This year’s finalists are an impressive collection of oddballs. There’s Amphibian Modules, a modular synthesizer that swaps patch cables for a dish of salt water. The Gajveena, which combines a double bass with a traditional Indian veena. And Fiddle Henge is, well, a henge made of fiddles. Four green violins are mounted on a bass drum and played with a rotating record.
And then there’s the Demon Box, a chaotic triangle of evil that turns electromagnetic radiation into music. Unlike most of the other finalists, it is already a commercial product that you can buy from Eternal Research for $999. Beyond converting invisible EMF into audible sound, you can also control other synthesizers by converting invisible radiation from your cell phone or TV remote into MIDI and control voltage (CV).
Other finalists include the Lethelium, a kind of steel drum-harp hybrid made from a bicycle wheel, and an open-source, RFID-enabled synthesizer called The Masterpiece, designed for musicians with disabilities. look at the video above to see brief demos and details on the ten finalists. The winner will be announced after a competition concert on Saturday, March 14.
