Odd Studios ODD Ball £95 PC MAC

Is this for real? A MIDI controller without pads, keys, or even corners. Just bounce it, and watch out for your studio fish tank

ODD Ball is a rubber ball that can be bounced, and as it does so, it sends messages to a dedicated iOS app, or through Bluetooth MIDI to DAWs on a computer. This sounds like a refreshing change from using backlit pads for everything!

The ODD Ball ships in a cardboard box, and within that box is a groovy looking padded tin to be kept for storage and transportation. Also included is a compact printed manual, and a USB cable. The ODD Ball is larger than we’d anticipated, measuring 7.5cm across and weighing 200g. It’s fairly mysterious, being simply a sphere with a small hole in it, and a discreet ODD Ball logo.

The first step is to charge it, during which time a faint blinking LED can be seen. An initial charge of six hours is recommended – a bit of a buzz kill if you’re the impatient type. The USB cable has a regular ‘A’ connection at the computer end, while at the other end there’s a circular power connector, which goes deep into that hole we mentioned – it might not be easy to replace if lost. The fastest way to get going is with the free iOS/Android app, where sounds can be assigned to the ball, and backing tracks launched, with genres including disco, grime, and rock.

You can also record samples using your mobile device’s microphone, and trigger those. A looping section is included, where passes with different sounds can be overdubbed. Note that we bounced at a safe distance from our studio setup and other breakable objects!