Stylophone:a British pocketsynth compared

Act I

The Stylophone story, from 1967 to the pocket

Brian Jarvis invented the Stylophone in 1967, and Dubreq, a British company, put it into the shops. The listing for the Original dates its first release to 1968, which is a year of difference that nobody has ever argued about at length.

David Bowie used one on Space Oddity in 1969, which did more for its reputation than any advertisement could, and Dubreq relaunched it in 2007. It remains a British invention that still sounds like one: buzzy, brisk and slightly amused.

How a Stylophone is played

A Stylophone has a metal keyboard and a stylus on a lead. Tap the stylus on a segment to sound a note, or slide it along to run from one to the next. There is no wrong pressure, only a wrong segment.

Dubreq and the relaunch

Dubreq’s 2007 relaunch brought the instrument back to a generation that had only heard about it, and the range has grown steadily since. A Stylophone is no longer one gadget but a small family with some very different members.

Why the Stylophone sounds as it does

The listings claim the same iconic analogue sound as the first model, and the voice is unmistakable: a buzzy single note that sounds like a comedy and a hit single at once. There is one voice, and the character comes from how you play it.

Act III

Beyond the pocket Stylophone: Beat, Theremin and DS-2

Three further models stretch the idea beyond a plain pocket synth. Each has its own listing and its own purpose, so read the title before buying.

Admit I

Stylophone Beat drum machine

Players building loops and rhythms with a stylus

Drum kits	4
Bass sounds	4
Recording	Layers and patterns
Power	3 × AA, not included

4.5/5 on Amazon from 1,500 ratings

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Admit II

Stylophone Theremin touch synth

Players who want drones and trigger notes by touch

Modes	Drone or trigger notes
Effects	Vibrato and delay
Sound	Built-in speaker
Output	Headphones and other gear

4.4/5 on Amazon from 112 ratings

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Admit III

Stylophone CPM DS-2 drone synth

Sound designers after a desktop analogue drone synth

Oscillators	2 analogue 3340, 2 sub
Filters	2 analogue 3320
Patching	12 points, Eurorack compatible
Power	Mains or 6 × AA

4.7/5 on Amazon from 21 ratings

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The Stylophone Beat

The Beat is a compact stylus drum machine with four drum kits and four bass sounds. It has a click track and tempo lock, records several layers and patterns, and has a built-in speaker with volume control, on three AA batteries.

The Stylophone Theremin

The listing describes a touch-sensitive synthesizer that can drone or trigger notes, with vibrato, delay and a speaker. It is played by touch, so it is not strictly a theremin, as our theremin page explains.

The CPM DS-2

The CPM DS-2 is a bigger desktop analogue drone synth, with two 3340 oscillators, two sub oscillators, two 3320 filters, 14 LFO waveforms and 12 modular patch points. It runs on mains or six AA batteries, and the listing says it is Eurorack compatible.

Act V

Stylophone connections, model by model

Every Stylophone here makes its own noise, and most can also send it elsewhere. The sockets differ, so it helps to read the list before buying a cable.

• The Original connects with a 3.5 mm stereo cable into a line input.
• The S-1 has a 3.5 mm socket for headphones and connections, plus a speaker with volume control.
• The Beat takes any wired headphones.
• The Theremin takes wired headphones and other equipment at once.
• The DS-2 has two stereo outputs, a built-in speaker and a headphone option.

Act VII

Playing a Stylophone: a few first moves

A Stylophone rewards a light touch and a short rehearsal, and the first tune can arrive within minutes.

1. Tap out a tune you know, one segment at a time.
2. Slide the stylus between segments to link notes together.
3. Add vibrato on the models that have it, and use it sparingly.
4. Plug into headphones or another system when the household has heard enough.

What to play first

Start with a nursery tune, a hymn or the opening of a song you know well, because familiar notes make the stylus easier to aim. Anything with a strong melody and few leaps will do.

Layering with the Beat

The Beat records several layers and patterns, so you can build a loop one part at a time, with the click track keeping you honest. Pair it with a pocket Stylophone from the same family and the two make a small band.

Using the Stylosette’s expansion port

The Stylosette’s expansion port and clips are the unusual feature, since they let conductive objects trigger sounds. The listing mentions fruit, vegetables and spoons, so the instrument turns the kitchen drawer into a keyboard.

If keys feel more natural, the Omnichord adds chords and rhythms, and the otamatone offers a different sort of finger slide.

Encore

From the stalls: your Stylophone questions

• When did the Stylophone come out?

  Brian Jarvis invented it in 1967, and the listing for the Original dates its first release to 1968. Dubreq, the British company behind it, relaunched the instrument in 2007.

• Which famous songs use a Stylophone?

  David Bowie played one on Space Oddity in 1969, which remains the standard answer. The listing for the Original also names The White Stripes among its users.

• What instrument is played with a pen?

  The Stylophone, more or less. You touch a stylus to a metal keyboard, and each segment of the metal sounds a note, though the stylus is not a pen and will not write.

• Can a Stylophone plug into other gear?

  Yes. The Original connects with a 3.5 mm stereo cable into a line input, and the S-1 has a 3.5 mm socket for headphones and connections. The Beat and the Theremin take headphones too.

• Is the Stylophone Beat a synth?

  Not quite. The Beat is a compact stylus drum machine with four drum kits and four bass sounds, so it belongs beside the synths rather than among them.

• Which Stylophone suits a first-timer?

  The S-1 is the tidy choice: it adds a carry case, vibrato and a speaker with volume control to the classic design. The Original is the plainer way in.