Gizmodo: musical instrument

Do You Play a Musical Instrument?

Sean Fallon — Tue, 14 Apr 2009 17:00:00 EDT

Today I am hoping to find out whether the nerdly love of gadgets extends into the realm of musical instruments. So, my question is simple: do you play?

[Image via Flickr]

Maestro Tries to Teach You Guitar With Lasers

Elaine Chow — Thu, 05 Feb 2009 03:00:00 EST

I predict the Maestro, which uses laser lights to show you what frets to press, will teach me guitar as well as a self-playing piano helped me learn the keyboard: not too well.

Strap the Maestro onto any guitar, load a music file with the songs you need to learn, and then little laser lights will point out the way to play chords. Only, the hardest part of learning the guitar for me was switching your hand fast enough between chords, not actually knowing which to press since most tablatures already had that covered...

So I take it back. This is worse than the self-playing piano. Also, I wish I had musical talent. [Dvice]

Use Your Fingers to Tap Out The Jams

Sean Fallon — Wed, 03 Dec 2008 20:00:00 EST

For some reason, rhythms I produce by nervously tapping my fingers do not translate well to musical instruments. However, this "Jam" concept could help fidgety individuals like myself become musical virtuosos.

A central hub wirelessly links the Jam finger taps together allowing one, or several people to play sound clips by tapping their fingers on a solid surface. The harder you tap, the louder the volume. You could even change the pitch by dragging your finger along the playing surface. Unfortunately, Jam is only a concept at the moment, so it looks as though I will have to stick with some finger drums to express my deep feelings and thoughts musically. [Yanko]

Piano Doorbell Turns the FedEx Guy Into a Virtuoso

Sean Fallon — Fri, 08 Aug 2008 17:50:00 EDT

Musical doorbells are annoying enough, but what if you gave your visitors the freedom to express themselves creatively? That's exactly what designer Li Jian had in mind when he came up with the Pianobell. Unless you are friends with a lot of talented musicians, I don't see much of an upside here. On the other hand, it could be amusing to torture your FedEx guy with a bizarre form of performance anxiety. Fortunately for him, the Pianobell is only a concept at this point. [Labexp via Freshome]

Junk Guitar Class, for Wannabe DIY Electric Guitar Makers

Kit Eaton — Tue, 29 Jul 2008 08:04:00 EDT

Ah the electric guitar... every time I eat at a Hard Rock Cafe, it's these fabulous bits of rock paraphernalia that grab my attention. Fascinating: design, art, creativity in one gizmo. And yet at heart they're very simple: a plain solid body, strings, and some pickups. So very simple in fact, that a guy called Ranjit is holding a DIY junk electric guitar class at Etsy Labs in Brooklyn tomorrow. Just don't take along half a wrecked coffee table and expect to craft it into a guitar that'll make you the next Clapton: these Etsy things have "wind your own"-style pickups and just a couple of strings. [Sign up page via Make]

Time Harp Instrument is Motion-Sensing, String-Playing Howler

Kit Eaton — Sun, 29 Jun 2008 16:30:00 EDT

"Argh, um, ooh... actually that's kinda interesting" is an approximate record of my thoughts as I heard the Time Harp play in this vid for the first time. The robo-musical instrument grinds plastic discs against strings to make them resonate, activated by motion sensors. And it produces...well, a kind of vooming hum that is almost, but not quite, entirely unlike the sound of Dr Who's TARDIS dematerializing. Designed by Larnie Fox, I like it for its low-tech strangeness and eerie sounds. Plus its the sort of sound that'll pop up in the background of some dance tune or other, and now you'll know where it came from. [Makezine via Crunchgear]

Modded Violin adds Steampunk-esque Styling, One Extra String

Kit Eaton — Tue, 06 May 2008 07:22:00 EDT

Steampunk modding, love it or hate it, has caught on and led to everything from LCD monitors to Nerf rifles getting the treatment. And now we have this steampunk-ish modded violin, that's seriously cut-down and gutted, and packs in tubes and wires and faux valves. Plus one extra string.

Made by modder Molly "Porkshanks" Friedrich, it was built for Nathan Johnstone of the band Abney Park, and debuted at a performance at Maker Faire the other day.

Molly seems to have ignored the fact that violins get their sound quality from the vibrations of their classic shape and structure, so we've no idea what it sounds like, particularly as it sports an extra string. But it does at least have LEDs inside those fake "valves" that flash when in time to its music. All we need now is Vanessa Mae to play it, wearing a suitably matching outfit, don't you think guys? [MAKE via Slashgear]

Yamaha Keyboard-Notebook Combo Concept For On-the-Go Ivory-Ticklers

AddyDugdale — Wed, 30 Apr 2008 06:30:00 EDT

Milan's Salone di Mobile always has a bunch of concept gadgets designed by tech companies, and this is one of Yamaha's efforts. It's a keyboard-in-a-folder, and is the perfect tool for busy musicians and composers. Travellers stuck in the same train carriage as someone carrying this should thank their lucky stars that Yamaha didn't make a version for drummers. [Yamaha Global Gateway via Yanko]

DIY Pocket Theremin Out-Classes Beamz with a Wave of Your Hand

Kit Eaton — Tue, 08 Apr 2008 12:39:43 EDT

Forget the crapness of the Beamz laser-harp music thing with a real touchless music system: the Theremin. The guys at Popsci have a MAKE-style DIY project online that shows you how to build a pocket-sized version of the classic device. Since it uses a light-level input system, it's a little simpler to build than the RF and capacitance circuitry of the "real" instrument. This means it only costs $18.39 in parts, and about three hours of work if you're neat with a soldering iron. Shaky renditions of "Good vibrations" and the theme tune to "Dr. Who" ahoy! [Popsci]

Pac-Man Electric Guitar For Retro Game Loving Rockers

Sean Fallon — Tue, 06 Nov 2007 21:20:18 EST

I can't play the guitar worth a damn, but with any luck the Pac-Man electric guitar would allow me to tap into my inner musician by channeling my dominant inner gaming nerd. Designed by Specimen Custom Guitars, the Pac-Man guitar features a blinking headstock and a variable-speed knob located on the eyeball that can synchronize the blinker to the beat. Unfortunately, the guitar is one-of-a-kind so chances are you won't be able to play one yourself—which is a shame because I would love to hear how this thing sounds. [Specimen via Ubergizmo]

Roadies Grateful for Infinite Response VAX-77 Folding Keyboard

hook — Fri, 26 Oct 2007 18:00:00 EDT

Infinite Response has taken a stab at making keyboards a bit easier to lug around with the VAX-77, which can be folded in half and will even fit in a plane's overhead compartment. The retro keys are available in five totally rad colors, including "blood red," "screaming yellow," "emerald green," "basic black" and "ocean blue." Serious pianists may be bummed to find out that the keyboard only has 77 keys, hence the name, but then again, what serious pianist would play this thing? If only the bending technology had been around when synthesizers were actually cool. No word yet on pricing or availability. [Infinite Response via Crave]

Stowaway Guitar

Travis Hudson — Mon, 24 Jul 2006 17:54:29 EDT

No longer will you be ridiculed for being a dirty hippie carrying around a guitar and playing for spare change. No, no. The Stowaway Guitar can pack up into a classy briefcase and make you look like a dirty hippie oddly carrying around a nice briefcase. It uses a clip-joint neck connection system—whatever the hell that means—for the assembly and disassembly. All we need is some inflatable bongos and a paper harmonica for the best street jamband ever! $599. – Travis Hudson

Product Page [Via Red Ferret]