At the 2020 NAMM Show, being held in Anaheim, California Jan 16-19, Lekholm Instruments will be showing their DM48 MIDI controller harmonica.
The Lekholm DM48 is a unique electronic instrument controller in the form of a chromatic harmonica. Twelve independent pressure sensors puts players in control of a world of synthetic sounds.
Here’s a short video demo:
Since it’s a MIDI instrument, it can be used on stage without mics or feedback. It also makes it easy to use other sounds, as demonstrated in Jason Keene’s performance below:
Lekholm DM 48 Specifications:
- 12 precision pressure sensors
- USB MIDI
- Instant key changes
- Stores multiple settings & tunings
- Built-in tuning editor
- Export & import tunings
- Highly adjustable response
- Adjustable breathing resistance
- Single or multichannel output
- Compact size
- OLED display
- Anodized aluminum mouthpiece
- Protective nylon case
The DM48 can be connected directly to a computer via a USB. An Apple Lightning to USB Camera Adapter allows connection to an iPad/iPhone. A MIDI USB host adapter is needed to connect the DM48 to a standard 5-pin MIDI connector.
Pricing and Availability
DM48 Digital Chromatic Harmonica – non-EU customers or EU corporate
- SEK 6400 (no VAT) plus shipping SEK 240 (approx. EUR 620)
- EU customers SEK 8000 incl. VAT plus shipping SEK 240 (approx. EUR 780)
A 15% discount will be offered during NAMM, whether the order is placed online or through us in person (note that orders will be dispatched after Jan 23). See the Lekholm Instruments site for details.
i Unironically love this.
Cheaper than piano lessons, I guess.
Can an Electro Bagpipe with polyphonic after-touch be far in the future?
Sounds very nice, but unfortunate that they don’t seem to have quite captured the bend / vibrato yet.
Cool idea, but the price is eye-watering. Ditch the OLED and find a manufacturer capable of bringing it in for $99, then it’ll be successful.
What this guy said.
The DM48 has 12 pressure sensors. It’s impossible to bring this down to 99$, especially since they’re selling at low volume. I doubt that they generate much profit from the DM48. I talked to both founders and they are really just passionate about this and wanted an electronic harmonica for themselves. I bought one and love it, I am happy with the price because I know it’s a special instrument for which there’s little demand and little supply.
I use one and it is extremely flexible. You can’t compare it to an acoustic diatonic or chromatic, but everything is adjustable. You can set a threshold for pitch bend and use breath to go into a bend. As for vibrato, that can be done with breath or midi buttons on the top of the unit. The breath sensitivity is phenomenal on this.
Glad to hear that, B G. Its a working instrument, enough said there. The price doesn’t seem too fierce for a boutique piece mostly more serious players will buy. It’d be goofy to buy it as a throw-away. The specs are respectable, too. No mention of the spit valve accessory, though, yuck.
I’m sorry. I … just… can’t…. An answer to a question nobody asked.
Oh boy did I ask the question. I always wanted one of these. Wrote a whole thesis about it. http://julianvogels.de/master-thesis/