Motor Synth is an analog, electro-mechanical synthesizer that uses a system of electromotors as its main sound source. Motor Synth is a new method of analog audio signal generation since controlled electromotors have never been used as the principal sound source for a commercial musical instrument, nothing like this has ever been built before!

Motor Synth produces sounds by accelerating and decelerating eight electromotors to precise rpm (revolutions per minute) that correspond with specific musical notes. The instrument’s eight-electromotor configuration makes it a four-note true polyphonic synth with two voices per key played.

Motor Synth Two Ways of Producing Core Sound.

Firstly, magnetic pickups are placed on each of its eight electromotors; the spinning coils result in a very industrial-sounding, over-the-top analogue tone. Think eight harmonious revving engines pumping out an intimidating noise!

Secondly, specially designed reflective optical disks have been attached to the shafts of each electromotor. Each disk contains a graphical representation of three standard audio wave-shapes. As the electromotors spin, the disks are set into a circular motion, and each wave-shape is read by a dedicated set of infrared sensors, then converted into an audio signal. Thus, the wave-shapes on the reflective optical disks become precise musical notes, corresponding to the speed of the electromotors.

Gamechanger | Audio IndieGoGo crowdfunding campaign

Gamechanger | Audio announced that its IndieGoGo crowdfunding campaign (starts on Tuesday, May 28th, 2019). MOTOR Synth will be available to pre-order — prices starting at $749.00 USD — for 30 days. After the crowdfunding campaign closes, MOTOR Synth will only be available for online and in-store purchase at an MSRP (Manufacturer Suggested Retail Price) of $1,299.00 USD when shipping starts, scheduled for around November/December 2019.

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The Motor IndieGoGo campaign starts May, 28th 2019 at 12 PM noon New York time. That is 9 AM in Los Angeles, 5 PM in London and 18:00 in Berlin and Paris. 1 AM in Tokyo and 2 AM in Sydney (29th).

As the world’s first electro-mechanical desktop synthesizer, MOTOR Synth really represents a new method of analog audio signal synthesis since digitally-controlled electromotors (used to convert electrical energy into mechanical energy) have never before been used as the principal sound source for a commercial musical instrument. In a nutshell, MOTOR Synth produces sounds by accelerating and decelerating eight electromotors to precise RPMs (revolutions per minute) that correspond with specific musical notes. Each electromotor is fitted with a magnetic pickup/inductor and an
infrared photosensor that reads a spinning optical disc with printed sine, sawtooth, and square wave-shapes. Besides using motors as oscillators, the rest of the synth’s features are designed in the best tradition of analog gear.

First Impression

Extraordinarily employing electromotors alone are enough to make MOTOR Synth sound like nothing else out there — think eight harmonious revving engines pumping out an intimidating noise! “Nowadays we can find so many synthesizers on the market more or less based on the same system,” says Jean-Michel Jarre, before continuing, clearly impressed with what he first saw and heard at SUPERBOOTH19: “I’ve been really blown away by MOTOR Synth by Gamechanger | Audio. It’s an analog, electro-mechanical synthesizer. The little discs all turn. It’s very cool — very nice and very different from a visual point of view. And, of course, the sound is quite extraordinary.”

MOTOR Synth features familiar analog audio processing circuits — filters, envelopes, et al — alongside arpeggiation, cross-modulation, sequencing, and multiple polyphonic mode facilities, as well as an innovative looping system that allows adventurous users to layer rhythm and melodies, just like when using a loop station.

On a not so musical — though no less extraordinary — note, MOTOR Synth’s see-through protective glass cover above its core sound system of eight electromotors enables users to receive visual feedback from the instrument itself by being able to see those spinning electromotors in action. But better still, the visual experience is enhanced still further by the also-visible set of reflective optical discs attached to the electromotors’ shafts being coupled to a set of eight mini strobe lights, so those spinning discs themselves turn into a hypnotic light show! Showman Jean-Michel Jarre should surely be blown away again. After all, he is also known for staging large-scale outdoor spectacles.