thingstruments

The Ministar travel guitar by Bob Wiley is like taking only what's essential for the electric guitar to work and making a guitar out of it. However, it seems to work pretty well. Read this great article by Gizmag for more info on Wiley's guitar lineup. Also, a video of the ministar in action:

This joystick is not just any joystick: it has an APC ( Atari Punk Console ) inside, and instead of controlling flight simulators it makes sounds. And there's more: with these instructables , you can make your own at home!

Meet the Misa Tri-Bass . It's a very cool solid wood synth axe with 3 touch-sensitive "strings" and a big XY pad on the body. The makers aren't new to guitar-like synth controllers: they've previously made the Kitara, a controller made famous by Muse, deadmau5 and others !

You've all seen the laser harp used by Jarre. Now they are available from Goodchild Engineering . Very impressive build! Found on Hack a day .

  Gizmag writes of the new project by Olaf Diegel, a 3D-printed instrument maker I've also featured previously . He has now made instruments for a whole band, and Frankfurt will get to see these instruments in action! Gorgeous.

  This one is a looker! Read the article on New Atlas on this amazing piece of craftmanship.

DIY MIDI-controlled robot percussion playing Superstition. Here's the link to the build log for those who want to make their own. Found on Hack a day .

A real thingstrument.

More DIY for you. This guy made his own Akai MPC style controller - but with laptop trackpads ! This means each pad can track it's own X/Y coordinate! This must be a first in the history of pad controllers! Found via hack a day .

Another cool DIY controller, this time made with distance sensors . Combined with the software, a MAX/MSP patch, this DIY enthusiast can now control his favourite synths like a wizard. Found on hack a day .

Here's some more from littleBits: a keytar and a synth spin table project. littleBits are a product family of little electronics modules that can be connected together like legos. If you don't already know, they just started collaboration with Korg for a new synthesizer module product line...

Dentaku have created a mini-synthesizer the size of a cassette tape: Ototo. Looks fun!

This is for the SID fans out there: a freeware SID-emulating VSTi for Windows.

Korg just keeps bringing out some excellent toys for synth geeks. Now they have started collaboration with littleBits , a company making open-source modular circuit boards that can be connected like legos. That's right, Korg is now making open-source synth modules. They've released the monotron schematics already a while back and seems like it worked out just fine for them. It's great to see a big company like Korg embracing the DIY synth community like this! Read this great article on create digital music for more info on the littleBits + Korg collab.

No more fiddling with pots: this guy removed the knobs and replaced them with an on-board Arduino with a Bluetooth module. On top of that he wrote an Android application with which he can change presets on the fly and even create some tremolo-like effects by switching between the presets automatically. Details on the project can be found on the Arduguitar home page .

Here's a great DIY build: a small keyboard imitates 4 NES controllers that are connected to the original NES running a NESK-1 synthesizer cartridge . Check out also this demo of the NESK-1:

The Sonic Wind guitar is quite different from the traditional guitar. The creator calls it an open-chamber guitar.

Here's some Arduino powered synth magic for you. frauAngelico is a drum synth / sequencer, Standuino Pi is a drone synth and the microGranny a cool little granular sampler. Mix them up and you've got this:

Bumped into this set of very cool artwork by Dan McPharlin . He has creates little synthesizer miniatures from cardboard. I can almost hear them bleep and bloop.

The Seaboard is a very cool new instrument from ROLI . It is a soft version of the classical piano keyboard, with polyphonic pitch bend and vibrato added in to mix things up. Yes, you heard it right, you can pitch bend multiple keys in different directions at the same time!

This punch-card operated drum synth / sequencer is too cool to be true. Be sure not to miss the part where he programs in a new sequence!

Here's more guitars for you! Olaf Diegel has made multiple designs of 3D printed guitars. Click here for the gallery!

Rob O' Reilly based the design on his favourite pair of sunglasses. More photos & info in this article by MusicRadar.

SonicXTC have released a new free VST, the Deep Step 606. You can download it at their freebies site here . Check out also their free loop manipulator VST, Beat Twist, and their other nice freebies.

This guy built his own modular and filmed it all with a time-lapse app for the iPhone. The synthesizer can be also heard on the soundtrack. Amazing work!

The Mixtape Alpha is a $42 synth / sequencer smaller than a cassette tape. It is limited to chiptune style sounds, but is still very cool and very portable - you can easily take it anywhere with you. The schematics and source code are available to download, which makes it possible to even build your own.

