Dedicated QChord QC-1 guide

QChord features

Soft pads, harp strings and songs you can actually play.

The QChord is loved less as a technical gadget and more as a beautiful, friendly songwriting companion.

Why people fall for it

The QChord has its own little scene.

Many modern QChord players are discovering it through each other: short performances, bedroom covers, gentle original songs and that unmistakable burgundy shape held almost like an autoharp.

The favourite setup is often simple: soft pad strings on the chord buttons, a harp-like strumplate voice and little or no automatic rhythm. It lets a beginner sound musical quickly, but still gives performers a warm texture that sits beautifully behind a voice.

Aisling holding a Suzuki QChord QC-1
Pad strings

Hold a chord and let the QChord make a warm string pad underneath your singing.

Harp strumplate

Brush the strumplate and it plays notes that fit the chord you are holding.

Easy covers

Look up guitar chords for a song, press the matching QChord buttons and start gently.

Beginner friendly

You do not need to read music to make something pretty in the first few minutes.

Performance friendly

Line out/headphones make it useful for recording, amplification and quiet practice.

Extra voices

There are 100 strumplate voices, including harp, strings, pads, synths and effects.

Plain English features

What is inside?

  • 84 chord combinations from the 36 soft-touch chord buttons.
  • 100 General MIDI voices for melody and strumplate sounds.
  • Effects including reverb, chorus, vibrato and pitch bend.
  • MIDI In and Out for players who want to connect other equipment.
  • QCard slot for the original song and rhythm cartridges.

Next step

Find the harp, pad and synth voices.

The QChord has many lovely strumplate voices that are easy to miss. The quick start page includes Darren and Aisling's video guide plus a clean list of all 100 sounds.

Open the voice guide
Suzuki QChord QC-1 electronic musical instrument