Beatmaker’s sketchbook is an alternative to commercial sample based sequencers/grooveboxes with a big difference – it is 100% Open-Source.

Its core is a Teensy 4.1 microcontroller with 16 MB additional Sample RAM (~3 minutes of samples in memory) and uses a Micro SD-card as permanent storage.

Beatmaker’s sketchbook houses a microphone, a fader, four rotary encoders, 24 keys for two octaves, 12 functional buttons, a display and a via USB rechargeable battery. It can sample through a line-in or the built in microphone, playback via headphones or the line-out connector and communicates with external devices via MIDI.

Beatmaker’s sketchbook is the first portable sampler that supports scratching samples via DVS (timecode vinyl from you record player through the ine-in)!

• Sample via line-in, the built in microphone, re-sample or combine re-sampling with line-in or microphone.
• Load samples from the sample library on the SD card.
• Samples can be cut and sliced into multiple parts.
• Each song/project can use up to 72 samples.

• Matrix Sequencer – called sketchbook – 8 channels with almost endless steps.
• Matrix cells can be filled with a sample (volume, panning, pitch, probability playback direction), parameter change (volume, panning, pitch adjustments, playback direction, Note Off) or MIDI messages.
• Advanced editing – span a selection and move, duplicate or delete it.
• Divide the sketchbook into sheets (pattern).
• Select parts (overarching multiple sheets) and store them as snippets.
• Zoom levels for fine grained compositions.
• Individual swing for each sample or assign to one of 8 swing groups.

• Chain sheets (pattern) to a complete song.
• Repeat sheets
• Can be used as background track for play mode.
• Solo channels for recording into your DAW.

• Assign samples, snippets or midi messages to up to 72 configurable slots.
• Control via external MIDI gear. Slots can be “trained” to listen to a midi note.
• Play via MIDI with velocity and polyphonic aftertouch.
• External MIDI equipment not needed for live performances.
• Piano mode for one sample to play it chromatically pitched via internal piano keyboard or a separate MIDI channel.
• Different modes to scratch samples – via the built in fader or with a timecode vinyl and a real player.
• Synced launch of Snippets of your sequence.
• Record your performance to SD card.

• Sync with other devices via USB MIDI or TRS-A MIDI.
• Use beatmaker’s sketchbook as MIDI clock in your set-up.
• Record to your DAW via USB-Audio.
• Sampling via USB-Audio in.
• Copy your Synthesizer – select a midi note range, the trigger-release-time and auto-record your synthesizer.

Beatmaker’s sketchbooks firmware – SUCOFUNKey – is continuous evolving, Open-Source and based on the Teensy Audio library. Check these links for more information: