Back in the 80s, the Millioniser 2000 pioneered the still-largely-unexplored world of the MIDI harmonica.
John Lassen has revisited the Millioniser 2000, creating the open hardware emonica MIDI harmonica:
Some time ago I saw that in the early 80’s there was a synthesizer that you could play like a harmonica. The device called itself Millioniser 2000 and could probably never prevail in the market. Today you can still buy these (used) devices on ebay at horrendous prices.
Therefore, I decided to build a midi harmonica myself.
Details on the project are available at the Hackaday site.
This is the future.
It’s about damn time.
Awesome! (But I am kind of conflicted by wanting to making a similar video where I’m blowing into a shoe.)
John, you truly got it right. The instrument is fluid and properly engaging, as your demo playing makes clear. I kind of wonder where the line is between good harmonica technique and playing the Emonica more as a synth, but that OLED shows a lot of welcome flexibility. Someone, hopefully a fair number of someones, will use it well and give it the footing it deserves. Fine work.