Analog, digital… we’re onto the physical, kinetic, and electroacoustic. For one example, marvel at the Polystepper by artist/woodworker Love Hultén and coder Koka Nikoladze.
It’s a wonderfully simple design – tune the sounds by adjusting the stepper motors. But wow, that industrial design. It looks it’d be at home on the set of Severance.
Polyphonic electroacoustic synthesizer based on 4 stepper motors, Teensy and a MIDI keyboard. MIDI controls frequency(tuned vibrations) and turns the 4 motors into mechanical oscillators.
Love Hultén has been making other “tech and craftporn” from Sweden, and has been busy as always. Check the equally eye-popping Mellotron and biodata instrument and other recent custom creations:
Gorgeous music here, as well – incredibly, based on the wonderful Osmose expressive keyboard and its Haken-based sound engine:
Meanwhile, at the Muppet Labs music studio:
There’s also this earlier stepper motor creation, which appears to have inspired the new one. Piezos pick up the sounds:
And Love does take custom orders. Forget stupidly overpriced used stuff; I know what I’m doing with any lotto winnings.