The Oval MIDI instrument – a new electronic controller, inspired by the Hang percussion instrument (also known generically as HandPans or hang drums) – is now available to pre-order via a Kickstarter project.
The Oval can be used as a MIDI controller or with a dedicated mobile app.
Here’s the official intro video for the Oval:
Here’s a performance demo, Murmur by Ravid Goldschmidt:
Key Features:
- Play any sound you can imagine whilst connected to your smartphone or tablet.
- The Oval works via an App but you can also use any MIDI compatible software.
- Design your own sounds, scales and songs.
- Create your own compositions and use the App’s live-performance mode – it has been specifically designed to get the most out of your Oval.
- The external case is made of Solid Surface composed by natural materials –minerals like bauxite, marble and quartz–, natural resins and acrylic.
- The Oval is light, portable, durable, minimal, simple and energetically self-sufficient.
- The Oval is ergonomically designed and can be played in many ways.
The Oval is available to project backers for 399 Euros. Shipping is planned for May 2016. See the project site for details.
If you buy three of them you can play two octaves! ChaChing!
Buying one, painting it blue and totally owning at the next Mario Kart tourney.
What!!! Are you’re saying I can hook this up to my PS3!!!!
If so, there is like no way I’m not buying seven of these…oh wait, there may be a way…
Plz let the next invention be a full sized steel drum midi controller, reasonably prized at 10.000 Euros.
This reminds of the ‘Alphasphere’ product which was being promoted recently.
Personally – I have a problem with these circular & spherical designs and would be more comfortable with a linear ‘grid’ layout.
Handpad looks like it has 8 touch pads.
… I would prefer these to be in a flat 4*4 grid. If any shape – maybe concave (curved inwards), or sloped upwards.
In the case of Alphasphere, trying to play the surfaces of a 369 degree ‘ball’ seems silly to me!
Trying to play percussion on a piano keyboard always looks stupid and sounds terrible.
This is affordable and a logical controller for melodic percussion. And it is downright inexpensive compared to a Hang ($2-3,000).
i hate to say that mick might suck in loving the past, hang drum is sort of its own thing, there is no point in talking about grid here, i hope y´all enjoy life, over and out.
Can you do this with MPC pads?
579€ for 8 switches in a wok pan? Am I missing simething?
Well it seems to be more than switches. From the project page each sensor has x, y location, velocity, multiple pressure sensors, and an RGB light. It also is rechargeable, and has USB and Thunderbolt ports and runs MIDI to its bundled App via Bluetooth. They also say they use marble to make it, but I’m not seeing marble in any of the photos.
Seems to be popular – they’ve already presold 200 of them and are funded.
Those hang drums are pretty popular, also expensive and hard to get, one article said buyers have to make a pilgrimage to the maker’s remote hut in the swiss alps, prevail against Three Great Challenges, answer a Riddle, and then those who succeed have the Makers read the person’s aura to decide what scale to build it to. Some people get more than one of them so they can have more than one scale.
This device allows for a hang drum where the scale is not so fixed.
haha you made my day =)
If you support the kickstarter project, the price of the Oval is 399 euros (+ shipping). The mentioned price of 579 euros will be the retail price of the device if it reaches the shops at some time.
I bought one as a very early backer for just 349 euros and think this is a very fair price!
Did my last album on one of these babies. It’s great for doing the tin drum and all but when it comes to mixing tracks on it I just wish I bought a real tin drum instead!!
….If each one of those surfaces was a Korg Wavedrum, I would certainly be interested.
Please don’t play with this in the park.
The real ones are badass, but you do have to go to Switzerland at an exact time in the summer and meet the maker to get one. and have a hand full of dough
It’s worse than that. The makers appraise you and decide upon your worthiness to own an instrument. Then, they require you to sign an agreement not to sell your instrument, except through them, essentially granting you a license to own the instrument that reverts to THEM on your death or disenchantment.
You have to send them a written letter via postal mail in their native language explaining why you are worthy. They then, once a year, would send rejection letters to 99% of these people, and acceptance letters to the rest. Those chosen had to pay around $2300 and travel to their remote mountain cabin to take delivery. A contract was signed agreeing not to sell it for more than you paid. Purchasers can sell them, but not for more than they paid originally. This was done because of concerns about speculators.
The no longer sell hang instruments any more since they have changed to a new design and they do not believe in making older styles. They consider themselves metal sculptors of sound objects and not instrument manufacturers and reject the concept of commodity.
I need one of these please. Where can I buy one?