Saturday Synth Porn: This is a video demo of a PocoPoco Musical Interface performance at Siggraph 2011, Vancouver.
The PocoPoco Musical Interface is a new musical interface that users can control by pushing, holding and turning – very intuitive and tactile actions.
To create PocoPoco, IDEEALab developed original solenoid units with built-in sensors and assembled 16 of them in a box-shaped container to serve as a universal input/output device. The resulting device is a versatile interface whose physical movement is designed to appeal to both performers and audiences.
Users can play music with PocoPoco very easily just by “pushing”, “holding ” and “turning” its cylinders. When a user “Pushes” on top of a cylinder, a sequencer switch is flipped to the “on” position causing the cylinder to rise and a sound to play at regular intervals. “Holding” a raised cylinder prolongs the note being played like the sustain pedal of a piano. “Turning” a cylinder affects the instrument’s tone in various ways (e.g. volume control, filters, pitch bend).
While PocoPoco is easy to play, it is also intended to be a device that can be used to create compelling performances.
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Monome and Whack-a Mole had a baby!!
LOL. I was thinking "whack-a-mole" as well. Seriously though, I do like the tangible nature of where they are heading with this.
The whack-a-mole analogy is apt, but I do like the way this works in three dimensions, plus allows for twist gestures.
I like their "group" demos. When the colums rise it almost looks organic, like rippling waves. It would be cool to string A LOT of these together.
has the dj's job been dumb down to paint by numbers?
is the gizmo factor worth the lack of precision and flexibility?
has the rock star game generation created button mashing and loop mashing artists?
or can you give the same equipment to a 3rd grader and get the same results after a month of training?
is this the future for educating the up and coming musicians?
or just another techno fisher price?
Visually and sonically compelling, but even in this demo it appears that there is some skill involved in catching the slippery little buggers as they briefly pop their heads above the surface. Still, bouncy cylinders and flashing coloured lights work for me.
Wait, was there a where time people actually took DJs to be musicians? Yngwie laughs.
Just a stem from the tree of materialism over practicality…