Snyderphonics Manta

June 18, 2009 11:46 AM

The Snyderphonics Manta. With a few exceptions like the rare Buchla Thunder and the ZenDrum, computer musicians were stuck with controllers disguised as traditional instruments, rolling their own, or using grids of generic rubber pads. The Manta, in the spirit of the Serge TKB's capacitance touchplate construction, attempts to do something new, and people are already doing interesting things with it. Videos: polyphonic keys, sequencer, technique, and lots more
posted by Señor Pantalones (7 comments total)

(discreetly tucks gear boner into waistband)
posted by Juliet Banana at 11:54 AM on June 18

o please come up with another mataphor
posted by longsleeves at 12:03 PM on June 18

meta
posted by longsleeves at 12:04 PM on June 18

My first thought was, "OK, so it's an oversized cracklebox or stylophone, not that there's anything wrong with that." But on reading the specs, it looks pretty full-featured. Too bad its parameters are only editable via a computer, but those LED backlights sure are sexxxy.
posted by lekvar at 12:04 PM on June 18

lekvar, it's not so much that the params are only editable via a computer, inasmuch as it's a human-computer tactile interface one can use to control any software. on its own, it does nothing. no sounds, no lights, nada. think keyboard or mouse.
posted by Señor Pantalones at 12:20 PM on June 18

Oh, I'm aware of that, I just prefer my interfaces to have built-in parameter-editing. For me it's much quicker and makes for better improvisation.
posted by lekvar at 12:32 PM on June 18

This basically looks like a touch-sensitive Monome crossed with a Serge touchplate, which would be awesome. The problem with controllers like this, though, is that everybody wants one and they're made in ridiculously small amounts (initial production run of 50 here), so speculators buy them up and resell them at ultra-ridiculous prices or the quickest people buy them and never part with them, and they don't get into the hands of your average humble tinkerer who just reads about it somewhere like MeFi. The only way around it is 1. the backing of a huge corporation, like the Tenori-On, or 2. open source the schematics and firmware, then anyone can build one themselves if they want, like the Monome (I have a homebuilt Monome on my shelf right now, it cost me about $250 to make).
posted by DecemberBoy at 1:57 PM on June 18 [1 favorite has favorites]