Donner is perhaps better known for its digital pianos and other more traditional instruments rather than the slightly more quirky portable music creation devices, but it has just launched a campaign on Kickstarter to have its new MEDO multi-function musical instrument gain funding for production.
The take on the MEDO is that it can be used by anyone, from toddlers to experienced musicians, and everyone in between. This little unit, which looks a bit like a scaled down mini PC, Mac Mini or Mac TV, features gesture-controlled play, recording and sampling, a built-in speaker, drum, chord and bass sounds, RGB lighting, and USB MIDI.
The promo video shows it being passed around and playing music seamlessly between people, though of course that’s all staged. Probably more likely is that an individual musician will use it to create and craft musical ideas on the go, capturing environmental sounds and then perhaps getting that sound data out for further expansion on a DAW in the studio.
As well as easily sampling sound, there are recording and looper functions for layering and building soundscapes. The gesture-controlled play feature lets you control music with intuitive gestures, from adjusting parameters and effects to modulating sounds. The RGB lighting also adds a visual performance element to created music.
The unit is just 8.6×8.6×3.7cm in size and weights under a fifth of a kilo. Check out their Kickstarter page for more info.
Key features
- Sampler: MEDO provides up to five seconds of sampling time, allowing you to capture and manipulate sounds on the fly.
- Versatile Touch Control: Its grid-based touch control surface adapts to your chosen mode – drum, bass, chord, or lead.
- Powerful Looper: With a 128-bar looper, you can build up intricate musical compositions effortlessly.
- Built-in Speakers: Experience your creations through MEDO’s built-in speakers, immersing yourself in the music you make.
- RGB Lights: Visualize your music with RGB lights that add an extra layer of creativity to your performances.
- Portability: Its compact size makes MEDO highly portable, so you can take your musical ideas with you wherever you go.
