ORBA 3

Quickstart Guide

What You'll Need

USB cable included for device connectivity; Orba supports MIDI-over-Bluetooth for Mac, iOS, and Android devices.

A Download of the Artiphon Connect to access additional sounds and settings.

Ensure Orba has the latest firmware by connecting to a desktop computer.

A device meeting our system requirements.

CameraKit adapter required for iOS devices (enables bi-directional transfer of musical data).

The Anatomy of Orba

Turn on Orba 3 by pressing the power button on the side next to the volume buttons.

Let's make some music (yes, it's that easy)

Start making music immediately by tapping the eight playing pads.

Feel the music!

Try gestures: Radiate in and out on any pad or tilt Orba while holding a note to modulate your sound. Each part reacts differently. In Drum Part, hold Pad 8 and shake Orba for a shaker, or bump the side for a tambourine effect. We’ll cover the parts in step 4.

Switch it up!

Orba Offers four parts that you can layer. You can hop from one part to the next. If you're on Drum, tap the A button once, and you'll switch to Bass.

🥁 Drum: each pad is a different piece of the drum set.

🐟 Bass: each pad is a single note in the Major scale.

🎹 Chord: each pad plays four notes at the same time.

🎺 Lead: each pad is a note in the Pentatonic scale, which is a great way to create melodies.

How to sample

To begin recording your sample, press and release the red sample button on the side of Orba. Make some noise! The brighter the lights, the louder the volume being recorded.

Sampling in Melodic mode

If sampling in melodic mode (Bass, Chord, Lead), a single sound will automatically get tuned to a melodic instrument that stretches across all eight pads. The selected part will flash green, indicating your new sampled instrument is ready to be played.

Sampling in Drum Mode

Drum sampling allows multiple sounds to be recorded individually to assemble your own complete drum kit. After you've recorded your drum sample, select the pad you'd like to assign your sample to. You can repeat this step for all 8 pads.

Cmnd + Shift What?

The A button also acts as a shift key. Pess and hold the A button to see the pads light up in a rainbow. While holding A, select from eight menu options: four playing parts or other song recording options.

Loop & Layer

To start recording a loop, hold A and wait for the rainbow while holding the A, tap Pad 6 🔴

Release both pads and you'll hear a metronome play! Tap A again when you're ready to close your loop.

Making a Song

Finally once you've ended your loop, your performance will automatically play over and over. You can layer on top of your new loop as much as you like. To stop recording: Hold A while holding A, tap Pad 5 ⏯️ and release both pads.

Saving & Sharing

To save and share your songs and samples, download the Artiphon Connect app, give your file and creative name, and viola!

Want to dive deeper?

View More