable.
Need a hard reset? → Hold the ON/OFF button for 10s.
For more help, visit our Discord community where you will get the fastest response, or send our support team an email on [email protected]. If you want to see what others are making with Orchid, join us in The Garden.
Explore our video tutorials for hands-on demonstrations.