Drummers seem to always be drumming on something. Tables, chairs, their own legs – the rhythm never seems to stop. Korg noticed this too, and they’re here to make those imagined drumming sessions a reality with CLIPHIT – a portable device that can turn any surface into an electric drum kit.
CLIPHIT in a funny little device. Essentially a speaker with three wires that can clip onto anything with an edge, this portable set-up allows you to create a drum kit out of anything from professional practice pads to books, desks and your own hat, if you’re so inclined. Its clips carry motion sensors that trigger sounds on impact, even varying volume depending on how hard you hit whatever they’re attached to. The kit also comes with a foot pedal to complete the drum-kit experience.
Using a bank of EFX sounds, CLIPHIT responds to its motion sensors to turn your household objects into snares, bass drums, hi-hats and cymbals, or a variety of effects from tambourines to cats. There are eleven different drum kit combinations possible using the traditional sounds, plus all the rest!
CLIPHIT comes with the ability to plug in headphones, for private practice, or to connect to a larger speaker for a richer sound. This is true of any electronic drum kit, but in terms of storage and portability, the CLIPHIT has the edge, compact at only 163 x 173 x 101 mm / 6.42” x 6.81” x 3.98”. You can also plug in an MP3 player to jam along.
This device doesn’t feel the sturdiest. I was worried about damaging the wires, which also create logistical issues. You need to set up your kit carefully, so you won’t knock any of your wires whilst playing: when Bluetooth devices are common, navigating this many wires took some spontaneity out of the experience.
The CLIPHIT is fully portable, but takes four AA batteries for six hours of charge, which is a little thirsty if you’re out and about. The three-inch speaker has a 2W output; the sound was fine and definitely did the job, but some drums and effects were more overtly canned than others, which does impact the overall experience.
Although its overall quality isn’t anything spectacular, the CLIPHIT’s concept is a lot of fun. It’s entertaining for amateurs and arguably useful for drummers. It may end up a passing fad rather than one of your ‘go-to's, but it would make a brilliant gift for someone who can’t stop fidgeting! RRP £105
3.5 out of 5
Pros
Portable
Fun concept
Large range of sounds
Responsive
Cons
Doesn’t feel sturdy
Fiddly to set up
Some sounds better than others
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