Its been a month or so since we’ve featured a Kickstarter item that’s caught our eye, but we think the Artiphon Instrument 1 is an absolute cracker!
The Artiphon Instrument 1 can be played like a guitar, piano, violin, drum machine and lots of other instruments. It consists of a touch-sensitive digital fretboard with a small head on top and a larger body below. The body contains a pickup, a speaker and a knob to adjust the volume.
Naturally, it connects directly to an iPad or iPhone to take advantage of music apps like GarageBand.
The device comes with a companion app which gives users the ability to customize the instrument, including choosing the mode (fretted strings, fretless strings, 6×12 grid or 12 pads), method, tuning and sound. Its digital strings are particularly innovative, as they’re pressure-sensitive to allow for vibrato, multiple notes per string and capo buttons to change tunings.
Artiphon’s goal is for the instrument to be both powerful and easy to use, and to create the most effortless music-making experience at any skill level. Tune it all to E-major if you like, adjust the sensitivity, or forget strumming altogether and let it auto-play the notes you press if you are just a beginner.
And that is a big selling point of the Instrument 1 – that it is equally suited to professionals and those with no musical experience as it "scales in complexity based on your style and skills".
It can be played in seemingly any way: on your lap if you’re a piano maestro; resting on your thigh if you’re a guitar shredder; or on your shoulder if you’re a violinist. Basically it can be fun, but should also be taken very seriously.
It has really captured the attention of the public, as it met its Kickstarter total ($75’000) in less than 6 hours, and now with 32 days still to go way over $500’000 has been pledged.
Take a look at the video below for a short introduction to the Artiphon Instrument 1, and visit their Kickstarter page here to either find out more information, or to even pledge some money yourself.