Skip to main content

Guitar? Bass? Piano? Artiphon’s Instrument 1 is all of those and then some

Whether you simply aspire to one day play an instrument or you’re already a seasoned musician, chances are good you are going to want the device you are about to see.

Artiphon’s Instrument 1 is a touch-sensitive controller which outputs sounds akin to the guitar, piano, violin, bass, or pretty much anything else you want. Frankly, there’s nothing else quite like it in the world, and it could very well change electronic instruments for good.

The Instrument 1 debuted with a boom this week, as Nashville, TN-based tech company Antiphon’s Kickstarter for Instrument 1 met its funding target on Tuesday, the day it launched: over $80,000 in just six hours. At press time, 684 backers have pledged over $250,000.

The device itself is pretty unassuming, just a fret board with a ‘head’ and a ‘body’ consisting of a bridge, speaker, volume knob and instrument presets. Its ease of use and customizability have quickly made it a hot commodity, though.

“Our goal is to create the most effortless music-making experience at any skill level,” the company explained in a statement. “Tune it all to E-major if you like, adjust the sensitivity and let it auto-play the notes you press.”

Introducing the Artiphon INSTRUMENT 1

It can be played in seemingly any way: on your lap if you’re a piano maestro; resting on your thigh if you’re a guitar shredder; or on your shoulder if you’re a violinist. And it’s not just a silly toy. It plays the notes you hit, strum, or bow so it’ll only sound good if you do. (It also has a beginner mode where it can auto-play notes.)

The device comes with a companion app which gives users the ability to customize the instrument, including choosing the mode (fretted strings, fretless strings, 6×12 grid or 12 pads), method, tuning and sound. Its digital strings are particularly innovative, as they’re pressure-sensitive to allow for vibrato, multiple notes per string and capo buttons to change tunings.

The starting price for the Artiphon Instrument 1, which comes in white and black, is $349. They can be ordered via Artiphon’s Kickstarter and expect to ship at the beginning of 2016.

Editors' Recommendations

Chris Leo Palermino
Former Digital Trends Contributor
Chris Leo Palermino is a music, tech, business, and culture journalist based between New York and Boston. He also contributes…
iOS 12.1.2 disconnects some iPhones from cellular data: Here’s how to fix it
iPhone XS Max

Some iPhone users who have upgraded to iOS 12.1.2 are reporting a variety of issues, mostly that their devices are being disconnected from cellular data.

Just one day after the early December launch of iOS 12.1.1, which improved the FaceTime user interface and added Haptic Feedback features for the iPhone XR, Apple rolled out the iOS 12.1.2 public beta. The latest version of Apple's mobile operating system looked to clean up a variety of bugs, including cellular connectivity issues that appeared in iOS 12.1.1.

Read more
Rivian’s all-electric, seven-seat R1S isn’t your typical family SUV
Rivian R1S

Previous

Next

Read more
Removu K1 is the first all-in-one 4K gimbal camera with a built-in LCD screen
Removu K1 3-axis gimbal camera

Removu, which has made GoPro camera accessories for several years, has a new three-axis gimbal camera to compete directly with the DJI Osmo. It’s called the Removu K1, and it looks incredibly similar to the Osmo except for one key difference: A 1.5-inch LCD monitor right on the back of the handle.

That screen allows users to frame their shots without needing to attach a smartphone, a process that can be a little cumbersome and which adds weight to the system. The K1 weighs just 340 grams, already less than the Osmo’s 421 grams even before a phone is added. For marathon shooting sessions, the K1 should put less strain on your arms and back.

Read more