Here's a great, in-detail introduction to the Oberheim polyphonic 8 voice synthesizer . It's just... beautiful...

I really have no excuse for not introducing the Teenage Engineering OP-1 until now. It first gained fame being featured in the swedish house Mafia's music video for "One (Your Name)" . It's a quirky portable music workstation. Here's one example of the OP-1 in action: And here's a tutorial to the ridiculous and wide accessories range, which makes the OP-1 even more a real Thingstrument. The unit currently costs 800€, so it's not the cheapest toy you can get, but it can really do quite a lot for the buck.

  The ANS synthesizer , imagined in 1938 and built in 1958 by Evgeny Murzin . It is controlled by glass discs that have the arrangement printed on them. It was used most notably on the soundtrack to Andrei Tarkovsky 's film Solyaris . A curious fact is also that this thing is 720-note (or should I say pitch) polyphonic! Also worth checking is this interesting article on the ANS. Update: now a virtual version of the ANS is available for everyone to play with!

Flamethrower guitars. Need I say more?

In this video, 12 Korg monotribes have a conversation.

Very nice patch! I could listen to this all day.

Not sure if it's the coolest, but it sure is one of the nicest modulars I've come across.

Here's a quick look into the history of the Minimoog . Totally worth the 8-minute watch.

For your enjoyment, here's some more bad guitar playing with ridiculous guitars.

This guitar sure looks good, but they still have to do some tuning work on it...

Pedro Reyes made a robotic orchestra out of dismantled guns. It's controlled with Ableton Live. There's also brief shots of a bass, a violin, and a flute made of old guns.

For the computer musicians out there using Windows,, here's some free russian VST synthesizers for you ! The newest addition is the Grey Apparatus version 2, which is a hybrid between an FM synth and a "wavedraw" synth, where you draw the waveform yourself.

In case you've somehow missed it, here's a really cool video clip of the ReacTable , which Rolling Stone magazine called the hot instrument of 2007. I had to include it here.

SAM , or Sample Analysis at Mars is a mini-lab inside Curiosity rover . When it is used to investigate a soil sample, it gives out some audible tunes. So now the folks at NASA made it sing happy birthday to celebrate the rover's first year on Mars.

Here's a clip from the documentary Magic Music From The Telharmonium . The Telharmonium was the first electronic synthesizer complete with a touch sensitive keyboard. Three different versions were built, weighing from 7 tons to almost 200 tons! For those wanting more spoilers, you can read this great synthmuseum.com article about the instrument .

Here's David Gilmour and showing how they did the the synth line for On the Run on an EMS Synthi A . And here's a Synthi advert from days gone by.

The Electronium is a huge electronic synthesizer built in 1960s by Raymond Scott . Here's a talk from the restorator of the thing. Keep up the good work in restoring this awesome piece of history! EDIT: I had to include this MIND-BOGGLING composition of his using the Electronium.

If you've never heard of Bruce Haack , you should check this out. Bruce Haack was a real pioneer of electronic music, making electronic albums starting in the late sixties. The audio not the best but works.

Every synth enthusiast must watch this: Moby going through his collection of synthesizers. The old drum synths get a lot of screen time. And Moby couldn't be more wrong when he ends the video by telling us he's not cool.

Something for the guitarists out there. Check out this collection of cool / ridiculous and above all, strange guitars.

Very nice demonstration of the Eigenharp, with step-by-step introduction to it's capabilities. So cool.

Gotta love Zappa.

Very cool instrument - like a thumb piano but bigger and better... Array instruments has it's own interesting way of arranging the notes on this thing. See more here .

Here's another short doc for you to watch! Mainly people describing circuit bending with some nice bent sounds.

This is so cool. A short clip of an old speech synth in action.

Here's something for you to watch: a nice little documentary on circuit bending. Part 1 Part 2 Part 3

For all the Android users out there, here's a cool free app for you: Music Synthesizer by Raph Levien. It's an emulation of the legendary Yamaha DX7 . Via Music radar .

Here's another free synth for you: Gimmick Graph - a synthesizer where you draw the waveform. This one is only available for the Mac users out there. Found via this Sonic State article .

Here's something for the Windows VST users: EXD-80, a free drum synth by Third Harmonic Studios . It's a virtual analog drum synthesizer, and good for all kinds of electronic music and more. See more info in this article by Sonic State.

Loving this one, nice enclosure & details!

