The PhotoSYNTHs are a range of multiplayer, collaborative, mixed-reality POP music factories that grant anyone nearby with radical new musical superpowers!
The PhotoSYNTH II being demonstrated by Gawain Hewitt in 2014
Having long ago developed the "PhotoSYNTH II : POP Music Factory" with the help of #DMLab, and in order to celebrate ten year since the last version, it was time to push it into the third dimension... and beyond!
The "PhotoSYNTH 3 #interFACE" is a web-based music creation technique which instantly transforms anybody it sees into a musical instrument and any group of people into a band!
By tracking your motions and emotions in real-time, this magic mirror converts your everyday movements into beautiful music - making it one of the easiest and most fun synthesizers to play, yet remains highly expressive and capable of high fidelity.
Rather than playing a musical instrument, the PhotoSYNTH plays you!
Without any training you can instantly make great music using movements familiar to you.
Becky smiling at the PhotoSynth causing it to play a melody
Commonly referred to as the Smile Powered Synthesizer due to how most people discover that their mouth now controls musical instruments.
Developed from the ground up to be accessible and inclusive, with the support and feedback from Drake Music and hundreds of disabled and differently-abled people met through #DMLabs throughout the years.
The PhotoSYNTH III being demonstrated by John Kelly
Constant testing with real people ensured that it evolved in an accessible and ergonomic way so that everyone can make music, alone or together with friends. With the broadest demographic covering every diversity and ability... the PhotoSYNTH levels the playing field for any aspiring creatives!
The PhotoSYNTH III being demonstrated by Louis from Drake Music playing the harmonic Choir preset
Looking like a magic mirror where you can see your own reflection, the PhotoSYNTH is a mixed-reality audio synthesizer that uses real-time motion capture with facial-landmark tracking to enhance your movements, and the movements of your friends, with new musical powers, controlling aspects of each instrument and sound... Finally a purpose for your reflection!
PhotoSYNTH 4D with a holographic display being tested at Electro Magnetic Fields
Collaboration is encouraged for up to a simultaneous quartet (four people), and whilst playing alone is a lot of fun, bringing more players adds more layers to the music and amplifies the fun considerably, where each new person can controls their favourite instrument such as the guitar, bass or drums.
PhotoSYNTH III controlling an OP-1 via MIDI on a Zoom call with Tim Yates, Becky Morris-Knight and John Kelly
It is the most satisfyingly fun and psychedelic way to make music with friends, as nobody requires any skills or musical abilities and you can all just focus on the jam and rocking-out together. You can even record your performances and share them with the world!
Holographic version PhotoSYNTH 4D being demonstrated at the
Thanks to the #DMLab grant, there is a brand new version to share with you that contains lots of fun new features and super-powers, this time in true holographic 3D!
Online, the PhotoSYNTH can be accessed at interface.place. and you can come to the
PROTIP May your favourite emoji inspire your performances in order to fully maximise your enjoyment by unlocking usually hidden, secret musical superpowers.
For more information, see the #DMLab talk and its presentation, or jump straight in to the online PhotoSYNTH3.
