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Eigenharp Alpha, Pico demo and mind-blowing concert (hands-on)
Remember the Eigenharp Alpha and Pico that we broke news of last week? Sure you do, but we bet you still haven't a clue how those long, elegant sticks work. The forty employees at Eigenlabs probably heard us simultaneously scratching our heads so they kindly invited us to their London studio for a quick demo, and boy, those musical wands look great up close, not to mention their remarkable flexibility for user configuration as well. John Lambert, Founder and Chairman of Eigenlabs, managed to sneak out of his busy schedule to give us the lowdown on the Eigenharps. It all started in his Devon barn about eight years ago and over time the Alpha was groomed into a 132-key beast, followed by the recently-developed, self-explanatory Pico. The defining character of both Eigenharps lies in their "completely new sensor technology" consisting of pressure sensitive keys, that can do dual-axis vibrato (not dissimilar to string instruments), accompanied by strip controllers for applying filters or pitch bend, or anything at all depending on how you configure them on their Mac software suite (Windows-support due in January). Likewise with the breath pipe: once you've loaded your library and presets you can switch from a Kenny G to a Daft Punk at the simple click of a key. Heck, you can even configure the air pressure sensitivity as well if you're tickling for a soft mood, or just feeling lazy. And those funky LED lights, you ask? Well, they're actually indicators for the different modes you're in rather than just being pretty. Watch the walkthrough videos after the break and you'll get a better idea. %Gallery-75673%
Eigenharp Pico and Alpha slowly remove shroud of mystery, gets stratospheric price tags
We can almost say with certainty that neither the Eigenharp Pico nor Alpha will actually be remembered as the "most revolutionary instrument in 60 years," but that's not stopping creator Eigenlabs from keeping its hopes high. If you'll recall, these funky instruments were unveiled courtesy of an enigmatic YouTube clip early last month, and now the outfit is slowly dribbling out official details on its contributions to the musical realm. Neither instrument is being aimed at the bargain banger, with the Alpha going for £3,950 ($6,302) and the Pico for £349 ($557). Both of 'em sport keys, a breathe pipe, a so-called strip controller and their own native soundsets, though currently they'll interface only with Macs. If you're really interested in learning something new, you can surf on over to the outfit's website for a look at the specifications -- just bring the checkbook if you're easily tempted. Update: Looks the The Beeb snagged a little mouth-on time with it!
Video: Mysterious Eigenharp offers blinkenlight sitar looks, chilled-out Moby grooves
There was a time when instruments were limited by their shapes, strings, valves. Today they're only limited by human creativity, and we'd have to say the folks at Eigenlabs certainly aren't lacking in that department -- they seem to have a bountiful supply of buttons and LEDs, too. Eigenlabs has given birth to the Eigenharp, an instrument that is still largely mysterious, but as you can see in the first video below it seems to allow musicians to loop samples, finger drum, and even play like an oboe. The second video shows off the thing's sequencer, a combination of features that could make this the perfect electronica accompaniment for your next sit-in. Exactly what else it can do remains to be seen, but we'll probably go ahead and wait for for the four-button Guitar Hero version.