When the user creates ripples in the water tank, a few phototransistors and an Arduino detect the changes in light. The Arduino then sends some MIDI data to a synth. Interesting but seems a bit nonresponsive at times.

Two videos of worms "making music". Actually it seems they're more like circuit benders but that's OK too.

Here's an awesome demonstration of the robotic drum and percussion ensemble by Jazari ! Found this from the #1 circuit-bending page, getlofi.com .

Another Arduino made instrument: the Bleep Drum. See Bleep Labs' store for more info . A kit will cost you $60.

The Ondes Martenot is an old electronic instrument that sounds like the theremin . This guy made his own, modern version of the Martenot, for controlling a Korg Monotribe. Check it out! The post at Hack a Day has some more information for those interested in building their own.

Nice short video interviewing Peter Edwards on circuit bending, what else.

Doesn't get much simpler than this! Just glue a piezo to the kazoo and solder it to an audio jack .

Here's a video demonstrating a breadboard based modular synthesizer by STEIM: This seems like a great way to create a VERY complex modular with minimal effort - no need to have kilograms of patch cables and banana jacks! For more info, see the webpage with documentation . Found from the circuit-bending and musical diy Google+ community .

This guy made some enhancements to his guitar with an Arduino... just awesome!!! Read more on the details at Hack A Day .

This one is really a strange instrument indeed. I'm not sure I fully understand what the sidrazzi even is. Seems to be on the glitch department. Here's a part of the author's description , though it doesn't help much: The Sidrassi is an Organ, designed to reflect the glory of god with pure triangular voices. But it also allows exploration of the Devils' Tone, which is irrational pitch relationships achieved through analog modulations.  And here's the video you're waiting for:

Any synth enthusiast HAS TO SEE THIS!!!

The Struthi-1 is an open-source hybrid digital/analog synthesizer, costing 140€.

This great clip of Randy Raine-Reusch playing a lot of unusual acoustic world instruments. Here's a list of the demonstrated instruments: 0:01 Thai khaen, 0:09 Appalachian dulcimer, 0:24 Chinese hulusi, 0:36 Chinese bawu, 0:46 Chinese dizi, 0:56 Chinese xun, 1:07 Thai (Lisu) naw (hulusheng in China), 1:15 Malaysian (Kayan) selingut, 1:19 Hawaiian one hano ihu, 1:23 Indian pungi, 1:29 Egyptian midjweh, 1:32 Vanuatu shark mouth flute, 1:37 Indonesian (Sunda) suling, 1:41 Slovakian Koncovka, 1:48 Chinese (Uighur, Xinjiang Province) satar, 1:50 Chinese (Uighur, Xinjiang Province) dutar, 1:54 Czech platerspiel, 1:57 Vietnamese dan nguyen, 2:00 Thai (Lanna) seung, 2:03 Ugandan ekidongo, ennenga or adunga, 2:06 Thai (Lanna) pin pia, 2:10 Kenyan nyatiti, 2:13 Vietnamese koni, 2:15 Vietnamese bro, 2:17 South African chipendani, 2:19 Bengali ektara, 2:20 Persian ney, 2:22 Philippine kubing, 2:24 Lao (Hmung) gaeng, 2:25 Chinese (Miao) kouqin, 2:27 Austral...

Here's an open-source softsynth with awesome sounds: ZynAddSubFX . It is available for Linux, Windows and MacOS. Here's a sound demo with all sounds coming from ZynAddSubFX. The screenshot is rumored to be from an upcoming GUI rework...

Auduino is an open-source synthesizer on the Arduino platform. Making one costs you about $50. Here's one built with a stylus controller from a Gakken SX-150. Note that the delay and the back-up tracks are not coming from the Auduino. Auduino with a sequencer Here's a dry example - in this one all the audio is coming from the Auduino.

Honk honk...

This instrument uses water to produce sound. And it sounds fantastic!

Check out this huge percussive instrument!

Crazy complicated MIDI controller...

I heard about this instrument some years earlier but now someone made it into a ready product. Here's the original Samchillian . Looks a bit different but also cool in a different kind of way.

Here's a really interesting short informational video on a composer and his strange instruments.

This piece of software allows you to make songs by emulating a Commodore 64 sound chip. Great stuff, and it's free to download!

A contestant in the Red Bull Crestion contest shows off his DIY instrument.

A pair of steampunk styled theremin goggles! What more to say.  Via Hackaday .