Developer Pit Przygodda has launched a Kickstarter project to fund production of the Silhouette Sport, a unique optical synthesizer that transforms visuals and motion to sound and rhythm.

Przygodda has been exploring optical synthesis for years, building on the precedents of pioneering synthesists like Daphne Oram, who created the Oramics visual synthesizer in the 1960s, and Evgeny Murzin, who created the ANS synthesizer starting in the 1930’s. Przygodda previously introduced the Silhouette Eins Optical Synthesizer in 2020, and debuted it at Superbooth in 2022.

The Silhouette Sport has a camera on board, and it is portable, so you can take it with you and explore how it translates the world around you into sound. It can also load picture and movie files. A special “Vimpler” (“visual sampler”) function closes the audiovisual circuit: Incoming audio gets transformed to a picture, ready for artistic sound resynthesis.

Here’s the video intro:

Features:

• Audiovisual sound synthesis (“Silhouette Synthesis”)
• Visually created audio waves (timbres)
• Visually controlled sequences
• Motion transfer between visuals and sound
• Real time action
• Readable visual inputs: camera, picture and movie files
• “Vimpler” function: audio-to-picture-to-audio
• Swiveling camera
• Optional light-table for perfect silhouettes
• Mobile use (rechargeable battery inside)
• 9 encoder PETG controller layered on the monitor
• Touch screen
• Small touch keyboard for drone pads
• 4 voice
• 4 LFOs
• 2 EGs
• 5 “self creatable” modulation waves
• Dimensions: SPORT: 31,5x19x10cm; on Light-Table: 33×19,5×25,5cm; Case: 45x36x14cm
• Weight: ca. 4 kg

Pricing and Availability:

Production of the Silhouette Sport is being funded via a Kickstarter project. It is available to project backers for €1,520, about $1,588 USD.

Note: Crowdfunded projects can involve risks. See the project site for details.