The World's Cutest Synth!

July 8, 2006 11:40 AM

Have you ever seen a synth and said "Man, what this needs is cartoon eyes?" A bit similar to the Buchla Box or theremin in that they don't have a keyboard to control the sounds -- it's probably closest to the Booper, invented by The Weatherman from Negativland (or, well, Circuit Bending), the Thingamagoop is a photosynthesizer... which means it basically uses light sensors to generate sounds. The signal's run through a couple oscillators and, well, it comes out as somethin' that's pretty dang awesome. I'm on the fence on pickin' this one up. On one hand, it's a really neat toy that makes noise... on the other hand, um.... um.... I dunno. It's not made of candy?
posted by Rev. Syung Myung Me (18 comments total)

*droooooooooooool*
posted by afx114 at 11:55 AM on July 8, 2006

Those are great. I'm tempted to get one.
posted by wsg at 12:12 PM on July 8, 2006

BEST ANNOYING EVAR!
posted by furtive at 12:39 PM on July 8, 2006

I stared in wide-eyed delight. My girlfriend stared in abject horror and disgust. I'm guessing I won't be getting one for Christmas.

*sigh*
posted by lekvar at 12:40 PM on July 8, 2006

[this is good]. the guy that makes these is a good friend of mine. also, goopymart paints them.
posted by ghegar at 1:17 PM on July 8, 2006

I think I just came in my underpants a little.
posted by loquacious at 1:44 PM on July 8, 2006

Cool -- I've just bought one... I couldn't hold out any longer. The main reason I was holding out was a sense of "Is this too good to be true? These things are awfully rad and awfully cheap for, well, a synthesizer..." but, well, if a ROBOT can vouch for them..8)

Seriously, these things are so rad for someone like me who's a synthgeek.
posted by Rev. Syung Myung Me at 1:51 PM on July 8, 2006

The last two shots of that video are gold. Pure gold.
posted by cortex at 2:04 PM on July 8, 2006

I am trying like hell to justify the purchase I'm about to make.
posted by dantsea at 2:52 PM on July 8, 2006

[this is good]
posted by roboto at 5:27 PM on July 8, 2006

Similar, sans anthropomorphism: Cracklebox, Model 665, SNB, Buddha Machine...
posted by jack_mo at 5:32 PM on July 8, 2006

Cool cool cool. Light-activated sound is the best. When is someone going to buy me a drum buddy?
posted by unknowncommand at 8:50 PM on July 8, 2006

some old-school photosonics here from Jacques Dudon.

nothing beats the drum buddy though
posted by arialblack at 11:33 PM on July 8, 2006

I WANT ONE!
posted by sveskemus at 2:12 AM on July 9, 2006

Back at NYU, in a "Science of Sound" class, the professor brought in a large metal tube pumped with gas, and with little holes in the top. He lit the tube, shotting up flames through the holes, and then played music through the tube to visualize the wave forms.

That's the toy I want.
posted by Navelgazer at 2:32 AM on July 9, 2006

I'll trade someone my iPod Video for one of these!
posted by Citizen Premier at 2:43 AM on July 9, 2006

Woo. :)
posted by Foosnark at 11:22 AM on July 9, 2006

Midi control?

I wonder if you could make one out of lego?
posted by asok at 3:16 PM on July 9, 2006