Images of Guthman Competition instruments in hexagon shapes, arranged like a wasp nest.

Guthman Musical Instrument Competition
2022 Finalists

Guthman Musical Instrument Competition
2022 Finalists

The 2022 Guthman Musical Instrument Competition started with 26 semifinalists from 16 different countries. After an online showcase of 26 semifinalists, a committee of Georgia Tech faculty and public voting decided which creators would compete at the final stage.

Nine innovators have advanced to the competition's final round. They will meet on the Georgia Tech campus in Atlanta, Georgia, on March 11 and 12, 2022, to compete for $10,000 in prizes.

2022 Finalists

Meet the nine Guthman Musical Instrument Competition finalists. Each finalist and their instrument has a compelling story — these are the world's next generation of musical instruments. Discover their musical and design excellence on the Ferst Center for the Arts stage.

Chowndolo

Giacomo Lepri

The Chowndolo is an instrument based on a magnetic pendulum: an oscillating stick whose trajectories are altered by magnets placed underneath the device. The unstable patterns produced by the pendulum oscillations are transformed into sound, articulating a music that evolves based on the pendulum’s dance.

Glissotar

Dániel Váczi and Tóbiás Terebessy

Instead of tone holes, the Glissotar uses a longitudinal slot on the tube of the instrument, covered with a stretched ribbon. Pushing down on the ribbon will seal the slot, so you can produce any note in the pitch continuum. It is based on a Hungarian single-reed instrument with a conical wooden body called the tarogato. 

Aristid

Franz Ehn

Aristid enables composers to write music that is not based on rigid scales. The instrument generates playable harmonic frequencies based on growth patterns of plants. The combinations of generated harmonies are novel and infinite. Aristid allows for unbiased musical exploration while challenging the audience's listening habits.

The Hypercubes

Mateo Mena

The hypercubes (see-through cubes with electronic components inside) form a new electronic musical instrument. By connecting the modules together you can generate, modify, and control pure electronic sounds without computers or cables. Hundreds of possible combinations allow users to learn and work with electronic music in a physical way.

The GLOBE (Gesture-sensing, Luminous, Oscillating Ball Environment)

Chantelle Ko

The GLOBE is a ball-shaped instrument with FSR touch sensors, an IR distance sensor, a 3-axis accelerometer, an RGB color sensor, and LED strips that respond to the color sensor. The performer can spin, roll, or tilt the GLOBE, as well as press the touch sensors or wave a hand above the IR distance sensor.

Cicada

Physical Synthesis

Cicada is a playful and controllable instrument that converts voltage to vibrations in a mechanical oscillator. Through various forms of modulation — the addition of frequency content — Cicada enriches the production of electronic sound through physical means. It was originally developed at Dartmouth College and was commercialized in April 2021. 

AirGlow

DPAK (Performer), Chet Udell (Inventor)

The AirGlow uses an air-guitar strum sensor, an LED light bar, motion sensors, and a fingerboard sensitive to pressure and position. It uses a performance practice most people already know: air guitar. These gestures become inputs for an application with many instrumental presets and plug-and-play capability. Included tutorials and stepwise guides teach basic computational thinking.

Licheri Guitar

Stefan Licheri

The Licheri guitar offers endless analog sound possibilities through exchangeable pick-ups and electronic system and resonance bodies without changing the strings. It offers the possibility of playing midi through hexaphonic pick ups. The performer can add controllers or pads in combination of programs such as Ableton Live, Max Msp, Pure Data, and others.

T-Voks

Xiao Xiao, Gregoire Locqueville, Christophe d'Alessandro, Boris Doval

T-Voks is a speaking and singing Theremin. High-quality multilingual voice synthesis is played in real-time through two types of controls. One is the theremin itself, the other is a device for syllabic or rhythmic sequencing of speech. The electronic sound of the theremin is replaced by an expressive voice capable of singing lyrics and reciting poetry.

Guthman participant map showing global connections.

Past Winners

Guthman Musical Instrument Competition Through the Years

The Guthman Musical Instrument Competition is one of the only competitions of its kind: an event dedicated to identifying the newest and greatest ideas in music.

The result is an event that exposes new technologies and novel ideas to a community of musicians who are natural experimenters. The instruments we feature are a captivating mix of digital possibilities and traditional performances that transform how we perform and experience music.

Get the Inside Scoop on Music Technology

Learn about our Guthman Musical Instrument Competition, the inventors we feature every year, and the music technology research and degree programs at the Georgia Tech School of Music. We will inspire your creativity and expand your perspectives on music!

Start Your Music Technology Journey

At the Georgia Tech School of Music, our students combine technical skill with exceptional music talent to truly change the way the world experiences music. Learn more about our bachelor's, master's, and doctoral degree programs in music technology, our pre-college summer studio, and our innovative research labs.

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